Legends – Alex James
Feb 5th, 2013 by 'holic
Once again I am indebted to Darren for letting me reproduce my work for Arsenal-Land. I wrote this piece about the late, great Alex James five years ago. He was one of the players ‘holicdad held in huge regard and so was something of a legend for me too, even though I have only ever seen grainy images of him. I hope you enjoy it.
Alexander Wilson James was born in Mossend on 14th September 1901, the son of a railway worker. A small lad, he was destined to emerge from the steelworks he joined from school to become one of the finest inside-forwards the game has seen.
Considered by many to be too small to make the grade, James did not earn a professional deal until Raith Rovers signed him in 1922. In only his second season James was to score winning goals against both Rangers and Celtic as the Kircaldy club claimed fourth place in the Scottish top flight.
In 1924 James married Peggy, daughter of the Raith trainer Dave Willis, at a ceremony in Edinburgh. A year later the couple were off to Lancashire. James, keen to provide for his family joined Preston North End for a fee of around three thousand pounds, no small sum in those days.
At around the time James moved to Deepdale Herbert Chapman was taking charge at Highbury. The offside law was changed to favour the attacking side with the number of defenders required between the leading attacker and the goal being reduced from three to two. Creative inside-forwards, attacking midfielders we would call them today, would come into their own and few would outshine James.
In his four years at Preston the Lancashire club twice came close to promotion to the First Division. James was clearly the catalyst and it was no surprise when he was called up for the Scotland team that beat Wales 3-0 in 1925. His participation in the Scotland team at Wembley in 1928 established him as a supreme talent. The ‘Wembley Wizards’ destroyed England 5-1 and James scored twice.
Astonishingly he made just eight appearances for his country. In those days the clubs could refuse to release their players, and once Preston worked out they were a pale shadow without James they often refused to play ball with the Scottish FA. Relations between player and club soured, so when Herbert Chapman came calling in 1929 James was a willing convert to the Arsenal cause for a fee of £8750.
Chapman had struggled to replace Charles Buchan who had retired a year earlier. James was precisely the playmaker to bring trophies to Highbury, he reckoned, but the little Scot was looking for ‘inducements’ to move. Arsenal, reeling from the banning of Sir Henry Norris for alleged financial irregularities, came up with a novel solution. The new signing was employed by the department store, Selfridges, as a ‘sports demonstrator’.
James was not an immediate success at Highbury, and the crowd were soon on his back. Little did they know that Alex was carrying injuries from his treatment at the hands of second division defenders. In the new year James was dropped for the third round FA Cup tie with Chelsea and ordered to take two weeks bed rest.
After the fourth round tie at home to Birmingham had ended in a draw Chapman surprised James by calling on the Sunday morning. ‘On with your clothes and come to Brighton with the boys’. James played in the replay and Arsenal won 1-0. James left wing partnership with Cliff Bastin turned around the fortunes of both player and club.
At the end of that first season in London James and Arsenal found themselves in the FA Cup Final against Chapman’s former club, Huddersfield Town. The Gunners had never won a major trophy. At the pre-match lunch it is said that James hatched a plan with Bastin. The first attacking free-kick would see James pass to the winger who should return the pass for James to strike at goal. The plan raised a chortle from the rest of the team. A prolific goalscorer James was not!
Fifteen minutes in the plan was executed – to perfection. James had given Arsenal the lead. When the wee Scot set up Lambert for the second with just seven minutes remaining Arsenal clinched their first major honour. Just two years after destroying England at Wembley, James was once again the star of the show at the national stadium.
A year later and Arsenal became the first southern club to lift the Football League Championship. Determined to force Arsenal to circumnavigate the maximum wage of £8 per week the scheming James quit his job at Selfridges and told Chapman he would declare himself a free-agent. He had seriously misjudged the Arsenal manager.
By the time the 1931-32 season was about to start James fortunately found himself the beneficiary of an improved offer from Selfridges and of a ghost-written newspaper column. At the end of the season Arsenal were runners-up in both League and Cup, but James had missed the Cup Final through injury.
1932-33 saw James and Arsenal capture the first of three consecutive League titles as the Gunners set about establishing themselves as the greatest club side in world football. In the middle of that incredible run came the last fallout between manager and star player.
In November 1933 the injury-stricken playmaker was sent on holiday by his manager. It was not a luxury cruise, as James had thought, but on a cargo boat destined for Boulogne! In January 1934, however, Chapman passed away. James was as shocked as anyone.
By 1935-36 James was missing more and more games through injury. It wasn’t just the regular kickings he took that led his legs and ankles to swell almost constantly. He also suffered from rheumatism, and his trademark baggy shorts hid long johns designed to keep him warm. At the season’s end Arsenal won the FA Cup for the second time and as captain Alex proudly lifted the trophy. It was clear that the following season would be his last.
In retirement Alex wrote for the News of the World until the outbreak of war saw him serve with the Royal Artillery. He returned to journalism at the end of hostilities and rejoined Arsenal in 1939 to work with the youth team. It was a fitting appointment for the Liam Brady of his day.
Sadly, James was diagnosed with cancer in 1952. A year later he died, just a day before the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. Arsenal had lost the man who, next to Chapman, had been a founding father of the modern Gunners. It is a testament to his ability that he remains revered today by the offspring of those who witnessed him at his peak, those of us who have been force-fed wondrous tales of his achievements. I wish I had seen him.
380 Responses to “Legends – Alex James”
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First?
The Storey Dad’s favourite player. Thanks ‘Holic.
Third?
Baggy shorts!
Raith Blog is back?
written while the guv was opening a new case for bar…
from the last drinks:
ttg@327, if db10 could take that role it’d be magnificent. one of my primary critiques of our strikers is that they have, until very recently, shown little “touch” when shooting. they just banged and prayed; viz the ox’s saved shot from five yards…he had half the goal at his mercy, or at least a fat third, and he shot straight at the keeper.
that said, the hfb has a nice touch, and has excellent weight on his flicks and lobs, at least those that lead to assists, and is showing more and more the correct choices as to how to hit them. santi as well, though i am not as convinced. jack has shown flashes, and could develop into a lethal finisher if he used all the tools in his bag.
db10 had the most incredible touch on the ball for the goal. it never went in faster than it needed to, he so often chipped or lobbed, or looped balls over or around the keeper and/or defenders. his “100 best” (however many it actually is) is a masterclass in how to get the ball into the net past any number of the other team. i grant you that he might be too high a bar for anyone to ever actually *reach*, but can you imagine him working with someone from age 9-18 on how to use the weight of your ball striking as a precision tool? mouthwatering.
snir@345, i am glad i am not the only one. the book is the most disorganized, repetitive, bolshi book on a subject i’ve read in a long time. i am reading a book called “shop class as soulcraft”, which was expanded from a new york times magazine article into a book 2/3 as long as “superclub”…and it utterly suffers from expansion bloat.
the way that bloat feels while reading it is what makes me think the authors of “superclub” (a) don’t know how to write very well, and (b) had a couple of ideas and sold it to the publisher for a book-length advance, on the basis maybe of “gooner” articles…
*resists commenting on the last sentence of the blog*
the first time i became aware of arsenal, as a football club, was in 1977, when i was reading james herriot’s “all creatures great and small” and the other three subsequent books in the series. there’s a great little scene involving a woman and her cats:
“For instance, there the diversity of names she had for her cats. True to her London upbringing she had named many of the toms after the great Arsenal team of those days. There was Eddie Hapgood, Cliff Bastin, Ted Drake, Wilf Copping, but she did slip up in one case because Alex James had kittens three times a year with unfailing regularity.”
great to know more about the real alex, thanks ‘holic.
Cheap, Ollie. You aren’t Jackster
TTG senior’s favourite player too! When Dad saw George Eastham play brilliantly against Man U one day he told me that the greatest compliment he could pay him was that he played like Alex James. Latterly he conceded Brady was in the same class. As a young lad recuperating in hospital from a minor operation a nice old fella recounted many stories of James’s greatness. he must have been some player. i still remember a photo from Forward Arsenal in which he leaves several Man City players including Matt Busby in a confused heap on the ground.An image I have remembered for over fifty years.I may have this wrong but I thought he had a newsagent’s close to Highbury until his death . They kept the name above the shop for many years.
Legend is a misused term nowadays but this man surely was.
Thanks ‘Holic for this very nostalgic piece
Excellent stuff. A lovely evening read with a big mug of tea..
Sorry I meant to make it clear it was the photo you have shown’Holic.!
Scruzgooner
Love your points about DB10 – what a role model he would be!
James, Drake & Bastin with Chapman and Allison as managers. No wonder The Arsenal sides of the thirties were so successful.
Like you ‘Holic, I was infused with tales of these great teams as a littl’un.
Raising a glass here.
I’m sure Alex James got barred from the same pubs in Kirkcaldy as BtM – maybe even at the same time
heh ‘holic
It should also be mentioned that it was James, and not Eddie Hapgood, that captained Arsenal to three consecutive league titles as well as the FA Cup in 1936.
Perhaps BtM is Alex reincarnated, Dr.z?
Fine historical piece, Holic. Wha’s like him?
Interesting that our support seems not to have changed much in 80 years:
“James was not an immediate success at Highbury, and the crowd were soon on his back.”
heh zico @14.
@ 10Thundertinygooner
It was Bryn Jones that had the newsagent shop, in Green Lanes near Newington Green.
I’d seen that one before (I think) but an excellent read none the less ‘h.
£8 a week and he wouldn’t sign da ting? What a prima-donna.
The pies may have been a tad cheaper back then, Bath.
Then again, they didn’t have Piebury Corner.
Then again, meat back then was …errrr…. meat.
Heh! H2H.
He didn’t have a Maserati either.
Then again, Theo isn’t powered by pies.
Very nice piece ‘H.
I love that famous photo that you’ve used to augment your post. For a snapshot of bemused defenders, only the one of Maradona being eyed warily by about six Belgian players runs it close.
My Grandfather was a Preston man and watched him up there. Such was the inexorable pull of “wee Alec”, he followed Alex down to London and Arsenal about 3 years after Baggy Shorts made the journey.
Second only to Tom Finney in his eyes.
Whoops.
Always love the history lessons. Always learn something new and great about our club.
Also really like to hear the stories of generations of Gooners and what each father/ mother/ brother/ sister passes on to the next Gooners. I hope this carries on to my kids.
Cheers all.
Is the ref wearing a Crombie in that photograph?
Droog.
Great stuff ‘holic. Keep ‘em coming.
Looks like a crombie with a hoodie underneath.
Trend setter.
Nice one Holic.
Like the defender in the photo who has decided to put hands on hips and just watch AJ do his thing.
Holic,
Its truly a humbling experience to see you write about the history of the club and its place in your family. Its one of the fewer occasions in life that I get feel like the younger “grasshopper”…!
Thanks all.
Crombie, heh! That hit the chucklebutton
Thanks for the response N7 from the previous thread.
I didn’t expect my POV’s on this to be popular but isn’t that what makes this wonderful place go round..!
We agree on many things N7 and it would be hard not to agree with you considering the thoughtful and articulate posts you write on here.
I’ve given you my opinion on the RVP detail which has been re-iterated by the sweeper in the previous thread but just to address a few other points that I would differ with you, and some others on:
Some have suggested that the referee was potentially corrupt. Its an easy thing to say I feel. But its an awful slur and its without fact. I feel all referees deserve the benefit of the doubt, until proven otherwise. I was disappointed by the referees second yellow as much as the next person, but that doesn’t make him corrupt. Every weekend we see dodgy decisions (some of which are blatantly wrong) by referees who have to make split second calls without any technological or administrative support so I feel they’re an easy target at the best of times.
And yes, the football industry is deeply corrupt, as is your average multinational corporation, politics, religion…… But in every society, from the individual man doing his tax return, to the local school council, corruption is evident on every front if we’re prepared to look closely enough!
We may have “hung tough” with 11 men defending well but to then say we were “robbed” because we were down to 10 is a convenient reconciliation. And is it really realistic to say “we would have shown an ability to really defend and lock things down” when our general defensive abilities over the past 8 years have been very poor?
Your belief that somehow winning that tie would have been a “turning point” and that “certain key players might have given us a little more time” is of course your opinion but may I ask a few questions ?
Would Cesc have really stayed longer than the 8 years he already spent at the club if we won that game?
Would RVP have decided not to cash in on his one super season at the club and stand by the club that provided him with a platform to advertise his wares if we won that game?
They are the only really talented players that I feel we lost since that game. And I feel we lost them for different reasons than just loosing that tie.
The only sense of catharsis I tend to get looking back on games like that is to feel that at least now, we don’t have players in the squad who don’t want to be here……
Players who hung their heads and sulked when we needed them to stand tall….
Players who not only sold out the club and manager for money but insulted everyone in the process….
Thankfully, we no longer have “key individuals”, but a broader collective unit instead. There can be no denying we lost some highly talented players. But talent alone does not make a team….
I’m quietly confident about the current mix of players and what now seems to be the basis of Wengers fourth team. I think the omens are very good indeed.
Thanks ‘Holic. Great piece.
Nice one, ‘holic, an Arsenal legend (James, not you*) even I am not old enough to have seen in the flesh!
Oskar
* Give it 50 years and you probably will be
Well this piece reminds me of the one you did on the greatest goalie (you never saw). Very nice indeed. And that photo is priceless. Never give up.
Abb,
Don’t be fooled. That photo is a Photoshop of zico.
ABB … re your #341 in previous drinks … I was talking about the risks involved in resting players who are fit, not playing regulars who are injury risks. If AW knew, or suspected, Gibbs was injured he shouldn’t have started him. God knows who should have played LB, but until Nachos were added to our menu Gibbsy was a precious asset.
Then again he may have known Monreal (with cheese) was on his way, which would have minimised the Gibbs risk.
At this critical time of the season I believe we should start our best players in every game. Take them off early if all goes well, but let’s not get to three-quarter time in matches still chasing the game and hope bench players can pick up match pace in time to get us a result. I much prefer the way the Invincibles did it … score three times in the first twenty minutes and then sleep through the rest of the game.
No, this lot aren’t in that same league, but we’re still far more likely to score early goals when our best players start.
It’s also better for my heart.
Oskar
trev, zico’s in the crombie with the hoodie underneath?
Scruz,
I thought the same. It must be true.
TWO references to Raith Rovers on Goonerholic in one week! Who knew?
Very nice, Holic. I had a fear that the lunch time plot was going to involve a couple of glasses of something tasty. Glad to hear it turned out to be a tactics talk.
Footage of that James to Bastin To James goal, about 5 mins in
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LtZwjoG3B7Y
More James in this short clip of a 1935 FA Cup tie at Reading. Most notable bit is the goal keeper’s antics right at the end. Keepers had to bounce the ball every three paces then, and forwards were allowed to get at them.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JA01H5MQqzk
Thank you for this post, I hope we could rediscover our glory days
@ 37
On one of my better days, no doubt.
Dr T is also in the photograph, although difficult to distinguish. He is one of the two men erect (heh) at the back of the terracing on the right. Rumour has it, these 2 (could it be Dr C?) are discussing their over-priced season ticket, at one shilling.
I expect we will hear about it soon in a burst of unreasoned hostility.
Beautiful H. And also quite ironic, as tomorrow I am giving a speech in class about Herbert Chapman
.
From the previous drinks to Esso:
Esso – Whitcher and Fynn are the reason I stopped reading Arsenal -The Makings of A Modern Superclub in the middle.
I just couldn’t keep going. It was like reading a Steven Howard column in the sun about how we are shit ’cause we don’t buy. I’m sick of it.
I’ve always found the crazy passion for buying in the English leagues as funny since in different leagues (and different sports) the journalists challenge coaches to find the solutions from within and that is where I think the best are shown. A manager that can adjust in-game time (i.e second half adjustments to win the game) or in mid-season is much more valued in my eyes.
There are countless examples of teams that bought and sucked ass, but instead of finding that “supermarket approach” wrong, the journalists merely comment on how the players bought were the wrong ones and new players need to be bought.
Day 2 of new .con site: nope still don’t like it, still can’t get my head around it.
‘Holic the historyman. Top stuff ‘h, ta.
50cent.
Ollie you’re not alone in not been too keen on the new Pravda, it’s too complicated for my liking, it will take me a long time to get used to it.
Ollie, I must admit I don’t hate it quite as much as I did yesterday, so maybe all it takes is some getting used to but I still don’t like it. I also tried on my iPhone last night and it is, despite presumably being targeted for mobile devices, actually even worse there.
I just read something that reminded me about something i noticed during our game against the orcs; did anyone else notice that Per was very vocal and more physical in that game? His first clearance of the game around the half way line he nearly booted the Stoke player along with the ball back into the Stoke area, maybe it’s just the effects of playing against inbreds, maybe it was a one off thing but i hope someone has been drumming the importance of been physical and vocal into his giant ears.
Excellent read holic.
Can’t wait to read what BTM thought of him having stood on the terraces and cheered him on???
And did anyone else notice the striking resemblance in running style between Nacho and Hleb?
(well I know at least one person on twitter saw it too)
And Cent (and Wind), good luck for the game this afternoon
RIP Big Fella.
I’m devastated. Never actually got to meet him, was going to buy him a ticket to a game last season, but he couldn’t make it after all.
Also not having been able to go to Reading this season..
Thoughts with his family.
Wow – SG anti-tranny; it’s like finding out god’s an atheist and Stewart Robson knows what he’s on about.
Indeed Ollie. RIP Scott. Thinking of the family.
Condolances.
‘Holic, Ollie – Sorry to hear about your mate.
Hehs @ AL and Dr Z.
Thanks lads
Holic
Great piece – I would have loved to have seen him and the 30s side as well.
What is frustrating is that there’s no decent film footage of the team actually playing in that era.
That side really dominated English football in that decade – 5 titles during that period – awesome!
Ollie and Holic, sorry to hear that.
Zico @46, big heh.
Visits to the bar may be a bit curtailed for a while. The laptop crashed last night and, as yet, I have no idea whether something is broken or I have been hit by another virus.
I saw the words “crash dump” disappearing with a blue screen, and all I have now is a black screen with a weird sort of horizontal herring bone pattern in small green dashes.
Hard drive, virus, graphics card ??? Any ideas Ollie ?
Internet router, only still in use because the new one was problematic, also appears to have finally died today.
Out iPadding atm – after that, who knows.
Sorry Ollie,
missed the previous posts about your friend – not meaning to be disrespectful.
Too much porn I reckon Trev.
More boring than that Tabs – trying to do patient receipts at 12.45am !!!
Haha, a likely story
I, however, choose to believe you. I’m nice like that.
Cheers folks.
And Trev, yeah, suggestion: buy a new one.
More seriously though, I’d suspect a hardware problem rather than a virus.
I know nothing though, except I now seem to be in possession of your bank details :O
The official website managed to look even worse during the day.
Bravo. I wonder if it will put off people so much for buying tickets that these will become more accessible, heh
Well Tabs, it was a cock up of one kind or other. It really was the boring one.
Ollie,
You are welcome to my bank details, as long as you don’t try to pay off Lars’ tab.
Aha, iPading from home again.
My 9 year old daughter managed to get the router working!
Oh, the shame.
Heh Trev
haha x2, Trev!
Nice piece on the official site from Adrian Clarke about his debut …
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/-i-was-so-excited-i-wasn-t-nervous-
I was there that day and can confirm he had a very good game. Shame it didn’t work out for him in the long term as he would have wanted. Just goes to show that predicting successful careers for youngsters is hazardous at best.
Still, as he says, he got to play at Highbury for Arsenal. Not too shabby.
so maybe it was the website that killed trev’s computer. though it sounds like he’s got the right help at home to figure it out for him…get her a soldering iron!
and these folks think ollie and others who hate the new website are loony: http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/62051-arsenal-s-long-overdue-site-redesign-is-a-massive-improvement?utm_medium=feeds&utm_source=blog
That’s a very cool post ‘holic.
And, btw, NOT at all liking the new arsenal website.
oh, and all who knew big fella, my condolences. that really sucks.
tabs, that joy of the shortimer shows in karbassiyoon’s article, too. clearly, they’re infected with the disease that bleeds them red and white, forever.
Too much porn I reckon……
No such thing.
scruz, with a title like that, I won’t even gratify them with a hit.
Homer is my friend!
Lovely stuff H. Great reading.
ollie, i laughed when i saw it, and thougt of you.
i think the new site is hideous, and had the same queries about size, scrolling, and ease of navigation you raised in your first or second protest.
a drink’s on the bar for you.
Condolences…
Cheers, scruz.
Right, now to watch bit of Plasil, TR and Vydra against Turks
Oh also Krejci starts, nice to see, very promising left winger, 20 odd years old, good trickery a bursts of speed down the wing.
And also, condolences
TR-Darida-Krejci …1:0 czechs:)
Trev @66
Hardware problem for sure.
Graphic one, if you have discrete graphic adapter.
Ram or motherboard if you have integrated graphic adapter.
As for the James fella- never heard of him before as far as I remember, but it was pleasant reading. Thank you ‘Holic
the James fella…. ?
Heh, sacralidge.
Quiet today. Too bad it’s a mini interbull.
Cheers everyone.
Kicks the ball high in the air with no real target in mind.
I suppose drinks brimming up when England – Brasil kicks off NorCal
Or Nederland V Italy…..
But I doubt it.
In Ollie’s absence….
Giroud!
Sagna not starting tonight after all.
http://www.francefootball.fr/#!/news/2013/02/06/195925_debuchy-prefere-a-sagna.html
Well in Eandy.
Ah, he’s back. Glad that Bakary’s not starting, Ollie, he’s looked a little off the pace lately. Kos could do with the practice though, but needs to be careful. (fingers crossed)
Oh, I so nearly came back at the right time.
Thank you H2H.
And well in Eandy. But Giroud not Rosicky?!?!!!
I think fucking Del Boscunt will play Cazorla for 90: he’s still on the pitch after 60 minutes. Mata has been subbed. I suspect money has changed hands.
After all, the game is in Qatar.
Will dedicate today’s England game in memory of your mate, Scott. May God take him under his wing and look after his family.
anyone with aught but a dodgy stream?
Santi subbed in the 31st minute.
Phew.
And 1-0 to Ghana thanks to a dodgy penalty.
Allez Burkina. Hope you get your chance to play Wind and Cent’s boys in the final.
Saw this snippet and it got my thinking;
Arsenal’s head of youth development and former midfielder Liam Brady believes Gunners midfielder Jack Wilshere, 21, will become a renowned England player similar to Paul Gascoigne and Glenn Hoddle.
Full story: talkSPORT
Why would he do that?
Does he want him to be a drunk who dislikes the disabled?
A reincarnated wife-beater?
A diamond singer with Boys Aloud?
A faith healer in a distant rehab clinic?
A really crap manager?
A guy who might bring me some chicken?
To tell the truth, any of the above would be preferable to him turning out the worst thing those two were…..
A Sp*d.
found one. firstevents.us, ch4.html.
ACN here, scruz, then France vs Spain, all on a nice TV.
Saw that penalty Ollie, it was unbelievably soft.
Actually, Burkina vs Ghana won’t be over.
Which just goes to show(if there was any question…) that these senseless midweek friendlies are ALL about money.
I mean, surely, FIFA, in their desire to promote and sell their own competitions, wouldn’t allow meaningless friendlies to clash with official games, when these are the semi-finals of a massice Continental Competition, right?
Great save by Cesar !
I’m afraid that the ACon is a big of a waste of space as tonights friendlies.
I only realised today that there was a channel here showing the games. (Eurosport)
From the brief bits I have seen here and there, the stadiums look half empty, not a great advert for the game.
1-1 !
Well deserved equalisation.
Nice tackle by our Jack
Oh, Jack concedes a PK
Toothy grin to take 
Wow, Joe Hart saves x2 !
I have to admit I have not been impressed by the quality on show in this edition for the bits that I’ve seen, H2H. Not to mention the quality of some of the pitches like the one they’re playing a semi-final on right now.
But I think it means a lot to Africans, obviously.
But like the Copa America, I think us Europeans don’t give much of a fuck about it and it looks like just an annoyance.
abb :
117 : good
119 : bad
Ollie, Wish you could see this match. Many of my favs from Brazil out there
http://www.francefootball.fr/#!/news/2013/02/06/201937_sagna-et-sissoko-sont-bien-titulaires.html
Sagna starts.
Yes indeed,Ollie, the pitch looked terrible. And you’re probably right about the value we place on those tournaments.
Jack doing some good stuff.
Excellent through ball to Wellback, who completly wanked it over.
Rooney scores ! Great work from Jack
And Feo
Jack bossing it out there, truly!
Yes H2H, good runs and cut ins by our Theo
Theo firked by QPR’s keeper
Bollix! Great big smelly hairy ones.
Heh @ 129
Ned 1- 0 Ita
Ohhhhhhh, great cross from Oscar to Neymar.
Probably the most interesting thing with the Wales / Austria match could be the commentary. Playing for the Austrians is Ivanschitzer whilst on their bench there is Fuchs and,especially for Wolfie, Baumgartlinger
Condolences for the passing of Scott…thoughts are for his family at this time.
Lovey bit of play from Oscar into the box. Lively lad, giving our Ashley probs.
Our Ashley?
Come on nursey!
Fire cracker from Theo, Cesar saves !
It’s Ca$hely Hole, he’s a v.decent ‘baller and he’s a total see you next Tuesday.
Brazil England.
Exellent double save by Hart.
Theo getting involved.
Wilshere looks lively.
Neymar looks like he came from a Kagagoogoo concert.
Not Too shy, then, H2H
Hush hush!
hehs.
Oscar vs Cuntley? Clash of shins, both broken please.
Heh! @ 80s pop mirth, we see eye-to-eye.
Oscar is exactly the type of player that should be at The Arse.
Wilshere & Theo both looking really good and working really hard too.
Sub them please Woy, we need points on Saturday.
Multiple heys
Now here is what I want to see. Jack, Theo, Neymar, and Toothy Grin all to score 
Eurgh, TS. Oscar looks like a cunt and plays for Cuntski. Perfect where he is. I hate him.
Oh my word. Level now, yep!
Cahill, what a twat,
Almost a brace!
I’m sorta conflicted cause I want a wonderful game 
Looks like a very promising player though, Ollie. Expertise in see you next Tuesday-ness is a pre-requisite on your CV for any job at Chel$ea.
The guy sitting next to Big Phil Scolari must be taking time off from raiding villages along the Rio Grande.
That’s some ‘tauche.
OK, that’s two (almostish) assists from Feo.
Him and Jack off please Woy.
FFS Hodgson, it’s time to take Theo and Jack off.
Fuck me.
Disallowed goal for Burkina, possibly understandable.
Miraculous goal-line clearance, fair enough.
But Pitroipa fouled in the box, and instead of a penalty, he gets sent off for a second yellow?
Will miss the final too if they go through.
Burkina FAso, playing their second 120minutes in a row, fully deserve to win this.
May now go out on penalties.
Fuck you, shit referees (just biased? Or corrupt?)
Lovely stuff from Neymar !
Damn. Sounds like I am missing some entertaining games.
Ah well. Have to pay the bills.
There’s a joke to be made about bills and quacks.
You got that right Ollie.
I’m the quack that pays the bills. Stupid stupid stupid.
Looks to me like Theo is carrying that earlier knock from QPR’s keeper. He seemed to be hobbling a little and went straight down the tunnel.
Can we have a sub for Jack as well please?
Although to be honest it looks like most players have taken it upon themselves to start resting even if they are still on the pitch. Not much running at all being done.
TS, I saw that worrying hobble too.
Neymar working so hard to create something.
There you have it. Stewart Robson, ” Jack best player 1st half and Neymar, 2nd half ”
I think H2H worked his magic: this was somehow a great advert for football (if not for refereeing).
Burkina go through on penalties, well deserved (some awful penalties from Ghana).
Will be badly missing Pitroipa in the final (unless second yellow is rescinded), but after twice 120 minutes, you’d have to think they’ll be too knackered anyway.
You’re welcome Ollie.
Heh, I hear that Capoue fucked up for a German goal? :s
Can they rescind a yellow card? I nthought only a straight red could be appealed!?
It’s interlull time and for those who prefer to ignore my usual self-indulgent twaddle, I would suggest you give this one a body-swerve too.
I have wondered, on many an occasion, is my passion for Arsenal, irrational?
Well, when it comes to football, I guess most of us are tainted with that streak of irrationality. Hornby wrote the definitive piece on it in Arsenal colours and a lot of his script resonated strongly with me (although I’m sure I recognised more of myself in his second book, High Fidelity). Modern football (and modern footballers) are so far detached from the reality of my daily toil, it makes no sense for a mature adult, such as myself, to spend so much time agonising over every item of minutiae concerning a football club who strut their collective stuff 450 miles from my front door.
But I do.
Arsenal’s medical team cannot cure my ills anymore than Kroenke can pay my bills. Sagna’s contract negotiation is more uppermost in my mind than my own pay review. Arsene’s furrowed brow and his sleepless nights become my own sleepless nights. I worry about the health of a highly paid successful man I will probably never meet.
Irrational.
I wasn’t born in nearby Finsbury Park or raised in the Liberal hallways round Islington. My childhood games of football, jumpers for goalposts, had few imaginary Arsenal wannabes in either side – more liable to have 5 Jim Baxters and even more Jimmy Johnstones. Arsenal were only vaguely in my consciousness, principally due to “Shoot” and those infernal cardboard league ladders, issued just before the start of each season.
I started to really pay attention when a certain Ray Kennedy became a feature on Match of the Day (those of you who know me personally will have worked out the simple connection that made him my first Arsenal hero). Everything changed a few years later, though, one night in the Hope and Anchor. One beer too many on a Friday night saw me pitch up at Highbury the next day and I was hooked : (a story for The Tollington for those unlucky enough not to have suffered it already). But I wasn’t born to it.
I didn’t receive generations worth of Arsenal lore at the knee of a parent like the Holic dad. My history lessons are kindly provided in sporadic snippets like the splendid post above. The modern age allows me to back fill further through DVD and YouTube, and when I get really hungry for a diet of pure Arsenal nostalgia there is the excellent Arsenal Collective.
I trawl the web, social and print media, and anywhere else that they peddle trivia, in the search for “Arsenal stuff”. I go further, I even peek in on international football. I hate international football these days and I especially hate the friendly fixtures with all the potential his has to disrupt our cosmopolitan squad. But there’s the chance to watch Theo and Jack. There’s the Arsenal connection and tonight I went as far as watching England and found myself wanting them to win.
Totally irrational.
Apparently it’s happened before for an Egyptian player, H2H.
Nice to see Burkina Faso make the final (plus they deserved it), in a footballing world which we often decry for an increasing lack of surprises, it’s always good to see the underdog have their day (unless that underdog is playing us anyway *sobs*).
Heh@irrational zico
Great stuff Zico.
—
Cheers Ollie, I did not know that.
===
Let’s keep everything crossed that Feo is okay for the weekend trip.
How good was Jack!? He was everywhere. Prepare for media tongue in hole overload.
Panic attack. I didn’t watch the game but some French bloke on twitter just said Kos was subbed because of calf-injury.
SQUILLACI time! :s
Goodnight from me, I’ll be having nightmares.
Of all the things I needed to read tonight z, that was it.
Bad fucking day.
You have lifted me from a very dark place.
Ollie, if that is the case I’d rather think Arsene would choose to play Monreal centrally with Santos at left-back.
Sorry to hear about your day ‘H.
Just give me a shout through the back channels if I can be of any REAL help.
Zico,
Many of the pleasures in life are irrational.
Ivana has accused me of loving Arsenal more than her. I mean that’s just silly….. Who said I ever loved her?
(Oh, and if she ever comes in the bar, I will deny it all. )
Cheers.
Have a drink on me ‘holic, sounds like you need one.
Lots of hehs.
Scruz @82 Indeed. Great to see.
H2H @108 Haha
Dr Z @165 – Great stuff.
Both Theo and Jack outstanding tonight. Hope Kos is alright.
Any Burkina boys out there tonight, congratulations and well played.
Hope all is well ‘H.
Ah yes. International friendlies and we end up with 3 injured players.
Hope Theo is just bruised. Kos and Rambo both also injured for free. Thanks FIFA.
I thought Ramsey didn’t play at all because he had a calf injury on the eve of the game.
Charlie you are correct. He didn’t play today but he was away on international duty when he came up laim. Could have happend at Arsenal , it’s just interesting that we lose 3 players who are away playing friendlies.
Maybe they will be fine. It’s just par for the course that we lose a few players while playing international games.
Sounds like Jack was the man tonight.
Gawd, i hope this Hope of Nation stuff is not heaped upon him. Er … heaped further upon him. Oh ….
zico @ 165 bravo sir. Bravo.
Norcal at 174 – LOL! Got me with that one.
Sunderland away is no easy fixture. I hope the boys are up for it after another infernal @*&!%+@ friendly. And I mean that in the most ‘friendly’ way.
Oiy … right, right. Door is thataway!
Thanks again.
One for Snir …
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/9853955/Arsenal-manager-Arsene-Wenger-planning-summer-move-for-Toulouse-midfielder-Etienne-Capoue.html
I saw that
Nice piece Zico. No surprise to see that beer gave birth to your irrationality…….and help sustain it from then onwards.
So, three players injured in meaningless friendlies. Surely it must have been obvious that this would happen, and yet we didn’t buy 17 ready-made replacements during January. Don’t tell me they weren’t available. Wegnar out!
Night all.
H2H @108 – hehs!
zico @165,
grateful here that my mum and dad didn’t call me Hamilton
Sorry to hear you had such a bad day Holic.
lurky, thanks for the computer advice.
hoping that around 2,500 of last year’s non-backed up photos can be rescued by someone
‘Interesting / sickening’ that ITV commentators were making such a big deal of the fact that McPurplenose had told Hodgson not to play his players for 90 minutes as they have important games at the weekend.
Sure enough, Cleverly and Wellbeck both subbed second half while Jack and Theo left on.
Only saw the second half but Jack looked a class apart – as usual.
Blimey! Oxon’s joined the BBB. Noone is safe
Nice one at #108, H2H. Especially the spud comment!
Oskar
Hope it is darkest before the dawn, ‘Holic. Bar here for you, as ever.
Zico, if support was rational we’d all just be propping up bridges.
Just seen the Pitroipa second yellow. Ridiculous decision. Clear contact.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbwIBX4Go-c
Even more ridiculous than the penalty given against Jack at Wembley.
Look on the bright side of life, folks. What with the Monreal signing we aren’t faced with the prospect of playing a back four comprised half of Squillaci and half of Santos. Small potatoes, I know.
half should be one-fourth? Fractionally challenged here.;)
Heh @ 185
You should be verygrateful.
Heh Ned @ 190
Or breasts.
I can’t believe some of the sycophantic comments I’m reading on our CEO’s blog who’s just announced he is leaving in May.
Morning all.
Pre-assist, Alex Hleb style…
As long as I don’t hear ‘two to three weeks’, I’ll be hopeful on Koscielny.
Back in action like Roddy Piper?
Just popped in to say wonderful blog Holic. It’s blogs like this one that caused me to start frequenting this bar. Great stuff :8
Well in CoR!
And thanks Lars, that pre-assist was just timely for me to do the usual business
I realised I should have added ‘Blimey’ in my previous post.
Thanks Ollie! Purely coincidental my timing of getting in the box
(And why do I suddenly sound like Yoda?)
Gotta run though, these meetings never stop!
Morning All,
All on the radio speaking of LJW as world class, Theo as unstoppable when he makes the right decisions, etc. etc.
Yet to hear a single word about Arsene Wenger’s role in developing these players. The same Arsene Wenger who, eight years ago, was single handedly destroying the national team.
Clive,
Any recent word from GoonerTerry ?
Holic – here’s to a better day. ;
Trev: Forgive me. I was tempted by the dark side. Wegnar in!
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/byrne-named-ireland-player-of-the-year
The story is 5 lines-long, but I can’t see it without scrolling.
All I can see is Emma Byrne’s picture. Ha!
Well that’s all right, I’m posting it for ‘holic
Fantastic post zico @165. I look forward to the rest of the story.
Hope things get better for you Holic.
Morning All
Ollie @ #197 – Careful. An ITK or a meeja eejit might wander in here, see you post and start spreading twit-rumours that Ivan is orf.
Have a good day!
Zico @ 165.
Great post. Much of what you say resonates on so many levels..!
Trev @ 205:
Seconded, but at least some people can see the role Wenger has played !
*your* not *you*
PS: Chin-up ‘H
Trev @ #186 – I winced at that lame piece of commentary too. My immediate thought was, so it’s only Manure that have ‘big games’ coming up? W*nkers.
zico – Quite possibly the first person of Scottish descent wishing for an England victory at Wembley. Bravo sir!
Dropped in on some of the “anti” blogs this morning and they’re in absolute turmoil.
Clearly unsure whether to praise Wilshere and risk some reflected glory accidentally finding its way to Arsene, they appear to be hedging their bets with a position of “he wasn’t all that good and anyway he’ll be at City soon enough”.
What is with modern football fans?
I think we probably have to forgive the Utd fans their Cleverley thing. After all, it’s been a fcuking long time since their club produced a top class young player – they’ve probably forgotten what one looks like.
Tabs – love the link. It paints a very rosy picture of our future: a side built around a handful of exciting British talents, all signed on long term deals and headed by the most scintillating young midfielder in Europe, supplemented with smart signings (and the actual spending of some fucking money).
That’s a recipe I can really get behind, and very glad to hear that Capoue might be on the menu.
As has been said many times, if we can just get through this season, hold what we have and spend a sensible amount this summer then things could get interesting next term.
Jack, Theo, et al will be a year older and wiser, the three new lads fully settled in and ready to rock and roll in their second seasons (Giroud, in particular, has the potential to be an absolute superstar), and an end to the cloud of uncertainty that has hung over the club these last couple of years.
I’ll drink to that. Line ‘em up on the sunny side barman, and stick ‘em on my tab.
heh TS at 209
I was wishing for Brazil to win.
I think it would take at least 6 Arsenal players playing for England for me to go back to supporting them.
Think overall I’m off International football. Well I used to support Holland but can’t now
I’ll stick to hopeless Denmark. And the Czechs, of course.
Well Ollie, Engerland are nearly 83.3333333333333 per cent there.
How very Gallically cruel of you to specify one more
Mmmm… ‘nearly’ probably a gross exaggeration.
http://www.football365.com/f365-says/8477253/F365-Says
Yes, I still think they are rubbish and that the very cheap pop at Wenger at the bottom of the article is a disgrace.
Just to clarify the post @ 165 and the response generated in #213:
It all reverted to type when I saw Theo hobbling off the park.
Well that and every time Ashlec Hole was within sight of the camera….
Thanks again all.
Mind well and truly occupied today. I am busier than Alisher Usmanov’s PR guy…
And So It Begins
Mediawatch was quietly impressed with the way England played on Wednesday night. Well, the bits we saw – we were doing a crossword. Still, beating Brazil in a friendly is decent, isn’t it? And Jack Wilshere was good, in the moments we saw while mulling over a tricky 16 across, right?
Of course, we are not so silly as to project this mild satisfaction to anything further than a good friendly win. This has, after all, happened quite a few times in the past. England have beaten Spain, Italy and Germany relatively recently, only to collapse like a badly made flan when it mattered.
All of this probably means England are one of the seven or eight best teams in the world, doesn’t it? A solid quarter-final team. This is a theory not plucked from the air but based on the FIFA rankings (leave it) and, more importantly, recent tournament experience.
Still, the papers have a narrative to create, and what better way to create that narrative than subtly/not-so-subtly build up the England team to be better than the ‘top seven or eight’, only to give it the full ‘You let your country down’ when England don’t win the World Cup.
The Sun are at it this morning, obviously – Charlie Wyett writing that ‘Roy Hodgson hailed his heroes’ after the win. Just make a note of that word again – heroes. Their word, not Hodgson’s. For winning a friendly game.
The Daily Mirror reports the win was a ‘famous victory’ and go big with Frank Lampard’s post-match quotes that England can ‘beat anyone on our day’, which, as a statement, is utterly redundant as it’s literally true of any football team ever. As long as there are 11 players with 22 legs between them, of course it’s theoretically possible for one football team to beat another. The Daily Telegraph even get in on it, proclaiming that this ‘new generation suggest they can match the best’ – where have we heard that before?
Of course, none of the papers have actually stated that they expect England to win the World Cup. Even they’re not that stupid. But it’s creeping. Effusive praise of an essentially meaningless victory today, blood and thunder and go and tell the king that the sky is falling in tomorrow. Welcome to the great English press everyone, it’s great.
Now, four across, ‘Passed through a screen (6)….’
heh, love it
@221 – But hopefully not as bent ‘H?
Sorry, that was meant to be from Wolfie!!
Heh Ollie
@221.
Just be happy you’re not the guy who has to make his grub.
A good day to one and all.
N7, dontcha just love those “anti” blogs. Don’t dare look myself – Doctors orders. Good to hear they’re in turmoil though.
Certainly lovin’ your picture of the future. In fact I’ve just sorted out next season with Snir and Dr C on twitter.
Ins – Capoue as DM and “4th” Centre half. Jovetic as our pricey striker. Bellerin promoted as understudy to Jenks. Reserve keeper.
Outs – The permanently unfit (AA and Santos), Djourou, Rosicky (yeh I love him too but difficult to see where he fits in, and on the basis of one in one out), Sagna (?).
Good to go. Over to you Arsene.
I only ever read two gunner blogs, this one and Arseblog. I searched for quite a while throughout the blogosphere, visiting many, many sites, but these two were (for my taste) far and above the best. I did the arses for a while (easy Wolfie), but they went a bit too quickly for me (at the time I could hardly type), I remember one time when Ollie (yes our Ollie) lost his passport and I tried to explain to him that I’d also lost mine and how he could best go about getting a new one and where the British Consulate was in Paris Nord and how to get there, it took me bloody ages, only to find out he wasn’t British.
I stuck to the drinks after that.
H2H – Haha
Yogi is also worth a read. Very good imo.
Snap H2H. I rarely sally further than here and arseblog without a recommendation from here or there. Though I do still hit the arses – an equally convivial group to here, very simpatico, though perhaps somewhat less analytical, intellectual and off the wall than the Holics. Until recently when blogs demanded a log-in to post, it was also visited by too many pseudo-supporters.
Strangely I’ve never seen Wolfie loitering around the arses.
All a bit frenetic for me Bath.
I like my arses to be bigger, slower, and more accessible!
heh H2H, that rings a bell
Heh.
Bath, I did matchdays there for a while a few seasons ago, but I got fed up with the abuse of the players and the “in fighting”.
Nowadays, it’s straight to the drinks, quick butchers on the Arseblog of the day and straight back to the bar.
Art mirroring life.
Just about back drunk and time to go again.
Tabs @227, (Snir and Dr C)
Hate to give you indigestion after lunch but don’t forget, in the “outs” column, that we still have Squillaci, Bendtner and Denilson to get rid of.
It comes as no surprise to me that young Jack stole the show against Brazil.
I’ve been saying for a long time here that I genuinely think he’s been the most important player we’ve signed over the past 5 years, (and the next 5 for that matter!), despite the speculation about others.
Like Cesc, he’s a talent that you can build a team around. Except this is his home. And like Cesc too, I genuinely don’t think he’s motivated entirely by money – so I feel he’s here to stay so long as we don’t take that for granted. There’s just something refreshing and honest about his entire attitude that refuses to be corrupted by the hype and baggage that comes with the pretenders.
May I also say as someone looking in from across the pond, that I think the appointment of Roy Hodgson has been a very shrewd move. Understated, calm, thoughtful and deliberate…….and I think those qualities transfer effectively onto the field too. England have talent both on and off the field this time around – and I feel its a potent mix that will yield rewards..!
Yep, already think of them as good as gone Trev. Squillachi out of contract this summer? Not sure how long Denilson and the Prince of Denmark have got left.
H2H – Another heh
Joe – not sure it will “yield results”, but agree with you on Hodgson – decent Manager, decent bloke.
As for Jack, his talent is frightening.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/-jack-was-clearly-the-star-of-the-show-
Slightly intrigued about this, at least the Copyright at the bottom, if you see what I mean.
Apparently it’s just a ‘best of blogs’ feature on .con.
But the site is so badly designed you can’t see how things fit….
Certainly a strange one Ollie!
Surprised they published at all given how Blogs (rightfully) lays into Pearce.
tabs/Trev: Squillaci’s contract is up this summer, while Denilson and Bendtner have one more year to go. There has been talk of whatever club it is that Denilson is playing for buying him in the summer, but that was a while ago so maybe their interest has died down.
Tabs,
I guess you can only give yourself the best possible chance. How many times in the past have England teams had a decent pool of players and a poor manager? (McClaren, Capello, Sven Go-and-Leg-over-some……)
There’s less hype about this England team, a greater sense of unity and don’t look now but you’ve just beaten Brazil…!!
Cheers Lars.
All very true Joe. As long as Terry isn’t on the plane to Brazil I’ll be right behind them!
Lars, since he’s still playing regularly for them, I’d think Sao Paulo are still interested. After that, well, it’s all about money really.
Got round to checking the Results Page on the new side.
Again a resounding ‘NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!’.
Blogs the company man now?? What if there is some tasty language in the blog? Heh
Any news on Kos’ injury? And how long is TV5 out for? We need them to be fit for the crucial week ahead
Harsha, 3 weeks for Kos (blogs). AFC team news doesn’t mention his injury (yet). A ‘maybe’ for TV this Saturday (fingers/eyes crossed)
Anyway, hi everyone 
Zico @ 165; as corny as it may sound, I really like the way you express your love for our Arsenal 
3 weeks? Fuck, that’s two months then, see my 199
Umm, This is so off topic…anyone got any funny stories to share about Leeds’ fans. If you do and are so inclined, please share them here! I befriended one of them on twitter
and I need some ammo, just in case 
OH Ollie, I know, I know…:(
‘holic: the shares collapsed in the afternoon (despite no new announcements), markets (ended up doing -5% or so for the day while it was doing +10% this morning).
They’re all cunts.
Tabs @241
The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of The Arsenal Football Club PLC or its associated companies (“Arsenal”). Arsenal is not responsible for, and accepts no liability in respect of, the content of external websites
Even if Blogs had said that he was a butt munching, sword crossing, cock smoking twat spanner, the above disclaimer pretty much exonarates them.
I forgot to add a –
Abb, now that’s a juicy one …
- First successful in the sixties, so basically Johnny-come-latelys.
- Came to be known as “Dirty Leeds” for their physical approach (think Stoke and then add some), and their utter gamesmanship – backchat to Refs, time-wasting, diving – all relatively new in the Sport at that point.
- They were managed by “Dodgy” Don Revie. Rumours have long circulated about how he used to give Refs and opposing players back-handers. His corruption confirmed by our own Frank Mclintock who he tried to bribe and by Gary Sprake, the then Leeds keeper, who is now Persona Non Grata at Leeds for breaking ranks.
- Sacked Brian Clough after 44 days. Leeds went down, Clough went on to win 2 European Cups with Forest.
- Have gone into Recievership on at least 2 occasions.
- Elland Rd is one of the most unpleasant places to go to in the Western Hemisphere because of their “welcoming” fans.
- Current Chairman is Ken Bates, one of the top five cunts in English football. He wanted Electric fencing put up at Grounds in the Eighties.
- They sold Eric Cantona to Man Utd thereby handing them a period of dominance on a plate.
- They are managed by Neil Warnock, another top five cunt.
- Previous managers include Dennis Wise. Yep, you guessed it, another top five …
That should be enough for you to be getting on with. I don’t like them
Interesting article on the match fixing and how sports are at the mercy of the ‘holic pound.
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8924593/match-fixing-soccer
H2H @253
I don’t think that Disclaimer does get them out of gaol. Disclaimers are generally useless if they are too vague or too wide. If you publish something, then you have to take responsibility for it.
That’s how Robert Maxwell got away with his misdemeanors for so long – by not just threatening various publications but also anyone who circulated those publications, including local corner shops even down to the poor little paper boy. The only one who ever called his bluff was Peter Cook at Private Eye, principally because he was pissed!
I’m not saying the article is libellous. Calling someone a “nincompoop of the highest order” is standard knockabout fare.Of course, in this instance Arsenal also have truth on their side, a Defence to any claim.
Still surprised that they chose to publish though. Presumably they have to cultivate some sort of relationship with Pearce, and I doubt that this would do much good to that end. Perhaps they’ve been tipped the wink that he’s yesterday’s man.
Ah H2H, I didn’t see your
first time around! 
abb.
Tabs covers it well.
He forgot that Neil Warnock is an anagram of Colin Wanker.
Plus, this was a Leeds fan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-0K_JLiQxA
heh tabs @ 255, brought back memories, and a smile to my face
Darts night!!!
Enjoy your evening all.
Heh H2H, your vid somehow led me here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqrjm62gKnA
mad Jens, brilliant TR and Jan Koller forced to go in to goal, awesome 
tabs@255, in reply to abb,
Weren’t Leeds actually prosecuted/fined for bribing West Brom who they were playing in an end-of-season game in which they had to avoid defeat to win the title? Very, very vague memories here, but I’m fairly sure about West Brom so probably not a complete figment of my imagination. Maybe it was just attempting to bribe.
Hi Oxon,
The only Leeds vs West Brom game I can think of that you might be referring to was at the end of the 70-71 season. No bribery involved as far as I’m aware, Leeds lost. They lost to a hotly disputed “offside winner”.
Ref’s name was Ray Tinkler, which has stuck in my mind for obvious reasons. In a more innocent age Barry Davies uttered the immortal line “Leeds fans are invading the pitch, and they have every right to do so!” on MoTD when the winner went in.
Because of that pitch invasion, Leeds had to play a number of “home” games on a neutral ground at the start of the following season. Leeds fans have therefore argued (with no justification) that Tinkler didn’t just cost them one League Championship, he cost them two.
Maybe that’s what you are thinking of?
Probably on YouTube. I’ll try and dig it out.
There you go …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBhpJZJ8O6U
NorCal 256, haha, he’s such a poor fixer these days :p
Although perhaps the CL game investigated was Arsenal vs Shaktar?
Heh Bath
tabs 257: I think their reasoning was that the website is so badly designed nobody would ever find that post there anyway
Just had a look at that Leeds game – hilarious. Paul Reaney sideburns me up!
Got the Barry Davies quote wrong “Leeds fans are going mad, and they have every right to do so”. Close, but no cigar.
Bremner gets away with an elbow (he actually gets the free kick) that would see him banned for a couple of months now!
I was at the film “Oliver” that day with my mum, a disgruntled 6 year old cos the old man had taken himself off to Highbury alone to watch Charlie George drill one home against Newcastle and I think go top of the League for the first time with three games to go.
Still, managed to sulk my way into being allowed to stay up to watch MOTD for the very first time.
Charlie banging one in at the North Bank AND picking up a Newcastle defender by the throat. Gotta love that!
Ollie – yeh you’re probably right there!
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/afobe-to-join-millwall-on-loan
There was clearly not much to read into Adobe being recalled apart from ‘it didn’t work at Bolton for him’.
How much are you getting for the subliminal advertising Ollie?
tabs@264: yeah, that must have been the one. I think I heard, or imagined, some story that Leeds had tried throwing some money around to ensure the “right result”, but WBA had refused and were so peed off that they turned around and played out of their skins to pull off a win.
On the other hand, I’ve always had a fertile imagination.
COYG
Heh
Ollie, re my 272.
Is it more comprehensible if I say it’s a PostScript to yours @271. Should I mention an Acrobat? It’s a P(retty) D(amn) F(ine) pun, IMHO. Do you re-Reader your posts before clicking submit? (I wish I did more often).
Sheesh, my 272 wasn’t that witty to begin with but after explanation, it’s wafer thin.
COYG
Quick skim above – Tabs, nice Pearcey post up there.
So, if Stuart “all about me” Pearce thinks this U21 Tournament is so important, here is an idea:
Why doesn’t Roy Hodgson, as the manager of England, take the team containing these senior international players to the tournament and leave Pearce to look after the U17′s while they are gone.
If it’s important enough to take players from the senior side then, logically, they should take the senior manager.
Wonder what old gobby would say to that ?
Hey Oxon,
I bet that Adobe is a flash player.
Oxon,
Tabs is absolutely right that in the particular case you quote Leeds were hard done by but as they were the progeny of Satan and spent their time baiting referees and inflicting GBH on the opposition with their loathsome manager Don Revie whinging all over the place noone gave a toss.
Interestingly although they had a number of assassins in their side Frank McLintock reckons by far the dirtiest player in their side was Johny Giles a man who made the over the top tackle a major part of his amours. Giles was a superb player but was infected by the meanness of spirit that the whole side had. Although they beat us in 1972 in the Final at Wembley they missed out on the double two days later and lost the following season to Sunderland. But I have forgiven them much after knocking the scum out of the FA Cup in Round 4,
Oxon,
Sorry the ipad has struck again! I meant armoury. There was never any amour between our Frank and Johnny Giles!
TTG, while the iPad was letting you down, the oxonEyes were letting me down. Completely missed the unfortunate reference to a liaison between Frankie and Johhny.
Major heh @Trev
heh Oxon, I had to re-read myself to realise. Heh at making puns out of it.
And then, of course Trev wins the internet at 277.
Hat well and truly off.
I know, sickening isn’t it. I should have listened to my mother: “Never cross swords with the punmeister.”
Oh you fellas came through for me!
Gonna read ‘the dish’ right now! Thank you.
Total confidence in Squillaci if he plays on Saturday. He is like a new signing. Gervinho too ( best striker in Africa). Montreal is just like a new signing too.Im bursting with confidence .
Heh Trev, it continues to baffle me how Pearce can continue to hold down such an important post when he constantly comes up with such moronic drivel.
Ttg – We’ve knocked Dirty Leeds out of the Cup six times since that ’72 Cup Final. I think we’ve achieved payback. Hope we get ‘em in the next round!
You’d think the iPad would know we’ve just signed someone called Monreal and not a Canadian city. Technology eh!
Tabs- too true.They only have to see off Citeh away.
Haha indeed Ttg!
Did you hear ttg? They’re introducing a new way to communicate with the deaf? Hard to describe, it’s like a new signing.
That would be handy.
Trev
Delighted to report that Gooner Terry was quite chipper when i heard from him a couple of days ago.
He is up and about a lot more these days,but what ails him is not going away anytime soon.
So all we can do is keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.
He and I are not quite of the same vintage,but near enough to have many a long chat/laugh/giggle about what we both term,
The Good Old Days.!!
GT and I are both confident we will be having plenty more chats in the future.
Cheers
The Sweeper.
Great news Sweeper.
Thanks Clive, great news. Please pass on my best wishes.
Was a bit worried as I sent him a second email a long time ago now and had never had any response.
Thanks for the news Sweeper.
Same here Trev.
dunno whether i need a shit or a haircut
-
decisions !
Thanks for that Clive. Trev, drop him a line, trust me it will put a smile on his face. Just remember he has his trusty bat
Tabs, I want you to know that I was so taken with that video, I mailed it to myself! What a game, the player running into the chairs, the poor goal keeping, ‘That Goal’, the fight 
Man oh man, really top stuff 
ttg, may I quote you ? 
H2H, Yes, your vid, I remember that incident but had forgotten it was a Leed’s fan. He was caught and charged. Oxon, thanks for your input as well. I just have to figure out whether their fans like the Dirty Leeds tag (badge of honour) 
Lob
as usual
like a bumbling ape taking a scratch
.
i didn’t read around
goonerT
top top man
Great news, Sweeper!
Well in for the goal, cba!
i appear to have scored
yup
in yer king tubby face !
Top goal cba. Impeccable assist from impec1
howdy lars
thanks
it was an intricate operation
but i can’t take all the credit
others help
300 glory huntin’ c**ts
howdy ollie
i think we both know
anyhoo
off to kimmage to scare the chickens
Good news about GT. Please send him my best as well.
Night all.
COYG
Home from a golf meeting. Hello all.
The Leeds bribery scandal concerned their game with Wolves two days after they beat us in the Cup Final in ’72. A win for them could have secured the title. Same for Liverpool who were at our place.
Both games ended drawn and Derby, who had completed their games and were on holiday in Spain, won the League without kicking a ball.
If memory serves…
cba,
great to see you back young man
Sweeper, thanks.
You are a top fella, and so is Tel.
about BigFella?
holic
hey ho
Wilko on the zPod, beer in my belly, the world and I are at one.
*Glass raised to GoonerTerry*
See you holics through the dreary eye of sobriety in the morning……
Rollmopped
Biggie passed away on Tuesday morning.
Don’t mind admitting it has hit harder than it should have done.
Mortality, it’s a cunt…
Well maybe when the timing feels right…you fellas might want to reminisce about your friend . Anyway thanks again, everyone who shared their thoughts about Leeds. You see, for someone like me, who has never had the experience of mingling with fans from other clubs, well I feel like I have missed out on the fun. But I do know how it feels to be with such top gooners . Nite everyone.
Nurse, you are a star too.
If you have never ‘mingled’ with Leeds fans, you haven’t missed a lot
Arsabeatbarca
Quote away!
Thanks, Zico, for #165, it remindeed me of all those years ago when I became a Gooner, a supporter of the greatest club on Earth. I was 7 (7¾ to be exact, as kids like to be) when first called on to declare my football allegiance. I lived in the depths of Surrey, nowhere near Arsenal. Nowhere near any football club of note for that matter. Our local team, Leatherhead, played in the Delphinium League (or some such name). I remember we had a star player called ‘Smithy’, but that’s about it. A quick Google tells me Leatherhead are currently running third in the Ryman League, whatever that is. I can’t see me switching my allegiance back at this late stage of life! But I digress.
Challenged to say what team I supported I didn’t say Leatherhead, I named the first proper team that came to my mind … Arsenal. It was 1950 and they had just won the FA Cup. And for no other reason, and with no attachment to North London, I became a life-long, loyal supporter. When old enough I went regularly to watch games at Highbury, and on occasions with a workmate who supported the neighbours to WHL to watch the derbies, which my unreliable memory recalls we always won. In those days you just had to turn up and buy a ticket at the turnstyles, and then stand for the whole match. Sixpence a corner was the go if you could find three neighbours willing to play.
Like you Zico I am also in exile, 26 years in Aussie and now 20 more in NZ, about as far from Highbury, as was, and The Ash Grove, as is, that you can get without a spaceship. Many years ago Arsenal toured Aussie for the first and last time, and of course I went. But all I remember of the day was the fighting in the stands which I only narrowly avoided being involved in. Lots of blood and policemen.
In recent decades coverage of English football has been extensive and I could count on one hand the number of Arsenal League and Champions League games that haven’t been broadcast live. FA Cup games less so until the later stages of the comp. Evening games coincide nicely with breakfast here, so I watch while enjoying my avocado on toast and tea in bed (such sophistication I hear you thinking). Earlier games I record and then watch with breakfast. I had the 50″ plasma and surround sound installed in the bedroom rather than the lounge for this specific purpose.
The only thing I miss is actually being there. I envy you guys that. In fact I have only seen two games live since 1967 when I left England, and I picked a pair of doozies. In 2011 I was at the Grove to see Pool beat us 2-0, and then up the road to Old T and the infamous 8-2. They were both my fault, sorry guys…
Oskar
Mortality, it’s a cunt… G. Holic February 7, 2013.
Indeed.
Holic
Your recall of that famous Monday is almost spot-on. I think Liverpool had a goal disallowed in the last minute at our place — shame. I thought Leeds lost to Wolves but I am senile or so my nurse says.
It’s a great night when Liverpool and Leeds are both gutted. I don’t think we even qualified for Europe even though we finished 4th or 5th.
I got engaged that weekend- couldn’t get a ticket for the Final so it seemed a sensible thing to do. I wasn’t very bright then.
zico
how’s wilko ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIoi4HkJqO8
OtD: was the Leatherhead Lip, Chris Kelly, of your era? Hero of an FA Cup run in the mid-’70s.
Clive: thanks for the update and positive news about GT. Please send him my best, and the same from all at Castle Ned.
ABB: mingling with Leeds fans of the Revie era took a strong heart and a measure of disinfectant.
That Leeds team was quite something. So much talent. Hard as nails and twice as dirty.
NB Ned … Never heard of Chris Kelly, sorry. I left England in 1967 and hadn’t had any interest in Leatherhead FC for several years before that.
The Tanners had a Cup run? You’ve stirred my memory and I think I remember it, vaguely!
Oskar
Uuugh. Mornings are vastly over-rated.
Cba @ 320
Right at this minute, I dunno.
However, see here:
http://news.sky.com/story/1047363/wilko-johnson-feels-euphoria-despite-cancer
Oskar, nice post @ 317.
Oh, and Holic and BtM, I agree.
Death to mortality!
zactly zico !
i laugh in the face of etcs
i scowl at and so ons
show me a what have you and i’ll show you my boot
having said that
morning all
or some such
Morning all.
Holic: Thanks for putting me right about the Leeds Bribery Scandal.
Wolves? West Brom? Can anyone here honestly claim that they can distinguish between any two places up that way?
I know I can’t.
Sigh. Work calls. Off to earn an honest penny…
@Arsenal: TEAM NEWS: Vermaelen is out, Koscielny has a test today. Gibbs out, Ramsey and Coquelin available #SFCvAFC
Squillaci time?
Snir, I hope not….but it looks that way
shame Miquel is still injured.
Nope, Snir. Might play Sagna in the centre. Or Miquel?
Or me.
Fingers crossed for Kos, but I’d fear a ‘starts the game, can’t play more than 15 minutes, so we use one sub already and Kos is out for a month’.
cba @various –
Always a brighter place when you decide to pop in Sir. Did you decide on a shit or a haircut? I have found to my cost in the past that it never pays to go for both at the same time. Leads to embarrassment, not to mention a shit haircut.
Ttg @319 – Schoolboy error!
Oskar @317 – Great post.
The Leatherhead Lip? Remember him. He was kinda like a shit Supermac wasn’t he? Was it Leicester they knocked out? Someone like that. Think The Leatherhead Lip earned himself a move to a professional Club off the back of that Cup run. Can’t remember who, but I do remember it didn’t go well.
Squillachi at Sunderland? Yikes! Looking on the bright side he did have his best game for Arsenal up at Sunderland in that 1-1 draw when Sunderland equalised with the last kick. Is it too much to ask that this weekend we see the rebirth of the Skeletor?
Probably.
Didn’t he play again recently, Eandy?
Sadly, the new site is such a fuck up I don’t know where to find recent U21 or Reserves fixtures. Still angry.
I’m liking the sound of Avocado for breakfast. Touch of class. I am of a mind that it will go well with my usual morning sausage.
I have instructed Helmut Gobbles, my Butler, to prepare me one immediately.
Managed to find it :
http://www.arsenal.com/match/report/1213/post/reserves/under-21s-arsenal-0-2-west-ham-report
Yes he played last week.
Are you making yourself available to play Ollie?
Tricky conundrum for Arsene if so.
Still, that’s why he’s paid the big bucks I suppose.
If Vermaelen is unfit and Kos is dodgy we need to give Squillacci the opportunity to turn around his Arsenal reputation. There was a good CB in there once. Ollie, thanks for the offer.
Oh..good news then Ollie, I admit I had no idea he is fit again, personally would rather see him playing than Squilly. All in all as everything develops I suppose we are going to have to outscore them.
He was, baff. And perhaps away from home there would be less heebie-jeebies to be fair.
Bathgooner
Absolutely right there was a good CB in there once until the Body Snatchers invaded earth and swapped him for a 73 year-old with arthritis! The problem is he has so little football that it is asking a lot to step up to Premier League football especially as BFG while solid is very slow. Jenkinson has played CB but not for us. The decision to loan Djourou out without a replacement doesn’t look so clever now.
If Squillaci plays I’m 100% behind him though. I remember Luzhny and Stepanovs keeping Chelsea at bay in the FA Cup once!
Just saw the presser and there’s no way we’re playing Squillaci.
When asked what options he has at the back, AW answered: “well, we have Iggy Miquel, and Sagna with Jenkinson at RB. But we have good hope that Koscielny will be ok.”
No mention of Squillaci.
I’m not surprised, Snir.
Today is a day of surprises.
Wolfgang Smallballs, whose main goal in life was to be appointed someone else’s butler, has ,i>herself, a butler.
Amazin’ .
heh at shit haircut chat @335
Afternoon Holics
Just caught the press conference, AW did appear to be upbeat on the prospect of Kos making it tomorrow.Watching a dodgy stream and Squilly is not something I am looking forward to.
As for the new web site, I am struggling. Not being very computer literate does not help but I dare say I will get used to it in time, hopefully before Monday when Everton tickets are available.
Sunderland have strengthened their attack, so may be the game will be more open than of late.Here’s hoping!For those of you making the trip up north, wrap up warm, more snow is forecast!
As always COYRs
Tis true Dr Z.
Helmut needed to lay low for a while (sought by Interpol for match-fixing in the Rhineland), and I offered him a pouffe for the night. One thing led to another, and he has now assumed most of my Butlering needs. He is unable to work, what with the kerfuffle created by the Euro Fuzz, and he sees de-pipping the odd avocado and ironing my Speedoes as his little contribution to the running of the household. In return, I throw him the odd sausage.
This should not be confused with my ambitions to be Head Butler to Clive. I remain undaunted in that aim despite his constant rebuttals.
haha zico 346
Memories
Said Patrice Evra today: “I’m really looking forward to the match with Real Madrid. I’ve been waiting for a big European tie like this for a long time and it’s probably the biggest European game since Barcelona in 2008.”
Manchester United did indeed play Barcelona in 2008. They won the Champions League semi-final thanks to that Paul Scholes thriker in the second leg at Old Trafford.
However, Patrice appears to have wiped from his memory the last two times they played Barcelona – in the 2009 and 2011 finals, in which Mediawatch seems to recall United had their pants pulled down, their bottoms spanked, their pants pulled back up again, their bottom kicked and their head slapped.
Still, memories, eh?
Evra Evra you’re a cunt.
Tabs – hehs at the haircut and butler stuff.
Ollie @351 –
, if it’s possible for Evra to ever be funny.
ABB you were looking for Leeds United jokes
Q: What have General Pinochet and Leeds United have in common?
A: They both round people up into football stadiums and torture them.
I’m afraid it’s a bit out of date but it’s been a while since they’ve been at the top table.
Otherwise take spuds jokes and substitute Leeds
Q: Why do people take an instant dislike Leeds Utd fans?
A: It saves time
Various hehs @ butlers, haircuts and flash players.
Good news on the Gooner Tel front.
Nice story Mr the Dog.
—–
Overdid it a bit on the old amber nectar last night, wouldn´t say I have a Boilk, but definetly a Blugh.
Ah well, it´s Friday afternoon, a little beer or two shoud see me straight.
a little beer or two shoud see me straight.
Now those are words that you will never hear Wolfie utter…
Heh
What is the difference between a Leeds fan and a Catfish? One is a bottom- dwelling,ugly scum- sucker…. And the other is a fish.
Heh Lars!
Heh, washed up !
What’s the difference between a Leeds fan and a bowling ball ?
In an emergency you could always eat a bowling ball.
Hey Tabs,
Reports of Arsene going for Jovetic have got as far as the TalkSh*te man in Italy.
However, beware talk of planned big name signings before season ticket renewals are due.
Damn, there goes that old cynic again.
I keep a Leeds fan in my back garden.
It keeps the flies off the dog shit.
You fellas sure make me
The whole lot of you 
What’s the difference between a Leeds fan and a bucket of shit?
The bucket.
True Trev. MirrorOnline also reported interest this morning, not that that is anything to go by. Also agree that the Club will do very little to quell talk of signings pre renewals.
He would be my “big money signing” of choice, given that Cavani/Falcao are likely to be out of our price range. I say this having watched all of a three minute compilation of him on YouTube. I am therefore an expert.
Hehs at the Dirty Leeds stuff.
New website is really still shite.
Ollie,
There is a web designer somewhere who was paid a fortune to “design” that.We could have given the money to Arsene for his transfer fund!
looks like this here fella is goin barwise
please block my computer ‘holic or indeed close down the site for fear i may ,god forbid , drunkenly type shite
bye bye
Ollie, still shite? As opposed to moving shite?
Yellow rescinded for Pitroipa, he’ll be allowed to play in the final on Sunday.
It will make for a better game.
heh Lars!
Looking forward to it, cba
Fuck me, Canal+ Sport tomorrow are showing bloody Tennis from Montpellier instead of showing our game.
I have seen times before when they’d show another game, but not showing our game? Fucking cunts.
The Scene : Feelgood Towers
Dr Feelgood is rummaging wildly through a wardrobe, frantically looking for something, and as time passes, he seems to get more and more desperate.
He finds shoes. Hundreds of pairs of shoes. Shoes with heels, shoes that are flat. Black shoes. Red shoes. Shoes with straps. Shoes with huge platform soles, last seen in public on the set of Tommy. Sparkly shoes. Dancing shoes. Sandals. Running shoes. Work shoes. Shoes in boxes, unworn. Single shoes, (remnants of the “Pirate” nights). Dancing shoes.
Goody two shoes. Shoes. Shoes. Shoes.
Feelgood (to himself) : “Where are the boots?” “Where are the feckin’ boots?”
At this point, Roxette walks through the door, sighing in resigned disappointment….
Roxette: “How many times have I told you, not to wear my clothes? ”
Feelgood: “You don’t understand, Rox, I’m looking for football boots…”
Roxette: “You, are to football, what I am to spending restraint…..”
Feelgood (nonplussed) : “Eh?” (Quickly changes the subject)
“Look, I know someone short of defensive options for Saturday, and I am just the man to help out in a crisis…”
Roxette : “You are the man in the midst of a crisis…..”
Feelgood : “How come?”
Roxette : “Football? At your age? Why?…. The punters will only stand and squeal at yeh….”
To be continued
Ollie ,do you have the FOOT+ option?
If so it should be on the 1
http://www.footao.tv/
I’m not normally one to intrude on scenes of domestic strife, nor an inveterate rumour-spreader, but I heard that the conversation beyween Roxette and Dr F ended
Roxette : “Football? At your age? Why?”
Feelgood (sulkily): “‘Kos”
Heh , touche, Oxon.
Heh Dr Z, and very nice ending Oxon
What Ollie said to cba
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Customary booing at PSG. 0-0 at half-time.