Category Archives: Arsenal and Me

The Arsenal and Me – John’s Story

1 Reply

I just wanted to share the experience of my first trip to The Home of Football. I was 12-years-old when the family decided to take a holiday in London in August 1980. I had been an Arsenal fan since my uncle bought me a t-shirt aged 5 so Dad took me to visit Highbury with a view to getting tickets for a midweek match against Southampton.

When we arrived at the box office, we saw the gate that led to the pitch was open. We decided to go for a stroll and there in front of us was the first team training on the hallowed turf. It was a real shock and then a voice started shouting at us telling us to leave. When the guy got closer we heard his Irish accent.

Dad had a word with him, lied a bit about it being our last day in England and the gentleman groundsman, who was Paddy, let us sit in the dugout and watch the players going through their paces. When they had finished training I was able to meet all of my heroes including David O’Leary, Pat Jennings, Willie Young and Frank Stapleton.

We thanked Paddy and went on our way. I could not sleep all night, I just kept staring at all the names in my autograph book. The following night I sat in the West Stand for my first ever game, but all I could do was stare at the North Bank and take in the noise. Charlie George played against the arsenal that night and he got a great ovation from the North Bank, I remember asking my dad who he was and he replied , a legend son a legend,

It took me another six years before I was able to travel from Ireland to watch another game. That Southampton game, which finished 1-1, cemented my love for all things Arsenal and now thirty years later I still enjoy my trips to London as much as ever. well maybe not as much since we moved as I miss the old lady Highbury and the emirates just doesn’t compare, but as the saying goes, I’m Arsenal till I  die, proud to be a Gooner.

The Arsenal family is one I am proud to be a part of.

John

The Arsenal and Me – Peter’s Story

5 Replies

Last Saturday morning I was privileged to be amongst so many wonderful Gooner fans on the AwayBoyz boat up the Thames. What a wonderful experience and one I’m so glad I did not miss. I didn’t go to the game though as I had to get back home to Wales. On the boat staring out onto the Thames my thoughts went back to when I was a very young kid and travelled to away games whenever my mum, God Bless her, could afford to let me and my elder brother go.

Travelling away in the 50’s and early 60’s was not easy. No motorways and slow steam hauled trains. Most fans travelled as part of the Arsenal Supporters Club. My brother and I always travelled by the Club coaches. I loved going to the games North of the Midlands. Manchester, Blackpool, Bolton, Newcastle etc. Would cost about 12/6 to 15/- depending on distance.

The coaches left Highbury Corner at the back of the old entrance tube station about 10.30pm on a Friday night. It was generally all the old faces that turned up! I was always the youngest on the coach. Gradually all the fans would turn up wearing their colours etc with rattles in hand. All optimistic but not over the top optimism!

There was always a guy on board called Fred. He always went. My brother and I always made sure we sat well away from him as he always drank a bottle of whisky during the journey!

We’d set off going up the Holloway Road in good voice with a few choruses of the Arsenal song set to the tune of Anchors Aweigh! The roads would be almost empty except for the occasional lorry. I tried to stay awake as I loved just watching us go through the many towns and small villages en route.

About 3am we’d stop at a transport cafe to have a break and a cup of tea etc for about 30mins. Generally this was about Newcastle under Lyme area.

Eventually would fall asleep and wake up as it was getting light and you could sense you were ooop north with all the Mills etc easily seen. The odd looking coloured buses. Men walking to work with their flat caps on. Just like a Lowry painting depicts.

We’d get to our destination about 8am. The driver always knew where to take us for breakfast. Never ever forget those! Full old English- northern style. Big mugs of tea. Fried bread etc.

About 9am we’d wander to the ground wherever we were playing. Nothing much to do in those days! Pubs didn’t open till 11am. Someone would always bring a ball along and we’d all go along to the nearest bit of open land and have a match between ourselves. I used to really love this being young and enthusiastic, and a decent player. My favourite players then were Derek Tappscott and Danny Clapton. Danny was a winger and had a unique way of going past a full back- dropping his shoulder etc. I used to practice doing this during our match pretending I was Danny! We’d put coats down for goalposts etc.

Just approaching 11am the older ones drifted off to the nearest pub to the ground. My brother was about 16 and I was about 9 or 10. We’d have to sit outside with our lemonade and bags of crisps! Never bothered us as many came outside with us anyway. The friendly banter with the locals would then start. Their accents then used to amaze me! “Are you ooop for game lad” they’d say. “You’re wasting your time lad thars in for a thrashing!” Generally they were always right!(sadly).

About 1pm we’d all go to nearest chippy for our lunch! How I looked forward to that. Proper fish and chips cooked in beef dripping!
We would be close to the stadium by now and all the programme sellers would be out and, of course, the rosette sellers. “Wear your colours!” they’d be shouting!

Time to go into the ground. Not that many fans travelled away to league games. We would meet up with the ones who travelled by train in the ground and start our singing and chanting and making noise with our rattles. 2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate etc. Fairly mild stuff compared to those songs on the boat to Fulham!!!!

There used to be a legendary Arsenal supporter named David Stacey. He wore a red and white dinner suit with top and hat and tails in red and white. Mascots etc could walk around the pitch in those days. He carried a big board which read — We Arsenal Supporters say “may the best team win!” Can you really imagine that happening today! When he reached us we’d all just cheer and rattle our rattles and give a few choruses of the Arsenal song then. He then walked all the way around the ground showing the banner to the applause of the home fans! Much respect amongst fans then.

The match to me really passed me by! I remember more about events leading up to and after that have stuck in my memory. We normally always lost or drew.

On one occasion at a Cup game away to Man Utd the fog came down and the game called off just before 3pm. I remember being so disappointed. The Man Utd supporters club invited all us coach travellers back to their club and entertained us before our coaches left Manchester Piccadilly about 10.30pm for London and home.

Normally got back home about about 7.30am Sunday morning after being dropped of at Drayton Park along the Holloway Road..

I really really miss those days.

regards to you all,

Peter

PS.
The Arsenal song we sang then to the tune of Anchors Aweigh!:-

Send Arsenal down the field for one more goal,
No other teams can fight than the boys in red and white.
Never let their Glory fade
long may it glow
So let us all sing out with
Up The Gunners!
Up the Gunners!!!
GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mmmm Such happy happy memories. Will share a few more old stories another time.

The Arsenal and Me – A Clockenders Story

2 Replies

I was born into an Islington family in 1981 (Mum from Liverpool Rd, Dad from Essex Rd) who had supported The Arsenal through 4 generations so it wasn’t like I had any choice in the matter, they were to be my club & I’m still grateful to this day.

We have our ups & downs but this isn’t a woman or a car. The only comparison I can offer is: I love(d) the players like I love my wife, I love the club like I love my sons. I’ll always be Arsenal. October 11th 1986 – A 3-1 win at home to Watford. Sounds pretty routine to most of you reading this I’m sure, but that was a special day for me as a 5 year old, it was my first ever Arsenal game.

Later on that season, the old man was lucky enough to get 2x tickets to the Littlewoods Cup Final where I saw our King Kenny lift the cup, the 1st of many I’ve seen through my years following The Arsenal.

I remember Anfield 89 like it was the other day, the old man went up there on the Friday night, Mum went out with my Granddad to watch it & I had to stay in with my Nan. I’ll never forget her saying just before the end “oh well at least they won the game, even if they didn’t win the league” 20 seconds later I was running around the house like a maniac! My Dad rung me afterwards & said something that I’ve gone on to tell my own kids “That’s why you’re Arsenal, boy” We went to the Town Hall parade & it felt like you were amongst your own. One big family.

A year later I’d moved out to Enfield & went to school in a predominantly Spurs area. After the 91 semi final I faked an illness so I didn’t have to go in the next day, in 93 I was the 1st one there that Monday morning with my red & white scarf on, screaming at anyone that would listen “Donkey won the Derby”

Through the next few years, I went to games when I got the chance, until I was 14 & after much begging my Mum finally caved in to buying me a season ticket in the Junior Gunners Enc (West Stand). That’s when it really started, all I cared about was Arsenal.

My first away game soon followed the next season, we played Wimbledon away & won 3-0. That was back in the day when you could turn up on the door & pay. I went with 2 mates, we decided to tell our parents that we were going to go Brent Cross shopping in fear that they wouldn’t let us go! I was proud of myself after that, could say I followed The Arsenal away on my own.

When I was 16, I had the option of staying in the Family Enc as a Cannon Club member but I’d decided that after sneaking in a few times, that I wanted to be relocated to the Clock End. Went up to Highbury, chose my seat & that was home for the next 9 years. I say home but in fact I never sat in that seat once, a few of my pals worked for the club & they were always given the obstructed view seats in the back row so I snuck in up there with them.

That 97 season thru to 02 were my favourite years following the Arsenal. Friendships were made that have stood the test of time & when I look back I always smile to myself.

We followed Arsenal everywhere but being young we had to be inventive with the way we travelled to save a few pennies. The 99/00 season will always live long in the memory for that, we drew Fiorentina, AIK Solna & Barcelona in the Group stages of the CL.

A pal found out through a friend that we could get knocked off European train tickets for £60. This ticket would allow us to travel anywhere in Europe for 1 month and as we had Fiorentina & Barcelona 2 weeks apart this seemed perfect. The goalposts moved suddenly & if we wanted these tickets we had to go to Manchester there & then to get them, it was 10pm at night & the fella was going away the next day. This was before the age of internet banking so my mate & I shared the driving through the night to get these tickets! A week later we were on our way to Florence, it took us 24 hrs to get there via God knows how many countries all to watch a 0-0 draw! We got back to the station after the game and got the over nighter back to Paris via Geneva.

2 weeks later and off we were again, Barca away. We had the experience of the 1st trip and planned it carefully, we got to Paris to find out that the over nighter we wanted to be on wouldn’t accept our tickets & that we’d have to pay another £150 each if we wanted to board. We couldn’t afford that & after a bit of blagging we found an alternative route which took in 4 trains. The trains were packed & that night I found myself sleeping on the floor in an aisle. If you think that’s bad, trust me it gets worse. We finally got to Barca around midday & after a 24hr bender, we managed to nick a point at Camp Nou with only 10 men.

After the game we returned to the Main station to find out the train we’d hoped to jump on back to France was cancelled & there wasn’t another one until the morning. I remember we all had between £10 & £20 each on us & had no hope of getting a hotel so we had to sleep rough. We went & bought a load of beers & a football, we started to have a kick about in the Main Square & ended up playing a match against a load of Spanish (tramps I assume) blokes. Finally my body gave up & I ended up falling asleep on a park bench. I got woken at 6am & we started the journey home which took another 24hrs.

I mention these trips as this is what I was prepared to do to follow The Arsenal. At the time, I felt horrible & hated it. Looking back now, the memories I have I’ll take to the grave with me!

Later that season we drove to Bremen, Lens & Copenhagen all through the night & everyone of them trips were the nuts. Win, lose or draw we had a proper crack.

I’m lucky enough to have 2 boys myself these days & can already see the passion inside them both for The Arsenal.

Bar those 2 boys, The Arsenal is the love of my life & I can’t wait for them 2 to make their own memories following our great club.

Up The Arsenal

If you would like to tell your Arsenal story, click here