Category Archives: Arsenal and Me

The Arsenal and Me – Dave’s Story

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Arsenal is a family club. It wasn’t our family club, we didn’t have a family club, we do now! I suppose I better explain. I am from a provincial town not far from Belfast and my late father spent about 20 years man and boy as a merchant seaman, he wasn’t at home so often. He loved football but was never in one place long enough to develop any affection for one team bar Glentoran. He simply didn’t follow any English team. Growing up in Northern Ireland every boy had three teams to follow; there was the local team Glentoran in my case, the Scottish team which was decided by a person’s “tribal” background, and the English team. So we know which English team got me but how did it happen? It was easy, the first game of football that I remember watching on TV was the 1972 FA cup final and the coin came down on the right side, how lucky was I?

The next few years were spent watching MOTD on Saturday evening and The Big Match on a Sunday and pawing over the papers to try to learn everything I could about this Arsenal team. Fixtures would be analysed and it was obvious to me that Arsenal would win every game that they played but they didn’t and I can still don’t know why! I borrowed any books I could from the library, not as many as I would like, and gradually learnt about the great club. In these early years I got my Arsenal fix mainly from radio 2 and I remember many evenings when the batteries would run out hooking my radio up to my Hornby train set transformer to power it. Oh how I miss those halcyon days in the late 70’s when we seemed to play about 10 FA cup matches a season and lose hardly any! Still it wasn’t easy following Arsenal for a child as years are long and we didn’t win anything! Then 1979 came along and I got bragging rights!

I continued following Arsenal from afar as there was no way that my family could afford a trip to London for me to see my idols, it was as much as my parents could afford to keep me and my sister fed and clothed and put us through school, so I had to wait. I left school in 1981 and anyone who remembers this time knows that there was little enough work about and with the troubles in full swing it was probably more so in Northern Ireland. I mucked about for a couple of years and in January 1983 decided I would head to London to see if things were any better. I arrived in London on a Tuesday afternoon with about £5 to my name and pretty much did every penny I had by going to Highbury. I vividly remember coming out of Arsenal tube station onto the Gillespie Road and smelling cooked onions. To this day I’m not at a game until I smell the hot dogs and onions; I’m not going to pay for them in the ground though. I paid on the gate, my memory tells me £3.50 but other lads have told me I’m wrong as it wasn’t that expensive in 1983, and went into the North Bank for the first time and worshiped. Arsenal won 1-0 against Sheffield Wednesday in the league cup quarter final, Tony Woodcock scored the goal and my love of the club was confirmed.

I didn’t last long in London and returned home a few months later as it was easier having mum put my food on the table and wash my clothes but I wanted to go back to Highbury. Over the years I would go back and forth on many occasions sometimes flying in and out on a Saturday sometimes staying for the weekend but always loving the experience. I was at Wembley in 1991; I still don’t think the fat yid can score from there. I was on the North Bank on the day the terrace closed when we beat Southampton 5-1, was it, and Wrighty scored a hat-trick to take the golden boot of that jug eared fecker. In 1997 I moved back to London after my first marriage broke up and stayed for a year. I managed to get to Highbury a fair few times that season and what a team we had, we had flair, we had class, and we had a swagger about us. We also had a snarl and no-one took liberties on or off the pitch, it was a magic time and a magic season for me. We were pretty much out of it in February and ended up with the double. I remember a scorching Sunday, the day after the double was secured, outside The Gunners getting drunk and sun burnt and singing about Wenger’s magic hat and how a certain ex-spud had gone to Manchester and hadn’t won anything; oh how that changed the following year but on that day it was great.

More recently I haven’t been able to afford to get across so often as I’m married again and finances don’t allow it. I still adore the club, I’ve got the obligatory proper crest tattoo to prove it, but I’m so disillusioned with what is happening. I so want to be wrong and for the board, the management and the team to prove me wrong by winning everything in sight. I still want Arsenal to win every game they play but now understand that while we can go full seasons without losing a game it’s hard to win every game. I’ll continue to support anyone who pulls on a red and white or yellow and blue shirt and crosses that white line even if I know that they shouldn’t be anywhere near that wonderful shirt. I’ll continue to yell until I can yell no more for my team, if I ever manage to get to a game again, and my love for the club will go to my grave with me. I’ve been blessed with three fine sons and two daughters, all Arsenal so as I started out saying we’re an Arsenal family, albeit from afar, now and it will remain. My hope for the future is that we get The Arsenal that we love back and that the polarisation of our supporters can be reversed and we can get back to being one big Arsenal family together.

There have been three constants in my life. Since 1972 I have loved The Arsenal; I always will. Since the early 80’s I have been certain that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are the finest rock and roll band in the world; I always will. Since 1983 whenever I smell a hot dog stand no matter where I am in the world I am immediately transported to my happy place which happens to be the North Bank, Highbury; this will always be my favourite place on the planet.Dave
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The Arsenal and Me – Lee’s Story

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OK so when I first said I’d write a piece on why I love the Arsenal I assumed it would short and sweet. Something along the lines of “I was born into the Arsenal family” or “it’s who I am and all I’ve ever been” which may sound strange coming from a bloke born and raised in the Lake District, where football allegiances tend to be formed more by the fact “they’re Northern and doing well” rather than they’re my local team or my families team. But the fact remains this is the way it is, and that is the way I am. The bigger question is why is it that I love the Arsenal instead of one of the Northern teams? Those football “giants” that have sat atop the football ladder. The teams from Manchester and Liverpool who all my childhood mates supported. The teams that I made it my business to mock, insult, and endlessly wish failure upon.

Looking back I guess it was inevitable that I’d love Arsenal Football Club. There is no doubt that if I had to give just one reason for this it would be that my family have roots in North London. My Dad was born and raised in Islington, and for 40 years lived in the area. The Arsenal was a part of his, his parents and his siblings’ lives.

Soon after I got to thinking about this topic I realised that this alone wasn’t enough, after all my mum supported George Best and United, and her Brother was a Liverpool fan (who bought me giant Liverpool soft toy as a christening “gift”, which was in landfill soon after I learned how to read). Add to this the fact that peer pressure is a massive part of any young lads life and being born in 1986 there had to be more than one reason I didn’t just fall in line and support United or Liverpool like all my mates. My Dad was indisputably the driving force behind my love for the club but other factors increased my feelings towards the Arsenal.

The first Christmas I remember is 1991 and the only gift I can remember getting was the full arsenal home kit. I remember thinking it was incredible, the excitement of putting it on and posing in it, ecstatic to be wearing the famous red and white. Other early memories of the Arsenal include the 93 domestic cup double. Of course I remember my favourite players Wright, Adams, Merson, Seaman, Jensen and Limpar amongst others. Whenever my primary school had a fancy dress event I went as an arsenal player (my blond hair meant that Lee Dixon was the obvious pick, as much as I’d have loved to have gone as Wrighty it just never seemed plausible)

All of the above set the tone, but the first time I properly knew I “loved” the arsenal was in February 1995 when I went to Highbury for the first time, 8 years old. I remember the day before the game seeing George Graham walking out of the most amazing building, approaching him with my Dad and chatting to him for a couple of minutes. The fact that this man, the club’s manager would stop to give time to a bloke and his kids said it all, knowing now what was around the corner for Mr Graham speaks volumes of the respect he had for the club, its fans and dare I even say what the “arsenal way” of doing things should be. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but I’ll never forget that day. The manager signed a merchandise catalogue I had in hand and was on his way, my uncle later told me to look after it as he’d be gone before long (how right he was).

The next day I went to my first match, the whole day was incredible, it didn’t matter that I had an obscured view I’d never been as excited in my life. I was sat inside Highbury watching my team live for the first time, I heard as Ian Selley broke his leg, I watched on as Merson scored and I saw us inevitably throw it away and concede a sloppy goal to draw 1-1 with Leicester City. I remember seeing my name on the scoreboard and the stadium announcer read the same message “Arsenal Football Club would like to welcome Lee Upton on his first trip to Highbury” these memories are imprinted in my mind. Arsenal were classy, the stadium was classy, hell everything down to the tiles in the toilets was classy. I remember having to write a piece of homework about the best day of my life and writing this same story down then, almost twenty years ago.

OK so some could say that other clubs would have been the same, as a northern born Gooner I’ve had my fair share of experience with certain northern teams. When I was young I went to soccer schools, these week long events included a trip to a Premier League ground and training facility. We always seemed to have to go to Old Trafford. I remember my first year going to United’s training ground, nothing was classy, from the welcome, to the make shift stewards right down to the players, who were more concerned about not getting a scratch on their car than they were talking to fans. It was awful, I didn’t want to be there, and they didn’t want me there. I got some autographs took them home, sold them to some glory boys and used the money to get my latest home shirt printed with our newest additions name and number (BERGKAMP 10), that was it, all I cared about was the Arsenal nothing else came close.

There was no doubt about it then, I was in love with Highbury, with London and most importantly with Arsenal Football Club, and those feelings grew stronger over the years, going to more and games with my Parents, home and away. Watching Mr Wenger come in and build some amazing sides with some unbelievable players. Going off to University just after the invincible’s had lifted the title and meeting some like minded fans to go on away days with. My love for The Arsenal was still as strong as it was in February 1995 nothing had ever, nor could ever have knocked it. Arguing with Northerners about Schmeichel/Seaman, Shearer/Wright, Sheringham/Bergkamp, Keane/Vieira, Van Nistelrooy/Henry was what growing up was about for me and I loved every minute of it because I loved the arsenal and everything about it.

So there it is, I love Arsenal Football club primarily because of my family, because of the players, because of Highbury, because of class, because of rivalry, because of mates, because of the friendly touches that meant I knew I belonged, because being at a game was about as good as got, and because of everything that THE ARSENAL represented.

I’m going to end by talking about my feelings today. Do I still love Arsenal? Of course I do. Do I still have unwavering support for the 11 wearing red and white or yellow and blue? (or purple?) absolutely. I used to support everything about the club no matter what and to hell with everyone else. It’s here, this element that has unfortunately changed over the last few years. The Arsenal I fell in love with because of my old man and because of the classy place that was Highbury and because of the family friendly feel around the whole club has slowly been chipped away at, which means that today more than ever I question the club I love and not because I only care about what they win on the pitch, but because of how much I love everything about the club. I hate the fact that I’m left unsure about what it is I support, the identity of Arsenal Football Club seems less clear cut than it was 20 years ago.

While I know that I will give unconditional support for the team I love in the future, I go full circle to the point I made at the start.

I stated that on its own the fact my family were Arsenal fans may not have been enough for me to fall in love with the club. I have a fear that if I have kids my love and passion may not be enough to get them to feel the way I do about my club. The little touches that engaged, maintained and multiplied generations of the same family to come together in common feelings seem to be on the decline. I hope that I’m wrong and the future generations of my family share my love, but I no longer view it as a certainty.

Lee

The Arsenal and Me – Michael’s Story

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Just over a week ago, Arsenal signed Musut Özil and several hours before that ‘we beat the scum 1-0’ (Has a nice ring that, wonder if it can be made into a song?). I’m here at work on a warm Wednesday afternoon, just 48 hours after the signing, still glowing from an Arsenal double joy and reading the She Wore ‘Arsenal & Me’ blogs thinking ”I could have a bit of this blogging malarkey”. So here goes…

Do you really need to hear about my past credentials? I guess not, but it seems the standard. 

I grew in up Islington, born in ’79. My dad was the youngest of 8 children that grew up off Liverpool Road, Islington. He and his brother closest in age (my Uncle) used to frequent Highbury as children during the 1960’s mainly to watch the Liverpool’s, United’s & West Ham’s of the day. The latter my dad went on to later support and became a regular over Upton Park for many years. My uncle on the other hand was taken in by the Arsenal faithful and not looked back since.

So I could have been a Hammer but my dad did not force supporting them onto me…not even subliminally. (I tried to do the same for my children, not influencing them, but I just couldn’t do it. We have 2 more Gunners to the ranks!).

Thankfully I grew up a Gooner like my Uncle & the majority of the family.

An uncle on my mother’s side of the family took me too my first game – Arsenal vs Leicester 20th April 1987. It was towards the end of the season but I remember a lot of hype which centred upon on an Arsenal striker which had been bought earlier in that season but returned back to Leicester on loan. That striker was Alan Smith and it was a chance for us to see him up close. Arsenal won 4-1.

The season after that I slowly started to be a regular on the Clockend, aged 8 propped up against the terrace rails standing on my little red stall allowing me to see the game!
Did I pass the supporters test? Fuck it! Doesn’t matter in any case this will help as a back story to my ‘Me & my Arsenal story’.

“Marwood, Brian Marwood. Brian Marwood on the wing…..and in Goal?!” 

At the start of the famous 1989 season my dad put my name down to be an Arsenal mascot. Luckily my name was picked out of the hat and I was chosen. On the 1st October 1989 Tony Adams & I proudly lead the Arsenal team out onto the pitch. The fixture wasn’t at Highbury but instead at Upon Park against my dad’s West Ham. What mixed emotions my dad must have had.

In the summer before being mascot I got my first (full) kit for my birthday – The 1989 yellow & blue Adidas away top.

My mum did that thing that most mothers which is to write their child’s name on the inside of all their clothes. Fine, except she did it to my Arsenal socks and of course with all football socks you roll the tops down. So there I am at 10 years of age leading out the famous Arsenal Football Club with Big ‘Tone’ holding my hand yet as I look down to my feet staring back at me was my full name written on the outside of my socks! Pillock!

Half an hour or so before my mascot duties really started I was asked if I wanted to join the Junior Hammers boys & Girls out on the pitch. As much as I was bricking at that time it I accepted and shortly stepped out onto the pitch together with these other children in their West Ham tracksuits. We did several laps of the pitch as they advertised their Junior Hammer scheme holding a large ‘Join the Junior Hammers’ banner. As I approached what is now the Bobby Moore Stand, a chant started from the away end. Originally I didn’t catch it. One of the Junior Hammers turned to me and asked.

“Why didn’t you wave?” 
“Why? What did they sing? I didn’t hear it.” I replied

One lap later we got around to the travelling Gooner’s again but this time much louder and clearer to me I heard.

“Mascot! Gis’ a wave! Mascot! Mascot! Gis’ a wave!” Of course I waved which was matched by a gracious cheer. This carried on for each lap.

Forward on and Big Tone & I (with the name on my socks!) emerged from the tunnel & led the Arsenal team out onto the pitch. We applauded the entire crowd in the centre circle as is the Arsenal tradition for thanking the paying fans for attending and off I went to take pot shots at Johnny Lukic. I’d taken a few shots during the warm-up when all of a sudden Lukic disappeared back towards the tunnel. He’d forgotten his kit bag or towel. I’m now left on my own in the penalty area with an open goal but with no-one to kick to or pass with.

In steps my saviour – Mr Brian Marwood! Now sense would prevail as Marwood is a winger that we’d simply pass to each other. Not for the ‘Pro’ that is Marwood. “Right, I’m in goal lad!”

For what seemed to be the next 5 minutes, Arsenal and soon to be capped England international Brian Marwood is in goal saving shots from a 10 year old child at Upton Park.

Marwood in Goal

AMAZING!

Lukic later returned for a few more shots and Arsenal went on to win the match 4-1.
Thank you Brian for making my day magic!

If you’ve read this far thank you and my sincere apologies as you won’t get those 5 minutes back! If you read it and actually enjoyed it…Wow!

I’ve some more Arsenal related stories such as when I later worked in different roles & departments such as an YTS sports coach, turnstile operator, Box Office & Mail Order but I’ll save them for another time….maybe.

Up the Arsenal!

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