Tag Archives: Arsenal F.C. supporters

The Arsenal and Me – Warren’s Story

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A look back at my favourite moment as a gooner.

The 26 May will always be our day. The Mancs would later try and claim it following winning some cheap European bauble but the 26 May 1989 will live forever in Arsenal folklore. The day George Graham’s young Arsenal came of age in the most exciting finish to a season ever despite later claims from Sky. 

The day started with a trip to the high street (Waltham Cross if you’re interested) to stock up on newspapers for the coach trip. Now I had my Arsenal shirt on so expected some banter so was not surprised to recive abuse from a Spurs supporter. The fact he stopped his job of bin emptying to do it gave me a chuckle. 

Papers in hand it was off to the bus station to get the 279 bus to Manor House. Severe traffic (was to be a theme of the day) meant I had to jump off at Seven Sisters and get the underground. I arrived at Highbury with 10 minutes to spare and found an empty seat on coach number 5. It’s at this point I should mention I was travelling alone. The rest of my usual gang had decided to give it miss following the postponement of the original game. But I was soon chatting to those around me. There was a distinct camaraderie amongst those making the trip.

The coaches pulled out and all went well until the mother of all traffic jams on the M1. It was a perfect storm, bank holiday, rail strike, Friday and me desperate to get to a game.

Despite the best efforts our coach driver we pulled into the outskirts of the Liverpool five minutes before the 8:00pm kick off. It was at this point we were joined by a member of the local constabulary. He assured us that due to the traffic problems the kick off had been delayed.

 As we got off the coach at about ten past eight the noises coming from inside Anfield made it obvious the game was in full flow. Cue mass rush to get through the turnstiles. Now given the reason this game had been postponed the fact kick off was not delayed was criminal. The plod who lied on the coach showed the disdain football supporters were held in at the time. We arrived on our corner of the terrace just in time see Uncle Bouldy’s first half header cleared off the line.

You all know how the game panned out so I won’t go over the details again but just give you a few memories that are still strong today.

  •  The chorus of ‘we’re proud of you’ that continued throughout half time. We out sung the Kop all night.
  • Smudger’s header to put us one up.
  • Liverpool players protesting. Thankfully David Hutchinson was calm and strong enough to make the correct decision.
  • Steve McMahon and his one minute shenanigans.
  •  Time seemingly suspended as Mickey Thomas clipped the ball over Grobbelaar.
  • The explosion of joy and relief amongst the travelling Gooners.
  • The relief at the final whistle.
  • Liverpool supporters generously staying behind to acknowledge the new champions.

Now this is the point the night went a bit wrong for me. Thomas scored, I leapt in the air and my glasses launched themselves high into the night sky never to be seen again. Without my glasses (I now wear contacts) I can barely see my hand at the end my arm.

So after watching some blurry objects cavort around the pitch with the league trophy, or so I’m told, I made my way back to coach 5. The trip back was long but happy. I’m told the players coach passed us at one point, but I couldn’t see.

After getting off the coach I made my way to Manor House to get the bus home. At this point I realised I had a problem. Yes I could see the busses but I really couldn’t see the numbers on the front. So a call to Dad at 3:00 in the morning. Fortunately I have a great dad who is a gooner to boot. Once he finished laughing at my predicament he was more than happy to come and get me. And thus ended my greatest day as a Gooner.

Footnote: Many Gooners believe the Press have it in for Arsenal. It’s someting I agree with to an extent and I think it goes back to the 26 May 1989. This was the day Kenny Dalglish’s all conquering side would complete an emotional double having already seen off Everton in the FA Cup final. Unfortunately George and his players had not read the script. And there are many Liverpool based media still bitter about this. Yes Alan Hansen I’m looking at you! Liverpool would win one more title but 26 May 1989 was the beginning of the end of their domination.

Warren

Warren writes a blog for www.notanotherarsenalblog.wordpress.com

The Arsenal and Me – Lee’s Story

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Boxing day 1978.

Arsenal 1  West Brom 2.

A wide eyed 9 year old sat in the east upper watching his first match at Arsenal was probably the happiest person in the stadium. Yes it was me and I didn’t care that we had lost because Liam Brady had scored our goal. Ok, it was a penalty but it was Liam Brady!

Growing up in Holloway I was only going to support one team. The Arsenal, but having a father who despised football I had to do it off my own back, although the 78,79 & 80 cup finals helped.

Decorating my bedroom window with pictures from the Islington Gazette & Evening Standard and rosettes started becoming as regular as putting up Christmas decorations. It was an Uncle with a spare season ticket who took me to that first match and I had to wait just over 2 years for my next match when I started going with friends at the ripe old age of 11! It seems strange these days to think of that but its what lots of kids did. Some of the kids round the estate used to just go up there for the last 15 minutes when they opened the gates to get in free but I would dig deep into my pocket money & cough up the 90p to get in the schoolboys.

That was it then every other Saturday (yes Saturday) and through the 80’s I done the Arsenal apprenticeship of schoolboys, North Bank, Clock End and when seating came in West Lower. We didn’t go because we thought Arsenal would win a trophy or challenge for the title, we went to watch the Arsenal.

It went deeper than just football. Some games were spent crowd watching and as a teenager growing up the best fashion trends of the 80’s would be seen on the Clock End on a Saturday afternoon. Items that were hard to come by or not on sale in Holloway sports would be looked at in awe. Some of the older lads were the smartest dressed supporters in the country.

To todays fans, winning the league cup means very little but back in 1987 it meant the world to me. After going Arsenal for the best part of 7 years I finally got to see them win something and a first trip to Wembley. No memberships or away credits needed then, just queue up after a match with a voucher from the turnstile. Even that great day couldn’t compare to what happened 2 years later and I was lucky enough to have a ticket for Anfield 89. The best football match I’ve ever been to and I don’t think I will ever see anything like it again. You can’t put into words the feeling of being there that night.

I used to love going to Highbury and  the whole match day experience. I would walk to Highbury via a pub when I was old enough (well nearly old enough) passing Arthur Daley type ticket touts ‘I’ve got seats upstairs’, the smell of horseshit, hamburgers’ and cigars all rolled into one, the reassuring click of the turnstile, then you were in. Some of the most funniest things I’ve heard in my life are comments that were shouted from the terraces. You can’t explain the pandemonium that hits a terrace when a goal is scored compared to todays cheer clap and then take a photo.

The 90’s were great and some of the players Arsenal had you would only dream about as a boy. But things were changing, all seating really hit atmosphere’s at games & it started becoming harder to get tickets, and then every game became all ticket and memberships arrived.

The trophies I’ve seen Arsenal win has been unbelievable and if you would have told me when I was standing on the Clock End in the pissing rain watching a 0-0  bore draw v Birmingham or the night we lost to Walsall at home I wouldn’t have believed it.

I still go to the odd game now and again but I have been priced out and feel I’ve been taken for granted and I’m not a fan of the new stadium but that’s the way it is now.

I’ll always be Arsenal through and through, it doesn’t just go away.

Lee

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

The Arsenal and Me – Adam’s Story

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Well, Where to begin exactly, I come from a long line of Arsenal fans in my family I don’t know how it started or why it started but all I know is that my granddad is the reason for why me, my dad, my uncles, my cousins, etc etc are all arsenal fans, he was born and raised in Woolwich ( if any of you don’t know the history of Arsenal, it is where Arsenal was founded) we could have supported Charlton Athletic seeing as they are only down the road, but I for one am glad that I am a Gunner and I for one am proud to wear the red and white!!.

Nothing comes close to the love I have for Arsenal, I always said and I will always say that Arsenal will always be my first and only love.

I can’t exactly remember my first game (when we were still at highbury) but I’m glad my dad took me because I’m sure as a lot of others once you go through those turnstiles there was no turning back and I’m sure like a lot of other Gooners miss that place, an old friend. I sat in the north bank with my dad (when I could go) the north bank upper tier.

When we moved to the emirates and when I went to my first game there I was 13 or 14 I earned money just to buy a ticket, I remember it well it was against Portsmouth!! On a cold and dull day, absolutely freezing but I will never forget the feeling when I first walked out towards the seats and looking out onto the pitch, back in the north bank, but at the emirates I got this warm feeling inside. And the buzz was like nobody could take it I was feeling confident about this game!!

But over the years I have finally got a season ticket, and I have experienced
Some of the most emotional football anybody has seen, like Barcelona at home, it was like our cup final, we were strong enough, and we had bags full of confidence so we knew we could win at home and like I say that was our final, all I wanted was to beat Barca and we did, an Arshavin goal from a Nasri pass from the right!! And BANG. Hits the back of the net, the crowd went crazy and I could feel the emotional side coming out in me, we knew we wouldn’t beat them at the Nou Camp but knowing we can beat them proves the Barcelona team really are human!! And not jus a machine!!

I’ll never forget the two years on the trot of beating the scum 5-2 I was at both games, and boy was it great knowing we would be kicking them back down the seven sisters with a 5-2 loss on their mind!! TWO YEARS IN A ROW!!! Who could have ever of written that script aye?

There’s no doubt no regrets no nothing about me loving Arsenal, Arsenal is my life, no matter what happens, win or lose or draw I will always be proud of the lads, I will always be proud to be apart of the red and white army and no matter what happens, I will always wear my shirt with pride!! A legend once said once you are a Gooner you will always be a Gooner and you will always be in my heart forever!!!

Red and white army, up the arsenal

Adam

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