Tag Archives: Dennis Bergkamp

The Arsenal and Me – Finchy’s Story

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My ‘The Arsenal and Me’ is quite an ironic one, my Dad’s side of the family were all born and raised around the Angel, Islington, most of them supported Arsenal, with a few supporting that lot from N17 – my Grandad was one of them! He would take my Dad with the rest of the family to Sp*rs one week, then Arsenal the next (I’m told that’s what most North London families used to do), anyway it was 1955 or so before my Dad stopped going to Sh*te Hart Lane, after an Arsenal win in the North London Derby (nothing’s changed!) and continue to go to Arsenal Stadium every week as oppose to every other week.

So my ‘Arsenal and Me’ began with my Dad and his family, I was born, and still live in Newcastle, where my Mum’s family are from, of course they all support ‘The Toon’ so it was a struggle for my Dad to get me in Red & White, but he did and I will never thank him enough for it, because supporting The Arsenal has brought me so many great memories (and some bad ones too). I didn’t get off to a great start, my first game was the FA Cup Final in 2001, which unfortunately we lost, but it was before the game when I was in tears. My Dad spotted John Barnes walking around Cardiff and asked him for photograph, I was about to take the photo when a plastic chair aimed at Barnes came flying from a pub full of Gooners and hit a 7 year old kid on the head – me, but it didn’t stop me from wanting to watch every match I could, and to the ‘Arsenal fan’ who threw that chair, I’ll get you back one day!

Nearly every week I would ask “Dad when are we going to Highbury?” he quickly drilled into me that it was “Arsenal Stadium” and not “Highbury”. I knew because of where we lived, it was difficult to take me, but he finally did in 2003 against Fulham, he organised with an old mate of his for me to have a look around the changing rooms before the match, I had a picture with both Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry’s boots and then went to watch my team, later I found out that his ‘old mate’ was only Bob Wilson! I went to a few games here and there, mostly ones local to me (Newcastle, Sunderland or Middlesbrough) as well as the 2005 FA Cup Final, but it wasn’t really until we moved to The Soulless Bowl that I followed them properly, we’d been on the Season Ticket waiting list since the start and finally got one 5 years ago. Now I travel from the North East to every Away game and every other Home game to watch The Arsenal, into Europe as well. There’s a word I’ve seen mentioned in a few of these stories that stands out for me, ‘family’ and that’s exactly what it is. There’s nothing like seeing your mates, having a few beers and supporting the boys in the famous red and white.

If anyone’s wondering, the ironic part of this whole story is, had Arsenal lost the NLD in 1955, I probably would be a T*ttenham fan…but they didn’t and I’m not!

Oh well…

The Arsenal.

Finchy

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Paul Davis set to become Arsenal’s new Director of the Arsenal Youth Academy

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With Liam Brady set to step down as current Director of the Arsenal Youth Academy, the club are currently looking at numerous names to step into the boots of the Arsenal legend.

Brady has been in charge of the Arsenal Youth Academy since 1996. After a review by The FA last year which saw them warn Arsenal that they were at risk of losing Academy status, and with it the prestige and funding that go’s with the status, changes had to be made. One of the area’s where The FA were reportedly heavily critical was in the management and leadership of the academy, with Brady taking the brunt of that blame. A decision was then made that the Academy needed new leadership, a new direction and that Brady would leave Arsenal when his contract expires in May 2014.

This move was enough to satisfy The FA to allow Arsenal to keep their academy status, with another review set after May 2014 to see how the new Director has changed things. Arsenal being the classy club they are have allowed Brady to leave on his own terms, with Brady announcing himself that he will leave the roll, rather than it appearing he is being pushed aside by the club. It is likely that Brady will be offered another role with the club, potentially on the media side, or a match day ambassadorial role.

This leaves Arsenal with a big hole to fill, one which they have to start filling now to ensure they not only secure the future of Arsenal’s academy, but ensure that future Jack Wilshere’s come through at a more consistent rate.

A few early names have already been mooted as his replacement.

Dennis Bergkamp is seemingly the fans favourite, but this is unlikely. Whilst fans will do anything to see the Dutchman back at the club, it is unlikely that the role of Director of the Arsenal Youth Academy will suit him. After working as assistant manager to Frank De Boer at Ajax, a move to oversee the academy would be a step down. He see’s himself as a manager, however his fear of flying means it is more likely that he will have a career as a very good assistant manager. He will join Arsenal in the future, but will be with the 1st team set up, not with the academy.

There are a few names from within the club currently who could be promoted within.

Liam Brady’s right hand man is David Court. He has also been with the academy since 1996 and is the most natural successor to Brady within the club. However, after stinging criticism from The FA, the question mark above him is would he just be Brady Mark II, and not actually move the academy forward as required? A brilliant servant to the club, he is more likely to remain as the new academy director’s number 2, ensuring that despite the big change at the top, there is some continuity underneath.

First team coach Neil Banfield has previously managed various youth teams at Arsenal winning two FA Youth Cups, an FA Premier Academy League U17 title in 1999-00 and an Academy League U19 title in 2003–04. Whilst he certainly has the track record for the role, he provides an important link between the youth sides and the 1st team, often being the 1st team coach who puts the arm around the youngsters and ensures that they feel comfortable when joining the first team. His role as that link is perhaps too important to see him become Director of the Arsenal Youth Academy.

Terry Burton, who replaced Neil Banfield as Reserves & Head Development coach in 2012 is another name in the frame. With a long association with Arsenal – having been captain of the Youth Cup winning side back in 1971 – he certainly has the credentials for the job. Whilst he never made it as a professional football, this enabled him to go into coaching early, seeing him return to Arsenal in 1979 as youth team coach. He was in charge of the set up as reserve team coach the last time Arsenal had a top academy, when the likes of Tony Adams, Paul Davis, Martin Keown, Paul Merson and Rocky Rocastle were breaking through. He would be a very good choice as Brady’s replacement. Whether at the age of 60, he is the man who would be a solid, long term option, is the only negative.

The last name in the frame, and perhaps the favourite for the job, is former Arsenal player Paul Davis. A surprising inclusion, mainly due to the fact that many people will not know what Davis has been doing since leaving Arsenal in 1995.

In 1996, he became a youth coach within Arsenal, where he remained until 2003. He went on to join The Professional Footballers’ Association coaching department, where he now holds the role of Regional Coach Educator for London and the South East. He has gained the FA and Pro UEFA Coaching awards, the highest in British coaching, as well as the UEFA ‘A’ Licence and the FA Diploma in Football Management.

He certainly has the qualifications and foresight, but it is the fact he is already involved in coaching coaches that is important.

Being the Director of an academy is less about coaching the youngster’s and more about overseeing the coaches coaching them. It involves man management and being able to direct and better those coaches. It is also important that they can oversee the entire academy. With Davis already employed as a coach’s coach, he would be the ideal candidate to come in and take over from Brady as new Director of the Arsenal Youth Academy.

Add in the fact he has played over 400 times for the club, he would be comfortable and fit in seamlessly within the staff, At 51, he has both the experience and time ahead of him to make real improvements to the academy.

With Brady not due to leave Arsenal until May 2014, there is still plenty of time for the club to discuss other candidates. But as it stands, top of the list will be Paul Davis.

Keenos

The Arsenal and Me – Jools’ Story

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So where do I start? I was born the day before Arsenal beat Liverpool in the 1950 Cup Final, an omen? Well my love affair started back as a nine year old back in 1958/9 season. I was born in Stepney but most of my mates were Spurs fans. The first game I remember was a 2-1 defeat up at Sunderland in the FA Cup. Over the next couple of seasons leading up to 1960/61 I endured my mates gloating at the all conquering Spurs team beating all before them and the double. Little knowing that they would not do it again,still all these years later! Haha. I read all I could about the Arsenal glory days of the 30s period and was mesmerised by the rich history, the marble halls of Highbury and ended up being a walking Arsenal facts kid! Lets face it, it was better to live in the past as the present team then was awful! Not a bad attack, but a terrible leaky defence, propped up by the amazing Jack Kelsey coming to the end of his career. I first saw Jack playing against Man City and in nets for them? The late great Bert Trautmann.

Early 1960s we had McGill and McCullough in defence, tried their best, but to be honest we were bad! We had a superb natural goalscorer in David Herd who scored goals for fun and probably kept us alive in Division One for many a season. Ironically Herd started a trend of our top goalscorers being sold to Manchester United over the years..unfortunately…Herd, then Stapleton, then RVP a bad trend.

We moved on and had a very cultured player in George Eastham and signed another prolific centre forward in Joe Baker from Torino. Joe was short for a centre forward, scored bags of goals full of heart and my favourite image was him squaring up to big Ron Yeats in the Cup at Highbury who was about a foot taller!

We drifted through the early seasons of the 60s I managed to get to a few away games Blackpool against a young Alan Ball. Both Manchester teams, Liverpool after they were promoted. Arsenal appointed Billy Wright as a manager, may have been a great player but awful as a manager. I remember the demonstrations outside Highbury and the burning effigy of him on the Avnell Road.

I actually was one of the 4,500 approx attendance v Leeds at Highbury mid week to see us lose 3-0 I think. Still I think the lowest ever attendance for a top flight game in England. Wright got the push and we got various managers in Don Howe, Terry Neill. We were still a mid table side. I started to go to more away matches…our cup defeat at Peterborough (a newish team in the league!) I went to places like Bolton, Shrewsbury, Cardiff, Swansea( Town then) at the Veitch Field. Along with fellow fans we hitch hiked to places like Newcastle, drinking in their supporters club, was totally pissed and just propped up on the terraces at St James Park, did not even remember the match!

Chased around Leeds by their fans for burning a Leeds scarf we “borrowed” got away on a train to Bradford by the skin of our teeth! During the 60s our ongoing relationship with Glasgow Rangers usually had us playing each other at the beginning of a season in a friendly alternate years at Highbury and Ibrox. A few of us decided to hitch hike to Glasgow for the game! We split up into twos and set out early Friday evening! We managed to get to Glasgow for 8.00am Saturday morning.

We got to Ibrox outside the ground for 9am and whilst walking around looking at the impressive stadium a guy pulled up in a car. Came up and chatted to us, will never forget it, he was the Rangers manager at the time, was so impressed we had hiked up for a friendly, he gave us a full tour of the stadium, showed us the amazing trophy room and gave us tickets for the main stand!

We drew 2-2 amazing atmosphere and we set back that evening. Took us a lot longer to get back, ended up sleeping in a brick kiln in a wheelbarrow outside Carlisle. Did not get back home till Monday morning and my Dad had reported me missing to the Old Bill !! I got a right hiding! I had already been in trouble the end of the last season for going to Burnley despite recovering from chicken pox!

Things were starting to change at The Arsenal the seeds of a good side were germinating and Bertie Mee was moving on up! Two Cup finals stick in my mind, we lost to Swindon Town 3-1 a 3rd Division team in the League Cup Final at Wembley. We were naturally heavy favourites but to be honest they ran us ragged in the mud with their flying winger Don Rogers causing havoc. I remember being in a daze all the way back from Wembley and sitting in The Gunners staring into my beer in a state of shock! The other side of the coin was our amazing come back against Anderlecht in the two legged Inter Cities Cup Final ( UEFA Cup ) we lost in Belgium 1-3 and turned it around 3-0 at Highbury! The place was rocking! George Armstrong our talented winger ran them ragged, our first trophy since the early 50s! Talking of Highbury rocking, who remembers the mid week derby v Spurs during the mid 60s? Ended 4-4 68,000 inside the ground and an estimated 30 plus thousand locked out!

Bertie Mee was the turning point for The Arsenal along with Don Howe’s zonal system they invoked an amazing spirit and assembled a superb side which flowered in 1971. What a team, Radford, Kennedy, Simpson Storey Mcnab, Graham and Tick Tock McLintock to name a few. You played 42 games a season then, no subs, plenty of hard men about and we mixed it with any one but still had the skills to beat the best. That night when Ray Kennedy soared in the lights at the Lane to win the title was unforgettable, the atmosphere was electric. Somewhere on the net is a clear pic of me celebrating on the pitch! We went on to see Darling Charlie put the Scousers to the sword at Wembley, our first double, think we even won the Youth Cup that week! Was an amazing season!
Over the next few seasons we scrapped with Leeds on and off the pitch haha. By the late 70s I was working at the Daily Express offices in Manchester. We got to the final v Ipswich 1978 and the then editor of the Sunday Express promised me a ticket for the match which he delivered! I was over the moon, got down to the match, red/white scarf on, entered Wembley, looked around and to my horrow was surrounded by a sea of blue and white! I was in the Ipswich end!! To be honest the Tractor Boys were fine, good humoured, found it funny and we shared a drink, maybe them winning helped!

As you know two more final followed Manchester United and West Ham, . Could not get tickets but i had fun winding Man United fan neighbour pre the 79 final. Imagine his surprise when he opened his lounge curtains one morning to find a full size Newspaper Poster “Arsenal for the Cup!” staring in on him! He took his time taking it down, not realising the same poster was facing outwards!

As we drifted through the 80s the appointment of Stroller was perfect, he assembled a disciplined (on the field) side, stuck up for his team and showed he was an Arsenal man through and through. If anyone has not watched Fever Pitch, just watch it! Again we were hard to beat and 1989 Anfield showed the true grit and determination of our side. Who were the best? 1971, 1989, 2004, ??? all different scenarios so I prefer to give them equal status!

Rioch was not an Arsenal man but I would always remember him for one thing signing Dennis Bergkamp a true genius!

Wenger?? When he came a breath of fresh air, very innovative, but now?? Maybe we need a change again! His best side the Invincibles, I have a signed framed away shirt, Bergkamp, Henry,Pires,Ljungberg and Gilberto which I treasure.

Favourite players over the years? Baker, McLintock, Graham,Brady, Radford, Kennedy, Adams, George,Viera, Petit, Bergkamp, Overmars,Wright,Storey, MacDonald to name just a few! So many more.

I could go on and on, hope I have not bored you all …too much. UP THE ARSENAL !!!!

Jools
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