| Formed in 1886 by a
group of para-military agitants who assumed the name of the nearby South
London armaments depot, Woolwich Arsenal. They did so in the hope that
deliveries intended for the depot would be re-directed to them for their
nefarious activities. Their aim was to take the Football League by
storm; however, being based in Plumstead meant that they had a tricky
river crossing to make before they reached civilization. They were also
known as Dial Square Football Club for a while, after they adopted their
sponsor's name into their title. (They were a premium cost phone line
for the negative, lateral passing game called "Dial Square
Football") Arsenal have always been a rich club. No old leather
medicine balls for them in training. Oh, no. They used, their now
famous, marble balls of Highbury. In fact, when they wanted to play
their football in the most fashionable part of London, the only piece of
land available was a large burial mound (High-bury) in an area that was
notable for it's mass graves during the Black Death of the 17th Century
(i.e. Finsbury, Cannonbury, Gunnersbury). The ground was intended to be
built by part-time decorators, but owing to a typographical error in the
advertisement, it was built using art deco. Thus, it has the look of a
pre-World War II stadium built for dictators on the continent or a base
for a tacky table lamp.
The club has always been at the forefront on
innovations for the game. They were the first to play a recognised
centre-half. They were the first to introduce the twin centre-halves.
They became the originators of the three central defender system. One
wonders just what they will come up with next !! The finest moment of
their history undoubtedly came in 1971, when they completed the
"Double" that they have become famous for - beating Tottenham Hotspur home and away. Since then
there have been trophies along the way, but they are better known for
their humiliating defeats at the hands of lesser opposition in cup
competitions at home (York, Wrexham, Millwall) and in Europe (Winterslag,
PAOK Salonika, Spartak Moscow). Indeed, they added to their infamous
European role of shame by losing last season's UEFA Cup final to
Galatasaray of Turkey in a penalty shoot-out.
Unfairly labelled a 'negative' and
'defensive' team, they seek to recapture the halcyon days of the 1930's
when the club was in the ascendancy. Ever since then, they have carried
the "Lucky" Arsenal tag, which they stole from Middlesbrough
Ironopolis just before they went out of existence. It is rumoured that a
horse and cart involved in the construction of Highbury, are interred
under the stadium, with their feet pointing upwards so the horseshoes
are the right way up. For several years a family of black cats resided
in the referee's dressing room, before a complaint to the FA made the
club remove them. The strong links with Ireland resulted from the club
sending representatives over to find a four leaf clover, but ended up
forging an association with Shamrock Rovers. The drafting of players
from the Emerald Isle was intended to allow some of the luck of the
Irish to rub off on the other squad members.
Since those days, their
formerly emerald eyes have strayed to the continent, from where Arsene
Winker has looked for young players to boost the squad.
Consequently, they have looked a cosmopolitan at home and poor away in
Europe. This culminated in a Champions League final defeat to
Barcelona, meaning they had lost in the final of each European
competition.
Overall, a team that is
much loved throughout the country and one that everybody loves to see do
well.
FAMOUS PLAYERS :- Willie Young,
Gus Caeser, Terry Neill, David Price, Canon B.O. Ring Esq., Malcolm
Webster, David Hillier.
FAMOUS FANS : - Jeremy Beadle
(TV Prankster), Melvyn Bragg (TV Presenter and author),
Rory McGrath (Comedian), Frankie
Dettori (Jockey), Aled Jones (child singer); David Miliband MP, Peter
Hyman MP.
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