I’ve Been Supporting Arsenal for 27 Years, and …
by Gord
1 Introduction
I’m sorry, I am getting tired of crap comments. What got me into this state was someone who wrote in (who I am calling Super-brain) and who said (on the night the 2012 season ended) something to the effect that Arsenal had only been 1st or second in the highest league in the last 27 years. He had apparently supported club for 27 years, and so after this run he found Arsenal finishing 3rd this year is inexcusable.
2 Me and Arsenal
I don’t know how long I’ve supported Arsenal. I liked watching them on TV the odd time I seen them playing. I can remember Alan Smith as a striker, so my memory goes back a ways. But, I acquired a friend over the years who was a Manchester United supporter. He had the attitude a bit like SuperBrain that before a new season even started the rest of football should just give first place to Manchester United, and then squabble among themselves for the other places. First was theirs by right.
Since then I’ve found Liverpool supporters that have the same arrogant attitude, so personally I hope that for Liverpool it chokes to be finishing below Everton this year. David Moyes has had nothing to work with for far too long, and to finish above Liverpool is probably the only gift he will get this year. But I am getting a little distracted.
3 Why 27? Why median?
I don’t have a problem with anyone being a supporter for 27 years… and 27 is short enough for me to go and find league standings and actually look at things. The era starts in 1985 – a time which pre-dates the EPL, and so some of the records I would be looking for are in the First Division and some in the Premier League. Thankfully, Wikipedia had data. (It is entirely possible that the data I took from Wikipedia has errors, in which case I may have to restate things later, but I am guessing they are more or less on the right track).
In generating a response to this Superbrain person after doing the math, the intention was to present both arithmetic mean data and median data. As the median is a more robust measure of central tendency, it is better to use for situations where outliers (exceptionally bad or exceptionally good) are likely.
4 Followup
I can only support a team that will be top 2, that’s what this Super-brain said.
Okay, 27 years ago, when Super-brain decided to start supporting Arsenal. He just KNEW upon watching them the first time, that they would always be in the Top-2 of English Football. Where did Arsenal finish in 84/5? Seventh. And in 85/6. Super-brain had to watch 4 seasons of unacceptable football, before Arsenal got a Top-2 finish. Next year, fourth. How could Super-brain not kill himself? They finally got to a Top-2, and they follow-up with a totally unacceptable fourth? The next season, Arsenal finishes 1st again. Oh joy! Arsenal will finally stay Top-2. The next year, another fourth.
Surely suicide has to result?
The next year is the first year of the EPL. Where does Arsenal end up (according to Wikipedia), tenth! Fourth was horror! What can a person do with 10th? Surely this must have been the end of time on the Maya calendar? Or some other apocolyptic event that fruitcakes keep coming up with?
Fourth. Twelveth. Fifth. This Super-brain, who only accepts Top-2, and that is why he supports Arsenal for so long (27 years) has had to endure just way too much. I think we should nominate Super-brain for something like the Nobel Peace Prize. He must be like the best person on Earth, to endure so much substandard football!
4.1 Wenger Arrives
Arsene Wenger arrives in 1996/7 (13 years after Super-brain has started following Arsenal because they are always a Top-2 club). Arsene’s first year is like death itself, third! How could he possibly come third? First, second, second, second, first, second, first, second. Ahh, after following my team that can never finish out of the Top-2, he finally gets a string of Top-2 finishes. Since then: 4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3. Surely the manager must have lost it to consistently drop a single place over many years? This HAS to be the definition of mediocrity!
It has to be utterly horrible, that any manager can have his team finish in 4th or higher for 15 years! Surely it is trivial for all 20 managers of EPL teams to have an average league ranking of 2.56 over 15 years, and a median league ranking of 2.5? Any team owner can just hire any Tom, Dick or ’Arry and get that kind of performance from your team.
Please, someone go calculate SAF’s average and median league placing over his tenure at Manchester United! I’ve got other things to do, like making it easier for Walter and his reviewers to convince people that refereeing in the EPL doesn’t measure up. Hey, go calculate Pep’s and Jose’s while you’re at it.
There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG with what Arsene Wenger has been doing! If the AAA “supporters” who can find nothing but problems with anything and everything from game to game really want to help, put all of your money in a common bank account, and go buy the contract of whoever you think Arsenal needs the most. Then offer that player to Arsenal (and Arsene) for FREE! For one year. And then we can start talking about whether you actually know your mule from a hole in the ground.
5 Resolution
There are a few possible explanations for Super-brain’s feelings:
1. Super-brain has early onset Alzheimers syndrome. In which case he really should talk to his GP and start getting tested.
2. Super-brain was actually born in about the 1993-1995 time frame, and didn’t start watching Arsenal until the 1997/8 season. Everything before that were memories while he was still an unfertilised egg inside his mother’s body (Rosie? ).
3. Super-brain is a fraud, and just lives to post nonsense.
My initial guess was 3. Perhaps you have other explanations for how Super-brain could come to the state of mind that he apparently has?
6 Rebuttal
Is there a point in engaging with arguments with people that just live to tear down people’s feelings for their club?
Fine, I wrote this without looking back in the thread to see Super-brain’s two responses since I posted my numbers (and did mix up of modal and median twice so I wasn’t being as clear as I wanted).
I suppose I owe it Super-brain to read his response, and read the other 6 comments in that thread since then, actually two predate my response, so 8.
First response is generic. Accepting third or fourth place is meritocracy.
Super-brain reports my logic is flawed. What logic? I gathered a bunch of numbers, calculated averages and medians, and presented them. He presented logic, my intention was just to shoot holes in it with data. I wasn’t arguing. He wants the old Arsene (the 1-2 places), as the (3-4) of late are unacceptable. Knowing the various statistical problems with football (nothing to do with refereeing reviews), there is no statistical difference between an average of 1.5 and an average of 3.5. As the statisticians complaining about this lack of differentiation are not limiting themselves to the EPL, some of this inability to predict winners comes from the rules of the game itself. This doesn’t preclude there being confounding factors, such as referees trying to influence the outcome of games, or referee assignors trying to influence the outcome of games.
And it was nice to see a few UA people, provide incentive for Super-brain to go elsewhere. Thanks guys and gals (I suspect mostly guys from the handles).
————————
Footnote. [By Tony]. I was moved by this article and so decided to offer a little solace. I have created another set of awards known as the Oik Awards. Superbrain, referred to in this article has just won one of these awards – Hysteric of the Week.
The point of the Oik Awards is that it helps draw attention to people of the type described here who come back day after day repeating the same points without any analysis. For superbrain you can instead note a dozen or more others who say, “for a club of this size this is unacceptable”.
If I have not created an award for something that you want to draw attention to, please do suggest it. Otherwise, if you want to comment on someone who is just repeating the same old stuff over and over, simply go to the Oik Awards, find the right award, and award it to the oik of your choice.
And anyone who calls this childish is right – it is. And I reserve the right to be childish when I want to. I spend far too much of my life being grown up and serious.
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Ha Ha. Nice stuff Gord : ). That’ll teach Super brain to stay away. On hindsight, it won’t..but now we have the Oik Award to give him!! These are unlimited..Tony?
Ahmen…I can not beleive some of the crap so called supporters have been coming up with.
sorry bud really tried reading your blog but got bored half way
nice little piece once again TA. sometimes I think it wouldnt be the end of the world if we did fall from grace for a season or two (like 90% of the media and 2% of the fanbase would like us to). that should be enough time for us to filter out all the paper fans that dont want to take time out from their Wenger-bashing, to educate themselves on the changing landscape of football across the world and the lengths teams have to go to stay competitive. Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, money and changinf manager are not always the answer to acheiving success (yes 3rd this season was a success to a large degree, from start of season). so what makes people think we have an ace up our sleeves to better our current position in just one season?
sorry Gord, not AT
That’s OK, Bradster. Nice to have you around.
Brilliant stuff. The only explanation I could have for superbrain’s memory is a sort of groundhog year where he supports the invincibles every year instead of the real (fallible) Arsenal.
I’ve been supporting them since the 1971 double and I remember the average seasons as well as the good ones. Mind you, none have been as average as the spuds’ seasons during that time.
On another matter, I thought Man City’s winning of the league on sunday was very reminiscent of the Michael Thomas heroics in Anfield.
Every team with a prolonged period of success attracts its bandwagon fans. There’s nothing inherently wrong with such people — the shirts they buy can help the team buy some nice things (like a state-of-the-art youth academy and training complex), they support a resale market for tickets for season ticket holders who can’t make an occasional game due to scheduling conflict, and so on. However, the very nature of a bandwagon fan means that they’re really only in it for the silverware, financial fair play be damned.
So when Arsenal has a season that ends on a high note, with a fine send-off for Pat Rice, a golden boot for Van Persie, champs league qualification, and St. Totteringham’s day, all the bandwagon fan can see is the trophy cabinet. So the correction process, by which their next shirt is for Real Madrid or Man $ity, is just part of the natural cycle of their allegiance.
Thanks for the support since 1997, bandwagoners, I hope Arsenal gave you some great footballing memories, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing you back again in a couple years as our Gunners come into their prime.
I have been supporting Arsenal a bit longer than 27 years. The Wenger era is as good as it’s ever been for us. Consistently well placed in the Prem, 15 straight CL appearances and the elimination of the “Boring, Boring Arsenal” moniker.
I learned a valuable lesson while still in my teens from an old work colleague: “Never argue with anyone more stupid than yourself ‘cos you’ll learn nothing.”
That’s Super brain they were referring to …
Tripe!
Good report but also its not a crime for arsenal fans to want to be the best team in england as we used to be we need some progression instead of being happy with 3rd or 4th im satisfied but arsenal need more ambition. Thats why we dont attract big players who wants to go a career just winning the emirates cup?!!
Bradster you have won an Oik of the Week award. I just don’t quite know what one yet.
Great job Gord. Loved the blog… Could not leave it half way even it’s past my bed time (I have very early wake up call tomorrow).
Loved the article very much Gord.
And the comments also 😉
Is Super Brain ArsenalTruth?
great piece Gord really put superbrain in his rightful place
Oh and I’ve been following Arsenal since 1979 when they lost at home to Wolverhampton 0-1. We came in 7th and were 20 points behind the champions. Oh and it was only 2 points for a win in those days…. if it would have been 3 points we would have been 33 points behind.
@walter when are we getting the ref awards? Trying to find an excuse to slate Mike Dean 😛
Mahdain,
don’t worry they will come. But we still have more than 10 games to review before we can come to the final conclusions.
so be patient a bit 😉
Great post Gord. 🙂
I agree, it was a sad comment to make on the day when the team put so much effort in to earn that 3rd place.
What always surprises me, and is slightly worrying, is when I go to News Now: Arsenal News, amongst the Top stories(most read?) are the collection of AAA blogs?
I suspect behind every Superbrain there are even more intellectually challenged sheep who just can’t stop themselves.
It is in reference to Rhys Jaggar’s post on Arsenal News Review, wonderful!
@rusty: I guess you are right about the bandwagon fans. The problem is, to make themselves and their constructive ideas a little bit more respectable, they tend to use the phrase “I have been supporting Arsenal for/since …” and adding a fake number, without realizing of how stupid it looks. Normally I just ignore them because usually they are just kids pretending to be grown-ups. But Gord’s article is really cool 🙂
And possibly a really black sheep or two, paid by Usmanov.
I couldn’t be bothered to go back 27 years but I hope since the start of the EPL will suffice. A little chart to show Arsenal and Arsenal under Wenger standing amongst our rivals based on overall finishing positions. 🙂
Finishing position (PL only)
Year Arsenal Man Utd Chelsea Liverpoo Totts City
1993 10 1 11 6 8 9
1994 4 1 14 8 15 16
1995 12 2 11 4 7 17
1996 5 1 11 3 8 18
1997 3 1 6 4 10
1998 1 2 4 3 14
1999 2 1 3 7 11
2000 2 1 5 4 10
2001 2 1 6 3 12 18
2002 1 3 6 2 9
2003 2 1 4 5 10 9
2004 1 3 2 4 14 16
2005 2 3 1 5 9 8
2006 4 2 1 3 5 15
2007 4 1 2 3 5 14
2008 3 1 2 4 11 9
2009 4 1 3 2 8 10
2010 3 2 1 7 4 5
2011 4 1 2 6 5 3
2012 3 2 6 8 4 1
“Whole
Selection”
Mean since PL 3.6 1.55 5.05 4.55 8.95 11.2 5.582608696
Median since PL 3 1 4 4 9 10 4
Mean since Wenger 2.5625 1.625 3.375 4.375 8.8125 9.818181818 4.835164835
Median since Wenger 2.5 1 3 4 9.5 9 4
Oh well, was worried the formatting might do that. Never mind.
@ Gord, nice article and like the idea of oik awards. I bugsy The’Abuser of the week’ award and pledge to make even more of an effort in that respect and to guard it jealously. You have been warned!
1. This season (2011/12) we are the 5th placed team in the league in terms of financial investment in the team (transfers and wages). Below Man City, Man U, Chelsea and Liverpool.
2. We finished in 3rd place.
3. Wenger consistently performs better than our position in the team investment table.
4. Objectively speaking (not some bloke’s opinion based on what he sees out on the pitch), he is therefore a very successful manager.
5. However, we are the 2nd placed team in the PL in terms of total revenue, marginally higher than chelsea. The correlation between investment and revenue is warped by the practices of a few clubs, spending beyond their means. For example, Man City’s wage outgoings alone is over 120% of their TOTAL revenue.
6. In terms of commercial revenue only, we are losing 40-50 million a season to our rivals because of the long term deals we signed before building the new stadium (judging by recent deals signed by our competitors). These will soon expire, boosting us far above chelsea and liverpool, quite near to Man U in total revenue.
7. The move to a new stadium has transformed our prospects, lifting us to the elite earning clubs in the world. This is why liverpool, chelsea and tottenham are all so keen to copy our model. Easier said than done.
8. We are still in a transition period, not able to compete on transfers and wages. We are almost over the worst – there will still be the debt repayments, but they are fixed and affordable. Once we renegotiate our sponsorship deals, a significant change in investment policy should be expected.
Guess what I’m saying is… PATIENCE!!!
Cheers, come on you reds.
[Anyone interested in the precise financial details of football clubs is encouraged to visit Swiss Rambler’s blog.]
Nice post mate,i dont understand how someone like me who lives far away from The Emirates (Nigeria) and only just started supporting The Arsenal when Kanu joined manages to understand the restrictions with which my beloved clubs has to compete with better than some “supporters” who actually have the previlege of living close to The Arsenal and claim to have been following her for so many years before me, what baffles memore is how far these so called “supporters” can go in their sfforts to undermine the efforts of the most succesful manager in our history,can someone please explain their grieveances to me?
Superbrain is nothing but a superidiot
While I agree that lots of people lie about the origin of their arsenal affiliation in order to excuse their negativity, I’d like to stress that being born in the eighties is no crime. To start suppotring arsenal from 97 isn’t also a crime. For everything u have loved, a specific quality attracted u to it and no quality is more romantic than the other. I live in Nigeria and I started supporting arsenal cos of King Kanu. He left but I am still here. So while I get the point of the whole piece I think commenters should longevity in age and support does not translate to being a better fan
Should have read “…commenters should note that longevity….
I can go back to the mid 1930’s when Arsenal represented all that was good about our national game.
Since then, the Club has always tested the loyalty of its followers by virtue of triumph and disaster, in equal measure.
This gift of loyalty has, for most of us, never wavered and for every season there has always been some aspect of the Club’s feats to savour. Long may this continue.
@Cent. Be proud of your arsenal love. Though u “just” started supporting arsenal when Kanu joined, that’s 16 years ago, bro – some people’s lifetime. So do away wif those self deprecating remarks. Remember Kanu left and u’re still here. tho we live far away in Naija, we know there are more gooners in naija than in uk.
I was talking to a Bolton girl on facebook last night; she was devastated her side was going down next season. Makes you glad your team is so stable doesn’t it?
I think there are factors amiss at the Arsenal, and I’m ecstatic we’ve finished third after the last eighteen years or thirty eight games!
I’m still looking forward to the summers events, and watching a team playing a great style of football, albeit conceding fewer goals!
Great work guys, keep it up
I’ll tell you a secret. I know who Superbrain is!!! Nickname:Gary. 27 years supporting Arsenal statement:comment on the article WE KEPT THE FAITH, page 2, 14th MAY, 1:51 PM.
Fully agree with Gord. Superbrain/Gary really asked for it.
“I can remember Alan Smith as a striker, so my memory goes back a ways….”
ye gods!
@country boy i put the “just” in that sentence on purpose,and that purpose is definitly not to under-appreciate my love for The Arsenal,it was more like a sarcastic remark about the length of time i have been a gooner compared to when the likes of superbrain claim they have been gooners cos in the end they will realize i have been a gooner for like the length of their real age.
My first season teamsheet
Bob Wilson
Pat Rice
Bob MacNab
Peter Storey
Frank McLintock
Peter Simpson
Geordie Armstrong
George Graham
John Radford
Ray Kennedy
Charlie George
Eddie Kelly
Jon Sammels
Pat Jennings
Pat Rice
Sammy Nelson
Brian Talbot
Willie Young
David o’Leary
Liam the King Chippy Brady
Alan Sunderland
Frank Stapleton
Malcolm MacDonald
Graham Rix
Alan Hudson
John Lukic
Lee Dixon
Stevie Bould
Michael Thomas
Nigel Winterburn
Big Tone the Skipper
Kevin Richardson
Rocky Rocastle
Alan Smudger Smith
Brian Marwood
Paul Davis
Martin Hayes
Martin Keown
Kennt Sansom
Charlie Nicholas
Ian Wright
Anders Limpar
Stphan Schwarze
Siggy Johnsson
I was there when He scored
David Seaman
Paul Merson
Ian Selley
Kevin Campbell
David Hillier
Glenn Helder
David Seaman
Lauren
Ashley Cole
Tony Adams the Skipper
Martin Keown
Gilles Grimandi
Patric Vieira
Dennis the best ever Bergkamp
Thierry Henry
Robert Pires
Emmanuel Petit
Sol Campbell
Cesc Fabrigas
Kanu
Davor Suker
Super nic Anelka
Ian Wright
Mark Overmars
Silvain Wiltord
Edu
Gilberto
Silvinhio
I have found that there are some ‘fans’ who just do not want to engage in a fact based discussion on The Arsenal. You can present facts, good detailed analyses and statistics by well-regarded bloggers, authors and people close to the club and they will reject it all cos it does not fit in with their preconceived notions. Fortunately they are I believe a minority. Best leave them under the rock where they reside.
Gord, I feel your pain, having typed many a response in anger, only to give-up before posting…
Tony,”Oik Awards”, what a splendid name, what a fantastic award!
Now I eagerly await the Oiks, it’ll be fun classifying and nominating the Oiks =D
Ha, I even feel like out-Oiking the Oiks to win some of the awards…
My typical team sheet:
Frank Moss
George Male, Eddie Hapgood
Jack Crayston, Bernard Joy, Wilf Copping
Alf Kirchen, Leslie Jones, Ted Drake, Bryn Jones, Cliff Bastin.
I think nobody can beat that Nicky 😉
Walter,
And what about England v Germany 1934 when 7 Arsenal players were in the team. Moss, Male,Hapgood,Copping,Ray Bowden,Drake and Bastin. I think we won 3 nil but I’m not sure. That will never be repeated, I’m sure!!
Nicky
an England v Germany game with 5 Arsenal players could happen you know.
Walcott, Wilshere, Gibbs against Mertesacker, Podolski
And who knows if Gnabry makes it it could be 6: 3 English and 3 German.
And if Carl Jenkinson should make it at right back we could have 7… 😉
Jenkinson, at least in terms of his national team, is Finnish at the moment. Since he hasn’t played a full international match yet, he might switch to England.
Those who despise Arsene Wenger and those who support him whatever the situation are both pandering to prejudice. I feel like a more rational supporter who does not want Wenger to go but have noticed he is making some errors. Without critique the world cannot change. When nothing can change because we are not allowed to critique then that is as we all know ..Fascism (ie the people cannot govern themselves). So there is room for many views. That’s good. Allegedly democracy is following the majority of views whilst taking into account other views. I still respect Wenger but cannot deny that both he and the board were negligent at the beginning of the season. When we bought, in a bit of a shark like feeding frenzy, during the last minutes of the summer transfer window, we had lost some games and looked seriously poor. That should not have happened. Negligence. Our season had finished before it began. But credit to Wenger and the team that they responded. Nevertheless those who have actually watched us know we are not a great side…we are a good side, but no more than that. I trust Wenger will buy GREAT players to reassert the team. We surely need at least two or three more. But what I will say, is if we do not buy players to reassert this GREAT club then Wenger and the Board will have been negligent to a serious degree. I have watched our beloved club since 1958 when I sat on my Dad’s lap for the Arsenal v Man Utd game. We lost 4-5. I have travelled to see them, had season ticket and only supported this beautiful club. So my critique is actually based on caring for the club, honesty and not malice. All the supporters and haters, who do so through lack of reasoning and succumb to vitriolic emotional predudice do this club no favours at all.
@Bradster
I am from India and in all likelihood you too from here! Go and watch IPL…I think that’ll make sense to you. This site is for grown ups…
My Dad didn’t like football and my parents moved across north London when I was a schoolboy. I could still get to Finsbury Park on one bus which was good………….having to go to school in Tottenham was less acceptable. Growing up in Spud country as a Gooner in the shadow of the Spud sides of the 60’s was not fun. The Clock End had no roof, the team was crap and none of my school friends were Arsenal fans. I never missed a game and still do a 200 mile round trip for every home game.
I don’t want praise for any of that but I’d really like Super-Brain and his ilk to realise that there’s more to being a supporter than glory. It’s sweet when it comes but you’ve got to be realistic it can’t happen every season, particularly when there are several teams out there with considerably more money than we have. Super-Brain needs to realise AW and the club have overachieved on a pound for pound basis AND virtually paid off nearly £400m for one of the best stadiums in the world.
As for remembering Alan Smith as a striker, you should start worrying when you remember Don Howe as a full back lol
good reading
As someone who remembers having to get pissed to go and watch Arsenal, because you were lucky if you even saw a goal, I’m ecstatic about how our club has progressed over the last two decades. Yes, we’ve had some collapses in form and some of the players in whom Wenger has put faith have not repaid it as I’d like, but we aren’t that far off and the future is bright.
The anti-Wenger brigade have ADHD or they don’t remember when we were just an average club who had a brief spell of good form in ’71 and under Graham. Under Wenger we have been a revelation and as someone else posted above, the keyword is PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE.
The “I want it all now, spend the money Wenger” brigade all know better players and managers, but in reality that’s because they’d done it Football Manager and that’s the extent of their knowledge of the game.
Just remember Leeds United you dim fuckers.
@Harry Barracuda, my sentiments exactly.
I support Hearts in the SPL but I cannot fathom the thought of going to see them play football because the technical quality on show (and SPL in general) is so low and I cannot stand it when commentators say about teams that they work hard for 90 minutes and tackle well, as if that’s why I would depart with money to watch a game of football???
despite his negligable budjet, wenger tean has consistently played the best football (overall) since his appointment-fact!
I think its odd looking at fans and in particular some of the fans who started supporting during the wenger years.
The expectancy along with their ages makes it a totaly different experience.
True Arsenal fans usualy have that one moment that changed everything that started that love affair with the club.
For me it was a ticket to the cup final in 1979 I didnt support either team Utd or Arsenal but for those old enough to remember match of the day and the music at the start when they used to show Mickey Thomas of Utd winking after a dive or Gordon McQueen one dirtiest Utd players ever in my books.
It was so good to see Alan Sunderland shove that FA cup up their collective Utd arses it changed me forever.
Barren spells followed and Wenger well hes just a genius who gave us even more success.
The thing that probably irkes todays fans the most is our ambition right now. If we keep Robin and add one or two players it will look like we are on the way back. If we sell our best player again and do not add strength to the squad its gonna feel like another year hoping to stay top 4 without really challenging for anything.
No one takes into account the fact that it will be 2 more years before we can start to renegotiate kit deals etc and become better financialy organised.
The toughest thing for me is I want to see Wenger manage the first london team to lift the champions league. I want him to go out on a high creating even more history he deserves that chance after all he has done for the club. But so many are to impatient.
This is now my 50th year following the greatest football club in the world.Believe me 50 years ago it would have been easy to have supported the team down the road who at that time were actually a good team but thank god Highbury under lights gave me a feeling that has never left me.I have been through some bad times with our team but the last few years are things you can only dream of.My two sons have never known us out of the top four and realise what we achieve is fantastic.Yes,before I go to that big football ground above I want to have won the Champions League and some more titles but remember we support the team that everyone else is jealous of never forget that!!!!
Just been reading through the comments and was drawn to Nicky.
I can go back to the mid 1960’s, but that 1930’s era must have been a dream to experience.
Would have loved to have seen Wilf Copping, what a player he must have been.
If i recall he hammered the Italy World Cup winning team at Highbury in 1934…
And Ted Drake, what a centre forward he must have been.
Seven goals at Villa Park in a 7-1 win, with eight shots, and that bounced over line but the linesman didn’t give it.
Cliff Bastin, 33 goals from a winger in one season, what a player.
Nicky, did you see Alex James play?
5 titles in 7 seasons, what a team!!!
Nicky, what about David Jack?
Did you ever see him play?
I remember talking to a senior Arsenal fan back in the late 1990’s.
David Jack was his favourite player.
Dennis Bergkamp was the only player he had seen since those days that came close to Jack in his opinion….
Gord – just emailed you with a mission. 😉