Career
He turned professional seven months later, in May 1962. He played for Arsenal"s youth and reserve teams at first, before making his first team debut against Chelsea, in a First Division match on 14 March 1964. Arsenal lost 4-2. He was not immediately a regular in the Arsenal side, making just 22 appearances over the course of three seasons.
However, with the appointment of Bertie Mee before the start of the 1966-1967 season, Simpson was promoted to a first-team place, and became a mainstay of the Arsenal side for the best part of a decade.
He started out as a utility man playing in every outfield position, but by the time he was a regular he had settled into the centre half position, usually alongside Frank McLintock. Simpson was a leading figure in Arsenal"s brief period of success in the early 1970s.
Despite his long career at the top, he was never capped for England, although he was called into a few squads by Sir Alf Ramsey during 1969-1970. He continued to play for the club in the trophyless years following the Double, playing more than 35 games a season for four seasons.
However by 1975 age was starting to get the better of him, and he only played nine times in 1975-1976.
Despite a recall in 1976-1977, earning 25 appearances, he was dropped again the following season. He left Arsenal in 1978, having played 477 times for the club, with 15 goals to his name. As of 2006 he is tenth in the Arsenal all-time appearances list.
He had brief stints with the New England Tea Men of the NASL in the United States, and then returned to England to play for non-league Hendon, before retiring.