I must preface this article by saying there is no serious element in it at all.
I must credit three Gooners, most of you will know on Twitter for this ridiculous idea for more @Goonerdave66 ramblings. John Pickford @TheN5er, Phil Wall @AngryofN5 and Yogi of @yogis_warrior for planting the seed. What began with the Twitter question posed by John of – who won the league the year you were born – progressed into what was number one in the charts.
So the following charts my lifetime as a Gunner, from my first match to the present day, by matching the highs and the lows with who was topping the UK Top 40. I am personally disappointed that there are not too many personal favourites or classics in there for my tastes, but then we are all different and you may relate to them more than me. We all have songs that signify moments in our life – first girl or boyfriends, marriages, divorces, babies, so here is the highs and lows of my Gooner life in number ones.
06/11/1976 – HIGH
First match for 10 year old Dave was at home to Birmingham. A new era, a club record signing in Malcolm Macdonald for £333,000 and we won 4-0. Number one was ‘Mississippi’ by Pussycat (I know me neither!)
06/05/1978 – LOW
Arsenal contrive to lose the FA Cup Final, largely in my view to Liam Brady not being fully fit, to the underdogs Ipswich Town 1-0. We can stay upbeat as ‘Saturday Night Fever’ by the Bee Gees grips the nation.
12/05/1979 – HIGH
The most memorable FA cup Final for years as Alan Sunderland pops up at the far post to turn in Rixy’s cross as we beat Man U 3-2 in the final minute having thrown away a two goal lead. A bright day for Arsenal and ‘Bright Eyes’ by Art Garfunkel, sound track to film Watership Down tops the hit parade.
10/05/1980 – LOW
We somehow manage to lose to a Trevor Brooking header as he tied his shoes laces, the Hammers were in the division below. Consolation was that ‘Geno’ by Dexy’s Midnight Runners, an all time classic, was no.1.
14/05/1980 – LOWER
Cup Winners Cup final to Valencia – lost on penalties after a drab 0-0. Graham Rix and Brady in his last game missed spot kicks and I cried. Even more depressingly but appropriately given the title was that Irish Crooner Johnny Logan had won Eurovision and kicked Dexy’s off top spot with ‘What’s Another Year?’.
