Have scum put a curse on the Emirates?
I was told this story some time ago but have never passed it on because, well, frankly, I didn’t give it much credence.
It came from a relative who worked on the demolition of Highbury and the construction of the Emirates.
He is not a football fan and has no axe to grind as far as the Arsenal is concerned.
He told me this:
During the construction of our new stadium many sub contracting companies were used and these firms hired their labour in various ways.
Suffice to say, there was a huge number of casual labourers involved in the new build.
Among these, according to my informant, were two T*ttenham supporters who were, shall we say, of a pikeyish disposition. This ill-favored pair, this brace of base-born bastards, this tickle-brained twosome came up with the idea of laying a gipsy curse in Arsenal’s new home.
They consulted some old witch of their clan and were given a small bottle containing various bits of nefarious nonsense (eye of newt and tail of Sherringham – that kind of thing). The rogues then buried it somewhere in the construction site that would eventually be The Emirates Stadium.
It’s probably balderdash.
But just look at the luck we’ve had since we moved stadium. As the classic Cream track says, if it wasn’t for real bad luck, we wouldn’t have no luck at all.
The defeat at Blackburn was just the latest in a long sequence of games where we have been vanquished by extraordinary circumstances (in this case, two own goals – one of which came from a free kick for a non-foul by Arshavin – and one clearly offside goal, as well as a blatant penalty in our favour ignored by the ref).
I know you skeptics will say the defeat had nothing to do with bad luck.
And you can certainly point a finger at our tendency to panic in defense and our adoption of zonal marking and our use of players who barely know each others’ names…
And yet, and yet… We were bloody unlucky, just as we were in the 4-4 at Newcastle and the away leg at Barca and the CC final and the CL semi against Liverpool a couple of years back and the Liverpool game at the end of last season and the Birmingham game where Eduardo’s leg got smashed and the ridiculous run of long-term injuries to our very best players and and…. well, you can all add your own examples.
Logic would have it that our ambitions have been thwarted by the financial strictures of moving stadium, by the influx of gazillionaires into the EPL, by the waning powers of a once-great manager, by the greed of young players…
But what if there is something more than this? Something from the Twilight Zone (N17) that is also holding us back.
I don’t want to put the willies up you (especially after that incident with the girl in accounts…).
And as a man of logic and science (O Level Biology, 1976) I find it hard to accept that our misfortunes of recent years are the result of mumbo jumbo and witchery.
But sometimes, when the moon slips behind the clouds and the tree branches are tapping on the window, even the sanest of us can find themselves succumbing to the power of the Other.
So, just to be on the safe side, are there any Arsenal supporting Romany types out there who might know what it will take to counteract this curse (if, indeed, it exists)?
Do we need to sneak into the Emirates on a night of the full moon and bury a small vial under the centre circle containing one of Tony Adams’ pubes, a hair from Martin Keown’s head (same thing, really), a Thierry Henry nail clipping and a bit of wee from Dennis Bergkamp?
Do we need to parade 13 times backwards round the pitch at Halloween, invoking the spirit of Herbert Chapman?
Do we need to call in Harry Potter, with an “expelliamus scumcursum” spell?
Please let us know. And if you need any help lifting the curse, count me in.
RockyLives
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Well RL what can one say. I give it you with a great conspiracy theory. Of course these two spuds were in fact chas and dave who if one dwells into the history books are direct relations of Merlin on one side and Frankenestein on the other.
We need an exorcist and fast ;).
I love this – “expelliamus scumcursum” how funny!!! Every time I see one of them I will say this to myself and laugh!
Strangely enough I agree with you in a way that is not logical…..now we have this out in the open hopefully it will not bother the superstitious amoungst us any more!
It is time our luck changes and good fortune will come our way and it will……….
bad luck? Swansea match last week?!!
Just what was needed, a bit of light relief, I’m fairly sure that I read a similar story on another Arsenal website not long ago.
Hope your laptop recovers soon Rocky.
Very funny, Rocky.
Poor old Martin Keown.
Something weird is going on, that’s for sure.
The girl in accounts tale reminds me of when I used to work in the Co-op and kept getting an urge to put my willy in the bacon-slicer…..
Thank god there’s a game tomorrow.
Morning all,
Just been for a 4 mile run with my puppy,Maxgooner, around the beautifull Parish of Lezant,feeling good. 🙂
Rocky,
I wouldn`t put anything past the spuds!, saying that, I did put a curse on them in 1961 never to win the league again, I`ve still got the framed written” Forever Guaranteed Curse Contract” on my wall !
Working just fine 🙂
C’mmon people. Wenger has lost the plot. Humiliating defeat against league leaders and so-called rivals is already a disaster and now this, another disastrous result against the league bottom side – now that’s enough for majority of the fans. I agree with some bloggers, the board won’t sacked Wenger. So in order for Wenger to save whatever pride he has right now, please walk away from the club, Wenger.
You’re a disgrace to the club.
Sorry, Nice read.
Morning Lads.
Before I get onto todays’ hot topic, I need help.
I have decided to come up for the game tomorrow having engineered the most unnecessary business meeting in something called Morden, which is a place none of you will ever have heard of (I had no idea the Northern Line came almost to my front door in Devon!).
If possible I want to avoid sitting in the back row next to a dribbling idiot. Anyone here seeking company? Well mannered firm buttocked discreet Gunner seeks like minded for an evening of adult entertainment.
Sorry to say, I only had one curse, cant do aything about, Manu,Citeh,Chavs and `Pool, I`m sure you are all behind me with my one choice! 🙂
Micky,
Where abouts in devon are you ?
I’m all for debate, and most of J.amie’s post is fair comment, but I object to him throwing rubbish around like “You’re a disgrace to the club”. Allowing Arsenal fans to insult each other is not what this site is for.
J.amie, I suggest you retract that stupid insult now.
MickyDidIt89,
Get the Northern line to Piddle Hinton and change onto the M.G.N.R. (Muddle and get Nowhere Railway) to Melton Constable, this will land you in darkest Norfolk, from where you can walk to The Emirates, just as the christmas turkeys used to, in only three or four days. By the time you get to your seat you will be the dribbling idiot no-one wnts to sit beside.
Rocky,
Now is a good time for humour and that is a brilliantly timed and executed post. Very funny. “Eyes of newt and tail of Sherringham” had me howling at my desk.
Like many, I have been approached by a Romany who pleaded poverty and persecution (all very justified) and implied that she could wing a spell of good fortune my way. At times like that you cannot help wondering how effective their powers may be.
LG 🙂
GLiC, 20 mins north of Dartmoor, 20 mins inland from Bude.
Off for an hour, and I expect firm offers for my company tomorrow on my return. Naturally I offer remuniation for my time in untraceable non-consequetively numbered notes.
The morning did not start well: a row on the causes of our current problems with the anti-Wenger Gooner who occupies the office next to mine and an email from the guy I sit with at games headed “Relegation”. It’s going to be a long, hard slog, this season.
FEELS GREAT TO SEE SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO SHARES SAME VIEW WITH ME. I SAID IT B4 THE SEASON STARTED THAT WENGER SHOULD SAVE ENUFF MONEY TO BUY HARRY PORTER, BUT NO… HE BOUGHT 5 PLAYERS WITHOUT A WAND NOR BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE OF MAGIC. HARD TIMES ARE HERE MATES…. HARD TIMES ARE HERE.
I’m a firm believer in the saying “you make your own luck”. Just shows how desperate things have gotten around that the Arsenal that we’re now trying to justify this horrible run with some stupid curse rumor, sad days indeed.
Hamed
It’s.
A.
Joke.
Morden, that’s in the wilderness the end of the Northern Line, be quicker to take a taxi then schlap over from morden to The Emirates.
The curse on The Emirates is not buried and hidden. It is sadly very much in sight; it is a once great manager who has become self-deluded and lost the plot and a Board who seem more concerned with lining their pockets with loot rather than winning football matches
Lifelong – top answer 🙂
Micky – I’ll go, but I ain’t a full ticket either
26 – you spelled it out well, good grecious me, what are those people like
Micky – do not go with Hamed
Rocky – awesome post 🙂
It reminded me of the story my son told me several years ago. He knew some of the builders working at the Emirates; they claimed that they buried their Scummy shirts there. I laughed at the silly story then, but remembered it today after reading your post. Have just phoned my son, he still remembers who told him the story and he is under orders to thumb the arshole
iv’e said it b4 & i’ll say it again..we need to get a gang of feng shui expert,prod vicar,catholic priest,budhist monk,voodoo doctor,rabbi,imman & anyone else you can think of & let them loose on the emirates-that lot ought to get things sorted!
Lovely story, Rocky, well told and cheered me up! 🙂
To be honest tho, Evonne’s comment at 10:59 “Micky, don’t go with Hamed” takes the biscuit! 🙂
Chas, were you inspired by the salami slicer? And did you succumb 🙂
RA – well, Micky is sooooo funny, whereas our Hamed’d sense of humour is different. I didn’t want to be rude, of course
Well I was hoping that the majority of the AW bashers would have gone back under their stones until the next defeat, but it appears J.amie has decided to stay with us. I would reply to your idiotic comment but I haven’t got the patience to deal with such fucking ignorance.
As much as I love this piece RL, very funny, I have to say that my unwavering support is being stretched at the moment by piss poor defending and generally inept team play. The next game cannot come soon enough so we can get rid of the curse that is Blackburn away, sept 2011.
A curse is the most plausible explanation I’ve heard. It’s certainly the most amusing.
Note to J.aime and the other Wenger Out hot heads-
Our legendary Manager should be able to leave in a dignified way so the the supporters of our great club can show appreciation for all he has done for us.
Bad luck? Rubbish!
The Bear have been saying for a long time the problem rest with the coaches and coaching. Wenger is not a defensive coach although he said no one can teach him anything new about football. The current coaches at Arsenal and the players are unaware of where the holes keep appearing, hense they go on making the same repeated problems Over & Over again and no among of added training they put in will solve the problem as they themselves are part of the problem.
Some suggest Steve Bould, but I think not as in his under 18’s squad the said defensive problem occurs. Whoever, they appoint, must be able to use not only training methods, but also a black board and have the ability to re-evaluate videos. Until the lads can look back over games, spot their terrible mistakes, discuss it, devolop a training method of evaluation, competence and skill. They ain’t going to move forward and should Arsenal even bring in the best defender in the world, without the right coaching and coaches in place, it would not take long before he/they start to develop bad habits.
The Bear is not seeking to discredit anyone on a personal level, but he can spot the potential in this current Arsenal squad/s – if only we make the right decisions for the right reasons. Arsenal can raise their performances by 45%. A solid back will give confidence to the keeper, midfielders and forwards. But the entire team must also have an understanding of defensive responsibilities.
get some of those shoalin monks – I heard they can play some football..
Oh so many awful curses,
Have I invoked upon the scum,
Is it any wonder?
That for year’s, they nothing won.
Now the spuds say they’ve come calling,
With oaths and curses set,
There aim to spoil our stadium
How pathetic can you get?
And in these darkest hours,
With the emirates wreathed in doubt,
My crystal ball’s gone cloudy,
The Genie has got out.
But the Genie is a gooner
Herbert Chapman was his mate,
And any spud who comes a wandering,
Would meet an awful fate.
Cos the centre spot is booby trapped,
To catch each one that calls.
And should a spade the surface touch.
He’ll blow off their manky balls .
Willie Spokeshave
Nvm Steve Bould, AW should hire Dandan to do all his post match interviews if we have lost! The anger inside would automatically drift away with some words of wisdom from DD!
Top stuff 🙂
I would hesitate to guess there may be some language difficultes / communication issues going on.
I think also tactically we are wrong at the moment and playing far too open. I dont want us to see us park the bus, but with our high defensive line we keep getting caught with too many players up the pitch. That to add to the dead ball defensive issues which is something that has to be practiced and a large amount of effort focused on. This is where we are missing Vermealen. When he came back at the beginning of the season we looked very solid at the back. After the point of his injury is where things started to come off the rails. He epitomises the defensive attributes we need – skilled, decisive, athletic / quick, and very confident.
Mickey
I used to have games at Morden when I was at school. Fun post and I do believe we get a bad deal from the manc supporting scum in black. The bad luck just compounds some of our suicidal defending though. One of the goals on Saturday was pure keystone cops Someone (santos?) loses his man on the left, Djourou kamikaze tackle comlpetely misses then the attacker has no one to pass to so he gives it to Kozzer who converts the chance. No bad luck in there at all. If we could cut out the mistakes we wouldn’t care so much about the luck.
goonermichael – I got so angry watching nani go down and get that “penalty” v Chelsea. If that was a penalty we are getting absolutely robbed on all the penalty calls that get turned down.
(my anger subsided with a snigger watching shrek fall on his butt though 🙂 )
Dowd should wear a mac shirt when he’s playing for them.
Its obvious that the football club has been cursed. Adebayor,Toure, and Eboue are all suspects in my opinion, maybe not the latter. Dont mess with africans and their voodoo connections back home. The same can be said with Liverpool, Years ago when Benitez messed about with drjbil cisse (african descent) the club started to lose their spark. Man U dont have to worry, no africans there, but keep your eye on Chelsea………………..
Lovely entertaining post for a doom ridden Monday Rocky 🙂
I had 3 pieces of extreme bad luck on Saturday, 2 preceded the game and it was then that I realised the demons had ordained that our game was going to be the third 😦
The BearMan,
I like your comments, Blackboard, old school but effective, Watch videos of mistakes, they certainly should do, but do they?
You would have thought that they watch videos of their opponents, analyzing strength`s and weaknesses , but according to Cesc, they don`t!
A top Rocky post, shame some people haven’t got a sense of humour, I guess raging is easier than laughing.
I think I am lucky at times like this that I don’t have any work colleagues, and I rarely talk football with my clients….thank goodness.
As for the negativity that continues around Wenger, to call him a “disgrace to the club” is shockingly aggressive diatribe that in my mind has no place in an educated debate about football.
To say he doesn’t address or attempt to address the issues is to assume that he us sitting in his office singing to himself whilst the men with straight jackets are waiting outside the door.
I must have dreamt the resolute defensive display against Dortmund or the clean sheet against Swansea.
He is trying to make sense of last seasons collapse and build a new side after the loss of Cesc, Nasti and Clichy. If anyone uses an accusation that “he does not care” or “it’s all about him” criticism it pretty much negates any valid points they may make. If anyone looks at Wenger and sees a happy man they must be seeing a different picture, ignore post match interviews that’s his way of taking the pressure off his team, it’s not for us.
Do you want him to come out and say “the team are not good enough, and unfortunately the board will not allow me to spend money on new players” what kind of performance will he get from his players then.
Dalgleish blamed Sundays mauling on bookings that “I’d like to comment in but it’s probably best I don’t”. If Wenger had said that the media would be all over him for not seeing the indiscipline of his players. These attacks have unfortunately spilled over to the fans.
Unfortunately I think it’s time for Wenger to go……I can’t take the in fighting between fans anymore, I’ll continue to support the team even if the negativity forces a ridiculous ending for a great Manager.
And when they have their way they can start turning all the negative energy into supporting the team.
I must honestly say that i find it hard to get an opinion across at the moment as I feel i dare not critise the club/manager/BoD.
oh sod it i will.
The real worry for me is the way the whole club is run and like others I don’t see the board doing anything until we have our worst season since Wenger took over. Sacking him now just won’t happen but it most probably would happen at 90% of other clubs,so we have a catch 22 situation and the only other possible solution is for Wenger to resign and that won’t happen unless, I hate to say, it we just keep on losing and the momentim gathers primarily by the attending fans.
It’s maybe too late now for this season, but IMOi t could have been averted and it will take a miracle for us to re establish some respectability in the league.
I don’t blame Wenger completely but he has done his job now, guided us through the move and kept us in the CL with a limited budget, but,
i would love to be proved wrong, we may hammer bolton next weekend only to suffer yet another defeat from spurs the following week as that is how we have performed more or less since the start of last season.
two of the most pro Wenger blogs are questioning Wenger now, it looks pretty bleak out there now .
I know i am again in the minority but that’s how I see it. You just wait the shit will fly in the boardroom sooner rather than later..
GM, excellent summary at 12:18 of that fourth goal. And if we just concentrated on what we can influence on the pitch, we’d have won that game without all the song and dance. So yes, it is primarily about the failings in our own set up.
But luck (or whatever you want to call it, I’m becoming increasingly conspiratorial in my old age) is part of the mix too. It is an indisputable fact that two pretty basic officiating errors went against us in a big way on Saturday: Yakubu’s offside second goal and the Walcott (non)penalty. Neither of these was unambiguous or difficult, they were both on the easy end of the scale for the officials. But they screwed both of them up, costing us a goal conceded and a penalty.
It just seems we’re expected to take all of that on the chin, with cliches about you make your own luck and it evens itself out over a season (yeah, right). In the end though, for whatever reason, we failed. Plenty of work to be done, and it’s not going to help to have many fans concentrating on venting their frustrations rather than getting behind the team.
RA, I did succumb and we both got the sack.
Rasp, what were the other two?
ClockendJim, J.amie, the CURSE is you and other Gooners who have sky-high expectations, no patience and a constant need to make life simple by focussing on removing ‘the man at the top’ as the magic solution, rather than looking at the deeper causes, changing circumstances etc. You are being fed by the press and vica versa, and all this unwarranted pressure is the real curse for our beloved football club. What proof do you have that removing Wenger would make us PL and CL winners within the near future, taking into account ours and our competitors financial positions? Has the removal of their manager(s) worked for Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, or even Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Man City – despite all the money they splashed?
Patience, trust and respect are required here, but I guess you both feel it is your god-given right to vent all your life’s frustrations on Arsenal, Wenger, ‘underperforming’ players, etc. If it makes you feel better, then fine – go ahead. But do not expect much sympathy from me, or quite a few others here, who know that Wenger has worked miracles for us, and that finishing above the likes of Barcelona and MU in the respective competitions has become even harder currently, but that if anyone can do it again, it is Wenger at this moment in time.
And please, feel free to give me the name of the manager that can turn things round (and who is realistically available at short notice), and especially why and how he would achieve this with some certainty, taking into account the extreme wealth of our main competitors. You know, and I know, that you cannot come up with a better alternative, but it still feels good though, doesn’t it, to have the right to shout – WENGER OUT! Wenger is not a curse, but a saint, for giving you the opportunity to spread all your manure over him at your convenience.
Hi Chas,
My replacement ride-on mower (from ebay 🙄 ) that I bought to replace the old one that had just gone west has stopped working and the lawn is now a meadow, and my car broke down and is totally dead electrically – could be the ECU = terminal 😦
Both of these occured within 2 hours of kickoff, so it is entirely possible that the loss to Bburn is all my fault 😳
Great post Rocky
There is no way that the curse theory holds ground. Not because i dont think these 2 charming individuals did not attempt it, just for the fact that them been spuds they would surely f**k it up and end up cusring themselves instead.
As for Saturdays result, it will be forgotten once we beat the attempted cursers at the Lane.
RL. One of your best, made me chuckle many times. “This ill-favoured pair, this brace of base-born bastards, this tickle-brained twosome” is worthy of the Bard himself.
Rasp,
I’ve always wanted a ride-on mower, but have never had a lawn big enough to warrant one!
I didn’t even know what an ECU was. I can remember changing the carburettor on an old Escort. Those were the days.
Haha chas,
Manufacturers have made cars so complex that you need sophisticated electronic diagnostic equipment to repair them forcing us to use an expensive main dealer instead of our local trusted garage – swines !
I always wanted a ride-on too. I managed to buy a small strip of land adjoioning my property off the farmer and can just about justify such a luxury – but the bloody things go wrong all the time.
kelsey,
I hear you loud and clear. I know you are frustrated that sometimes your hard hitting comments domn’t always stimulate a responses from other bloggers, but I would suggest that is more to do with your standing on the site – they have no such problem in telling me when I’m wrong 😆
Good day all and thanks for humouring me.
Strangely enough, I really do have a relative (an in-law) who worked on the Highbury/Emirates jobs as a truck driver and he did indeed tell me this story. I don’t think he had first hand knowledge of it – it was just a tale that was doing the rounds and he told me about it much later.
At one point in the Highbury demolition he was charged with taking the seats from the old East Stand to the tip.
When he told me about it I said “don’t take them to the tip – I’ll have them!” I had visions of salvaging my old seat in the Upper East (and then flogging the rest off on ebay). Unfortunately he has so little interest in football that he had no idea that anyone would care about the seats and by the time I found out, they had already been scrapped.
Sacrilege.
As for the luck thing, there is no way it has evened out over the past few seasons. We have been on the wrong end of so many appalling decisions and pieces of mischance that it makes the eyes boggle. And virtually every piece of bad luck leads to a goal against (or a goal ‘for’ being wrongly disallowed).
We used to be known as Lucky Arsenal. Not any more.
Hi Rocky,
Thanks for a great chuckle to start the day. The spuds good luck seems to be inversely proportionate to our bad luck.
Jack and TV supposed to only be out for a couple of weeks and it turns into months, VdV supposed to be out for months and it turns into a couple of weeks.
We play pool and get a man sent off, they play pool and pool get 2 men sent off.
God is a spud, there’s no doubt!
TotalArsenal
Well said sir. Some people posting are either trolls, kids, or have very low inteligance levels.
Hi Rocky, thanks for an entertaining, and (of course) very well written, witty post 🙂
Ok,the end of our troubles is in sight. Ban Rasp along with Charlie from the Allotment.
Why hasn’t someone got a spare?
Things went pear shaped when we sold Eboue… he was our witch doctor
Chas,
You don’t need a lawn for a ride-on mower. Check out an excellent film by David Lynch about a bloke crossing the States on one. Which has given me an idea for my epic journey from Maldon to the Ems.
TA,
We’ve given the owner of the tickets your email address. He’s an AA author so there will be no bad luck associated with you acquiring them 🙂
Kelsey
You seem to be more ‘in the know’ than most, so when you talk of boardroom disharmony I tend to take it seriously.
To be honest though, there are so many theories put forward as to ‘what went wrong’ and ‘what’s going wrong’ that it makes my head spin.
I have my own doubts about the BoD and about AW’s ability to lead us out of the current malaise, but I have made a conscious decision to look for the positives until any incontestable facts emerge.
Micky Micky Micky, I’ve forgiven Arsenal and will be going to the CC tomorrow to see the rising stars – are we meeting for a bevvy?
Rasp,
If God is a Spud, It must be the Devil who hands out the Trophy`s.
👿
Look lads,
If luck does even itself out, but not necessarily over the course of one season, imagine the roll we are about to go on. Boy, are there going to be some hacked off teams.
Rasp, cheers! We have already spoken to each other. I am going to the Sunderland game YIPEEEE!
26
“It is an indisputable fact that two pretty basic officiating errors went against us in a big way on Saturday: Yakubu’s offside second goal and the Walcott (non)penalty. Neither of these was unambiguous or difficult, they were both on the easy end of the scale for the officials. But they screwed both of them up, costing us a goal conceded and a penalty.”
There was also the free kick that led to one of the own goals. Arshavin made a clean tackle a little outside our penalty area, but the useless ref gave a free and the goal ensued.
Rasp,
Yes indeedy we are. Tavern I assume. Had to decide between CC and Bolton, and have opted to see Oxo and Park so that I can formulate a brilliant theory.
Spare? If not I’ll have to get one from the AFC Office. Yuk.
DanDan/Willie, thanks for the great poem! 🙂
I’m surprised no-one has picked up on my reference to Cream.
I was expecting a story of seeing them in concert somewhere back in the 1970s…
BR – I’m looking at you!
Thanks TA, there are still 2 tickets each available for the home games against Bolton and Olympiacos in the Clock End Upper Tier as far as I am aware if anyone else is intrerested.
Not only do you get to see the mighty Arse, but you get to help out a fellow blogger (not me)
O-Oh,
I have an allotment and people call me Charlie rather than Chas.
dandan
I loved your poem.
And TA, although I was busy yesterday and couldn’t post, I really enjoyed your match report. I had been feeling really down in the dumps and was beginning to harbour some very negative thoughts about our prospects, but your report realigned me and brought back some perspective. A hell of an achievement in the circumstances.
Ride-ons are crap, I`ve had two,they don`t like cutting long grass and are allways breaking down, I told this to my neighbour, but he still went out and bought one, every time he cuts the grass on a weekend, a mechanic turns up on Monday!
For you Rocky – I preferred Crossroads as a 12 bar blues
Get a loada this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX6J5-13c-0
Bugger me Chas, that’s you banned as well. We can’t be taking risks at this stage.
Thanks Rasp!
I used to have a Cream compilation on eight-track cassette (younger readers may need to Google that).
Badge was my favourite Cream track (although there are some classics, including Crossroads, Sunshine of Your Love, Strange Brew etc etc).
Will I ever get a dry day here to cut my grass, before it gets so long and I join the Wherethefuckarewee tribe!
I rented a house in the Scottish countryside for a while. The owners did not bother to cut the grass, and it took me a week to clear the garden, filling 54 large garden bags in the process. It was a slap in my self-contented face, having moved there from London being everso glea about the low rent I now had to pay.
Rasp
I’m in the office early today, so I’ve been able to play that Crossroads link at full hefty volume. Nice way to start the day.
glea = glee (before DanDan spots it!)
Off to pick up my 3 year old grandaughter from pre-school, she is my next project, I`m going to brainwash her into being a goonerette, her dad`s a Plymouth supporter, it`s going to be sooo easy! 🙂
Yea Rocky, that’s not the best version I’ve heard. I used to play Badge and Crossroads in one of my first bands, Early Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green was also a favourite.
Rasp
I’ve seen Fleetwood Mac a few times (including at Wembley Stadium). Earlier this year I went to see Stevie Nicks in concert in Toronto. She was supporting Rod Stewart. They were both great and did a couple of numbers together, but Stevie stole the show. Used to have a big crush on her!
goonermichael says:
September 19, 2011 at 14:39
gnarleygeorge9 says:
September 19, 2011 at 10:59
Jimmy
6th down in the blogroll. Most on that are jilted Grovers who blame Le Grove for its demise, not the manager
Well hopefully we wont be seeing you again.
I enjoy 99% of your posts Geoff and Pedro but there are some clowns on here.
First time I’ve posted on there for a year.
Hello GM
I don’t really read other sites, apart from Arseblog.
What’s it like out there in interblogland? A tsunami of “Arsene Out” presumably…
By the way GM, I liked your comment about Phil Jones’s barnet 🙂
Hi Rocky
Basically it is all Arsenal out. I don’t think he’ll survive it. I wouldn’t mind a change but I fear it will get much worse before it gets better. I don’t like us all being labelled AKBs and I never slate Le-Grove even though some of the people who post on there really wind me up. I read it because I like Geoff and Pedro and agree with a lot of what they say.
His hair really is shocking. That would be instant dismissal for gross misconduct in my salon.
The AKBs stuff is just childish. There are plenty of Arsene sceptics on this site too – it’s just that the debate is framed in a more grown-up way.
If there was blood in the Boardroom and a change of owner, leading to a change of manager I don’t expect there would be too many out there really shedding tears (whereas even two years ago most Gooners would have been distraught at the idea of Arsene going).
Ever thought about writing an amusing post on players’ barnets?
I’ve been doing some research into spells and black magic also into how to lift curses on buildings.
The available material is sparse to say the least, however, I have come up with a surefire way to remove the said curse, unfortunately it is going to be impossible to carry out the procedure as it involves human sacrifice. As the sacrificial victim must be a Spurs Supporter that would not normally be any sort of problem. Where the difficulty arises is that the victim must be….a virgin….you can see the obvious snag!!!
Most male spuds are too ugly not to be virgins LG
Maybe I am wearing the wrong “lucky” shirts?? :<(
Goonermichael,
I’m sorry maybe I didn’t make it clear, I wasn’t talking about the shaven headed, tattooed, knuckle-dragging neanderthal male species, but the shaven headed, tattooed, knuckle-dragging neanderthal FEMALES.
micky, do you need tickets for the CC? I think we have 2 spare.
Rasp,
Bollocks. Just bought two and a second later I get a call from Peaches. I will be at the S&B for something to eat around six then into The Tavern.
been away, back for sunday’s game, ouch! Arsenal are like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get…just didn’t realise they were Black Magic!
Players barnets, you may have something there.The blonde is reappearing on Torres’s head and he scored (we won’t talk about the miss.)
Of course to save further expenditure we could play all our CC games at Underhill that would be a boost for Barnet and we would fill the stadium as I reckon tomorrow will be the lowest ever actual attendence at our new home.
Kelsey
You might be right about the attendance. If I were the BoD I would make it a tenner a ticket, five quid if you’re under 18.
RL,
joking aside I think the tickets are reduced for the CC but others could confirm that better than myself.
They are £10 and £5 Kelsey. £20 an £10 upstairs last time I went. No other premier league club does that as far as I know.
Do they supply a rope for the £10.00 ones upstairs 🙂
To hang yourself after the result Kelsey? 🙂
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has donated his 2010 Ballon D’Or World Coach of the Year award to a charity auction in memory of former England boss Sir Bobby Robson.
Nice
Gooner lost in cornwall, be careful! A few years ago, my then 9 year old nephew showed up at my parent’s house wearing a Fernando Torres Spanish jersey. In the states kids can actually arrive at 9 before discovering their team!
I feared he might be falling for Liverpool (he was) and decided it my duty to save him from a life of misery and second-rate companionship. He became Arsenal obsessed and now spends hours every week on the phone with me long distance discussing the minutiae of the transfer window, the selection, the performance. Last year, his new Samir Nasri jersey stood him well on his first day of school in Toulouse, where my sister’s family spent the year, particularly with the North African kids. However, now I feel like I may have saved him from the misery of Liverpool only to introduce him to the frustration of watching our almost, not quite good enough Gooners become not at all good enough. We all the feel the pain these days… but I feel the extra burden of responsibility for that poor kid. I guess I’m also responsible for building character in him…
Rocky,
I am something of a butterfly and flit randomly from blog to blog to savour the footie nectar on offer.
My findings are, for what they are worth, is that I am ashamed to be a Gooner and wonder if I should call myself that, when I read the terrible dross on one particular site.
On other sites I find that there is an increasing concern, expressed as doubts over our manager, from some previously stalwart supporters, and a core of fans still loyal to Arsene, but also deeply worried.
For myself, I have no doubt that the club will still be here and prospering long after we have all gone, as I have previously stated.
Arsene is the best manager Arsenal FC have ever had, and deserves our respect and gratitude for all that he has achieved. Some of the younger fans would probably not have been Arsenal fans without the success he has brought to the club.
The current ‘Board’ which in effect is Silent Stan, and the previous owners/directors, Dein, Hill Wood, Fizman, and Lady Haw Haw etc, have respectively either hung Arsene out to dry, by leaving him to carry the can over transfer dealings in recent years, or have benefited personally to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds sterling from the sale of their shares due to his efforts.
He is still, by far, the best manager we can have, and given the right support will carry us thru’ our current problems and onto greater glory.
If I was his best friend tho’, I think I would tell him to consider his family and his own health first, and walk away if it is all becoming too much to carry the load on his own.
California Gooner,
Thanks for the concern, but I have a cunning plan, She`s only 3years old, so I shall pull the wool over her eye`s and show her old games of us winning(only yesterday I was watching the 6-0 CC Sheff Utd game), hopefully after a few years brainwashing, a dose of FFP or Kroenke selling to a zillionaire, we might be back challenging.
Plus she`s a girl, she wont cry as much as we men do, when our team don`t win. 🙂
Redders
It’s interesting to hear what the temperature is out there.
I think if we had beaten Blackburn the small groundswell of belief that was forming after the new signings, Udinese and Swansea games would have continued gathering pace.
Unfortunately that result has stopped it in its tracks.
The Wenger doubters may be right – he may have lost his touch and will never regain it. But on a very practical level, it’s crazy to expect this new look Arsenal to start functioning to its best capacity straight off the bat. I expect a rough first half of the season and a very solid second half, where we power our way to a top four finish and offer real signs of hope for the following year.
“I have no doubt that the club will still be here and prospering long after we have all gone” – no arguing with that Redders.
Rocky Sorry just noticed I didn’t acknowledge your super article. So well done an thanks you seem to have cheered a few up’
TA would I make a derogatory comment against one as talented as you. 🙂
Thanks DD
You obviously know a bit about poetry – your little ode rhymed, scanned and was very funny.
Matt Law In case I was too early for you before Players behind Wenger but growing call for a defensive coach
AA social secretary here – Rasp and Micky and I will be eating at the Small and Beautiful at 6 before drinking at the Tavern tomorrow evening. If anyone wants to join us for food please let me know and I’ll book a table for us all.
Micky – evonne might want to come, can she sit with you if I find 2 for my spares?
Rocky – wonderful article, sorry I had to change the headline I was too busy to be standing around in full battledress today. It really cheered me up when I checked in drafts this morning. Thank you 🙂
I have 2 spare tickets for tomorrow, any takers email me please.
arsenalnuts@live.co.uk
RL. You are right – I have seen Cream. They played in Southampton and I thought they were just OK. Never been a fan of the long drum solo or a bass that is so highly strung. Clapton however is top and Jack Bruce owns a house close to mine in Italy. Never seen him though.
I also saw Blind Faith play Hyde Park in the Summer of *69 (now there is a fine song by Bryan Adams). They were also very ordinary!!
Jumping Jehosaphat, I have just realised we are playing tomorrow!!
Better get writing …..
The temperature is definately changing. Yogi is saying give Wenger until the end of May, arseblog not so positive and well the others are just scheisters.
I have another fear that if we fall from grace even temporily a lot of the younger fan base who have basically never had it so good as Arsenal fans will they become fickle and be far off fans or just go and watch the team of the moment or will they remain real supporters through thick and thin.
There have always been floaters in a city such as London but in the bad old days the capacity was 22000 less, anyway as dandan would say remain positive.
BR
Shrewsbury is not a big town, but I bet they’ve had an inventor or two over the centuries…
When I spoke to the box office people earlier, they said the whole of the lower tier was sold (£10 and £5) so plenty of Young Guns of the future will be there to be impressed. I imagine club and corporate will be empty.
Peaches, it would be great to have Evonne alongside.
I cannot wait to see The Ox, Ryo and Park. Hopefully they all start.
Kelsey,
I have spoken with one or two very old Gunner Chums today. Loyal sensible long standing season ticket holders and you are right the temperature is definately changing. The feeling I get is that a Bolton defeat could be fatal. Last chance saloon stuff.
When was the last time spuds won the league, in black and white, I know, I know and yet their home support seems more vocifirus than ours, why is that?
It might not be such a bad thing if a few cry babies stop going to the Ems, it just might be the making of a more hard core support.
RL,
they certainly have but let Raddy put it into his post.You may need a CD to listen to all of it 😉
Mickey,
Don’t let dandan read that or he will divert his plane to kick you up the arse before coming over here to do the same to me.
London,
can’t argue with that but there again an old fashioned run down stadium in the middle of a riot zone gives that extra incentive to create an atmosphere.
Only when you put yourself in the shoes of the BoD do you realise that Wenger ain’t going nowhere.
You have lost me Kelsey I don’t understand why a run down stadium is likely to act as an extra incentive to create more of an atmosphere?
OH Kelsey,don’t forget it is always darkest before the Dawn.
It is just a feeding frenzy when the likes of Cascarino, who writes like he played all aggro and long balls, demands AW be sacked then you know it is time to take a deep breath and grab a hand full of reality.
Who with the quality needed would take over now, no transfer window until January and would the directors provide the money a top man would demand to spend. Can anyone name a replacement with the right credentials who is available.
One thing is certain Arsene will find it easier to get a new job than we will to replace him.
Look at the economy, that’s what football fans should be worrying about how many clubs will survive it, we will, but many wont.
Hard times ahead and not just for football, lets hope the fans themselves, don’t get targeted by a boss in sacking mode. Be a bit ironic under the circumstances if they did, wouldn’t it.
Funny thing on Talksport. Shalke gave Manuel Neuer a rough reception playing for Bayern, Judas etc.
One banner read, “If Arseholes could fly, then the whole of Bayern would be an Airport” 🙂
London,
i meant the close nes of the pitch sometimes makes it sound louder than it is.
The fans at the blackburn match were pretty good!! That’s what counts…get behind the manager and team and stop complaining you spoiled brats.
GLIC – the whole of Germany would be one big airport
Oh boy TA you have worked there too, have you 🙂
DanDan, I grew up very near to the German border and there have always been ‘issues’ between the two nations shall we say.
What really made me dislike Deutschland for good though was Johan Cruijff’s farewell game for Ajax. It was in 1978, I was 11 years old. They invited Bayern Munich along to help the people of Amsterdam and Holland say thank you to such a great ambassador for (Dutch) football. Bayern thumped Ajax 8-0, and the referee had to disallow 3 more goals to make the final score less desastreous. For me and millions of Dutchmen it was an unforgiveable act of disrespect and mental cruelty. Never to be forgotten by yours truly.
Joke time.
What do you call a hundred Man U fans at the bottom of a cliff?
A good start….
The post office just recalled the stamps featuring Man U players.
People couldn’t figure out which side to spit on……..
A spectator gave the Arsenal turnstyle operator a 50 pound note and said two please.
The operator asked “Would that be strickers or defenders”
TA it would seem 8 has been a crucial and eventful number in your football following education.
I had my European head office and factory over there, not on my list of all time favourite visited places. Although the food was pretty good 🙂
The seven dwarfs are tdown in a mine when there is a cave in.
Snow White runs over and yells down into the mine” Is anybody there?”
In the distance she hears a voice ” Arsenal are good enough to win the EPL”
She said “Thank God at least we know that Dopey is still alive”
DanDan, the food is good indeed – as in, you will not be hungry after a meal out. I enjoyed working in Germany as well (not as long as you though) and of course there are many other good things about it… Like driving 140 miles per hour on the Autobahn 😆
What do you call a Man U fan with half a brain?
Gifted………
I give up nobody`s laughing……………….
G5 🙂 From where do you get all these jokes?
Well just one more……….
Arry got a call from the fire brigade..
“Arry the Lanes on fire“
“The cups man, make sure you save the cup`s“
“Don`t worry Arry the canteen`s safe“
TA;
From me hed mate.
Well then you are a comic genius! Chapeau 😛
What;s the difference between SAF and God.
Well that`s simple – God doesn’t think that he`s SAF.
Not really I just have a really good memory and have read far much of Spike Milligan, Henny Youngman and Tommy Cooper et al.
Two men stranded on a desert island.
One starts to put a notch in a tree every morning.
One morning he said – Well I see Arsenal lost again.
How do you know that his friend said.
He replied – because today is Saturday.
What do you call a Spurs fan in a suit?
The accused………………
Two Spurs fand jump off cliff.
Which one hit’s the ground first?
Do you really care?
How may Spurs fans does it take to stop a bus.
Never enough………
Ok the jokes on me.
Goodnight.
Good call RL
I’m late in on this blogg, but this is fact, hardly a curse but true.
My Son’s best mate is an industrial mastic/sealant guy. He supports West Ham and he done some work at the Emirates Stadium. Just before the mastic dried he carved West Ham into the hardening mastic.
I told him this is dragging us down to your level.
A bride on her wedding night says to her husband ‘I must confess darling, I was a hooker!’.
He says ‘That’s alright, dear. Your past is your past, but I must admit that I find it quite erotic. Tell me about it’.
She replies ‘Well, my name was Nigel, and I played for Wigan!’.
Repeat
went to a fancy dress shop at lunch time to get a vampire costume for a party on saturday and the bird behind the till gave me a Manchester United kit.
I said sorry love you miss heard me I want to look like a count.
Oh dear, I’ve arrived late
Do NOT lose your Grandkids in the Shopping Mall !!!
A small boy was lost at a large shopping mall. He approached a uniformed
policeman and said, “I’ve lost my grandpa!”
The cop asked, “What’s he like?”
The little boy hesitated for a moment and then replied, “Johnny Walker
whisky and women with big tits.”
VCC;
I feel sorry for people that don’t drink.
Because when they wake up – that’s as good as they are going to feel all day.
Fortunately I always recognize when I’ve had enough to drink.
I fall over……….
Must be past my bedtime.
I only tell jokes when Arsenal lose.
So the cure is…………………..
Gn5, VCC
Well done – what a tag team! And we need some laffs after Saturday. 🙂
Give Arsene time and also the team! Stupid fans…..
I agree AGA, trouble is I don’t think we represent the majority of Arsenal fans any more.
Morning all – we don’t. I constantly find myself in a corner from which I am defending the team and AW, but it feels a lonely place lately
Cheers Rocky. We sure do at the moment, can’t remember the last time I felt this low supporting Arsenal.
Morning all,
Beside myself with excitment, as always, when a trip to watch The Mighty Gunners beckons.
26 and Evonne,
Are you going?
Evonne,
There is a rumour circulating that you may be sitting next to me. Can it be true, and have you buried Charlie from The Allotment?
These are the most worrying words I have ever read on this blog:
“Only when you put yourselves in the shoes of the BoD do you realise Wenger ain’t going nowhere”.
Why? Because they are the words of London 🙂
Dear London,
I apologise for publically mocking your transfer window performance, and also realise how your diet must have suffered as a result. By way of an apology I hereby promise to buy you a plate of Squid Rings should you make it to the S&B.
Lots of love,
Micky.
Morning Micky
I thought you’d be on the train by now! Don’t be late, I’ll be waiting!
Yes sir, we are going together, shoulder to shoulder Gunners united!
It is only a micky mouse Shrewsbury Carling Cup, but someone has to support our boys so I am going to make the noise 🙂
Evonne,
Great news.
I leave at 10:00.
I actually hate the CC but really want to see the new boys and its good to support the lads as we navigate these turbulent waters.
I carefully selected seats. Row 2 Upper Block 98. Right above the noisy boys and just far round enough to avoid the rain which will be coming from the SW on the back of 28kph wind.
Pathetic isn’t it, my planning. The joys of not having a season ticket.
Well done Micky 🙂 see you soon
Micky, I’ll be at S&B and Tavern, looking forward to seeing you, and of course Evonne, Rasp and Peaches, and others hopefully. 🙂
Happy days 🙂
Morning all,
Behave yourself evonne tonight as i hear you are a man eater.
Also looking to see the new boys tonight but it isn’t on TV or is it.
Morning Kelsey, YOU behave yourself! I am there to see the game.
Of course is not on TV, but ManU are, of course
It is on Arsenal Player if you can get it working
That is some combination tonight: the Pink Panther next to Dennis the Menace 😉 Enjoy the game and tell us all about it afterwards!
Morning all
There’s a New Post ……………………….
Honestly Rocky, I heard this story before Emirates was completed but I laughed it off then. A mate of mine in construction and worked on the project and he doesn’t even like football. Lets just say I still think its utter trollop, but is it?………………..oh dear I need a Witch-Doctor.
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