We’re The North Bank Highbury
Mar 25th, 2010 by 'holic
Conversation on the drinks turned yesterday to the subject of the atmosphere at grounds these days, and the fact that by and large it is the away fans who produce much of the atmosphere at Premier League games up and down the country. It is a point that was proven by the exception to the rule last night. Portsmouth once again kept up a magnificent vocal support for the club in crisis.
I suggested that the change in atmosphere in most grounds coincided with the arrival of all-seater stadia. Indeed those with a long memory will recall Coventry City turning Highfield Road into the first terrace-free stadium in the country in the early eighties, only to rip the seats out of one end after a brief soul-less period..
I was asked today, not for the first time, to explain to someone who wasn’t around before the legislation that made all-seaters compulsory in 1994 just what it was like. There is not one definitive answer. The experience would be different for Saturday and midweek games. Home and away games presented different opportunities and challenges.
‘So tell me what the North Bank was like in the seventies then’, urged one at work today. For the sake of brevity I described a typical Saturday in the early seventies. From 1973 onwards the experience changed after West Ham made their first appearance ‘en masse’ in our spiritual home.
It’s also a good era for me to describe because I was in my teens. Sometimes I was potless so in the ground early, and sometimes with a bit of birthday money or some wages from a paper round or leaflet deliveries. The Gunners was an essential starting point then, and they didn’t seem too concerned about the age of the punters in those days.
Everybody wore a Harrington jacket or a crombie overcoat, tonic or Sta-Prest trousers, brogues or loafers. Scarf tied round the wrist was what identified ‘them’ and ‘us’. If you were in the North Bank early you could take up a prime position somewhere near the middle at the back. Those who witness empty stadiums half an hour before kick-off today would be surprised how many would be getting in position an hour before the start in those days.
“PEANUTS, FRESH ROASTED PEANUTS”. A fair haired and permanently suntanned fella would carry a sack of monkey nuts with him, and blooming tasty they were too for a tanner (six old pence). What I never worked out was how he managed to be in the Clock End whenever I was in there with my old man, and in the North Bank every time I was in there. He was one fit bugger!
There was no piped music. That wasn’t the Arsenal way. Instead the Metropolitan Police Band would be playing the classic marches, more often than not from their position in the front of the East Stand at the corner adjoining the Clock End. You made your own entertainment in those days, so the chanting would start early. Usually when the first of the bigger lads started arriving from the pubs around half past two.
If you had been lucky enough to get a couple of pints of fizzy beer in the Gunners, or maybe the Tavern, beforehand then you would be walking across the North Bank with the late arrivals trying to get a chant started yourself.Β The players didn’t warm up on the pitch for very long in those days. They would surface from the tunnel five minutes before kick-off, and we would sing a song for each one of them, cheering them loudly when they waved back in acknowledgement.
In those days the singing was by and large confined to the North Bank, although on some big cup occasions the lower tiers might join in with a straightforward Arsenal chant. That would change when a proportion of the support decamped to the Clock End in the mid seventies, but prior to that the North Bank was a noisy and exciting place to spend an afternoon or evening.
At the very back the biggest lads and some of their female admirers would be engaged in dark arts best not shared on a family blog! Providing the game was a good one then the barrage of songs would be kept up by the rest of us until half-time. Rarely in those days did any opposing supporters get in, and the few that did so were soon swiftly evacuated. If they were lucky the police got to them first.
The half-time break meant joining the crush for the curious green wooden shed on stilts at the back of the Bank. A two pint plastic pot of Watneys Red and a pie or pastie was essential refreshment to prepare you for the second half, but you had to go shoulder to shoulder to get served, and didn’t dare show a sign of weakness, or you might be wearing someones beer rather than drinking it!
If the game continued to hold the imagination, and it usually did, then more singing would fill the second-half. When Arsenal scored you would experience zero gravity, a journey scarier than any theme park ride. Sometimes in the sway or tumble that followed a goal you would find yourself twenty or thirty yards away from where you had just been standing, and your feet would not have touched the ground along the way. Brilliant, you would think to yourself as a teenager. There comes an age where that changes to abject bloody terror!
Every now and then the game wouldn’t be a classic. Well we were boring, boring Arsenal. With no opposition fans to goad a fake rivalry, usually between North and South London, would be created by different groups at the back, and off it would kick. It seemed innocent enough at the time. I was born a North Londoner so would join those chasing them from south of the river around for a while, or indeed being chased by them. A few kicks or slaps would be handed out, but it was all harmless, and the following week you would be standing side by side with those same blokes in the Shed, or the Park Lane, or somewhere more exotic, at an away game.
There is still a degree of that camaraderie even now at away games. Most clubs stewards are no different to those at the Grove. They have no real power of veto over the visiting fans, so if you want to stand and sing all game then get on with it. Home supporters however can be browbeaten into conforming to the standards being dictated by the stewards. The threat of ejection can be followed up with the removal of your membership. It’s a powerful method of control.
Every now and again though, the Grove rocks, and when it does it is a magical experience. It hasn’t happened that often yet, to be fair, but a title celebration in May would make a wonderful start to what hopefully will become a new era at the Grove, as the North Bank prepares to return along with the Clock End, and East and West Stands.
No, please, just let me dream for a moment.
136 Responses to “We’re The North Bank Highbury”
I knew it!
Laphroaig, please, Sir.
Dark arts at the very back you say? Quite intriguing and I imagine it may have captivated a young boy’s imagination.
N E S W ?
I’ll drink to that
Thanks for the beautiful quick trip back through Highbury. Were you hinting at the origination of the ‘Holic progeny there in the shadows of the Bank?
Lagavulin, 16, if you got it. Cheers.
Absolutely superb writing in fact. Make mine a double.
Come to think of it, in the next few games we may need some dark arts at the very back. It sounds like a job for Eboue!
I have a vivid memory of being in the North Bank in 1988 for an FA cup replay against West Ham. I was 8 years old and scared shitless!
Excellent!
I now declare you the best Arsenalblog on NewsNow! Cheers.
COME ON YOU RIP ROARING REDS!
You have defiantly brought a tear to my eye with this blog…. Oh how I miss standing & the fun days of the north bank too, certainly was more entertainment in the stands those days I wholeheartedly agree.
I actually feel a little sorry for the younger generation, because it can all be a little stale @ times & I’d love to see the return of them myself, but they will never get to enjoy it now.
It still rocks @ Underhill though when the bigger reserve games are played, so that’s well worth a visit………
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baFNflES88w
I’ll (yet again) go with my Highland Park, and make it a triple! Someone needs to top Ollie. Topping you I gave up ages ago, ‘Holic.
More of this please! (And I’m not just referring to the peaty stuff)
Wonderful piece, ‘holic.
Shame us young uns will never get to witness those days. Keep up the great work.
I’ll have a cider and one for yourself, guv.
Thanks stonroy, now imagine that clip without seats. With twenty thousand people on the terrace instead of six thousand in the lower tier. Three quarters of them in full voice. It was breathtaking, exhilerating, magical.
Lee, you’re right. We were very, very lucky.
great trip through memory lane holic, you forgot to mention the cage. i loved the old bank and have some photos i took from the back of the north bank in the early 80s. i must learn how to scan them and send them. fizzy water please
dizzy!
There are laws of defammation you know. Are you suggesting I spent time in that cage?
I remember the daft buggers chucking opposition fans in there too and they couldn’t get away π
Good stuff ‘holic.
20-30 yards in the air? You must have been a touch slimmer in those days old boy π
You bet, Corny. I was built like a Nagasaki greyhound π
Haha.
This is brilliant! Brings back great memories!
Awesome stuff
And a rather large ‘heh’ for Corny
Thanks tim and Blogs.
There are some ‘holics with some tales to tell along soon I reckon.
1971, 1974, Clive, Garrett.
This could be a great drinks session.
Oh, and Blogs, have you seen my new tagline π
Ah ‘Holic,
Harringtons and Sta Prest – brings back memories indeed.
Great piece.
I loved Highbury – but football is different now. And in the new context I think I love it at the Grove, and then I realise, its really just Arsenal that I’m in love with.
A jack daniels and coke for the maudlin old codger at the back…..
haha, it’s a real winner
Mr Holic, must say I remember being elevated from about half way up the stand to the wall behind goal after we scored in one game, now that took some doing when you consider we had barriers dotter around the stand @ that time, may have been very early eighty’s though cos think it was Tony Woodcock that scored, but as you say it was a definite case of “scream if you want to go faster”.
I loved the gear back then zico. We went a bit wrong after that. I remember by ’73 we were in dungarees. I ask you. Dungarees! No wonder we lost the Bank for the first time π
Fantastic post, really enjoyed the writing. Unfortunately I have to admire and obsess over the Gunners from afar (Colorado in the USA), but I’ve gotten to see them a few times in person at Highbury and the Grove. Makes me wish I could have seen one of the matches back when the atmosphere was even better.
Oh yes Lee. That would have been a bit worrying because they had put that walkway in halfway down the Bank by then. It was just one big terrace in the early seventies, all the way up, and fewer crush barriers.
In fact the crush barriers weren’t much cop. Every now and again one would be lifted out of the concrete and passed to the front. That certainly happened in two cup ties I remember. A midweek replay at home to Derby in 73, and an away tie at Reading in ’72.
That Reading game actually signalled the end of our reign as top dogs and was indirectly responsible for West Ham coming in the North Bank, but that is another story, for a place other than here.
You got it just right ‘holic. Twas amazing. The surge forward only to be caught by the next barrier. In my early days the box my Dad made for me to stand on went flying when we scored! And we could sing that loud cos we couldn’t actually hear how bad we sounded individually, it was all so loud
happy daze
Great piece, sent tingles up my spine !!! God I miss standing in the north bank, moved up to the east stand upper and rocked at times !! God I miss highbury , Jesus said paddy !!!
Can I ask – how do Germany do the terracing with no problems – I watched a few games on the telly recently (Dortmund and Schalke) and the atmosphere at worst could be described as unbelievable!!!!! We could definitely learn a thing or two about how they setup and manage their support in Germany – the players even do the whole hold hands and bow at the end of each game :]
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I hear you evadztif, but that particular bird has flown now. The authorities have got what they wanted, and I have to say you can see why?
I just wish now they have the crowd density down that the clubs would instruct the stewards to be a bit more sensible. I do understand the worry they have about being sued under current health and safety legisation, but seriously, a little common sense would bring an awful lot of people onside.
Are you reading, Ivan?
thats a really nice story. Almost more positive than us winning the title…..oh i miss highbury
Early seventies Dad would take me to those games & he didnβt like to rough it, he always got his tickets off a Mr Flashman outside the ground, I always thought what a nice man he was to wait for my dad & look after his tickets for him until we arrived outside the ground, so we ended-up on the east & west stands then.
But I always longed to get in amongst it & as soon as Dad stopped going & more importantly (paying) I was in the north bank like a rat up drain pipe, & this was when my real love affair with Arsenal started.
Great read Goonerholic.
The atmoshphere has been better of late, more so since the Ramsey tackle. I think it has livened up the crowd a bit.
The trouble is, there are too many day trippers who are just passing through nowdays. No real passion or attachment to the Arsenal
Shame.
Good blogging
Hell of a blog `Holic!!!
Shandy for me today. Big week coming…
Hallo Luv!
Alright my sweet π
Blogging of the highest quality!! Spine-tingling stuff. Would give anything to have been there.
So holic, can we expect to see you in an eccentric Casey Jones style hat like Davies’ chums at future fixtures?
Very evocative, ‘Holic. Your point about away fans not getting in brought back to my mind the opposite element in the later sixties. Then, away fans always tried to ‘take’ the home end, so both sets of vocal teens and hard nuts crammed onto the same terrace in a battle for control, that would usually last up until kick off. I remember taking the shed regularly, but also losing the ‘Bank to the Old Trafford-ites. There was a lot of fist and foot fighting, but once someone was down, they usually weren’t fair game for much harsher treatment. The main wardrobe item then (apart from the wrist scarf) was the Cherry Red D.Ms. Myth says they were chosen as they didn’t show the specks of blood! Once you’d come out on top, you sang your hearts out and hoped to be an inspiration to you players. The atmosphere was indeed electric – and most of the time we were a mid-table side with little hope of ever winning anything.
A nostalgic pint of Red Barrell, please Barman!
I’ll echo the plaudits ‘holic. Great blog. Got me thinking of my own Highbury memories. Did people shift to the clock end purely to be next to the away fans? I was too young too have enjoyed the full swing of the old north bank as my legs were tucked into the railings at the front of the Junior Gunner section in the West Stand at the time. Had to get there at least an hour early for that plot and would try and get my mug circled in the next week’s programme as a ‘face in the crowd’. My old man would bring hot ribena in a flask during the winter. Never had it since.
I do remember walking to the top of the north bank after the its last standing against Southampton in 92. As people around dug up any nostalgia they could, I remember thinking id missed out on something.
Was that really ’92?
Blimey feels like yesterday
Recognise the sentiments Mitch, but there is a timing malfunction somewhere. I remember us taking the Shed, and all three ‘ends’ at the Lane, from late sixties for a decade or so. Both of them came back from the second division with a bit more about them.
There were interlopers in the Bank pre-73, and Rangers in 67 were the most obvious ones, but very small numbers tried it on with Arsenal before then, and were despatched swiftly.
I’m sure West Ham 73, after we had been battered by the Hells Angels at West Reading station the previous season, were the first lot to reasonably claim to get in the middle, and they cleared us out for the best part of a decade, until 82.
Still, don’t matter a jot now, does it. Arsenal is still by far the most important thing, and petty rivalries are just a sideshow.
Thanks ‘holic. Trip down memory lane.
I was at an away game in January and really enjoyed the atmosphere – it reminded me of the North Bank late 70’s and early 80’s.
clock end clock end do your job!
great post, i remember it all too well… west ham coming in, panic, fists, surge, police, steaming, a gap opens, chanting, they are singing ‘we took the north bank highbury’… they did too, spurs tried but got pushed back.. the clock end steamed in every game
i love them half time bovrils & sausaage rolls…. i loved the bundles, the knees up mother brown, at the verse ‘oh my wot a rotten song’ the whole middle surged down, laughing as we all surged back up like a wave… it was fucking loud in there, with the roof… come on you reds sung full pelt by 15,000 in our end, hairs on the back stuff
i remember the night i started the song the whole north bank sung and laughed at the same time… a freezing nite in the cup, brady scored the winner from the spot in front of us… i started, ‘its nice and warm in here its nice and warm, its nice and warm in her’ (to those were the days)… the whole end joined in… folklore now..
i sit in the club tier now at 50 all grown up but i still have the soul of the north bank and the clash in my heart, all so different but every now and then you can get that same feeling at home… away not much has changed really except the seats
if we dont win it this year, we will next year!
come on you rip roarers
arsene knows
Top fella, ak. Cheers.
‘Bertie Mee said to Bill Shankly…’
My best memory was long ago standing in the North Bank watching an FA Cup game against the Hammers which we lost, unless my memory has deserted me, 2-1. We were so jammed in that unless you were near an exit there was no chance of escaping at half time for a cup of tea or anything else. An old boy, very close to me and clearly in distress, was forced to wet himself. My late father, a liverpudlian, used to say you could see the steam rising from the Kop!
Anyone remember a bloke in the mid/late 80s who would always stand just behind the goal on the Northbank, shouting “come on you rip roarin reeedddddssssss” in a slightly annoying fashion. I would always end up near the geezer for some reason. No one would ever join in with him but he was strangely likeable for his predictability….
I can still vividly remember the excitement of my first game walking up and over onto the north bank, seeing the inside of the ground for the first time. Wow.. It was a midweek fa cup game against Liverpool, a replay i think. 50,000 squeezed in there and Β£4 or so to get in.
We were kids but sometimes we would walk up to the oap turnstile and plonk Β£1.50 down. Th egeezer would just shrug his shoulders and let us through. cheeky little tykes… You could blag in free at half time sometimes in those days too.
Obvious downside to the arsenal in those days though. If I remember rightly, we didn’t score more than once in a game in the first ten matches I went to!
Top post Holic, a very good read indeed and some history there ehh? What can you say Highbury will always be in our hearts!
By the way love the tagline! π
Nice one Paddy.
The usual gig was to pay into the schoolboys enclosure in front of the East Stand, then persuade some complete stranger to say he was your Dad so they would let you into the North Bank from the adjoining gate.
I’d forgotten that one until you came on π
Great piece and a wonderful nostalgia trip. But am I one of the few that actually sees the move to all seater, and especially the move to The Grove as a positive thing? I have fantastic memories of the North Bank. This was my chosen destination on match days. The clock end was an area I would frequent only on occasions. I have wonderful memories of some great times stood on both.
The atmosphere debate is an interesting one. Whilst I have been standing in the North Bank and the place has gone nuts, I have also stood there when things have not gone quiet so well. I also think the home fans react better with more away fans in. I used to love seeing the Clock End full of away fans. At those games it became a vocal battle half an hour before a ball was kicked.
Present day I do not think the atmosphere is that bad. It is just something that is picked up and commented on at almost every game. I have been to about 6 away games as well this year and the atmosphere is just fantastic. The difference is that for me you get die hards, concentrated in a small area. Something that happened in the days of terracing. I have had some wonderful moments at away trips this season.
But whilst we reminisce with a tear in our eye, let’s not dismiss what we have. It is up to us to make the ground rock, and in recent weeks it has been electric.
Keep the faith.
What a great post – with a heavy dollop of sepia vision – but it has taken me back.
For the majority of matches in the 60s/70s and 80s, arsenal struggled to get more than 30,000 (yet were easily London’s best supported team.
Apart from a few games …Anderlect in 1970, Chelsea 1973, the atmosphere mainly involved baiting the away fans, which was how the Clock End started, replicated at other grounds – anyone remember the Anfield Road End ? talk about atmosphere ..I couldnt sleep for a week
GIVE ME AN A….
Heh!
cleveleys, GIVE ME AN EEE-EEEE-EEE
Thanks for the memories Goonerholic. I remember being taken into ‘the middle’ of the North Bank at my first game in ’88 aged 12. The back and forth with the ‘topside’ was my favourite bit, but the sway with after the 2 goals was a feeling I’ll never forget.
I remember falling and being helped up by so many hands. It felt dangerous, but comforting at the same time.
sniff.
Holic
Lovely article,very evocative of the era.
Going back further in time to my growing up in the 50’s and 60’s,my dad and i did start out on the North Bank,generally about halfway between front and back and always dead centre behind the goal.
In those days there was no violence betweeen visitng fans and no segregation either.
As i have often said on this blog,many times we travelled to opposition grounds and mingled freely with the home fans with never ever a hint of animosity,and it was the same at Highbury,certainly for many years while i was growing up.
Many’s the time we also went to away games for the w/end and ended up staying in a local b&b and coming home on the train on sunday afternoon.
The North Bank back in the 50’s was all cloth caps/raincoats and good sturdy boots.
The joint was so packed in those days,i swear the ground used to sway under our feet such was the passion evoked when the Gunners scored a goal,and by god we used to score some.
Not a lot of fans will realise that after the 2nd world war,it took many years for the country to recover,and the only outlet for peoples emotions and sense of belonging was to follow with unbridled passion,their local soccer team.
So it was at Highbury with crowds regularly in excess of 60,000,no matter who we were playing.
Also again a fact not many fans will remember,is that in those days the teams all played on christmas day and then backed up on Boxing day for the return fixture against the same team.
No such thing as christmas lunch,as we were all at Highbury if we were at home,and i reckon half of North London was packed inside.
In fact the North Bank was so chockers that you virtually could hardly raise your arms from your sides.
So absolutely no chance of nipping up the back for a pee,in those days plastic bottles hadn’t been invented,so it was the good old milk bottle that got a thorough workout,particularly at half time and during the 2nd half when bladders were at breaking point.!!
At the end of the game as the crowds drifted away,you could see rivers of pee in the front gutters at the bottom of the terraces.!!
I cannot remember where things went wrong,and the violence between rival fans started affecting what part of the stadium Fathers and Sons stood to enjoy the game,but dad was very pragmatic about it and we ended up on the side in the front standing section near where the players ran out.
We had a great view,but never again would we enjoy that exhilaration of unbridled explosion of joy on the North bank when the team scored and the earth literally moved beneath our feet.
Goonerholic – `What have you got…’
My favourite after knees up.. was `Come on and Cheer again, cos we are here again..’ (tune of Edith Piaf’s molon)
or `Drink, Drink together in praise of the AFC, Fulham can stay at the cottage, Southampton can stay at the Dell and as for Tottenham Hotspur well they can go to ……..
`Drink, Drink together in praise of the AFC, Fulham can stay at the cottage, Southampton can stay at the Dell and as for Tottenham Hotspur well they can go to β¦β¦..’
A huge personal favourite, along with the one we sang to the tune of ‘Messing about on the river’
“We’ve been to West Ham…” π
And lovely stuff Clive. You mention 60,000 crowds, but of course many times it was a lot more, when you consider how many people got in by chucking the turnstile operator a bung and two going through at once.
I used to think when I was seven that I was called “Can he get through there!”
Remember being smuggled into White Hart Lane in 64 with Dad and Uncle carrying two tickets for the Arsenal game and one for Tottenham v Burnley hidden at the bottom π
Must admit I see no reason why some of those old classics should not get an airing these days……..
Now then ‘Hols, I was about to turn in and then I got your siren call.
Sta press – black ones for school. Tonics for the weekend. 501s for Wednesday after school youthclub. And Fred Perry was my best mate anyday of the week – real multicultural, any colour. (my wardrobe sports no less than 7 today)! You mentioned brogues, we called them “Royals” down south. Finished off with white socks.
I bunked off to watch Arsenal For the first time when I was about 11. I didn’t see any of the match. I just hung onto my mates coat who inturn hung onto his dad. It was standing room only. I was knee high to a grasshopper, so consequently I saw jack. I was petrified of getting separated. It was the Clock End. The day was a bit of a blurr, but I’d lost my cherry at last. Heh!
“In those days there was no violence betweeen visitng fans and no segregation either”
How things change…
Wonderful thread! BTW `Holic don’t you think `Holicdad would have something to share?
This is addictive blogging tonight just drove home from work & had to login again to see what I have missed but Iβm defo going to bed soon.
My first game was the 1970 Fairs Cup final Ahhhhhh George Armstrong (he is strong) anyone remember that, what a game he had that night “I still miss him”.
I’m saying this because it was said earlier we had lower crowds in the 70’s, well my mind must be playing tricks on me cos I only remember full houses.
I vividly remember a 67,000 against the Yids but that was defiantly much later could have been early eighty’s again.
& I don’t think there is a better sound in the world then 60,000 + gooners singing “come-on you REDs over & over again as it get louder & louder each time, still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand-up to this day, just a shame it don’t happen that often now……
I got two things to say.
First of all, that here in Israel, everybody in the IFA wants us to be like England cause they’re always talking about everything’s that was done in England to reduce hooliganism as it is a growing thing here in Israel and they always say the “English model” is the best.
In Israel too we have all-seater stadiums but the exception is that no one is obliged to sit down, there are some stands where you have a chair but it is very unordinary to sit on it.
My thought and it always has been that the English crowd is a bit sleepier than other crowds in Europe (Greece, Croatia, Poland and even here in Israel as we took the “Fans model” from South America) is that in England it is mostly chants and not songs with no drums – meaning that lets take “Were by far greatest team” chant – It’s really loud but it ends after a minute or two, where here we SING (most songs are 2-3 verses and then a chorus) for 90 minutes with drum to get into the rhythm and stuff like that.
That has always been my opinion, English fans chant, Balkan fans and fans like the Balkans SING so it lasts longer.
By the way, I’m not saying the English crowd is bad or something – It’s great with it’s passion and football culture and I experienced it when England played Israel a few years ago and when I was in London in October (I’m coming for the Barca and Wolves game – I’m SOOOOO excited π ).
I just think that it should change it’s “Cheering culture” by reverting from chanting to singing.
By the way that’s why NBA crowd is so loud but not steady since the “D-fense” or “Beat LA” are loud but last 3 seconds.
Ah the beloved North Bank. One of the highlights of every visit was walking up the long flight of steps… and that first sight looking down onto our immaculate pitch. Somehow it was even more impressive when the floodlights were on (by far the coolest lights at any ground). Those were indeed the days.
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Fantastic post yet again. I miss the North Bank so much…it’s hard to capture just how brilliant it was. If only I had the sense to take more photos as a 15 year old in 1982. It was the highlight of the week, as you said different games different strategies. Southampton – find your spot by 240pm….Liverpool…get in there by 145 and hope your shoes had good traction.
When I’m old and near the end of my days I’ll never forget how lucky I was to spend 25-30 days and nights every year at Highbury. So many friends and memories….just how lucky were we? I remember in June or July evey summer I used to jump on the tube at Arnos Grove and get out at Arsenal just to walk around the outside…checking she was there…and ready for our return in just a few more weeks.
Thanks ‘holic for sharing your memories…you certainly would have been standing alongside my older brother back then, you could have been copying his notes.
Rip Roar Rip Roar give us a song
Cheers…
Great piece holic.
Was the Spam 73 the one where the flare went off?
I thought it was later than that.
You forgot to mention 10 lace up Ox Blood DM’s lol π
Great stuff… never to return tho sadly π
Don’t forget to mention the Ben Shermans ,Dr Martens and red braces.
We used to mock the clock enders as they got rained on.
I first saw the Gunners running out of the tunnel from the “schoolboys enclosure” in 1965 vs Burnley,George Eastham and Joe Baker being our leading heroes.From there it was staight into the “Norfbank” right behind the goal for a bit of banter with Jim Furnell,who seemed to be a sort of gentle giant in my 12 year old eyes (later to be replaced by that class act ,Bob Wilson).
A year later,me and my mate Mick Winnett graduated to the central and very daunting section
of the Norfbank where the Ardnuts chanted abuse (often Racist against Y**ds and C**ns may I say,not very pleasant,but we all very fearfully laughed it off ) .
We ended up on the pitch at the Glasgow Rangers Friendly pre season game .They “occupied” the whole of the centre of the Norfbank and started smashing beer bottles all over the show.
Remember being crushed to death for the whole of ManUtd game sometime in the mid 70’s,it was midweek,does anyone remember that one ? There must have been some 70,000 at Ibury that night!
Despite the crushing,missing a goal coz some bloke 10 foot tall decided to stand in front of you 2 minutes before kick off after having arrived an hour earlier,the cigarette smoke,the bad breath and the chance to try to rub up against the occasional “bird” who braved the crush, the spirit was something special that has definetly been lost forever with allseaters.Thanks for the fond memory,there are plenty more.
Snir: enjoy the trip! Nessia Tova!
What memories. Almost as if lifted from one of the best books I have read. fever Pitch. I was only a teenager and the only team I haven’t seen were West Ham. One of my Favourite games was against QPR and we were 1-0. I used to stand near Badger John and Union Jack Mary (In old videos, you can see the flag near the centre of the goal at the North Bank). There were a group of us who used to stand in the same spot and it used to be fun. Stan Bowles was determied to ruin the day by scoring two quick goals, which meant were losing.
With only minutes to go (I think we were actually playing injury time, it was close) Brian Kidd I believe hit a half Volley into the back of the net and the North Bank erupted. The game was shown on the Big Match the following day and when Stan poked the ball past Rimmer, I remember the guy standing behind me saying two words. One, I cannot say, (the second word, a slang name for part of a female’s anatomy). “Bowles pause c***. You could hear it on the Big Match as well, because the North Bank fell silent.
Another great thing about being a Gooner in the 70’s, we weren’t expected to win, so drawing that game was fantastic. Too many modern Fans want success all of the time. Six years without a trophy and that. So what ? to be able to see the beloved teram these days are a treat. most of us can’t afford to go because of different commitments. (mine’s family) but whether it is the radio, Sky of even live streaming, I still follow with all my heart.
As an older Gooner, this made me think back over the years of being a mostly absentee supporter since being brought up in North London during the era of the Brylcream boys (Denis Compton if you dont know).
I lived round the corner from Maine Road when City were in their prime, and United were boasting how they treated their fledgling boy Georgie Best!
I lived in Wakefield for many years and took every opportunity to see the Gooners away. Memories (not all good) include a cup match at Bramhall road, where being in an upper stand I was hit (on the coat) by a sharpened coin. Also, visiting Rotherham and being shocked by them wearing our colours.
The final Northern memory was of Elland Road, where I took my son to see the Gooners. As ‘locals’ we were behind the goal beside the cage, and I swear that the youngsters in front off us were taunting the Gooners all match and never watched our good football and Leeds atrocious play. (Unfortunately , and to spite his dad as he freely admits , my son til this day follows them)
Now living in France, the experience (on the few times I can make the trip to Bordeaux) is different. A band in the crowd, behind one goal several thousands in a reserved area , always fully conducted in chants and songs, waving banners in such a manner that people (part of the same crowd) cannot see the match, but all in a friendly manner. Once we were sitting just beside this reserved area and were given flags to wave .
I have, thanks to my nephew, have visited the Grove, but it still lacks some atmosphere of Highbury, and as I try and watch all our matches thanks to motorised satellite and Internet, it still seems to lack some of the buzz of Highbury, but the way we are playing at the moment this is sure to come soon
Come on you Reds – talking of which, ‘Holic , thanks for a memory provoking blog, and I raise my glass of Red (Bordeaux of course) to you
Essex boy, don’t post on here as John. It isn’t funny. You have earned the precious award of being the second person who has had his ip put on my blacklist. You must be very proud.
Thank you cognac. I’ll join you in that Bordeaux rouge later, if I may.
Fantastic blog ‘holic. Truly fantastic. To be honest, I only have a handful of early memories in the North Bank, dating back to the early 90’s. Nothing nearly as resounding as what i have been reading. For me, it was scary ~ I have to be honest. As a young un, my ol’ ma and pa (cricket loving caribbeans) were strongly against my going to football….by which time we’d moved away from south London. At the point I’d plucked the courage to go to games I’d mostly go on my Johnny Lonesum. I much preferred it that way….in fact I loved it, such was my single minded passion for Arsenal (plus my mates, teenage years, were mostly Birmingham fans).
Nevertheless, I always somewhat secretly feared the atmosphere, as well as some of the tales (probably tall) I used to hear about the Northbank so would always take up my position somewhere in the East stand. If I remember right, it was about my second visit to Highbury was when the redevelopment work began (92??) anyway, so there was, for me, little opportunity to go.
Needless to say, I have to congratulate you for an excellent piece of writing.
Early morning fresh apple juice for me please barman π
15 in 1982 eh Mr Merrick? We could be kindred spirits?
Ahhh… I’m all melan’holic…
Holic,
An absolute joy to read and it seems i was right with regards you having some stories to tell π
I havent read through all the posts but there was one glaring error in your writing i cannot beleive you missed out the part with regards the Met band and the leader dropping his staf Oh ho the crowd loved his misfortune, years we waited for that moment π
The old girl certainly rocked on numerous occasions the best for me being Everton in the semi finals of the League Cup and the pitch invasion that followed the full time whistle, as a wide eyed 11 year old that was majestic running across the lush grass and pretending to take a penalty in front of the north bank then getting all the way to the centre circle before getting run back by the men on horses lol,
Other Special mentions must go to the Title win in 91 standing in the Plimsoll Arms and watching Ian Woan (i Think) score against the scousers being drenched in Champagne then going on into Highbury and seeing us absolutley hammer the mancs, All night street party with B Jesus being sang late into the night
Adams v Everton, Wrighty breaking drakes record v Bolton, Bergkamp one more year v Everton,Watson coming onto the pitch in his wheechair after survivng the brain injury, Anytime Rocky played, Man the list is endless i miss the old girl,
And something youd never see today the Players used to walk into the ground via the clock end and players such as Quinny, Thomas rocky in fact pretty much all of them would think nothing of spending 5-10 minutes having a chat with you and of course the tuesday drinking club lol
But theres nothing as nice as kicking ……. Think we will leave that one there lol
As you say we were very very lucky,, Happy Days never to be forgot lets hope they go on to make some New History this season,
Up the Arse.
*applauds*
Very good, 74 π
Wonderful post ‘Holic, really brought the memories flooding back. I used to go with my old man to Highbury from late 1984.. It was when I reached about 14/15 that I started standing on the North Bank with a few lads from school.
First ever game standing was in 1992 v Liverpool. It was Β£4 on the door and I remember moving up through the crowd absolutely awestruck. The noise, the huge mass of people, the smell of tobacco and spirits, the ‘faces’.. We won 4-0 and when Limpar scored with a chip from the halfway line I ended up about 20 metres down the terrace , shirt ripped, blood pouring from my nose! Good times.
After that I was truly hooked. Began standing in the same place every week, got to know a lot of people and started going away aswell. Bunking off school on a Wednesday afternoon to jump on a train to Oldham or Newcastle and watch Big Tone lead us out.
The year of the mural was also fun.. All the North Bang regs moving to the clock end for a season and standing right next to the away fans with the clock end regulars..
What really scares me, is that I only saw the tale end of the legendary North Bank.. as crazy as it was, I’m sure it was far more sanitized in the 90s than say the 70s/80s.. I can only imagine what it must have been like.
Thanks for the nostalgia trigger ‘Holic.
Oh, and mines a Caol Ila, no ice.
And as i know your interested, Yes i did score the Penalty i hit it high to the keepers right and it nestled in the top corner π
Great post and great comments too, I was there at the end of the 70’s, it used to cost a discounted Β£1 to get from Reading by double decker bus. I was 13 then, going to London on my own was nothing, my parents didn’t worry a bit. Then a bit of tube hopping, to avoid the fares, the closer you got to Highbury the more gooners you ran into and linked up with. And you are right, getting into the ground really early, the match itself was the cherry on the top of a great cake, singing on the way there, in the Northbank, and all the way slowly home. I used to go to as many games as I could afford probably 10 or so, not now though, you can’t get the tickets or they are too expensive when you can. I still sit near red action when I can, but all that stand up if you hate whoever isn’t so good for my knackered knees! I’d prefer to stand throughout. I feel sorry for my two sons, in their 20’s that they never experienced any of that. Thanks.
While living in Ireland I would come over to London on my summer hols and visit an empty Highbury. I had a pre-season ritual where I would buy the new Arsenal jersey, sneak up to the north bank and put it on for the 1st time. (The guy busily trimming the grass to perfection would just ignore me). A few years later I moved to London and went to the middle of the bank for the first time. My uncle had died and I needed a few hours out of the house. I’ll never forget the wave of emotions on hearing all those songs I’d heard on T.V. What sheer bliss!
The experience on the terrace (the acoustics alone) will never be replaced by whatever gimmicks or other they do at the Emirates.
Wonderful times! Thanks for jogging the memory. My Dad took me first in 1960 when I was 5. When we got into the North Bank I was handed over the crowd to the front and re-united with Dad at the end! Can you imagine that today! Funny I don’t remember being scared just so excited. Dad still has a season ticket, as do I and my two sons.
On size of crowds I remember being at cup replay against Derby I think on a Wednesday afternoon during the 3 day week and there were 63000 others playing truant or bunking off work!
Even the worst times have been the best times.
In the mid to late sixties the peanut seller often appeared to be on the North Bank and at the Clock End at the same time! This was Ken and Terry. Mates of mine who worked opposite ends of the ground and who were identical twins.
I’m glad you came by, Baz. That explains it. Thanks.
Very nice, ‘holic but POIDH.
*waves*
And a nice cup of Darj for me.
Great piece; really brought back memories. I’d forgotten about the police bandleader’s mace and the roar of expectancy when he threw the mace into the air. Don’t think I ever saw him drop it though.
Does anyone else remember the police singer – always “vocalist: Constable Alex Morgan”? Did he ever get promoted?
Also – the worst tout in the world. He used to sidle up to you in Avenell Road and practically whisper in your ear “Whoo wants tickets? Get your tickets”.
And the programme notes. There used to be a featured youth player every week. One time, the best – perhaps only – thing they could find to say about the guy was “He knows where the goal is”. I spent months trying to find that programme again a year or two back to discover who that youth team player was, and whether or not he ever made it.
Memories, memories…
My first game was Anderlecht too. Our first European trophy. I was thinking the other day that it is 40 years ago this season – hope that’s an omen.
I remember we always used to stand at the back of the North Bank on the left (as you looked at the pitch). That way you could get to the bogs quicker at half-time and be back in time to see the start of the second half. The only problem was if it started raining and then we’d try to squeeze under cover.
The biggest crush I remember was for a Man City game in the league cup. Hardly saw a thing.
Me and a mate (whose family were all Arsenal too) used to spend our paper-delivery money travelling down from the Midlands. Going back to Euston after a match with all the other northern fans was always a bit dodgy.
Sometimes when we came down, the train would be delayed and we’d arrive at half-time, but the bloke would usually let us in for free.
When my brother was older he occasionally joined us. I remember once he was on crutches with a plaster cast on his foot cos he’d broken his ankle playing rugby. We made the poor sod walk from the pub (Robinson Crusoe) to Highbury and then he had to get up those steep North Bank steps. He was sweating like a pig.
Happy Days. Thanks for the memories. Keep up the blogging.
Nice piece, Holic.
Great read for a young gooner like me, who hadn’t had the honor to experience those old days. Things sure was different before!
Paddy @ 51
I remember that ‘rip roaring reds’ bloke in the mid to late 80s, I too always seemed to stand near him. I remember once he jumped up in excitement/drunkenness, landed badly and sprained his ankle. Had to be helped around the side of the pitch by St Johns as the North Bank laughed.
Quality post, bringing back many memories, although I did spend most of my teenage years in the Clock End!
A mate of mine who missed out on all this once actually asked how you got back to where you had been standing before a surge, he queried if there was a grid or something that said where you should stand! My how we laughed!
Holic your best post EVER !
It was Brilliant, Fantastic,Sensational,outstanding and Sublime.
Why did i have to work last night ? I would have loved to have been able to post last night and take the journey down memory lane with you and the Holic`s.
Wow, goose pimples or what. i am finding it hard to write with memories flooding back.
My first game and earliest child hood memory, how good is that. My first memory is going to see the mighty Arsenal ! Let me slip you back to 1975 in the North Bank with my dad and brother a family of gooners how sweet, but no my brother was there to see the opposing team Liverpool. How this came to pass no one in the family understands, I will have to put the record straight in case he reads this, his loyalties changed to Arsenal a few years later. But every now again we do remind him of his wasted child hood.
There is a picture somewhere in my mums house of myself,dad and brother prior to setting off to the game as it was my brothers and I first game. Till this day my mum insists that I did have shoes on but from the picture you cant see any just huge flared jeans and a nasty stripped jumper ( I was led to believe that was the fashion at the time, so no need to call child services )
We jumped the tube, first time for this as well, and as we drew closer more and more gooners got on this just built my excitement. We reach Finsbury Park and got off and joined the mass of fans converging on the stairs. Song broke out and with the echo of the tunnel and stair well, wow it shit the life out of me, It was LOUD ! So we headed towards Mecca I mean Highbury, I had never seen so many people. I remember queuing to the turn stiles were me and my brother were pulled tight into my dad and under his trench coat one either side. I must ask him did he ever pay for us to get in ? SORRY ARSENAL FOR ANY LOST REVENUE.
Once inside it was just a mass of bodies going in all directions, still singing as they go to match the voices from the North Bank. My dad took us to the front so we could see and stood behind us like a bodyguard would. What seemed like a year before the game actually kicked off, there was such a roar when the teams emerged and the sound got so loud at this point I remember the panic in my brothers eyes as if to say “what is going on, get me out of here” I started shouting and cheering and got swept along with the euphoria of it all and didn’t care about the noise any more. 10 mins in and I cant see a thing so I was lifted to a lofted position on my dads shoulders, my brother being older and taller was still situated right at the front and hadn’t lost his place as I did. We were now about 8 foot away from bro. I don’t actually think my dad saw much of the game as his eyes were fixed on my brother. When we scored the first goal all hell broke loose and the pushing and cheering hit a climax and I was bouncing around on dads shoulders and cheering. When it settled down bro was no were to be seen, so we pushed right to the front and found him sucking a lemon not literally but the look on his face priceless. Our dad moved us to the corner so he could keep a better eye on big bro. Then OOh yes another goal to the Arsenal which was celebrated louder than the first I think, I must just add didn’t see any of them as I was looking around listening to the songs and foul language which was quite exciting as well. You know when you are young and you know its a swear word but not sure what it means, I heard lots especially when they had a corner at our end.
So one final huge roar for the final whistle and off home after the most exciting day in my little life. On the way out a gooner turned to my brother and said “why you crying son ? we won”. A very very harsh comment followed made by my father to my big brother walking along was “see I told you Arsenal are better than Liverpool now stop crying” we all know this, but no father of the year award for making a upset child feel better.
As said earlier bro is now a gooner and has been since 77 or something, but it dose go to show we all make mistakes.
Thank you Holic for bring back such good fond memories and it wasn’t until I was a bit older did I have the trans-relocation experience you spoke of. Once again BRILLIANT BLOG HOLIC.
My first outing was I game vs Villa in 1981. I think it was the last game (or last home match) of the season but my memory is a bit hazy as I was so young and no longer have the program! I remember that Pele walked onto the pitch before the match and we won – anyone else remember that?
I started the match mid-way down the North Bank but after we scored I was carried down to the front in a sea of bodies so my Dad thought it best to move me to the back! I remember my dad advising me that when we passed back to the keeper we cheered but when the other team did it we booed – that doesn’t seem to happen any more. Once at the back of the North Bank someone lifted me up on to a ledge at the back where I sat precariously but with a full view(partially obscured by the roof sloping down)- anyone else remember doing that? I also remember the absolute gems of insults that used to be dished out to our own players – Graham Rix being called a “f*cking poofter with a perm”, Willy Young being called a “ginger b*stard”. Which reminds me, we have all this talk now about the french connection at the club but back then it was Irish, O’neil, Stapleton, Brady, Jennings etc. Also all those half red and white and half green scarvesβ¦
Lovely read, ‘Holic. Many thanks.
That piece was a thing of rare beauty, ‘holic. Much like yourself, in fact.
Great evocative read, ‘holic.
@ Goonerholic
Excellent article as always mate.
Since The Grove opened in 2006, the best atmospheres I have experienced in the stadium are as follows:
Arsenal 3, Spuds 1 (Carling Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg, 2006/07 season)
Arsenal 2, Newcastle 0 (Carling Cup 3rd Round, 2007/08 season)
Arsenal 4, Spuds 4 (Premiership, 2008/09 season)
Arsenal 6, Sheff Utd 0 (Carling Cup, 2008/09 season)
It was no surprise that the above games were all played at night time, where I feel the atmosphere is always better (especially CL games)
Jet, yeah I remember that one. 2-0 we beat Villa that day, but they won the league because Ipswich lost. Think Brian McDermott scored one that day. I remember Pele coming on, God knows why, but the crowd singing ‘sign him up sign him up…’ There was a big net of baloons on the pitch I think and I remember 2 Gooners running from the NB and diving on top of it!
What nostalgia. My favourite memory of the North Bank was after watching Liverpool choke in the pub as George Grahams boys won their second title. Everyone was going mental outside shaking the shutters on the shops as I bought my bottle of wine to drink on the short journey to the ground. I think I paid a tout Β£25 for a North Bank ticket, probably 4 times it face value. I had never known it so packed in there that day. Suffice to say there was no chance of getting to the toilet and everyone happily pissed down the back of the legs of the person in front. My adidas gazelles leaked blue ink all over my white towelling socks!
Probably the happiest day of my life….
Paddy at 51 – Yes I remember Rip Roaring well, what a legend he was.
You are correct Jet,for that Villa game,Pele came on and ran towards the middle of the pitch as the North Bank sang `sign him up ,sign him up`and for some obscure reason we released a load of balloons from the middle of the pitch.Not sure but i think we rinsed Villa that day and they`d just won the championship under that grumpy old git Ron Saunders,with a team that looked like Haircut 100.
I do remember the Juventus semi final being rammed with people in the North Bank and I do remember the bastards practically broke Spiders leg and Chip got carried off after a challenge from Bettega or Tardelli,but I think that was the only game I saw blokes pissing where they stood because you couldnt move.And my North bank season ticket cost 30 quid for the year!!!I dont even dare tell my wife what I pay for club seats now,but this year they are putting my name on the things because i renewed early!!
Awesome stuff.
Anyone know if bignose from topside is still about? He was self proclaimed leader of the north bank in late 80’s before we all debunked to the clockend? Remember standing next to him up at anfield 89, when all he could say at the end was “greatest day of my life” over and over again
“she said to paddy you sing it so well I think I’ll get up and i’ll sing it again, over and over……”
One of the best blogs that I have read. My respects. And yes, let’s keep dreaming π Cheers !!!
Oh Holic thank you so much for a great post,brings all the memories flooding back.The walk down Avenell Road,the smell of rolled cigarettes and fried onions. Buying or wearing your rosette and your silk scarf tied around your wrist.Mine was yellow and blue.The crowd filling the street and the songs.So many great games,so many stinkers (did we always draw 0-0 with Coventry and was it always freezing).Highs like Anderlecht,lows like Swindon (not the 69 final the late 70’s League cup).Getting the half time scores with the ABC scoreboard method in the corner of the ground.The Evening News (newspaper) after the game to see how the scores went.If you remember 74/75 hoping we were moving away from relegation which was a real possibilty back then.How many of our young fans could stand a relegation fight today.
I met my wife an American studying in London in 87 and took her to the North Bank for a midweek League Cup match versus Nottingham Forest.We got a penalty in the first minute,scored ,I forget who now, cue mad surge.She survived and turns out I should never had worried,a few tears later she was front and center at an Iggy Pop show in NY giving as good as she got.So maybe the North Bank toughned her up.
I miss it so much….love my Gunners always will but Highbury in the 70’s was special.
Fantastic as always. I was too young (and too American) to ever witness a game at Highbury, much less before the all seater came into effect, but I’ve been lucky enough to make it over to the Grove a few times and been away as well. I travelled up to West Brom last season as my first ever away trip, and have to say the atmosphere with the traveling support is incredible. I can only imagine what it was like in the old North Bank with 10x that many diehards.
You old Gooners are a lucky bunch, cheers
I had dreams all night long of the North Bank… Thank you sincerely to everyone who shared their memories.
(I wish many of our current team would read your post, ‘Holic, all the inspiration they would ever need to fight to bring the title back to North London.)
A round for everyone, if you will.
I second Pires is kings statement and wish to thank all contributions as they have all made fantastic reading, it has really been a trip down memory lane and a most welcome trip at that.
Thanks Holic & Holic`s
After you have finished Pires drink I will get the next for everyone.
this is a class post fantastic reading and thanks to arseblog for the link im living in ireland and coming over for the barca game what pubs would anyone recommend
If Arseblog is your bag, Darren, head for the Tollington Arms.
Blogtastic, ‘holic!
Great account of a typical Saturday at the Arsenal, my actual 1st game was the Fairs Cup Final in 1970 when we beat Anderlecht 3-0, my memories not as good as yours though.
I do remember the Butchers white coats they used to wear with all the writing on the back, and the girls screaming whenever George Best touched the ball when we played Man Utd…. great times, thanks for the memory jerk!!!
Nice one Jekyll at 92, wish I’d been at that one to see him make a rip roaring twat of himself.
The memories are certainly flooding back.
At a cup tie against Everton in the eighties my mate Sean (a passive bloke on the whole) got picked on by old bill at the front of the bank and was dragged out for doin bugger all.
Later that night watching the highlights he was referred to as “an unfortunate incident” by Brian Moore… Hee hee
Nice one jet 95. Hardly ever hear anyone mention the Irish connection at arsenal late 70s early 80s, other than chippy of course.
Its probably partly the reason I’m a gooner (well that and been born and growin up just off the essex road – just close enough to hear the ground with the wind in the right direction!).
My old dear (an irish lady) ensured we supported arsenal in the 79 cup final largely because of brady etc….loads of irish in Islington in those days
That was a lovely blog. I’m a Islington boy of about the same age and you managed to take me right back! Thank you.
In those days paddy? Is there not still a regular hooley in the Holloway on a Saturday night?
Evening all. Seems I have missed out on some right nostalgia these last few days. I’m On holiday in Northumberland at the moment, so connections are not great.
While we catch up on the events of the past… Imagine my horror when we went in to an ale house in Alnwick last Saturday thinking they were watching our majestic Gunners (we could see live cootie through the window and one team were in red and white). Turned out they were watching some dodgy Italian satellite channel, Bristol city versus the barcodes… I did wonder why the Unhappy Hammers were in an all yellow kit. Anyway, their game kicked off a bit earlier than ours, so they switched back to our game for the last few minutes of the first half. I saw the challenge, sending off and penalty save. The general feeling in the pub was that the ref had got it wrong and TV had been hard done by.
I’ll have a pint of Beamish please ‘holic.
Cootie? That should read footie.
also…
i remember milwall standing at the very back, a pack of them, there to fight with the arsenal! yes that happend…
being in there with 63,000 many times, supermac scoring a hatrick on his debut, sparking up spliff and passing it round
starting my fave, ‘we are the reds, we are the reds, we are we are we are the reds’ (to the tune we are the mods, see the film quadrophenia) with eveyone bobbing up and down then a bundle down
sung to the away fans in the clock end…. ‘your gonna get your fucking heads kicked in’ or ‘well see you all, well see you all outside’ or ‘we can see you sneaking out’ or ‘your going home in a fucking ambulance’ and of course to our boys, ‘clock end clock end do your job’
and a real funny one…’whos up mary brown, whos up mary brown, tommy tommy docherty’ who remembers that?
love it!
we are red, we are white, we are fucking dynamite, la la la la, la la la, la la
Excellent blog post! Not going back as far as some of the memories here but does anyone know if the lady is still around that used to shout “come on you gunners” when the crowd was quiet and people used to cheer her! Also wonder about the famous North Bank screamer…maybe they are the same person?!
Absolutely brilliant thread! Thanks to everyone who posted.
Reading it – what a great nostalgic way to start the weekend. As a North Bank regular in the 60s and 70s I can remember most of it well – even the Mary Brown chant! My high spots were the same as many of you – like Johnny Radford’s soaring header against Anderlecht – but also Bob Wilson’s one-on-one save from George Best (who never missed those). Best of all – subtly leaning against the bloke in front until the ball came down our end, a quick shove and you’re up against the crash barrier for a perfect – if uncomfortable view!
At my current age now, however, I’m grateful for the comforts of the Grove. Doubt if my ageing limbs could stand the crush and my bladder would never survive for 100 minutes, let alone the 3 hours for the big games.
Amazing memories – ah yes, I remember them well…
Great post holic, however I’m dissapointed at the fiction, teenager in the 70’s !
You cheeky sod! Hope to see you soon Sticks. Have a great time in Barca.
That was a wonderful blog ‘holic. From someone who supports Arsenal from afar, it is always important to hear about the old ways at Highbury.
Will do mate. Man city perhaps, cheers
That is a wonderful blog about a wonderful stadium. I was lucky enough to have a good look around the place on Easter Sunday. A friend lives in the North Bank and we had an Easter egg hunt on the old pitch. I had a brief run around and pretended to recreate TH’s goal vs Spurs. It was an amazing stadium with some amazing memories. I posted a video and some pictures on Twitter.
http://www.twitter.com/feverpitch
Does anyone remember the goal Brian McDermott scored at the clock end, where he headed the ball out of the keepers hands & dribbled the ball around him & scored?
hi i was a founder member that started the north bank 67 68 we were only maybe 100 when we started an end where we sang and sometimes fight i remember pl aying glasgow rangers pre season night game someone threw a bottle then all hell broke the first of but not to many beatings west ham a f ew times i never missed a game home and away for eight seasons travel very differant them days my mates over the north bank i would see on match days hoyboy micky put ney symes macready harnetty many more good boys never run too many memories to put down here standind infront of the kop aftre jimmy robinson helped us beat them 4 1 street fights a plenty my friend charly george scoring at wembley 71 to the shit heap of a pitch thay saw us lose to swindon same state pitch that we won the fairs cup t o the pen spot i still have from the paxton road end when beat the scum to win the double 1971 great times tha nk you north bank
Great blog Holic. You brought back many fond memories for me. Although I am West Ham from Hackney I always had a soft spot for Arsenal and Highbury.
Schultz, I remember you mate. You and I faced off at the back of the bank around 69. Me and about 50 other West Ham got in early and found ourselves very exposed and gradually being surrounded. No sign of the Mile End who traditionally arrived late in those days. I have to admit we took a serious slap and I still have a gap where one of my teeth was knocked out to prove it. I have vague recollections of what seemed like a size 10 steel toe cap boot heading my way. I put it down to character building at the time, although my Mum didn’t see it that way when I got home. As I recall there was about 60’000 at Highbury that day and by the time the game kicked off the NB was so tightly packed that nobody could fight anymore as you just could’t move. As Holic says in his blog you just had to go with the crowd and it was really not uncommon to be lifted and moved 20 to 30 yards.
I think that game ended up a nil nil draw if I am not mistaken.
I remember being on the NB as a 15 year old in 67-68 against Man. Utd (our match was off for some reason) when the Stretford End came down and also the pre-season friendly against Rangers. That was a lively affair.
Arsenal during the Bertie Mee time were a joy to watch and the atmosphere at Highbury, and particularly on the NB was unsurpassed anywhere in London. Although Upton Park could be pretty atmospheric I always thought that the NB Highbury had the edge when it came to singing.
I miss the terraces and the atmosphere they generated. All seater grounds are just not the same. I am sorry but the Emirates just doesn’t cut it and neither will this bloody Olympic stadium in Stratford if we have to move over there. I dread the day. Football has become anaesthetised in this country. It makes me sad.
As Bertie Mee said to Bill Shankly, have you heard of the North Bank Highbury, and the Shank said yeeeesss……………
Thanks for all the memories.
Old Iron
Glad you’re alright Schultz. Some respectable names there mate. Some good memories too.
Iron, sorry you got caught by the temperamental spam filter for a couple of hours there. Thanks for your memories. Upton Park was the only ground in London we didn’t overrun back in those days. Remember some hairy afternoons (and one decidedly dodgy evening) with the Mile End. Fair play. Relations may have soured for a while, but old Hammers were always decent, and fair, and as I said, changed the experience on the North Bank for a decade once you started taking it regularly.
Holic, thanks for your comment. I presume the “decidely dodgy evening” you are referring to was a Monday night game at UP around 1970, which was another nil nil draw, and the journey back along the District Line culminating in that nasty incident at Bromley-by-Bow station after the game.
Bang on fella. First time (apart from Rangers maybe) we learned the true meaning of ‘there is always someone bigger than you out there.’
It was over a decade before the tables were turned your side of town. Regardless of the other stuff that went on, fair play to you.
Take care, and good luck this season. That was all a very long time ago.
for anyone out there from the original founder members and want to contact me please do not many of us alive out there send arsenal up the field for one more goal no other team can fight like the boys in red and white so lnever let the glory fade so let us all sing up boys up the gunners up the gunners goal p shervill 59 church av chelmsford cm1 7ez
hy me again after writing in many more memories came back to me the early 70s were very differant to now you could get in to any game the big games you had to get there early away games were great we rulled everywhere one away game i remember 71 72 we played stoke who were a top team then we played them in two fa cup semi finals in a row both won by us after replays their end used lie in wait for us in a graveyard then attack us they always ran this game it rained like a monsoon the pitch was under water the tannoy called for volunteers to help get the pitch ready for play about 30 of us were given forks to drain the water we singer north bank song the game started late they beat us 5nil the fucking tannoy man thanked at end of game cheek still we tuned up the stoke end on the way back to the station just one of many memories we are the north bank highbury
not meaning to sound like an old moaner but how manyg of you think lik e i do that mr wenger has gone as far as his ego w ill allow when he came to arsenal he had a great defence which served him well for eight seasons ian wright the master bergkamp what he did was to add viera petit overmars anelka since the graham way of defendin g went he has been found wanting u know great teams have great de fenders the last five years we are a joke two of the worse goalies i have ever seen wenger does not know how to defend adams keown campbell d id the day we wake up and question wenger he will leave in a huff wont pay 4 million for a goalie they win you t itles arsenal need to put or we will never win fuck all make or break this season i think he will buy no keeper or solid defender and we will be boys against men like last year
Funny how no North Bank Gunner is prepared to admit that Chelsea fans, on a couple of occasions, and Spurs fans from 76 to 82, were in the North bank and held sway? I suppose this will not be posted and that some Arsenal fans will come out with the old chestnut ‘was not the whole end’ despite the fact the away support were behind the goal or the fact the police were stopping them getting any further.
It was a great end though..the view was fantastic.