Arsenal preparing to face Galatasaray at the Emirates on Wednesday

The likes Jose Antonio Reyes, Andre Santos and Nicklas Bendtner feature in list of Wenger's 18 worst players

It was on October 1, 1996 that a relatively unknown Frenchman called Arsene Wenger was unveiled at Highbury as the new manager of Arsenal.

His appointment was, it's fair to say, greeted with a mixture of bemusement and incredulity. One newspaper ran the back page headline 'Arsene Who?'

But little did we know then that Wenger's arrival would herald the start of one of the most glorious chapters in the club's history.

In the 18 years since, he has delivered three Premier League titles, five FA Cups and reached a Champions League final.

To commemorate the anniversary, here's our rundown - in no particular order - of the greatest players of the Wenger era.

Dennis Bergkamp

Dennis Bergkamp scores against Leicester at Highbury in the Premier League

The Dutch master was already at Highbury when Wenger arrived but the Frenchman transformed him into an influential forward. Bergkamp contributed memorable goals - who can forget that hat-trick at Leicester City or the pirouette at Newcastle - and was excellent for a decade, scoring 120 goals in 423 matches.

Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry scores a penalty for Arsenal against Charlton during his first spell at the club

The Frenchman had played under Wenger at Monaco and they were reunited for £11m in August 1999. Henry quickly established himself as a world class forward and a club legend, scoring 92 goals and powering them to the Premier League title in 2002 and 2004. He was also voted PFA Players' Player of the Year in consecutive years.

Patrick Vieira

Patrick Vieira avoids the challenge of Valencia's Pablo Aimar during a Champions League game

Wenger's enforcer through the glory years, Vieira is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders of modern times and has won pretty much every trophy on offer. He was a man who never shirked a tackle and inspired Arsenal to victory in countless important games during his nine ever-present seasons.

Nicolas Anelka

Nicolas Anelka scores Arsenal's third goal against Manchester United in the Charity Shield

Considering Anelka joined as a 17-year-old for just £500,000, his return of 28 goals, the Premier League and the FA Cup isn't at all bad. Though his time at Highbury was short-lived, and included a few little dramas, he was a prolific scorer at the time for the Gunners.

Emmanuel Petit

French midfielder Emmanuel Petit powers past two Dynamo Kiev defenders in the Champions League

Another man who played under Wenger at Monaco, midfielder Petit arrived for £2.5m in June 1997. That proved a bargain as his consistent performances helped Arsenal win the Double in 1998 and he formed a formidable partnership with Vieira..

Marc Overmars

Marc Overmars avoids a challenge from Chelsea's Didier Deschamps during a Premier League game in 1999

The scarily fast Dutch winger was a key member of the Double-winning side and memorably scored the crucial goal at Old Trafford that turned the tide in the title race. He contributed 40 goals in all for the Gunners - not bad for a winger - and left innumerable full backs terrified at the thought of facing him.

Tony Adams

Tony Adams and Arsene Wenger celebrate winning the Premier League in 1998

Stalwart Adams was already part of the furniture at Highbury long before Wenger arrived but the manager got five more seasons out of the 30-year-old. He captained the team to Doubles in 1998 and 2002, sealing his legendary status at the club he represented with distinction in a career spanning three decades.

Martin Keown

Martin Keown beats Ruud van Nistelrooy to the ball during a defeat against Manchester United

Another pillar in that formidable Nineties Arsenal back line, Keown was actually largely out of favour during the 1998 Double season, playing only 18 times in the league. But he soon regained his place and was integral for a few more seasons, signing off with a title winners' medal as part of the Invincibles team.

Lauren

Right back Lauren was described by Arsene Wenger as his greatest ever signing

The versatile Cameroonian was one of Wenger's most under-rated but valuable signings, arriving for £7.2m in the summer of 2000. After taking a little time to find his place in the team, Lauren became an indispensible part of both the 2002 Double winners and the Invincibles.

David Seaman

David Seaman was a stalwart for Arsene Wenger's sides during the 1990s and early 2000s

Long-established as Arsenal's No 1, Wenger rightly saw no reason to remove Seaman when he arrived at the club. The keeper continued to excel, and was vital in all the Gunners' triumphs during the early Wenger era. He was capable of making seemingly impossible saves, notably the one to keep out Paul Peschisolido's header against Sheffield United in the 2003 FA Cup semi-final.

Aaron Ramsey

Aaron Ramsey has recovered from a serious injury to become one of Arsenal's most important players

It's only right to include a member of the successful team Wenger is currently trying to mould at Arsenal and Ramsey would certainly be the choice of many. The Welshman has really kicked on over the last two seasons, scoring a lot of goals and turning in consistently influential displays. He was the club's player of the season in 2013-2014 and capped it with the winning goal in the FA Cup final, ending the club's embarrassing nine-year trophy drought.

Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas left Barcelona for Arsenal and then returned to Spain in 2011

One of Wenger's biggest success stories, taking a rough diamond of a 16-year-old from Barcelona and turning him into a dynamic midfielder and club captain. Fabregas had the Spanish flair and the grit required to succeed in the Premier League and Arsenal were sorry to see him return home in 2011.

Ashley Cole

Ashely Cole established himself as one of the best left backs in the world at Arsenal before leaving in 2006

The youth graduate who became the best left back in the world, Cole may have been more successful at Chelsea but he was made at Arsenal. He won the Premier League twice and the FA Cup three times, making 228 first-team appearances in all. His rampaging runs down the left side and crossing, not to mention his tireless defensive work, were vital during the Invincibles season.

Robert Pires

French midfielder Robert Pires holds of Tottenham's Robbie Keane during a London derby in 2006

Arsenal fought off competition from Real Madrid and Juventus to sign the elegant French attacker Pires and he was worth it. Imperious during the 2001-2002 Double season, he created more goals than anyone else in the league. His polished technique, passing and finishing skills were also very much in evidence during the Invincible years.

Robin van Persie

The sight of Robin van Persie celebrating was a familiar one during his eight seasons at Arsenal

One of the most prolific strikers of the Wenger era, Van Persie scored 132 goals in 277 matches during his eight seasons at the club. Arriving from Feyenoord in 2004 for a mere £2.75m, the Dutchman wasted little time in showing his predatory instinct and was particularly impressive in the 2008-2009 (20 goals) and 2011-2012 (37) seasons.

Sol Campbell

Signed on a free transfer from Tottenham, Sol Campbell went onto become a legend at Arsenal

His transfer from rivals Spurs in 2001 certainly ruffled a few feathers but Campbell dispelled all criticism by winning the Premier League and FA Cup in his first season. A natural successor to the retiring Adams and Keown, Campbell produced regular commanding performances at the heart of the Arsenal defence.

Freddie Ljungberg

Freddie Ljungberg scores for Arsenal against Panathinaikos in the Champions League in 2004

His £3m fee back in 1998 was a Swedish record but it proved a bargain for Wenger. Ljungberg scored and created many important goals during the Double season and filled many roles across the midfield and in attack. He made in excess of 300 appearances for the club, winning two league titles and three FA Cups.

Ray Parlour

Ray Parlour is tackled by Toony Taggart of Barnet during a pre-season friendly

The ultimate 'unsung hero', Parlour put in scores of pivotal performances for Wenger's teams. He stunned Chelsea with a 30-yard goal in the 2002 FA Cup final and captained the side to a 5-1 win over Inter Milan in the San Siro. He made 339 league appearances for the club between 1992 and 2004.

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VIDEO Wenger celebrates 18 years at Arsenal

BUT WHAT ABOUT WENGER'S 18 WORST PLAYERS? Pascal Cygan - Signed in 2002 for £2million from French club Lille Igor Stepanovs - Signed in 2000 for £1.35m from Lativan side Skonto FC Park Chu-young - Signed in 2011 for £3.5m from Monaco Andrey Arshavin - Signed from Zenit St Petersburg for £15m in 2009 Francis Jeffers - Signed in 2001 for £8m from Everton Richard Wright - Signed in 2001 from Ipswich Town for £6m Jose Reyes - Signed in 2004 from Sevilla for a fee that rose to nearly £17m Sebastien Squillaci - Signed from Sevilla in 2010 for £4m Andre Santos - Signed from Fenerbahçe in 2009 for £7m Nicklas Bendtner - Signed as a youth team player from Kjobenhavns Boldklub in 1998 Christopher Wreh - Signed from Monaco for £300,000 in the summer of 1997 Kaba Diawara - Signed from Bordeaux for £2.5m in January 1999 Junichi Inamoto - Spent 2001-2002 on loan at Arsenal from Gamba Osaka Marouane Chamakh - Signed from Bordeaux on a free in May 2010 Denilson - Signed from Sao Paulo for £3.4m in August 2006 Johan Djourou - Joined Arsenal's academy from Ivorian side Etoile Carouge in 2003 Carlos Vela - Signed from Guadalajara for £125,000 in November 2005 Mikael Silvestre - Signed from Manchester United for an undisclosed fee in August 2008 Advertisement