I used to live in the Ladbroke Grove area, and in the supermarket there was quite often a fifty something year old man in full schoolboy kit. Cap, shorts, blazer, the works, and I always felt it was reasonable to ask questions, and that I could make cautionary assumptions. However, perhaps it was nothing more than a perfectly innocent obsession with his childhood rather than a full blown case for Nurse Pratchett. I don’t know, but I have a nasty feeling that I am developing a certain illness of my own.
You see I am now considering buying my first ever replica top. Yip, a uniform all of my own. Naturally it will be the Toffs ’71 as I am not totally beyond some level of reasonable taste. Of course over the years I have bought stuff. The autograph book, pins and badges, the wallet and so on. Now bearing in mind that I started following The Arsenal back at the tail end of the rattle and rosette era, I am really trying not to be too stuffy about this, which brings me on to the whole idea of middle aged men in replica shirts. Midlife crisis is putting this mildly. Or is it? Have I finally shed the shackles of modesty and ego? Have I come to realise that I am not the strong minded individual I like to think I am and that I am caving in to my innate tribal instincts. Time to let myself go and let it all hang out perhaps. I have not begun to decide when and where I am going to wear this garment. At home is clearly a Green Light, but outside in front of strangers. The home games. I really don’t know.
How far is it ok to go. Let us suppose it is August and the temp is in the late 90’s. The Top, yes. Casual shorts…maybe. Now make those shorts white and the socks red and I believe we have a problem. You see there are limits.
What I am really getting at is how far do we take this obsession before there is an “issue”? Reliving the Magic of ’89 has become ridiculous. I do this on a regular basis with one of my children on our hallowed turf. He is Lukic and Smith, I am Dixon and Thomas. You know the rest. There is the ball out from Lukic. We then both “come streaming forwards” in what must surely be our last attack. There is a “good ball by Dixon to find Smith”. Smith in turn “finds Thomas” who is “charging through the midfield” just before the finale when our little performance becomes “up for grabs”. The fact that I know these words inside out, and have done for the past twenty two years, when I cannot remember the finer details of a very important business meeting yesterday afternoon says an alarming amount about this obsession.
Now throw into my own little equation a costume and what have I become? A middle aged fantasist who is into uniforms and role play. “Nurse Pratchett!”
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Time for your medicine Micky.
Only kidding, a very enjoyable read.
“The tail end of the rattle and rossette era” Great stuff.
Micky
A small point, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is one of my all time fav films, there is a typo above, I think you mean Nurse Ratchet if I am right would you mind if I changed it?
Wiki reckons it’s Nurse Ratched.
Lovely post micky. There’s something glorious about middle aged men who couldn’t run 100 yards without stopping to draw breath wearing the replica of a professional athlete 20 years younger. We all know the look, belly stretching the front of the shirt, Wilshere 19 on the back, bum hanging out of jeans bought from Matalan etc.
Nice one Micky.
I cringe when I see the “Brits on Tour” down here in their various replica shirts and 26th isn’t far off the mark with his comments.
I stand corrected: Nurse Ratched it should be.
What a dickhead Stuart Pearce is, we’ve all seen that Wilshere has tired coming into the end of the season. So how does England’s next manager (ha ha) react? Deny Wilshere a full rest and put him into a summer competition.
Well done Stuart, that pretty much ensures Wilshere will miss a chunk of the preseason and probably the start of the 2011-12 season. And it may also mean Wilshere isn’t ready to play in the Euor qualifiers vs Bulgaria and Wales in early Sept.
Excellent Micky, 🙂
Only thing is I am slightly offended by your dismissive attitude to a fine piece of kit.
I was in Waitrose, yesterday, clad exactly as you described, other than I was also wearing the red and white scarf and a bobble hat!!
The only comments I got was;
“you look like a giraffe sized Noddy!
and;
“Aren’t you hot in that scarf?”
The other 99.9% obviously thought I looked ace!
26may – I take personal offence to your comment! I would like to point out to you that middle aged people no longer have to shop at Matalan; at our age we can afford a good quality jeans to go with the shirt 🙂
Micky – go for it!! I was told long ago that people over 40 wearing their replica shirts look ridiculous and it stopped me for a while. But no longer! I wear my Arsenal jacket, hats, shirts, t-shirts, have stickers in the car, picture of Cesc on the wall, completely shamelessly!
And remember that ‘what others think of you, is none of your business’ 🙂
I am setting my alarm clock to wake me at midnight tonight.
Reading the posts for the last few nights, the good stuff seems to kick off between 12 midnight and 2 a.m., led by GIE, 26, GM and HCAA.
Then this morning 26 pops up bright eyed and bushy tailed. Blimey!! Must have squirrel blood in him! 🙂
“giraffe sized Noddy”, like that one!
And Evonne, what you can get away with I’m not sure the rest of us can, at least with our dignity intact! But then one of the best bits about getting older is no longer giving a toss about dignity or, as you say, what others think of you!
Another great read, good job.
I admit, I often fall back on my 1995 home shirt in situations such as this to differentiate myself from the uneducated masses.
WG
Great Stuff Mickey, Has anyone else noticed that year by year those crafty buggers in the Armoury are saving money by making the shirts shorter in the front, 🙂 I can no longer tuck mine into my Joe Baker shorts and the wife refuses point blank to darn the Alan Skirton socks any more.
Its all going to pot, even my grandson refuses to talk football with me since I asked him how often he dubbin’s his boots.
26may – exactly!!! ‘They’ are probably jealous anyway 🙂
Dandan – cheapest Dubbin at Morrisons 🙂
There was slightly discordant note to my attire, so I was informed.
In deference to the weather, I wore pretty, little red ankle socks with my ancient sandals. That was OK, obviously.
But it seems it was the vast expanse of lily white leg between the top of my ankle socks and the start of my tiny white shorts that seems to have given sartorial offence.
No pleasing some people!
Red Arse – you are kidding, right??
Ra Perhaps it was the glow emanating from within your short, shorts that people found off putting after all Red Arses are somewhat rare, anywhere but in zoo’s or swinging through the jungle these days 🙂
Micky a fine read, I struggled on Sunday for trying to find a way to wear colours without the aid of the scarf on such a warm day.
My normal attire of 89 replica away kit and Red/White sleeved tracktop has not brought much luck of late.
And being so warm I nearly went with just a red and white replica kit. On grounds of dignity I plumper for a red t-shirt. Time to accept the age of me in the current kit is over, and maybe time for a polo shirt emblazoned in colours and a badge.
Blimey, some of you made it past the opening sentence!
26,
It is so much worse. Some of us need to stop for a fag break while the ball is making its way between Dixon and Smith.
Tell you want, this is going to be a long summer. When is the soonest we can possibly expect to know about the futures of Cesc, AA and Nasri etc?
micky,
that reminds me of Peter Simpson, a notorious chain smoker,who one often saw take a final drag and then stub his cigarette out as the players came back onto the pitch after half time.
Never one for buying shirts but I still have my Charlie George yellow shirt from the 1971 Cup Final.Getting into it is another thing.
My guess is that the Nasri signiture is already in the bag, the club are just making us wait so as to seem like it is a big summer signing which, I suppose, in a way it will be.
They have played the same games many times before with Wenger, will he won’t he, oh surprise, surprise Arsene signs a new contract.
It makes sense, there is little point in releasing a good piece of news on a wet insignificant Tuesday night.
Kelsey,
Love the Peter Simpson story.
London,
Ah, the good time for bad news gig!
For me Cesc is a gonna. If Barca cannot/don’t want to wedge up, then its City or Madrid. My money is on City despite the selling to oppositon stuff.
Coming from the fashiomn industry I’d much rather see a middle aged man in a replica shirt (especially a retro one) than jeans, loafers (god forbid nike trainers) t-shirt and blazer. I’ve got the 89 away shirt copy. As for Cesc I’d hate him to go to city.
Hi micky, nice gourmet delicacy of a post 😛
I gave up wearing footie shirts some time ago with the excuse that the last time I wore one we lost the FA cup final to pool (travesty !!!) and therefore it is bad luck.
I cannot believe Cesc would go to another prem club however much money city would offer him. I’d be surprised if money was his main motivating factor. I’d say it’s Spain or Italy or nothing.
Rasp,
Its that old chestnut money. Mancini has already said Cesc is the man he would most want. AFC would get an almost impossible to turn down amount and probably up front in used notes.
.
GM,
Blazers? They are for school boys and estate agents, non?
Hi Evonne, 🙂
You can relax, you are right, I was kidding! 🙂
My vivid imagination was fired by Micky’s Post.
Actually, I have to admit (honestly) that I have never owned, let alone worn a football shirt, shorts or scarf.
I admire others who publicly show their support and love of their club, (whichever that might be), and especially Gunners, but it is not something that has ever occurred to me.
Oh, alright, 🙂 I allow that I have had a quiet smirk at one or two middle aged guys I’ve seen, who were wearing shirts they bought 20 years ago, and don’t realise that they have slightly changed shape in the meantime. 🙂
GM,
That’s interesting. I have spent some time in the fashion industry too, albeit at the hot and sweaty end of the Rag Trade. 🙂
I was forced, on a number of occasions, to watch, while I was checking figures in an adjoining room, large numbers of nubile young ladies schlepp in and out of various outfits before whizzing off down the catwalk.
Dreadful business!! 🙂
RA
It’s even worse when you have to change thier hair while they change outfits (especially lingerie or swimwear). But we soldier on 🙂
We have to be brave GM! 🙂
Dandan..you brought back memories..Alan Skirton, Joe Baker … now they were men who didnt dive like a bawling baby when someone touched them.
Good post, one of the benefits of living outside of the UK is you can wear your shirt anywhere and also buy shirts you just like. I have maybe 30-40 Arsenal shirts/polos etc plus a whole collection of non Arsenal shirts that I occasionally wear just because I like them.
I will never wear the shirt of another EPL team and usually choose shirts from lower or Scottish leagues. I have about 7-8 shirts of Rangers [including a Van Bronkhorst player shirt]plus 3-4 Orient shirts as they are my 2nd and 3rd team respectively.
Then I just have a few shirts which I just like.. a Montrose away shirt plus a Stirling Albion away shirt, both of which look like old Arsenal Shirts. An old Airdrie shirt, Hamilton have a neat hooped shirt. In the Uk I would never dream of wearing them in case someone takes me as a fan but abroad its no problem. I sometimes confuse Brits at my local pub when I come in wearing an Arsenal shirt with a Rangers jacket on top!!
I see the FA are set on ruining Wilshere before his career has even started. Called up for the under 21’s = no break this summer, he’ll have played 24 months of football without a break. I assume that the powers that be prioritise the ubder 21 touramnet above the European championship then?
Thinks he hates Gooner mike 🙂 Often wondered what fringe benefits were
Kelsey, I also remember Simpson with a ciggie, from the north bank I always thought it was a stick of gum.. never realised until years later he was smoking. Met him once on a train after an away game in Birmingham,back in the day when the team travelled back by train, .. a nice guy.
Excellent and amusing post Micky. Thank you
My name is BR and I am the recent purchaser of a replica home shirt which I have yet to wear outside the house.
Since buying the shirt I have only seen one victory, which leads me to believe this shirt is a Jonah. I hope not as I look very chi chi in it.
22 years? Seems like yesterday.
Neaman,
Peter Simpson one of my favorite players of his era always dependable and unlucky never to be capped.
The worst thing about the shirts at that time was the way they were manufactured and invariably he home kit would after several washes become red and light pink.
Red Arse your business knowledge has no bounds,but now you loosely touch on my trade.
I had a pal whose dad was in the dress business and just jogging along until one day he got introduced to Leslie Hornby.The rest is history.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/19/premier-league-finances-black-hole
Very interesting read
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/19/premier-league-finances-black-hole
intersting read
off the top of my head is that Twiggy Kelsey?
Yes GM
I’m not senile yet after all. That era is getting a lot of press due to the Vidal sassoon film that’s just come out.
Didn’t know about the film about Vidal Sassoon, but correct me if I am wrong but I think his first salon that cut men’s hair was in Sloane Street,which I frequented and then in Brook Street.
It’s (slightly) before my time but I think you’re right Kelsey.Vidal is 82!
I will make you laugh GM.In my early twenties I fancied grey streaks in my very dark brown hair, and before I was thirty they became natural and now I think you call it salt and pepper is my colour (and a full head of hair, are you reading BR 😉 )
82 blimey that’s even older than gunnerN5. I am a mere child compared to that.
A full head of hair! oh joy. There is a cure for baldness coming according to new scientist magazine.
Raddy are you follically challenged?
the spuds have done a standalone tv deal. From next year all their matches will be on the comeday channel apparently
GM,
Just read your link. Don’t want to open up the financial debate again, but without the property income, we are operating at a loss. Bloody cosmic! Cesc to City it is then!
Raddy is streamlined.
we declared a half year loss after that article for the current financial year,but i believe it was comparitively low.
Doesn’t that imply a non-sustainable model?
Hey Micky, Hey Micky, that is a fine sentimental post – a joy to read!
I have got a couple of Arsenal shirts that I usually wear in front of TV when we are playing, and I always wear a shirt when I am attending a match. As soon as I put the shirt on, I feel a different person – full of hope for the game to come.
My most precious possession is a signed Arsenal football that I won during the Arsenal – Ajax CL game, back Feb 2003. I was lucky enough to be invited as a VIP guest, and was one of five of all the VIP guests, who predicted the right final score (1-1). Nobody predicted the right first scorer, so my name was pulled out of a hat, and the signed ball was handed over to me. One of my proudest moments. During big games I usually put the ball, a shirt and a scarf in front of the TV to bring us luck. It usually works.
My name is BR and I am follically challenged 🙂
In the bad old days when I was forced to have haircuts I went to VS in Brook St. I recall having what they celled a “demi-perm” for one of my weddings – I looked a total prat.
micky no.It has to be a loss accrued over 3 years of 45 million but the fact is the Glazers and Gillett and Hicks all borrowed the money to finance their purchases and took dividends etc whilst our shareholders who sold out put nothing into the club and reaped the profits for themselves.
if they can get this proposed law passed is another matter.
classic BR
“I recall having what they celled a “demi-perm” for one of my weddings – I looked a total prat.” (so I understand)
Total,
We are all closet bonkers. A football in front of the TV!
My only prized AFC piece of history is from the late 70’s when a friend of my father was doing some commercial tv stuff and they filmed in the Arsenal dressing room. Knowing my father was a Gooner, she pinched one of the blue training tops. They now sell replica ones. Red and white trim with yellow embroidered Cannon. I, in turn, promptly pinched it from him.
The odds on the Spuds winning the league next year is 22/1. For those who do not understand betting and odds, that means if you bet £10…………you lose £10.
Kelsey,
“One of my weddings”? You could form an elite club with GM and BR.
mickey I was refering to BR not my good self 🙂
Rod Stewart has a better transfer policy than Wenger.He replaces his co striker on a regular basis.
Ooops sorry Kelsey. Just re read.
Work. Some diving from ducks required.
TA.3.21.
That is great stuff. I love the silly habits we develop in order to ensure victory. I wear lucky socks, my AFC shirt, and go to the local bakers to buy the lucky cake. When I attended, I took the lucky route to Highbury, parked in the lucky street and walked along the lucky route. Bought the lucky mints form the lucky sweet shop in Gillespie Rd then went to meet my friends outside the Gunners for our lucky beers – everyone had to have the same beer as when last we won, then through the lucky Clock End turnstile pausing to give money to the lucky chap collecting for charity (still does), and onto another lucky beer from the same seller as last time (if we had won).
The same held true for the journey home.
As I sit here I have AFC coasters,an AFC mug (Double year celebration), an AFC mousepad (from the first S/T holders welcome gifts), a signed picture of TA on the wall by my desk, an AFC keyring etc etc.
But I have not shown the courage that GoonerMichael has by having an AFC tatttoo. Perhaps next year.
Hi Micky, try laying it in front of the TV during next live game: it might bring us luck!
Geoff & Kelsey. Fine stuff.
BR,
Trying to work, but just read your lucky ritual procedure. Brilliant 🙂
Who the hell did you blame when we lost. The lucky baker, the lucky sweet shop. How many times did you have to plot a new route to ensure you had everything covered?
Travelling today so just popping in. Great read micky and a lovely series of comments.
I gave my 1971 replica shirt to a nice guy in the USSR back in 1980 and didn’t get another until this past year.
Moving to Canada has made me want to express my support in a more visible way, so I now have another 1971 shirt (size XL instead of M sadly) and a current home shirt. I wore the current one to the CC Final this year, so that wasn’t so good.
Crucially, when you’re a man of a certain age, you have to get a size large enough to hang slightly loose. Nothing worse than a skin-tight stretched over a mighty beer belly.
At the world cup I bought 3 Japan shirts for myself my(at the time) wife and my son with Inamoto on the back. When we got home from the game (Sweden v Argentina I think) we had sold him to Fulham.
My in game ritual involves screaming abuse at the top of my voice at the TV. When we beat the mancs I opend the window and screamed “have that you dirty ******* northern *****”. I live in a quiet street.
Rocky – oh yes, there is something worse than a tight Arsenal shirt! It is lycra clad men on bicycles. I am not going to go into detail as BR, Rasp and 26may all wear it daily! I am sure they look fantastic in their tight outfits and ‘Bulgarian weight lifters shorts’
BR – you are not bald, it must be your poor eyesight 🙂 You have grayish short hair. Not as much as Micky, but more than Rasp 🙂 GiE is a grizzly bear in more than one way, with longish brown locks
Not to open up financial debate but Micky I’m pretty sure the 6 month figures we reported did not include any prize money.
GM – I live in a quiet cul-de-sac with mostly Asian dentists for neighbours who have no interest in football and who complaint to my almost-ex-husband about my language when a game is on. I have to watch with all the windows shut.
The most favourite shirt I have belonged to my son when he was 5 (20+ years ago) with Adidas and JVC in front, and Lee Dixon at the back. I love it
OK, I’m back in the game.
Geoff @ 3.28pm re Spurs’ odds of becoming champions: very funny!
Total @ 3.21pm: Very funny, you sound like you think placing a ball, scarf etc in front of your TV is the most natural and logical thing in the world. Looney tunes!
Neamman @ 1.15pm: You’re just scary – how many replica shirts have you got????! But respect.
Evonne @ 4.25pm: I wondered if the MAMIL phenomenon would get a mention in all this discussion of inappropriate attire. I can’t remember who it was here who told me of the concept of Middle Aged Men In Lycra but I was delighted to join such an exclusive yet undesirable club, I feel right at home. And Evonne, your understatement about MAMILs looking fantastic is very diplomatic, but very wide (yes an appropriate term) of the mark. In the style of Raddy: My name is 26 and I wear lycra…..
My football obsession really kicked in around 1976, so here’s one for the older guys, sorry the guys even older than me: when did fans start to wear replica shirts at all? Colours of course have been a permanent feature. But I think a replica shirt in the late 70s seemed a pretty exotic thing, to the point where virtually no-one had them. Or is that wrong?
Evonne. That sounds like a pukkah shirt. You should have it framed.
Thinking of which, I had a framed, signed Wright 8 shirt on the walls of my office, decided to wear it, took it to pieces and then to my dismay discovered it was a Small. Stupid bloody thing hangs on a clothes rail in Italy!
p.s. I am convinced that European clothe sizes have changed. I have trouble fitting XL, and yet am the same weight as I was 10 years ago (yes, I am Kelsey 🙂 ) when I was a Large. I blame the Asian Market.
And Evonne, my late father-in-law was an Asian dentist who lived in a cul-de-sac – see, we have so much in common, you and I!
Sorry, one comment on a dry subject: Exile, you must be right, the last set of half-yearly figures (for the period up to Nov 2010) wouldn’t have included prize money, that would have come in the previous set. But there was a small pre-tax loss. In part that was due to a small proportion of home games falling in the first chunk of the season. But the increasing wage bill and stagnant commercial revenues also played a part.
26. Correct. When I first started attending I had a rosette and a home-made red & white scarf (thanks Gran – wherever you are).
This from the History of Football kits (trainspotter???)
“In 1973 Leeds’ manager Don Revie, a man with an eye for a gimmick with a commercial application, entered into a deal with a brand new kit manufacturer, Admiral, that would lead to a revolution in kit design with far-reaching effects. Admiral’s proposal was to redesign the club’s kit in such a way that the result could be copyrighted and replicas sold to the general public, with the club receiving a royalty for each replica sold.”
Leeds were the first followed by MU in 1975. The dreaded polyester shirt was introduced in 1985 to further clubs profits from replica shirt sales. Nike entered the market in 1993 (AFC their first customer) and the sales rocketed.
Thinking football transfers.
Kaka must be available having had a dreadful time in Madrid. Would he be a useful addition?
I’m not often shocked but someone just just linked to this set of pictures of the Arsenal players at the end of season party, focussing on NikB and some young trollope in a pink dress.
Why do I bring it up, well lower down the page it would seem that our young French/Polish centreback is carrying on in the traditions of Peter Simpson and is carrying a pack of Marlboro Red.
Link below if you’re bothered:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1388622/Whos-new-friend-Nicklas-Bendtner-leaves-Arsenal-end-season-party-mystery-blonde.html
At least he is wearing his colours I suppose 🙂
I remember those silly little tags on the Leeds socks, and the 6 inch gash in Eddy Kelly’s sock after a Bremner assault, poor Eddy got sent off for chinning the little runt.
26 may, I have around 60 in total, at one time I had over a 100 but as my kids just take 1 or 2.. I decided to sell them. I had many player worn shirts, still have 5-6 left..PV, TA that I keep. My most treasured shirt was an alternate to the 1997 away that was produced as a sample but never used. The original was blue hoop on yellow but the alternate was reversed, like Boca Juniors. Lovely shirt I finally sold this year as I knew my kids wouldnt appreciate it. Being in Thailand a lot I often get fakes nowdays, so cheap.. just 12 quid and you cannot tell the diffeence. Especially if I dont really like the shirt..eg the white away which I hated.
My favorite non Arsenal shirt, the Gio Van B match worn Rangers shirt which I got from an contact within Highbury.
If I watch a game and we win I will continually wear that shirt until we lose.
I’m a sucker for football jerseys.
I’m not sure how many Arsenal ones I have, but I have four with names on the back “Platt 7” “Rosicky 7″ Brady 7” “Arshavin 23” and I also have the one from the Invincibles season with “Unbeaten 49” on the back. Its mainly the home shirts that I have, this season’s been one of my favourites.
I wear the club 24/7 anyway given my tattoo.
Also, just booked my ticket for the Emirates Cup against New York, lower tier of the North Bank. So anyone going, see ye then.
26may – I just wish I was a lawyer too 🙂 Sadly, that it of ‘having so much in common’ is missing 😦
And you all lycra-clad-men are very kind to me, as I expected someone to say that worse than men wearing lycra is an old woman swearing at the telly 🙂 I am so mad….
GiE – how did you notice that pack of Marlboro?? Polish flag is red and white too. EE looks…..silly on that picture
Neamman and Irish – I have 14 in total not counting my son’s; love the last Highbury one, the redcurrant one, but hate the blue away from 7 seasons ago, we lose every time I wear it, have to burn it
Excellent set of pictures Exile, almost makes the Daily Neurotic They’re All Out to Rob Me a worthwhile publication. Especially like Eboue’s pic, and the steely male model look Lehmann put on. And to be honest, at the age of 23 I’d have been delighted to have been in Nik B’s shoes.
And Raddy, I’d love to have Kaka in the team. Not going to happen, but it would be great.
Evonne – I LOVE the redcurrant one but hardly ever wear it, I love it so much I don’t want it to get messed up. I don’t actually own any blue Arsenal shirt. I have the redcurrant, some yellow ones, the white Herbert Chapman one, and then the rest are home shirts.
Just as an aside, the Queen is going down a treat in Ireland, some woman for her age, and one is an Arsenal fan too, what more can you ask for?!
Irish – I still have a newspaper clip from when TH and co had tea with the Queen, brill. I have 1 yellow, don’t like it much and most home. What do you mean white Chapman shirt – the original???? No way
Evonne – There are videos on youtube of the team meeting the Queen.
No, no ha ha I wish, you know the one that was brought out a few seasons back as a tribute to Chapman? It was white with blackcurrant writing going through it.
Irish – oh, I missed that, must be nice. I am off to watch YouTube, never too much of TH 🙂
Peaches – do you have an Arsenal shirt 🙂
I don’t have any shirts. 😦
BR, at 3.38, that’s just brilliant. I bet you feel that if you deviate from your ‘lucky path’ we are not going to win that day: oh, the responsibility you must feel every time.
When were names introduced to the back of shirts ?
IGunner, is 7 your lucky number: Platt7, Rosicky7, Brady7??
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/nov/21/theknowledge.sport
look who is top of the list
Hi Kelsey, 🙂
I got this from Google;
Shirts
On April 18th 1993, The League Cup saw the names of every player now being printed about the back of their shirts, and from 1993-1994 Premiership squad numbers and names were also printed on the shirts. The names of the players and the numbers of the players on the football shirts were first introduced at the U.S.A. World Cup Final Tournament in 1994.
TA – actually number 3 is my number for some reason, think cos its Maldini’s number, getting it tattoed on my left leg sometime.
But the number 7 is such a key position in the team, the creative hub. Well, the traditional number 7 was anyway for me, people love their number 10s, I like my number 7s.
Irish,
The number 7 has a real mathematical significance, but iy also has a significance in religion and literature.
The number seven symbolizes God’s perfection, His sovereignty and holiness.
1.) God created earth – seven days
2.) One seven-day week is a reminder of our creator
3.) God blessed the seventh day, making it holy. (Sunday).
–William Shakespeare’s As you like It, contains Shakespeare’s 7 Ages of Man theory.
–In Beloved, (novel) by Toni Morrison the number seven seems to have recurring significance. ‘Beloved’ has seven letters, 124 adds up to seven, each chapter begins on a number containing seven, and the second chapter contains seven parts.
— The original British version of Anthony Burgess’ novel A Clockwork Orange is split in to three sections of seven chapters.
— In the first of the three Deltora Quest series of books by Emily Rodda, the protagonist must collect the seven gems of the fabled Belt of Deltora: topaz, ruby, opal, lapis lazuli, emerald, amethyst, and diamond. Each of the seven gems are guarded by one of seven guardians located in one of the seven locations around Deltora: The Forests of Silence, Lake of Tears, City of the Rats, The Shifting Sands, Dread Mountain, Maze of the Beast, and Valley of the Lost.
Bet you did not know that! You are in good company. Go ‘7’. 🙂
So 7 IS the center of the universe 🙂
Thanks RA,
so it comparitively new yet it seems to have been around for yonks.
Isn’t the number 13 lucky in china
Well done RA we were indeed the first to add names to our shirts, with Sheffield Wednesday.
That was pre squad numbers so they had to be printed when the teams were named by the manager….some frantic pressing I bet.
I actually got my own name printed on the away kit with No 4 (for Paul Davis) and later with 8 and my own name again. Oh to be young and foolish. Proudly walked into Wembley sporting it with some wag shouting “who the f’in hell is [name]” as I walked into the Wembley loos.
RA, trust an accountant to come up with an entire analysis of the number 7… I bet I could give you any number and you provide us with another full explanation.
RA,
You omitted to mention that 6 x 7 = 42 the Answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.
That girl with Bendy in those pictures is very orange, must be phil browns’s daughter. I didn’t know he’s split from the princess. I have shirt from 3 red ones ago. After the second wash 2 of the emirates letters fell off so I peeled them all off. Now as it’s been washed so much there is no sponsor on it. looks much nicer.
Geoff, you got me interested: what do you mean with your statement ‘6 x 7 = 42 is the answer to the ultimate etc etc’?
TA, I believe Geoff is referring to Douglas Adams Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy.
GM – you!!! Orange girl!
Red Arse – sorry to hear you have no shirts, but you have red socks and white shorts, and judging by your sexual predatory nature (waitress with haddock, geisha, string of ex-girlfriends), even the socks and the shorts are unnecessary
Irish – where exactly is your Arsenal tatoo??
GiE, thanks. I also found this gobbledeegook on a BBC website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A530560
It would just be great if Jeoff could explain it in simple(ton) terms..
Amusing post , Micky. 🙂
I only started buying replica kits 4 or 5 years ago when I got too old to care what others thought of me. The white one with the redcurrant piping is one of my favourites though, perhaps because it’s slightly less conspicuous.
Like GM and Irish, I always feel as though I’m wearing colours as I have a cannon tattoo on my arm.
Morning Chas,
When is the earliest date we could expect to get a clear pic of the Cesc situation. Opening of window? When is that?
My whole fantasy strategy revolves around a swift conclusion to this. I will be very very cheesed off if we have a prolonged will-he won’t-he summer with nothing decided until end of summer.
TA,
re 42 BBC website
Not a clue, but some of our regulars appear to be doing a similar thing with 26 !
Morning all
Micky I fear it will drag on and on.
Morning all.
Re Cesc: barca want him at a knock down price as they don’t have ready cash so here is the conundrum.He may stay one more year but his body language says differently and one also has to allow for his hamstring injuries and he has admitted he has played when not fully fit.
Then there is the captaincy which was IMO an olive branch to pacify him.
We have a no win situation with Cesc and you can’t blame a young man who left his mother country at 16 and has given 7 years to us.
My doubt is that he possibly will be worth less next Summer than this Summer and the club always put finances to the forefront.
Morning all, someone said on TalkSport radio last night that RvP is about to sign a 5 year contract. Is it true?
Needless to say that it sparked some critisism from Arsenal fans, who want RvP either sold or on 1 year contract, because of his injuries
Number 42 – bo***x ! It’s a secret that only Stephen Fry knows about and will take it to his grave. Sooner rather than later. Sorry, I cannot stand Stephen bloody Fry.
Kelsey,
Interesting.
In light of the fact that Barca still owe us, together with the fact I agree with you wholeheartedly on body language, I think the worst outcome would be to keep a player who wants out. Talk about sending the wrong message to the dressing room.
If someone gave me the option of keep Cesc or have quality CB, DM and wide boy, I would go with the latter.
I don’t blame Cesc for the reasons you have given.
Apparently so Evonne.There are arguements for and against this.His form at the moment is fantastic,but he plays about half a season over the last 6.maybe this is to do with cesc as his departure is still in the balance but the cost to the club in wages is astronomical for a player who is injury prone.
I still think there is a clash of personalities at the club which is sometimes reflected in the way we play and I also believe we over pay squad players and that Wenger has lost part of the squad.it shows in his face.
I will say this much, there are three offers on the table since before Fiszman passed away,but up to now none have come to fruition.
That in itself tells me he wants to go.
Hiya Kelsey – yeah, 5 years is a long time. What happens if a player is injured – is he paid the full wage? Does the club or insurance pick up the bill?
I imagine you are right about clash of personalities, they all have big egos. Plus it is hard to imagine that EE is everybody’s cup of tea 🙂 Who do you think clashes with whom?
My almost-ex is a Liverpool supporter, he loves Stevie and Jamie, but he is convinced that the pair deliberately pick up injuries just before xmas. Every year the two are injured, coincident?
Kelsey – do you know what is the ‘reduced price’ for Cesc? I am beginning to feel sorry for the lad. He always dreamed of playing for Barca and it might never happpen now. All right, all right, he has big bucks to wipe his tears with, but still, he ‘could have had it all’ (BR – will you sing Adele all day now :))
gosh….I hate writing to myself!! I talk to me all day long and now I write to me as well….hello is anybody there??
Evone I beieve the club pays the full wages if the injury happens whilst playing for the club, but there is a different scenario when the player plays for his country.
it has already been well documented that cesc is not liked by a few players in the squad but I also believe that promises were made to the more senior players that we would strengthen the squad qith quality which may just happen this Summer as our cash flow is better.
When you get a group of players of which only a handful are on astronomical wages it may cause dissent with others on a fraction of the wage.
This has been discussed before and if we try and i stress try to off load squad playes who are on 50K upwards it won’t be easy.
peaches if you say new post now i will hit you 😉 I am on a role.
No I don’t evonne but I expect the club would be loking at about 35/40 million for him to be realistic.
Kelsey – don’t hit Peaches, just ask her about her Arsenal shirts 🙂
Kelsey – that’s what happened at my job. New owners made over 50k (per year, not week) earners redundant. They were considered high earners!! Blimey, 50k a week, no wonder they go lala
Wenger is an idiot and he is leaving this summer. So you lot can stop defending him
and your source is…..Mark.
Evonne! You hate Stephen Fry? My english family-in-law tell me he is a national treasure – the ruler of knowledge and truth – and I am not to say anything negative about him. Glad to see somebody else does not like him that much… Stephen bloody Fry haha.
Morning all
I’m here, finger on the button but not ready to push it yet.
Evonne – I have no shirt of my own but my daughter spent a few years wearing one of your son’s in bed, does that count – I washed it a few times each week 🙂
I do have a white ‘I was there’ t-shirt from the last game at Highbury but as you know me so well you’ll remember that I have a couple of attributes that really don’t look good in a football shirt 😆
Total – I thought you were English! How come your writing is sooooo good? I am jealous 😦 I am Polish and despite living in UK for 30 years I still cannot write well.
Stephen Fry was called ‘a stupid person’s idea of an intelligent man’. I started hating him when he started making statements about how females feel – what the hell does he know about it?? Not only that he is a butty boy, but pretty insensitive at it. He also said that most straight men wish they were gay. Now, how clever is that? Kelsey??
kelsey – I’m sure you’re right about our wage structure working against us when we look to off-load players that really aren’t good enough. Almunia for example must be on £50k/week – who’s going to match those wages? I’m sure that’s why we’re stuck with him, same for Denilson.
If you don’t respond to me that’ll be the last time I blog with you 😳
I am so stupid! I pretended to be MarkGunner to get a reaction and then I forgot and started talking to Total 🙂 Fecking village idiot 🙂
Peaches – I know WHY you don’t have an Arsenal shirt, just wanted a larf 🙂
morning matron 😉
I dislike Stephen ‘bloody’ Fry too. 🙂
He has an arrogant self-satisfied smugness about him, and he does not support Arsenal. Clincher!! 🙂
bit sneaky evonne/mark 🙂 must be the pills.
We offer a player a contract that takes him past 30 and still fans are unhappy
Evonne your comment on Steve Gerard and Jamie Carragher remind me of Neil Ruddock, he always got himself a suspension to avoid Christmas.
New post …..
yesterday hairdressers and multi married men and today bi polar puffs.great arsenal blog.diversity I think is the word.
MG or should I say Evonne (Do you have more than one personality haha?), RA, Stephen bloody Fry is indeed rather pleased with himself, a vain self-adorer, who confuses knowledge with wisdom. You only have to watch again his USA travel programme he did a few years ago, to know he has no vision or structure to anything he does, but just likes to ramble on.
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