Whilst browsing the comments on AA a few days ago I was quite taken by an exchange between FGG and GN5 about the importance of football. How important is football and in particular Arsenal to me I asked myself? Pondering the answer I could only come to one conclusion…. “ A hell of a lot”.
Ray Kennedy heads title winner against Tottenham in 1971
I suppose it all started in the early seventies when as a kid my old man used to take me to Highbury and I would sit on his shoulders. I quickly became intoxicated with the majesty of the stadium, the lush green turf and those glorious red and white shirts. This wasn’t a problem then, after all I was just a kid, and when we lost and I cried (it was the mid seventies and I used to cry a lot in them days), adults would afford me sympathy and a kind word.
My addiction to Arsenal probably bought its first problems when I hit secondary school. My school was mostly West Ham but there was a sprinkling of Arsenal and Tottenham. There was one kid in particular, ‘Andrew’, who was afflicted with the same passion as me, problem was he was Spurs. Needless to say I spent the next 3 years of my life arguing and fighting with this kid at every opportunity (despite the fact that he must have hit puberty aged six or something coz at age eleven he was about a foot taller than me and I swear he was sporting a beard). Subsequently my grades suffered and I was classed as an “under achiever”.
Did I learn any lessons from my fanaticism to Arsenal during my school days? Of course not. In my late teens and early twenties I took my madness to new levels. I discovered the joy of away games and the incredible buzz of going into “foreign territory”. At this time I was known to family and friends as an “Arsenal nut”, and my dad who started my addiction in the first place, would berate me at very opportunity, usually along the lines of “Do you think Arsenal will give you a living you f…..g idiot”. It was during this period that I would routinely miss things like weddings and christenings if they clashed with Arsenal games and am sure that to this day some people have still not forgiven me (I mean come on, who organises such an event knowing that Arsenal have Wolves away on the same day)
By the time I got married in my mid twenties I thought my addiction was over. I had a lovely wife, a good job, stopped going to away games, and if push came to shove would even miss the odd home again. Was I cured? No.
Looking back now I realise my addiction was still there but it was much more subtle. Every time Arsenal was playing, I still needed some form of contact, usually via the radio. I had to have my fix however inappropriate. This need manifested itself rather horribly on one occasion round my in laws, (who had several other guests around at the time), I had sneaked in a radio to listen to the 2nd leg of the semi against PSG in the ECWC and when we scored I suffered the inevitable tourettes moment “F…..g Kevin Campbell” To say that my wife or in laws were not best pleased, well that would be an understatement.
Yes , she divorced me a few years later, and upon receiving the papers from her solicitors (whilst I was examining the league table and upcoming fixtures to try and work out were we would be if we won our next few games), I was shocked to see that she cited “Arsenal Football Club” as one of the reasons.
All stories should have a happy ending folks and so does this one. I am very happy in my current relationship, have two wonderful daughters (who don’t like football) and a dad who still berates me at every opportunity. My current partner is very understanding of my “Affliction” and we tend to do things around the Arsenal timetable. (She’s an auditor so I would describe our relationship as very “Professional”, hahaha)
I suppose when you ask yourself “How important is Arsenal and Football”? to know the answer you should really ask “How has Arsenal and Football impacted my life”? In my case, probably too much, but what the hell “I love my Arsenal”.
God Bless
Written by Terry Mancini Hair Transplant
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Terry the syrup man – lovely debut post there sir.
While I was reading I immediately thought of Wednesday night when me and my younger son were high fiving each other and bouncing up and down when the second Basel goal went in.
The other half couldn’t understand why I was openly swearing when a picture of red nose in the dug out looking grimly on at the Basel players celebrations flashed up on the TV.
The breathless euphoria that moments of football like that(the Arshavin goal against those Catalan scummers last year also)can cause just don’t make sense to those not similarly afflicted.
Hi Terry, what a beautiful and warm post about the love for Arsenal, and what we as fans – who do not have partners with the footie-gene – have to put up with! 🙂
Did your ex-wife really use ‘Arsenal Football Club’ as a reason for divorce. If so, then that is f*cking hilarious! 😛
Wow, what a lovely post!
Oh, and just to cheer us all up further today, Vidic out for the rest of the season…hahahahahahahahaha !
My name is Micky and I’m an Arsenalic.
Haha! Brilliant post! Absolutely sums up what the Arsenal means to most of us Gooners, which is why we have the best support!
Morning, TerryM, you little genius 🙂
What a delightful and insightful story that is.
In fact, it is the most heart warming and moving Post I have read on AA, full of the mad passion that grips all real fans, and reveals the dire consequences that can result from that addiction.
You are not alone in your football inflicted madness. Some years ago, I arranged to take a number of young (and old) family members to a pantomime at the London Palladium, and because they were mainly kids it was a ‘matinee’ that started at about 2 o’clock.
My secretary had organized the outing, forgetting that any Saturday was an “Arsenal” day and was sacrosanct!!
The result was that, as I had forgotten my cell ‘phone, I left the theatre every 15 minutes or so to hare down to Poland Street where I had parked my car, and listened to the latest scores, before belting back, again. This did not go unnoticed, of course, and word soon spread around my friends and family once the word got out when the kids blabbed.
Fortunately, my well known eccentricity helped me out, because the reaction was a grin, a shrug and “it had to be something do with Arsenal — and anyway, he is nuts and the kids loved him trying to act like nothing was going on”!! 🙂
My name is Total and I am a total Arsenalic
My name is RA and I am a total arse! 🙂
Absolutely superb, TMHT.
Partners come and go but the Arsenal are an ever-present throughout our lives. Just ask GM and BR!
BR,
How about this for a book?
http://arseblog.com/category/arsenal-books/
Morning, congratulations TMHT on a superb, bare your Arsenal heart, debut post. Beautifully written and one I’m sure that rang a few bells with fellow supporters.
My only beef is that you’ve ruined the symmetry of my ‘Authors on AA’ widget with your unfeasibly long blogname 😛
La Cul Totale Rouge
Morning all….TMHT superb post sir.
I know my wife is a convert to the Arsenal Church.
I may have recounted this story to others.
On a night out in Norwich with friends a lad started talking to the group of girls. This lad revealed he was a Spud at which point my wife took two/three steps away. He asked why and she sang back “Oh to oh to be oh to be a Gooner”.
As LB and Carlito said when I told them that story at the Tavern…”she’s a keeper” 😀
My Arsenal affliction knows no bounds, but thankfully my whole family (Mum, Dad, Brother and now Wife) suffer from.
Merci beaucoup, TA. 🙂
Oz, as I rubbished the weather here yesterday, I must redress the balance and tell you that it is a sunny, cold, crisp day today with a magnificent azure sky!! 🙂 Just the way winter should be – but usually isn’t! 🙂
GIE, 🙂
You are just trying to make us all jealous —- and succeeding!! 🙂
TMHT,
that picture brings back so many memories as I was there. I will always be passionate about our club but I have mellowed in my love for the game as it just isn’t a fair playing field anymore.
Give me the pre Sky days anytime.
I postponed my wedding by 24 hours – a match against the Scum was moved to the Sunday coz of the tv schedule. I insisted on having the wedding on the Monday which pissed off a hell of a lot of people – “who gets married on a Monday?” they still say to me, “we had to take a day off from work etc” but at least the wife knew right there and then where my priorities were and still are.
Oh and of course we won – Perry Groves scored the winner so it was definitely worth putting off the wedding to be at Highbury for that!
Is this it, Danny? (1 minute in)
Never miss an opportunity to watch a goal against the spuds!
Terry – brilliant post, thank you so much!!
Danny – I love you, top Gunner
Well, I have a story to tell too 🙂 My almost ex husband and I could not remember what year we got married. And then he remembered that that day Arsenal were playing at Highbury and our wedding in a small church in Holloway Road was delayed because my car could not get there!! It was easy to check – 19th December 1987, Arsenal v Everton 1:1 🙂 I wasn’t a Gunner then, I was still a Gornik Zabrze supporter and was cursing that bloody Arsenal 🙂
Just read this and it made me laugh. No prizes for guessing where it comes from!
“Either Pedro’s woke up on the wrong side of the bed today; or it’s that bloke that writes blogs on here occasionally who’s grumpier than my grandad when he’s shitting cannon balls.”
Chas, Thanks but I’ll have to check it later coz here at work they block Youtube,Facebook etc
Thanks for the kind words every one, ime genuinely touched by your warmth.
I suppose the reason for writing it (to avoid the wrath of Peaches, hahaha) was that we all have a story to tell how Arsenal has impacted our lives.
TA, she did indeed use Arsenal as one the reasons but took it out by the end because her legal team thought that the Judge would think it was crazy.
Lovely read TMHT.
Like you I’m an Arsenal nut, have been since 1965 at my infants school. I was one of two lads out of the whole school it seemed who supported THE Arsenal, most were West Ham, many a thumps I took back then.
My Mum thought I was gay, cos instead of having pictures of naked women on my wall as a young lad (like most boys did) I had pictures of men running around on a muddy pitch!
Don’t know if any one on here remembers having the plastic pins with footballer faces in the middle that you used to pin to your jumper.
I used to proudly display my teams pins when I went to the games in my early years. We used to play a 1-2-3-5 formation then. Keeper with two full backs then centre half flanked by right half and left half then two wingers with a centre forward and inside right and inside left. My plastic pins were :-
Keepers Furnell and Wilson
Right back Edie Magil
Left back Billy McCullough
Right half Peter Storey
Centre Half Frank McLintock
Left half Peter Simpson
Right Wing Alan Skirton
Left wing George Armstrong
Centre Forward Joe Baker
Inside right Jon Sammels
Inside Left George Eastham
Plus others of course.
Vic Groves,Pat Rice,Ian Ure,Geoff Strong,John Barnwell, Terry Neill,David Court,David HerdGorge Graham,John Radford,Bob McNab.
My lovely Wife knows she comes second and NEVER complains when Arsenal is the subject (she knows best, lol).
|She did get annoyed earlier this year when I went out and had a cannon tattoo on my right shoulder without telling her prior to having it, she did not speak to me for a whole day.
How sad am I ??????
VCC – very
Thank you evonne.
Great post, and the pic reminds me of probably the best night of my life. Theres no doubt its an addiction and my wife reminds me of that all the time -better than heroin, and if we all wound up in a rehab im sure the company and the meetings would be fine. My in laws never forgave me when at my wedding speech in 1969, my first utterances were to congratulate Arsenal on a great 0-0 draw at Old Trafford. ( That marraige never lasted too long!!!). I still resent my sister for having to leave the Leeds game at half time in the eighties- I cant believe she got married on the opening day of the season, so inconsiderate. Certainly, when we’re bitten by this bug, its a love affair for life- much more faithfull than any woman and better than sex.
TMHT. Top top post. The lat 60’s were when I became really obsessed, prior to then I had to go with older relatives and as my Dad was Spurs there were problems.
I love posts wherein other obsessives describe their AFC passion, it makes me feel more “normal,” and you lovely post reminded me of our shared addiction.
Like you I had a time when I stopped going (I was living in the Cotswolds – hardly a hotbed of footballing interest) but thankfully I saw the light in time to re-new my season ticket before the GG years.
VCC. I remember having those badges – my favourite was the Joe Baker because he had a brylcream quiff!
I sometimes see them on Ebay
James Lamb. Welcome.
We have those meetings at The Tavern ….. check out the widget on the right hand side of the post. Would be good to see you there.
Big Raddy. Thanks I will take a look and see if I can purchase some. Funny thing Joe Baker was one of my first, he was the darling boy of the day.
Would love to meet some of you guys at the Tavern. I’m trying to get two tickets for the home game versus Queens Park Rangers.
TMHT you’ve really got the old memory banks working now!
About 10 years ago one of my kids aked me if we had a bible in the house coz he needed it for school. I remembered that I still had one from doing my religious knowledge O Level but when I gave it to him he refused it coz as with all my school books I’d written all over it everything “Arsenal”! Looking at it now I still see nothing wrong with that except maybe I should rub out Storey’s and Rix’s names…..
Hi Danny,
Rix has to be erased, but Peter Storey is a legend, despite his dubious business dealings.
Danny 😀
I have a scrap book I made with all the games through the 70/71 season. Still makes me happy
Strange to think about how highly I rated Rixy after Liam left.
Another Ashley C
VCC – 🙂
Raddy – ‘makes me feel more “normal” 🙂 Don’t worry Raddy, there is no such thing as normal
Last year I attended Beekeeping courses on Saturday afternoons!! I complained about the timing and we had a vote, but nobody else objected to sitting in a classroom at 3pm every Saturday!!! I didn’t finish the course, dropped out 😦
BR. I remember nearly crying when Graham Rix missed a penalty in the shoot out final against Valencia in Brussels. My mate from infant school days was sitting next to me on the terraces actually crying.
Peter Storey = Legend. He wouldn’t be bullied by the Mancs.
That Rix penalty miss – I seem to remember that he stepped up to the ball, laughing and took a pretend kick at the ball – I knew then he was going to miss it. Was it Paul Barron who couldn’t look?
VCC, You sir, are a top man. Let us know if you can make the QPR game and i will pop in the Tavern and buy you a pint.
Big Raddy
I’ve got all my old scrap books from 1969 onwards till about 1980 – funny looking at them now the way a little kid tried to cut out pictures from “Shoot” and glue them in afterwards! I nicked my elder brothers’ scrap books which are in much better state from 1967 – 1972 plus he did great ones for the 66 and 70 world cups. I did a descent one of the 72 Olympics. Remember collecting “football stars” and swapping them at school?
TMHT
I doff my hat to you and your brilliant post, you Sir are what I call a proper Arsenal supporter.
TMHT. I have a soft spot for Queens Park Rangers, I was born just around the corner and my Uncle used to look after the away team dressing room when they were in the old 3rd division some years back. It is the second teams result I look for and my dear old Dad’s team.
My Son and I want to get to this game. It would be a thrill to meet you guys and put a face to the names.
Love the debut post TMHT, great story from a great supporter!
The mrs has a hens party tomorrow night and i’ve got to pick her up, she’s been informed that i will be unavailable between the hours of 10 and 1 due to ‘arsenal time’
I’ve already got my arsenal jacket near the door ready to greet the die hard everton supporter come monday morning.
@ Danny
that is a bloody hilarious story, a wedding on a monday because of the mighty arsenal, haha well played sir.
@ RA
glad the weather has taken a turn for the better. Is this the time of year that i need to start praying for games not to be snowed out?
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant !!!!!
@ Micky 9.56
in stitches after that one!
Cracking post TMHT.
Divorce papers….pushed to one side. Now then….where are those upcoming fixtures….??
Classic
LB, OZ, Sharkey and everyone else thanks for your warm comments.
I wonder what my Ex would think of the article? On second thoughts better not go there.
So TMHT
Your mrs ascertained the validity and reliability in regards to your relationship with arsenal; also to provide an assessment of your internal control. Under evaluation she was able to determine an opinion of you based on your level of arsenal addiction. However, due to time contraints she was only able to provide reasonable assurances that the statements are free from material error.
She was then able to deem the individual in question (TMHT) as a success in satisfying her mission objectives!
Something like that Oz, hahaha.
Danny. No, that was me who couldn’t look, lol.
Frank Stapleton missed a late far post sitter that would have won us the game.
Pat Jennings
Pat Rice
Sammy (show us yer bum) Nelson
David O’Leary
Willie Young
Graham Rix
Brian Talbot
David Price
Liam Brady
Alan Sunderland
Frank Stapleton
By John Motson
BBC Match of the Day commentator
Barclays Premier League
Venue: Emirates Stadium
Date: Saturday, 10 December
Kick-off: 1500 GMT
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal left-back Andre Santos will miss the game after injuring his ankle against Olympiakos.
Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia returns to the squad as Lukasz Fabianski (knee) and Vito Mannone (shoulder) are out.
Everton’s Jack Rodwell is again set to be absent after picking up a hamstring injury in training on Thursday.
Leon Osman is also doubtful (hamstring) while Royston Drenthe (foot) faces a fitness test but Louis Saha is hoping to return after a thigh complaint.
MATCH PREVIEW
This weekend marks Arsenal’s 125th anniversary, a landmark in the history of a great club, which was founded by a group of workers at the Dial Square workshop at the Royal Arsenal, an armaments factory in Woolwich.
To mark the occasion, their modern-day home at the Emirates will be hosting a walk-past of some of the club’s legends, and fans will be able to admire new statues of three men who helped shape the club: Herbert Chapman, the successful pre-war manager who was so far ahead of his time; Tony Adams, who captained the Gunners to a hatful of league titles and cup wins and bridged the George Graham-Arsene Wenger eras; and Thierry Henry, the club’s record goalscorer.
Henry once scored 34 Premier League goals in a calendar year (2004) and that is what current captain Robin van Persie is now chasing. How fitting it would be if the Dutchman, who has scored 32 league goals in 2011, could reach that mark on Saturday.
Van Persie has led the recent charge that has seen such a turn-around in Arsenal’s fortunes. After losing four of their first seven Premier League matches, including a humiliating 8-2 mauling by Manchester United, Arsenal have won six of their last seven.
Furthermore, Everton are a team against whom they have got a very good record – they are unbeaten in their last eight against David Moyes’ side and have won 13 of their 15 home league matches against the Toffees under Arsene Wenger.
Looking at the formbook, you’d have to say it will be a home win, especially after Everton’s tame defeat to Stoke last weekend and their desperate lack of recognised strikers. They cannot even take comfort from Arsenal’s midweek Champions League defeat to Olympiakos as Wenger played only two of his established first team, having already qualified for the knockout stages as group winners.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Everton have not won at Arsenal since a 2-1 victory at Highbury in January 1996. Graham Stuart and Andrei Kanchelkis got the Toffees’ goals after Ian Wright had put Arsenal in front. That was the last time the sides met before Arsene Wenger took over eight months later. Since then, the Gunners have won 13 of their 15 home league matches against Everton.
• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last eight meetings against Everton. The Toffees’ last win over the Gunners was in March 2007 when Andy Johnson’s injury-time winner secured victory at Goodison Park.
• Arsenal thumped Everton 7-0 at the Emirates in May 2005. The only survivor from the Arsenal starting line-up that day is Robin van Persie, who opened the scoring – although Mikel Arteta was in the Everton team. It was Arsenal’s biggest win in the Premier League – and Everton’s heaviest defeat.
Arsenal
• After losing four of their opening seven matches, Arsenal have since won six of the next seven, taking 19 points out of a possible 21.
• Arsenal’s only league defeat at the Emirates this season came in their first home match, when they lost to Liverpool. Fulham are the only other team to have taken any points away from the Emirates, although Manchester City won the Carling Cup quarter-final meeting there at the end of November.
• Robin van Persie has scored 32 Premier League goals in 2011. Only Alan Shearer (36 in 1995) and Thierry Henry (34 in 2004) have scored more in a calendar year. The Arsenal captain has scored 18 goals this season, with 14 of them coming in the Premier League. Van Persie has now scored 113 goals for Arsenal, exactly half the total of Henry, who scored a club record 226.
Everton
• Everton have lost three of their last five league matches. The Toffees have had just one draw this season.
• David Moyes’ side have won more matches away from home than they have at Goodison Park in this season’s Premier League – they have won three of their six matches on the road but triumphed in just two of their seven home games.
• Everton’s leading scorer is Apostolos Vellios with three goals. The Toffees have scored 15 goals in this season’s Premier League – that’s just one more than Robin van Persie.
‘A little bit of Tevez out the door
A little bit Vidic on the floor
A little bit of Nasri on the side
A little bit of Rooney shooting wide
A little bit of Mario having a laugh
A little bit of Nani on his arse
Ladies and Gentlemen – Channel Number Five’
TA : Brilliant Brilliant…Love it. Qualiteeeeeeeeee
Man this story brings me bck to 2006 champions league finaly Ex galfrand wanted to know. Who was the most important in my life. Her or Arsenal. Just b4 kick off she laid me a special midnight dersert(S**) as a man I could not say no. Tried to finish it quick with one eye on the tele.only for lehman to mess it up for mi by getting a red card!!!!!!! Stood on top of my food in astonishmnt to the tele.only to be brought back to my suroundings by a slap on my face from my other half under me.and it wasn’t that usaully slap of enjoyiment.she quickly got up ,dressed and left. Even with all my explations and apologies .she was never to be seen in my life again.I’m glad I’m still with my no one luv arsenal lol and a new understanding partner lol .
Chas
Yup thats the one – thanks!
From Goal.com
……………………………………………………………………………..
DID YOU KNOW?
•Arsenal did the Premier League double over Everton last season, winning 2-1 on both occasions.
•Robin van Persie (pictured right) has lashed in 18 goals and provided five assists in 20 appearances this term.
•Everton have scored just 15 goals so far this season, exactly half of Arsenal’s tally.
•Arsenal have lost just once to Everton in their last 10 meetings, back in 2007.
•Everton don’t do well at all in north London, chalking up just one win in 19 visits, with the last one coming over 15 years ago.
•Against Everton, Arsenal have the finest goalscoring record of any team versus any opposition in Premier league history, clocking up 79 goals.
•In their last 11 outings against the Gunners, Everton have scored 11 goals.
•Arsenal’s tally of 19 points from their last seven Premier League matches is equal to the tally they took from their previous 18 games.
From Arsenal.com
………………………………………………………………………………….
Arsenal Football Club celebrates its 125th anniversary at Saturday’s match against Everton. Supporters coming to the match are encouraged to arrive early to experience a number of special moments to mark the celebration.
Among the special guests on the day are a selection of legends, who will join a number of supporters whose devotion and support of the Club runs deep. Many of their stories feature around Emirates Stadium on flags, stadium walls, plaques and benches.
Descendants of Arsenal’s original team of the Dial Square armaments factory are also guests of honour on Saturday, with important roles to play to honour the Club’s founding fathers. The great, great-grandson of Fred Beardsley, who sourced kit from his former team, Nottingham Forest will join Arsenal kit manager, Vic Akers in setting up the dressing room pre-match.
The two great-grandchildren of David Danskin, Arsenal’s founding father, will carry out the duty of handing over the match ball to referee Howard Webb, who will decide kick-off with a sixpence to commemorate the founding team members who each gave a sixpence to buy a football.
Supporters are reminded to pick up a souvenir edition of the matchday programme to be in with a chance of finding one of 125 golden tickets to win one of the 18 commemorative shirts worn by the squad on the day, or a souvenir leather football.
To make sure you don’t miss out on any of Saturday’s action, take a look here to find out what is happening:
1.30pm – The Royal Artillery and Orchestra, founded in 1762, will play outside Emirates Stadium above The Armoury store.
1.45pm – Unveiling of the Nike ‘125 Project’, which gave Arsenal’s most passionate fans the chance to tell their story and see themselves immortalised around Emirates Stadium.
2.15pm – The Royal Artillery Band and Orchestra will play inside the Emirates Stadium bowl.
2.40pm – Legends will be presented to the crowd alongside supporters.
2.50pm – A guard of honour of fans and legends, together with 20 Junior Gunners.
2.59pm – Referee, Howard Webb, to toss a sixpence to decide kick-off.
3.00pm – David Danskin’s great-grandchildren bring out the match ball for the game.
Half-time – Presentation to Nottingham Forest.
Fans will also feature in a state of the art gigapixel picture. Supporters inside Emirates Stadium will be captured in a moment in time with a 360° hi-res picture, available 48 hours after the match on Arsenal.com and facebook.com/arsenal.
The picture will allow supporters to zoom in close and see most individuals in the crowd in the North Bank, Clock End, West Stand, the East Stand Lower and the front rows of the East Upper.
Eleven benches and plaques containing fans’ stories from around the UK and across the globe, which have been collected as part of the Nike ‘125 Project’, will be revealed near the Spirit of Highbury in the south-east corner of Emirates Stadium. Stories from Arsène Wenger and Jack Wilshere feature among these special accounts.
Thanks for reminding us of the pre match stuff tomorrow gunnerN5 – I’m planning to get the tail end of the The Royal Artillery Band and Orchestra at the very least and it’ll be quite a lot of fun to see my mug in the crowd when the panoramic gigapixel picture goes up.
I’m glad I chose this match to go to as it’ll be a historic occasion and my boys are excited at the prospect – just hope Peachy doesn’t try and get me drunk in the Tavern ! 🙂
Some twitter statue unveiling pics
http://pic.twitter.com/eCPSnRJ1
http://pic.twitter.com/Z7SlQZOf
yfrog.com/odp0xgrj
Apparently Citeh have unveiled a statue of Na$ri outside the Etihad
chas 4:06 = Thats about right.
Haha
chas 4:11 LMCO
Anyone know where Micky and GLIC are?
There is a massive full moon out there, right now, and I think it is wise to keep tabs on those guys on nights like this!! 🙂
Hi Chas, Nasri the potato-cock – that is brilliant! 🙂
It made me think a bit of Keith Lemon’s ‘potato’
Lovely bit of nostalgia there Terry, cap doffed to you. (Re the pic: being of a vintage that comes a shade later than you, I can’t help it, I still think of Ray Kennedy as primarily a Liverpool player.)
The mention of 1970s scrapbooks reminds me of a significant chapter in my early interest in the Beautiful Game. Around 1978/1979, my brother and I were exploring a derelict house in Stoke Newington (well, you would, wouldn’t you?) and I found an Arsenal scrapbook that had been carefully filled from about 1967 to 1976, and then abandoned – I figured the book-keeper had enjoyed Arsenal’s ascent to the top and then the battles with Leeds, but felt less than happy about the club’s decline in the mid 70s. That, or he/she grew up!
Chas – i didn’t know it was today, damn! I would have gone!!! Our Tel was there sporting LB’s cashmemre scarf
Redders,
In regards to Cornwall i thought of that full moon thing to. hahahhah.
TerryM,
You realise that having brought your light out from under the bushell, you will now have to do regular Posts or suffer a tomgue whipping under Peaches!
(I may have phrased that better, but I would probably only dig a deeper hole!) 🙂
tomgue whipping = tongue lashing
There I knew I would get myself in trouble. 🙂
Great article TMHT and I really enjoyed reading it and it reminded me of the day the wife and I were engaged. We went up the Arse to see us play funnily enough – Everton.
It was 19 Dec 1987 and we drew 1-1 with the late Rocky scoring in front of the Clocke End a belter of an equaliser following Dave Waton’s goal for the toffees. Ahhh memories eh?
I also remember Adrian Heath attempting to get the ball back from John Lukic that day, Luckic holding high above his head. It was so funny watching little ‘Inchy’ jumping up to try and retrieve the ball.
We celebrated our engagement in great style later in the evening.
So it was you that held Evonne up from her wedding, Brigham!
(see 10:57)
My life’s greatest regret: not going to Anfield on 26 May 1989, despite being able to get a ticket and then being a student in nearby Leeds. The reason for not going? Because my (Mancunion) girlfriend was finishing her exams that morning and I had already agreed to spend the afternoon with her, walking on the Moors. OK, the afternoon did feature some outdoor how’s your father, but was it worth it? Nope.
26. 😀
Some great stories today
chas – could well have been mate, although the future wife and me were whizzing our way back to Kent way back then. 🙂
Brigham – Chas is right! I couldn’t get married in St Gabriels in Holloway Road, because of the Everton game! My limo was stuck in traffic!! Regretfully for both parties, the priest waited 🙂 Beautiful, sunny, cold December day, I will never forget it
26, great story.
Is this how long the outdoor how’s your father lasted?
http://twitpic.com/7qvxn1/full
chas. Top work!
Terry,
Just got in, and the first thing I usually do, Is scroll down to click on for yesterday`s night (and this morning`s) comments, but there, I saw your name and got excited, I was running around in circles chasing my tail ! ( Is there a full moon tonight ?).
What a fantastic post !. I lick you, I know a lot of us dont really know each other from Adam , but I`ll bet my bestest buried bone your a top man !
Twitter blocked by fascist work IT system I’m afraid Chas, will have to check when I get home!
Evonne, I’ve been youtubing Gornik Zabrze.
Most of the videos are just of the supporters! Great supporters though.
GLIC,
Why are you promising to lick TerryM?
You know he will hold you to it. (the promise I mean — but who knows with you two!! 🙂
My wife found out that our dog (a Schnauzer) could hardly hear, so she took it to the veterinarian. The vet found that the problem was hair in the dog’s ears. He cleaned both ears, and the dog could then hear fine. The vet then proceeded to tell Andrea that, if she wanted to keep this from recurring, she should go to the store and get some “Nair” hair remover and rub it in the dog’s ears once a month.
Andrea went to the store and bought some “Nair” hair remover. At the register, the pharmacist told her, “If you’re going to use this under your arms, don’t use deodorant for a few days.”
Andrea said, “I’m not using it under my arms.”
The pharmacist said, “If you’re using it on your legs, don’t use body lotion for a couple of days.”
Andrea replied, “I’m not using it on my legs either. If you must know, I’m using it on my Schnauzer.”
The pharmacist says, “Well, stay off your bicycle for about a week.”
Chas, 🙂 🙂 🙂
chas 6:27. tears down the cheek. That is soooo funny.
Redders,
I lick you too, woof woof 🙂
chas, 😆
At least I know where you are GLIC (aka Werewolf).
It’s that flaming Micky I am still worrying about, and TerryM seems to have gone missing.
VCC is acting up too, with those tears down his cheeks. That bloody full moon!! 🙂
I think AA might be “cited”, the amount of time I spend on here !. Doing my Weight`s between reading and comment`s doesn`t seem to wash with glicette !
Chas – 🙂 🙂
Of course Gornik Zabrze has great supporters, I was one of them. They more or less stopped existing in mid 80s, and that is when I became a Gunner, the rest is history
I’m not sure about the TA statue. The head looks too small.
Herb
TA6
Thierry
chas, his arms look long aswell, looks like the “Angel of the North London”
Haha, wwlic
Actually the title of the post is nearly correct in my case.
In my twenties I and several friends had West Stand season tickets and like you do now, we met up before a game.
one day one of my friends brought along a girl, which was quite a rarity for us men.
To cut a long story short we eventually married and split up within a year, having had my leg over about 3 times, A son was in the package and the divorce costs were something else .Absolutely true. 🙂
RA can flash his cherry bottom on tomorrow’s lunar eclipse.
Stop giving away my secrets VCC! 🙂
Where’s wally?
He’s there, he’s there, he’s there, he’s there, he’s there,
he’s there, he’s there, he’s there, he’s there, he’s there,
he’s there……………
I thought every one knew about your cherry posterior.
RA ..I’ve heard it’s a big one too???????
Women comes home after visiting the doctor and hubby says ” how did it go” wife says not quite sure but he said my fanny was lovely looking.
Hubby says how dare he, why was he looking at your fanny when you were complaining of chest pains, so he gets in his car and drives to the doctor and angrily barges into his office, ” how dare you sexually molest my wife while she was visiting you” doctor says ” I am sorry but I never touched your wife, ” you said her fanny was nice” Doctor says ” no, I told her she had acute angina.
I’m going for my coat now.
Stop it VCC, you big tease (said while blushing and shaking said booty)! 🙂
Peaches has been trying to maintain a dignified silence at all this innuendo, (when she is not digging up acres of land with her own hands and throwing trees around with her muscles rippling that is) — but there is only so much an attractive grown woman can withstand. 🙂
VCC, 🙂
RA .. I’m sure Peaches, and many others, admire your crimson buttocks.
Sorry to interupt your buttock admiring banter but (no pun ) I`ve just noticed the Cup game against Leeds is on a Monday, thats unusual, any reason why ?
That’s very true VCC!
Red and White of Arsenal = Red Arse — who can resist? 🙂
I’m off now before WWLIC or Micky find me out and about – I’ve lost my garlic clove necklace. 😦
Tomorrow!!
Yup, GLIC, it was ESPN’s choice for MNF.
Merry Christmas to all AA’ers.
Back in the late 40`s I was standing at the clock end but the crowd was so big that a little 11/12 year old couldn’t see the game, so I did what most of us urchins used to do, I pretended to pass out.
They picked me up and passed me over the top of the crowd and down to the corner of the ground. They gave me a drink of water and I sat there with all the other “wise” urchins.
During a break in the play Jack Kelsey, Joe Mercer and Alex Forbes came over and chatted with us kids – It was a fantastic moment and one that I’ve never forgotten, although I have forgotten both the game and the year.
I was just reading the reports on the unveiling of the three statues at the Emirates.
Henry was there and made an emotional speech but no Tony Adams – anybody know whý.
Great debut TMHT.
Speaking to an Evertonian season ticket holder earlier who said that for the last 18months at Everton the only good thing Arteta did was score against Liverpool. He said he couldn’t believe his luck when we offered 10m for him.
Interesting then, to hear Moyes bigging up the Spaniard before the game saying what a great player he was for Everton. I think Moyes was speaking sense though when he said that Arsenal and Arteta are good for each other. He is getting many more touches of the ball and is able to influence the game more than when he was at Everton.
What odds on him scoring the winner tomorrow?
Gn5. Knowing modern footballers – probably an argument about image rights!
FGG. Let us hope he scores the first and Theo the fourth.
G5,
They ran out of money for the Adams statue so they just painted the actual Tony and told him to be as still as possible with his arms in the air, a bit like his defending really!
That is actually him!!!!
Late in the day, but I have a spare for tomorrow. Free to a good home.
Problem is, I’m not around until the morning as now in London with bad mobile reception, so not sure how this will work. I’ll come back on around 8:00am.
BR,
With a brace in the middle for RvP? I bloody hope so.
I’m going for LK BFG TV IM at the back tomoz. To say that we have no full backs that is still a decent looking back 4!
I bet I couldn’t have said that at any point in the last 5 years.
I have just remembered last Everton game I had seen at the Ems. That was almost 4 years ago in May.
20mins into the game a drunk stuggered in, climbed up some stairs and sat on his own. Everton scored and the pisshead started to celebrate, on his own amongst some frustrated Gunners. They did warn him and they did ask his to sit down and to shut up. He was having none of it. Sadly, one of the fans pushed him and the drunk tumbled down the concrete stairs. Blood everywhere, dead silence, shock and horror.
Second half the cops must have checked the CCTV and they surrunded the culprit. They were blocking my view so I asked them politely to sit down as I could not see the game. One nasty coip whispered in this special voice ‘Listen, we are here investigating a serious crime, so what is more important?’. I told him that to me, the game of course.
BTW – the drunk recovered, it was in the local paper, the Gunner was jailed.
Evonne, sorry your big day was delayed. The wife (future Mrs Young then) had a great day. We rushed back to Kent, got changed out of our Gooner paraphernalia, washed, changed into smart gear and proceeded to enjoy our engagement party!
We are still happily married and she loves to be taken up the Arse (Cue Harry Enfield gag) whenever I can get hold of a spare for her.
She has been to a Highbury many times, Wembley and also the Emirates, although she still says Highbury is her favourite of the lot. Cut her through the middle and like me, it would read ‘Arsenal’.
Testing photo
[img]http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/7950/p1030825medium.jpg[/img]
Mrs Y in the Nou Camp
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/683/p1030826medium.jpg/
TMHT, cracking and such a wonderful story, I wish my wife would cite Arsenal on a divorce paper!!
Arsenal mean the world to me, probably think about them more than anything else……….
Shame I’ve missed a cracking day of reminiscing.
Last time I went to Goodison the statue of Dixie Dean had a Blue&White scarf adorned round his neck.
Would be great to see red and white scarves all over the statues tomorrow.
good stuff Brigham
cheers for the jokes G5 and VCC
“The bad news we have is that we lost Santos for a while,” Wenger said.
“The ankle injury is more severe than expected. For how long he will be out, I don’t know, but it will be more than three weeks, that’s for sure.
Bugger!
Brigham – well, clearly the secret to a successful marriage is common love for Arsenal 🙂
I went to Nou Camp too. When our Tel left I was determined to see him play just one more time. So I booked a trip to Barcelona and tickets to a game at Nou Camp. And then, that’s the naughty bit, I presented those to my almost ex as HIS birthday present 🙂 He didn’t suspect anything until on the match day I put my Arsenal shirt on and started signing the Thierry Henry tune cheerfully. Oh well, serves him right to support Liverpool
morning all
haha very smooth evonne, what liverpool supporter wouldn’t want to see henry play?! I mean it’s not like he smashed them time and time again!
Oz – my poor Liverpool supporter went to Highbury and the Ems with me to watch it happen. Bless him, he always used to say that he cannot win – if Liverpool lose at Highbury, he’d be upset. If they win ‘she’ (that’s me) won’t talk to him for days 🙂
haha poor bloke couldn’t win, although i’d be walking around with a very smug look on my face for a few days if i were him (likely to result in more days without talking, but come on it’d be worth it!)
Morning. Lovely day here. Wind blowing like Santos after 15 mins.
Should be great for a wind driven cycle trip up North and a train back- I am stupid but not that stupid
LB. Every train here has a 2 bike carriages and the bikes go free!
Excited about today’s game. Unfortunately, it is not on DK TV and I will miss all the pre-match – luckily we have AA’ers who will be able to give full reports on the celebrations
BR, it can’t be blowing that hard! 🙂
http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/photos/101330/the-7-worst-football-statues-youll-hopefully-see-today.html
Morning all, prepare yourselves for another top notch pre-match from BigRaddy….
…..NBew post
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