His goalscoring attracted the attention of Spurs' neighbours and rivals Arsenal, who signed him for £7,500 in 1937, making him the first player to move directly from Spurs to Arsenal since Peter Kyle in 1906. He was intended as a replacement for Ted Drake who was injured at the time. He made his debut on 1 October 1937 against Manchester City at Highbury, and went on to play 21 matches, 18 in the league, as Arsenal won the 1937–38 Football League title.