After a week’s absence of writing for Gunnersphere, I jumped at the chance of writing this particular article.
No transfer news or anything like that today, just five moments that mattered most in the history of Arsenal FC. This will obviously be my top five moments, so feel free to agree or disagree with me, or even add yours belown in the comments section.
1. 30th of September 1996 – Arsene Wenger’s first day at Arsenal.
Arsenal fans didn’t have a lot to cheer about the last year before, following George Graham’s sacking on the 21st February 2005. Stewart Houston was appointed caretaker Manager until Bruce Rioch got the job on the 15th of June 1995. However, he eventually fell out-of-favour with the board and was sacked on the 21st of August 1996. Stewart Houston once again took over the reins lasting just six games before passing the throne onto Pat Rice who, in his 17 day tenure, saw the club win three games, scoring 10 goals along the way as well.
On the 30th September 1996 it was announced that Arsene Wenger would take charge of Arsenal starting on the 1st of October 1996. I was 16 at the time and it was met with a lot of ‘who?’ and sniggers from Manchester United and Tottenham fans. I knew nothing of him, as I would imagine most other Gonners were in the same boat. One of my close friends, who was an Aston Villa fan, once described him as a Gremlin during the first few days of his appointment (the one that talks from Gremlins 2!).
I went into the season with questions, it was only two seasons prior to Wenger’s appointment that we had finished 12th. 1995-1997 saw us finish 5th and then 3rd. So how would this unknown manager be able to better that? Would we go back down to being 12th?
Amazingly, Arsenal didn’t lose a game until the 1st of November. Our stats were – played 12, won six, drawn six. It then went downhill a little with just six points out of our next six games, losing on four occasions. All was not lost though. Arsenal then went on an 18 game unbeaten run which ended with the Gunners winning the Premier League in a 4-0 win over Everton to lift the title at Highbury, becoming the third club in history to win the English title. The game ended with this moment:
Arsenal then went on to win the FA Cup, completing the clubs first double since the 1970-71 season with a 2-0 win over Newcastle.
So in his first full season at Arsenal, we won the Premier League and FA Cup, who could have imagined a better way to rub it in thos United fans’ faces who gave us grief and stick for appointing Wenger.
1. Anfield 89
2. 70/71 double season
3. Herbert Chapman appointed manager
4. Arsene Wenger appointed manager
5. The Invincibles
The return of Henry??? Really???
Mitchcav
Sorry, I though Arsenal football club was started in 1887. ‘5 moments’ without a mention of Chapman, the first FA Cup final win, the 70/71 double, our Fairs Cup or Cup Winners Cup victories, Anfield ’89, the list goes on… The return of Henry? That’s a joke, right?
If this list was a joke it’s one which I’m not getting. I wouldn’t have any on-pitch “moments” in my list, none of them is nearly as significant in the history of the club as the following…
Moving to North London
Signing Chapman
Signing Bergkamp (this is what sparked everything that’s happened since)
Signing Wenger
Move to Emirates
I do love the fact that you mock me for picking as I quite Clearly stated MY TOP 5 Moments.
Yet not one of you who “OBVIOUSLY KNOW BETTER” has any mention of the most important thing in the Clubs History
A group of workers at Dial Square armaments factory in Woolwich decided to form a football team, each giving a sixpence – two and a half pence in today’s money – for the purchase of a football.
That happened in 1886.
I have been an Arsenal fan since Day 1 24th June 1980. Some 46 Years after Herbert Chapman died from Pneumonia was he a huge part of the clubs history..Without Question. Is he a part of moments that I’ve seen and witnessed sadly no however I do have found memories of my Grandad telling me stories before he died and his ashes scattered at Highbury.
So how about showing a little respect If you are telling me these are things that are your “moments” when you think of Arsenal then fair enough but I didn’t want to write an article which everyone would just simply say YES too. I wanted people to share their own memories and experiences.
The title of your piece is ‘The five moments that mattered most in the history of Arsenal FC’, NOT YOUR MOMENTS!!! Read your own article
“This will obviously be my top five moments, so feel free to agree or disagree with me, or even add yours below in the comments section.”
Try reading the article yourself
I did, The first comment. Looks like everyone is making the same mistake as me, never mind.
“Arguably”:
1. The day the Club was formed (too obvious?)
2. Moving to Arsenal Stadium
3. Arsene Wenger appointed manager
4. Herbert Chapman appointed manager
5. George Graham appointed manager
“Bubbling Under”:
Moving to ‘Emirates’ Stadium
The first Double success
The first League title
The first FA Cup success
First European success 1969-70
The second Double success
The ‘Invincibles’
Selling Nasri
The list goes on…
Good fun and good post, mainly for the debating aspect, particularly the ORDER of importance of each events (just one example: Sam’s first choice – EXCITING, with dramatic finish – but so was the final League game at Spurs 1970-71, and the culminating DOUBLE success, in my opinion, a far more important achievement than “only” the League title 1989).
All your five are good, though Sam. Stuart’s comments are sensible, unlike the ‘Return of Henry’ choice of the poster.
The 89 game was chosen because we had gone through a period with Terry Neill where I thought the club would never win the title again, also I feel that the win over Liverpool was important because it was near the start of the collapse of Liverpool fc, I know they won it a year later, but Arsenal had broken the scouse spirit, just a shame that Man Utd took advantage of our hard work
Fair enough reply, Mitch. The ORDER of MY listing is debatable as you’ve just made obvious. Ah well, the order isn’t the be-all, the OVERALL list is more important.
@Iain Culverhouse – your comment “Yet not one of you … has any mention of the most important thing in the Club’s History” doesn’t apply to Stuart and Rupe (and Mitch), and also most definitely doesn’t apply to myself, as I actually submitted my post directly after yourself and Stuart, so ‘should’ have been 3rd (held in moderation I s’pose). My list therefore was submitted before your 5.32pm response.
I also made my list based on your title: “FIVE moments that mattered most in the history of Arsenal FC”, but good fun all the same, buddy.
Sorry…
Above should read “…as I actually submitted my post directly after Mitch @4.46pm, and Stuart @4.52pm”.
3rd club in history to win the English title! WTF???
The league existed before Sky invented the Premier version!