By Walter Broeckx
Tony recently posted an article celebrating 6000 Untold Arsenal pieces on this web site. 6000…. six thousand….That really is an amazing number.
Let us keep it factual first… 6000 articles in more or less 8 years or in some 2928 days is an average of just over 2 articles a day.
As I know from the early days and the days Tony worked alone on this blog and that was for more than 1.5 year, you couldn’t publish on a daily basis. Now we do apart from when we are being under attack and are taken down from time to time.
I think over the last year the average numbers of articles will be 3 a day. I really wonder if there is any other football blog from any other club that manages to do this on a day to day basis?? And I don’t mean putting 7 rumours a day on line as publishing an article. Because like them or not the Untold articles are real articles.
As I have just written in my “italic-article” the other day it also has been an amazing trip for me personally. It has brought me and will bring me to places I could never have dreamed of. It has given me friendships all over the world. Even if some are only virtual as I have and probably will never meet some of you in person. That is something I regret, and if we ever get to the 10.000th article perhaps we could organise something to celebrate this milestone we should try to bring Untold together. Why not in the Emirates??
Untold has made me fulfil a child’s dream and I am eternally grateful for that. I really feel privileged to be a part of this blog. And feel honoured that Tony trusted me to write for him (English is not my mother language and never will be of course but to be honest those first articles were in really bad English – I know I can and should still improve).
It has brought friendship with Tony, Blacksheep and Andrew whom I have seen a few times over the years and hope to see a lot more in the next years. I even have had Tony in my house for a few days a few years ago and that is still a great memory for me and Carine. We had lots of fun, well I did anyway and we should do it again one day. But have to say the piano is gone now Tony so we would not be able to listen to you playing the piano anymore. (You probably don’t know this but Tony is also a fine musician as far as I can judge those things as I wouldn’t even recognise a “minor chord” even if it would hit me in the face.
Tony and I also played together in a team on the pitch of the Arsenal stadium a memory that is still so alive even if it is already a few years ago. We took a shower in the same shower that has seen Messi taken a shower. We should have… no we are not that kind of people.
Untold has brought me a lot over the years. It has brought me comfort when things didn’t go as planned in my life. It has kept me sane at times. When I read the comments of the many Untold faithful people I feel warm inside.
And when I read people who praise me I feel grateful to be a part of this blog.
When I read the abuse aimed at me…I just shrug my shoulders. I am a referee so used to some abuse. You will not drag me down by abusing me. By the way Tony, I really liked the comparison with the dog:) That brought a big smile on my face as most of the articles on Untold do.
I know it is unfair to others but I do want to pick out one person who comments on this site. Brickfields Gunners. Please, keep them coming from wherever you are getting it from. It wouldn’t be the first time that it is you that put the first smile back on my face after a painful result. Great job, keep it up.
For me personally Untold has been the place where real supporters want to show their support. We can be down after a bad result. But we always pick ourselves up from the ground, get rid of the dust and march on. Even if we stumble or fall and we all do and Arsenal is just part of this big stumbling and falling down world, we never stop the support for those who really deserve our support.
In a society that now is based on what happened in the last 5 seconds, Untold has always had an eye for the bigger picture. Not the ‘he missed a chance so he is rubbish and always has been’ world that is very much reality in social media these days.
Untold has always has shown great respect for the people who work for our club. Be it as manager or player. We are not always happy about what happens but maybe because we are dedicated to the good cause that Arsenal is, we feel that most of them share this dedication and want to do their best for Arsenal. No player wants to miss that open chance on purpose. So I will not call him rubbish if he does. I will shout for him to do better next time and support him when people call him names.
Untold is going against the tide on most things. It “evens out” and “referees make no mistakes” is the word in the streets… we debunk the myth. “Wenger is rubbish and should go”… we show he isn’t rubbish at all. Players being abused… we support them and urge them to do better next time.
Being part of this has made my life much richer. I honestly wouldn’t know how I would have survived all the barren years without Untold. I think we would have given up on reading anything about Arsenal apart from arsenal.com. I believe this goes for a lot of people on Untold. People who I dare to call friends. And isn’t friendship the last resource we have against the terrible world we sometimes live in?
Untold has set a standard when it comes to supporting our club. There is no other blog that has been doing what we are doing for all those years. More than 8 years of really being supportive. Now more than 6000 articles of getting behind the club and the team.
I think it is fair to say that Untold Arsenal is unique in this. Probably even in the whole world wide sports blog sphere. Proud to be part of this. Onwards to the next milestone.
——————–
The Untold Books
The latest Untold book is Arsenal: The Long Sleep 1953-1970 with a Foreword by Bob Wilson, available both as a paperback and as a Kindle book from Amazon. Details of this and our previous and forthcoming titles can be found at Arsenal Books on this site.
Anniversaries
- 4 March 1933: Arsenal played their first game with the white sleeved shirts based on an idea by Tom Webster, but lost to Liverpool 0-1. 42,868 were present, bemused perhaps by the fact that in the previous match Arsenal had beaten Blackburn 8-0.
- 4 March 1950: Arsenal 1 Leeds 0. FA Cup round 6, on the way to winning the trophy for only the third time. Lewis scored with 62,573 in the crowd. This was the first season in which Arsenal played every FA Cup match in London.
The insult of the day (for Professional Game Match Fixers)
You common cry of curs! whose breath I hate as reek o’ the rotten fens, whose loves I prize as the dead carcasses of unburied men that do corrupt my air, I banish you. (Coriolanus)
I am not sure we could afford to hire a room at the Emirates Walter, but it would be nice if one day we all got together without having to rush off and see a football match.
I just want to say thank you all very much for all you are doing and have done for us the people who truly love our club. You and all the writers are a credit to Arsenal Football Club and long may it continue. A sane voice in all the madness that is put out on the rag’s that nowadays past for newspapers. I have been following you now for just over three years and will do as you continue to tell it like it really is and I’m thankful for that. Congrats to you all.
Thanks Walter, it has been my pleasure to post on here and share a laugh or two with the regulars.
Especially at ‘them’ ,whose stupidity is an endless ocean of mirth for me.
The day I listen to them, I ‘ll
start buying in into those internet investment gurus.
I spend much time on this website ,so much so that a day without checking in ,feels like a day missed or wasted.
Would love to meet up with the AKBs sometime. Maybe at AW’s statue unveiling ?
Walter,
Slightly off topic but tonight may well be the first ‘milestone’ in the careers of some of our youngsters who will be playing at the Emirates for the first time in a competative match. The U18s have their cup quarter final against Liverpool kicking off in just under 40 minutes against Liverpool. The game is on Arsenal player, not sure about more mainstream media.
COYYG
I think Untold is doing wonderfully. It would be nice if the aaa weren’t around, but I guess you can’t have everything.
—
Is this corruption Friday?
I guess 4 hours ago, Inside World Football posted an article about corrupt company Nike wanting to renew its sponsorship of corrupt football team Barcelona, to the tune of 85 million Euro per year, plus bonuses on top of that.
And many articles about unusual money flows surrounding Germany’s winning of 2006 World Cup.
Congrats Tony & Walter and every other UA fan……………..a great milestone, now lets get to 10,000!
Meeting you two, by the way, is on my bucket list!
Thanks Tony,Walter,Omgarsenal for all.You guys have given us courage wonder where we will be without a site like this. There are a lots of Arsenal Fans in the East African countries who dare not read any local paper a day after we lose a match. But as a transporter i have sold Untold to those who never knew it existed and boy they just love it.@Blackfield Gunners you are the best,Gord,Mady Dowd and the rest of you fellers you make us proud,keep it up.
Oga Tony and Walter, Blacksheep, Crawshaw, Bulldog and …. Please accept my hearty congratulations and greetings to you all at the Untold Arsenal website on your attaining a milestone in article publications of 6000 published articles. More grease to your elbows!
Let’s note that the count-down to the end of the Barclays Premier League season will earnestly begins tomorrow Saturday, 5th March 2016. And ends on Saturday, 21st May 2016. So, it’s 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0…ignition…lift up the 2015/16 BPL title trophy. Hip Hip Hurray! Arsenal have lift-up the title trophy and thus have become the 2015/16 Barclays Premier League Champions. Waoh!!! Celebrations galore! Parade taking place on the Islington’s streets! The London Borough are engulfed in ecstasy!
He who sings his own song loudly, stands likely to be heard. Walter, your have acknowledged singular recognition to Brickfields Gunners for his topical comments on UA topical posted articles. But, what of me, SamuelAkinsolaAdebosin? Don’t I deserved to be mentioned as well? Forget it, I am only playing. How many commenters are you going to acknowledged out of the thousands(?) of them that have commented on UA articles?
Walter, let you any one who loves Arsenal seriously bear this their in minds, Arsenal will unfailingly beat Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow at the Lane to rekindle our title winning hopes this season.
Congratulations again Walter, Tony, Andrew, and all of UA. Look forward to many more milestones on UA!
Congratulations to Tony, Walter and the entire Untold Arsenal family.
Thanks for supporting our club over the years.
Let’s stride confidently towards 10000!
I think Andrew might be reporting on the U18 game. But, if you were a little late getting back to your seat after half time, you missed all the scoring.
The game coverage started on that twit thing, talking about Captain Fantastic Krystian Bielik. And the second last entry in the twit coverage of the game, is Bielik picking up a yellow for something. I have no idea if it was a deserved card, or some wonderful referee for U18 is getting ready to apply to PGMO for a job.
Congratulations Tony and Walter on your prodigious achievement. That really is some output. I only found ‘Untold Arsenal’ just short of a year ago and along with your sister site ‘The History of Arsenal’ have found the ideal place for all Arsenal supporters who think the same way as I do. Nearly all do anyway! It is full of information and so energetic. The expansion which in that short time I have witnessed is fantastic. Articles by Danny Karbassiyoon, Bob Wilson and John Radford make it very special along with the publishing of books with Wilson and Arsene Wenger writing the forewords of two is incredible. Thank you and please keep up the good work, it is much appreciated.
Thank you two very much and all other contributors as well! Needless to say, these articles are a real breath of fresh air. A whole lot of us supporters have a common empathy with the way you see things and can look forward to the continued great success of the site and the club. You steer the course of common sense when things are not going so well results wise and the articles are full of good humour and interesting slants on stuff. I’d like to thank you on behalf of the PGMOL as well. Having read many of your reviews and realised how biased and poor our performances have been on far too many occasions, we have decided that we have been grossly incompetent and will endeavour to ensure that we referees play fair in future! After all, your team do play the best football in the country and most neutrals love to watch Arsenal games. You and Arsene Wenger are probably the main reason that the Premiership has such a huge international following and makes so much money for British football. Blessings to you all!
Keep it up Untold.
good to come on here in these dark days.. In relative terms..though of course we can still win two trophies……but nonetheless, we are told we are in the blackest of days. Obviously the people telling us that didn’t experience the last days of reasonably recent managers, including one the WOB venerate above all others.
Some interesting weeks ahead, my heart says Arsenal, my head says City, the WOB are desperate for Spurs, but the cynical side of me expects Leicester to be given a very easy ride…..as we saw recently. A Leicester win makes the EPL look like anyone can win….when the reality is different. A Leicester win will net a lot of money for some.
When in doubt on this planet, go for the cynical…They tried with Liverpool, they won’t make the same mistake with Leicester?
Then next season, back to the old order.
Just want to say Thank’s to everyone at Untold and congratulate this Blog for it’s exceptional contribution to balanced journalism.
This allegedly, Actually took place in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
A Lawyer, purchased a box of very rare and Expensive Cigars, then insured them against, among other things : ” Loss Due To Fire…..”
Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of cigars, the lawyer filed a Claim against the Insurance Company.
In his claim, the lawyer stated, that the cigars were lost ~
” In a series of small fires…..”
The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason, that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion.
The lawyer sued and WON……!!!!!!!
(Stay with me.)
Delivering the ruling, the judge agreed with the insurance company, that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company, in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable, and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable ” Fire ”, and was obligated to pay the claim.
Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal-process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the cigars, that Perished in the
” Fires…..”
NOW, THE BEST PART…….
After the lawyer cashed the cheque, the insurance company had him arrested, on 24 counts of ARSON….!!!
With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was Convicted of Intentionally burning his Insured Property, and was sentenced to 24 months in jail & A $24,000 Fine.
This True Story won First Place in a Criminal Lawyers’ Award-contest, in USA.
Thankyou UA. You certainly stand strong in the face of uber- “stick”.
Walter, whilst your written English has improved, it was never really that bad. At all. You clearly made it your mission to improve and you’ve succeeded, magnificently. I’ve written before, and I’ll write it again: You have initially added levels of Humanity to this blog.
Your “foreignness” has opened Untold’s doors to people from all over the world. Many of us readers really FEEL what you write about, whether it’s disasters involving your local communities, family challenges, trips to the Ems or pure Arsenal football.
It’s possible that your writing encouraged Tony to recruit, among others: Billy Doggy, incorporating that special hospital on the North Circular.
Humanity.
The 2nd comment on this thread is from Linda. Welcome Linda.
I myself read this blog for some time before contributing (in my case, moaning).
I’ve no doubt there are thousands like Linda who read, but for whatever reason – don’t write comments in reply to the articles. That’s absolutely fine. No problem.
I mention this because I caught a comment from a former Untolder on the only other site I regularly visit.
This witty and knowledgable supporter has given up (temporarily, I hope) on UA due to the negativity allowed on the site via the comments.
Whilst I think you all make an unbelievable contributions to guarding against the most abusive of posters, and write beautifully crafted “nonsense rebuttals” (as articles, as well as comments), I often wonder how many positive contributors might be put off from writing (or reading) – once they’ve seen the rantings of the unnecesarily negavista ninnies?
I find myself reading Walter’s post match reviews, but not the comments. (Why should I slash my wrists on behalf of the lunatics, or be even sadder at the loss/draw/lack of winning by a 10 goal margin)?
May I suggest that site editors simply delete the vitriol/copy paste-y crap that gets through, once they’ve seen it. The editors needn’t explain these actions. Perhaps you’d consider taking away the dislike button. You’ve long known that most other sites are anti Arsenal, and the Ars (aaa) hating with their blogettas are their natural habitat. Those sites won’t entertain comments from positive Arsenal supporters. And so you shouldn’t accept bile from the haters, which at various levels affects the ideals and mood of those who visit expecting a Supporters forum!
Untold, you remain my first love, Ars-site-wise. For all your readers and contributors, please make it a little safer.
And yes, I long to meet you all. xx
COYG
Thank you to Tony, Walter, and rest of the Untold Arsenal contributors for the work you have done. It is always great to read your articles and it allow me to see football in a different view. Keep up the good work.
How I see Untolders striking back at ‘them’ types ! Sweet justice , instant Karma !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Y7OEywnmk
Tony, Walter and all the other contributors,
Most heartfelt greetings from Seattle! UA is an island of rationality in a world that can’t start thinking. Looking forward to the post #10000, and more! And may your work see the Professional Game Match F***kers being sent down the drain.
Serious case :
A Doctor was relaxing on his sofa one evening just after arriving home from work. As he was tuning into the evening news, the phone rang. The doctor calmly answered it and heard the familiar voice of a colleague on the other end of the line.
“We have already opened an aged scotch. Come over now.”
“I’ll be right over,” whispered the doctor.
As he was moving out, his wife asked, “Is it serious?”
“Oh yes, quite serious,” said the doctor gravely. “In fact, three doctors are there already!”
( Now you know why there are more drunkards than old doctors !)
School reunion Special:
Have you ever been guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking, “surely I can’t look that old.”. Well . . . you’ll love this one..The stuff is from a lady called Archana
“My name is Archana. I was sitting in the waiting room for my first appointment with a new dentist.
I noticed his BDS degree on the wall, which bore his full name.
Suddenly, I remembered a tall , handsome, dark-haired boy with the same name had been in my high school class some 25-odd years ago.
Could he be the same guy that I had a secret crush on, way back then?
Upon seeing him, however, I quickly discarded any such thought. This balding, gray-haired man with the deeply lined face was way too old to have been my classmate.
After he examined my teeth, I asked him if he had attended St Xavier’s high school.
“Yes. yes, I did.’ he gleamed with pride.
“When did you graduate?” I asked.
He answered, “In 1987. Why do you ask?”
“You were in my class!!!!”, I exclaimed.
He looked at me closely.
Then,
that
ugly,
old,
bald,
wrinkled faced,
gray-haired,
decrepit,
idiot,
asked,
“What subject did you teach” ?”
Statistically speaking, men’s dissatisfaction with their penis size has nothing to do with the size of their penis.
According to a study published by The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 30% of men are unhappy with the size of their penis (compared to 35% who are satisfied with their dick size) and those 30% are not necessarily those with smaller members.
The study doesn’t say whether personal experience is the biggest factor of the men’s opinions, but one strong correlative was the subject’s mental health; depression and anxiety disorders are associated with dissatisfaction regarding penis size.
The study also does not state why those 30% of dissatisfied stupid dick heads , instead of seeking the proper help and treatment , prefer to go on to pro Arsene Wenger Arsenal websites and behave like total pricks.
90 % of doctors questioned , couldn’t give a shit for their pre-dick-ament !
This guy’s skills will bring tears to your eyes !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PvxLzZuCvc
Well done UA, the only Gooner website where there is even a chance of intelligent discussion. Thank you Tony, Walter and others for your output – I am amazed at how prolific you are, while still having careers and libes.
As a tribute to how widely read you must be, check this out
http://www.theguardian.com/football/the-agony-and-the-ecstasy/2016/mar/04/referees-premier-league-silenced
Well done UA, the only Gooner website where there is even a chance of intelligent discussion. Thank you Tony, Walter and others for your output – I am amazed at how prolific you are, while still having careers and lives.
As a tribute to how widely read you must be, check this out
http://www.theguardian.com/football/the-agony-and-the-ecstasy/2016/mar/04/referees-premier-league-silenced
Tut. Whilst trying to copy BG’s link I hit the dislike button..
Rantetta
You wrote…
‘May I suggest that site editors simply delete the vitriol/copy paste-y crap that gets through, once they’ve seen it. The editors needn’t explain these actions. Perhaps you’d consider taking away the dislike button. You’ve long known that most other sites are anti Arsenal, and the Ars (aaa) hating with their blogettas are their natural habitat. Those sites won’t entertain comments from positive Arsenal supporters. And so you shouldn’t accept bile from the haters, which at various levels affects the ideals and mood of those who visit expecting a Supporters forum!’
I agree absolutely.
Thanks Mick.
I guess i’m offloading to some extent but at least it’s not against The Arsenal.
Bulldog’s preview (the following article), is excellent.
Congrats on the milestone Untold. I can not say enough good words about this place and how it has helped me keep sane in a rather insanity filled fanbase. I love this place and even though my daily struggles makes it difficult to visit as much as i used to, i still hold this site dear to my heart. Thank you Tony, Walter and the entire Untold family for being the sound of reason in a madness filled world.