JACK PORTER-KEEPER and Fred.

Arsenal, tonight, with David Raya not fit to face Bolton, hand a debut to 16-year-old Jack Porter in the Caraboa Cup, 

Raya was filmed limping, leaving The Etihad Stadium on Sunday, after Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City and has not been passed fit for Wednesday’s third-round clash. Porter is the next in line to replace Raya as both Arsenal’s No2 and No3 goalkeepers - Neto and Tommy Setford- are unavailable. 

Neto, who joined on loan from Bournemouth on transfer deadline day, is cup-tied and Setford is out with a hip injury. It means Porter makes his debut at the age of just 16, and Mikel Arteta is confident the teenager will be prepared.

He said: “We have to wait and see what the situation is going to be. But that’s why we train with four, sometimes five goalkeepers - we want them all around. They have to be prepared and these things happen. Whoever plays, for sure he will be prepared.”

Arsenal have several teenage goalkeepers they could have called upon, including Alexei Rojas, Brian Okonkwo and Lucas Nygaard. Porter, however, has been giving the nod, having been acting as Arsenal’s No3 goalkeeper in the absence of Setford. The 16-year-old travelled to Atalanta and Manchester City last week and helped Neto and Raya warm up ahead of the games.

Porter only signed scholarship terms with Arsenal in the summer and he cannot sign a professional contract until he turns 17 in July next year. He is highly thought of by Arsenal, though, and played for their Under-18s before becoming a scholar. He has represented England at youth level. Arsenal’s academy staff describe Porter as a confident goalkeeper, on and off the pitch. He is liked, due to his ability on the ball and the way he helps the defence play out from the back. 

Fred Beardsley was one of the 'founding fathers' of what we know today as Arsenal Football Club. A keen goalkeeper, Beardsley grew up in Nottingham, playing for Forest and working at a local government munitions factory. But he was sacked by his employer for taking time off without permission and moved to London to work at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. Beardsley, together with colleagues like David Danskin and Jack Humble, formed a works' team called Dial Square. FRED was between the posts for their first-ever game against Eastern Wanderers on December 11, 1886. Beardsley continued to guest for Forest in some matches and his enduring connections with his home city benefited Arsenal too. On one trip back to the East Midlands in 1886, Beardsley used his contacts to obtain a ball and some Forest kits. He took the donations back to London for his new club, now called Royal Arsenal. They adopted the kit and the tradition of red shirts and white shorts at Arsenal was born. Beardsley played for Royal Arsenal up until the 1890/91 season, when he was replaced in goal by Edmund Bee. He had played 67 times in regional competitions and twice in the FA Cup, including Arsenal's first-ever tie in that competition. After his retirement from playing in 1891, Beardsley was elected to the post of vice-chairman. He served on Woolwich Arsenal's board of directors for the next two decades, and also worked for the CLUB as a "scout". His association with the club ended in 1910.