When It Rains We Get Wet
Aug 4th, 2010 by 'holic
Still a problem for those in the lower tier of the Grove, as I have discovered on occasion. Then again, a little bit of rainwater never hurt anybody. As a mate has said more than once, “it ain’t battery acid”.
“What’s the silly old sod on about now?” I hear you ask. Or rather you would be but for the blindingly obvious pictorial clue! I’m rather pleased that from the opposite end of the Grove, on full magnification, I have got a shot of the latest addition to the ground, pretty much in focus.
Sadly the new timepiece will not be fully functional until Blackpool arrive in just over a fortnight, but on the day a grand’holic made his first trip to the new home of football it stirred welcome memories of being brought up next to the version that now adorns the outside of the south end of the stadium.
Before I was old enough to make my own way to games the ‘holicdad would more often than not park me on a small stool on the one big step at the back of the Clock End. There he had stood with his mates since before Hitler decided that Arsenal’s march to world domination would have to be halted!
In the post-war years they watched the Arsenal from this vantage point on Saturday, and played football together on Sunday. By the time I came along only a select few remained, their visits becoming more rare. The time was right too. The emergence of a ‘livelier’ breed of young supporter, and the invincibility of the North Bank in the late sixties and early seventies meant we were more often than not surrounded by visiting fans, some of whom were friendlier than others.
I decamped to the other end of the ground as soon as the teen years arrived, and paper rounds provided the train fare up from the Thames Valley. There was still the odd game Dad would come too, and I would join him in the old spot. The most memorable was Malcolm Macdonald’s first game against Newcastle after signing for us, and the hat-trick he scored had around half a dozen of us leaping up and down in the midst of a sea of disgruntled Geordies.
It was shortly after that that the side of the Clock the old fella had frequented was fenced off and reserved exclusively for visiting fans. Disgruntled, I moved back from the North Bank to join those now making a name for themselves on the Avenell Road side of the fences.
It seems like yesterday, but the arrival of the executive box development at the Clock End was obviously not universally popular with those who made some virtue of supporting the club in the open air. Many times discussions about the possibility of putting a cover over the south end of Highbury had led to lively debate.
For some it suggested the loss of the clock, just as had happened when a cover was erected over the North Bank in the close season of 1935, would result. That was unthinkable to those of the ‘holicdad’s generation. Those who followed were mortified when the clock did not, at first, follow the club to the Grove.
Now we are set to have two of them. Reminders of family and friends, of Arsenal’s past stars, of roasted peanuts and bovril, of lively debate and sometimes more. The Clock and Arsenal. Ever was it so. Ever should it remain.
76 Responses to “When It Rains We Get Wet”
No drinks for this wonderful post? Shame on you people!
Well done Sir!
Wonderful reminiscences. But resetting the time looks to be not for the feint of heart! Rum, please.
Or faint.
Nice article.. very thoughtful and touchy.. Thank you sir..
Thanks Holic, ever thought about writing a book ?
Goonerholic – as ever, a gem amongst the turds…
Cheers Jock. I did have a crazy idea about doing one for the first season at the Grove. Can’t do the blog, a full-time job, and the book.
Now if someone wants to pay me ten years salary as an advance… π
Touching. Lovely.
I must say that whilst glad to have a clock on the inside I do feel that it could have been made to look less of an afterthought. It is just stuck on the metal work.
Maybe a surrounding mural or something to make it look part of the stadiums framework rather than a late addition.
I’m also concerned that our scrimp and save approach to players may have carried over to the fixings. I can imagine it now:
The installer “Mister Gazidis, you can have the six inch screws for Β£1 each or the three inch screws at 50p a piece”
Ivan “Erm, do you have any bluetack?”
Holic, a great post (as always)
Here’s hoping that having our clock back in its rightful place will starting bringing the silverware back home!
A cold Strongbow please sir…
Excellently encapsulated as ever. Really enjoy these posts from days gone by.
My first ever game, with my dad, was also absorbed into every pore on an uncovered Clock End.
There’s a good article in the “brand new Gooner” by an Aussie Arsenal fan who attended his first ever games last season.
They were against Bolton and Everton, and in spite of being played in temperatures which i believed only occurred some way outside of Earth’s atmosphere, he was utterly enchanted with the whole experience.
It is these things, and such as your own reminiscenses (blimey, is that correct?) here ‘Holic, that make us what we are.
What we are, even after 5 years without a trophy, and 5 years of disappointment, dodgy goalkeepers and worse centre-backs, is loyal and proud.
Mad maybe, but as loyal and proud as ever.
Cheers ‘Holic, please keep the historical things coming.
Herbie @9 – you ungrateful git! Very funny though. I love Gooners!
Holic, Im not one for blowing smoke up arses but this is why I rate your site above all overs you have an ability to take people back to times spent over The Arsenal and all the good people and good times they had at the old girl, Its safe to say some of the things seen and people met will stay with me till I’m 6 feet under π Happy Days.
Tick Tock,
The next ones are on me, To absent friends.
How you doing, Herbie?
Deep depression moving in from the East, by the look of things π
Thanks Trev.
Another lovely post `Holic, I really dig these dives in the past of yours. Thank!
I’ll have a lovely glass (ahem, bottle?) of pinot noir to cheer to you and your wonderful prose.
And with this piece you’ve just inspired me to write about my gooner experiences which is all “Arsenal worldwide” want. They actually want us to share with other gooners how it is to follow the Arse from a land a far.
Cheers
ARSENAL POLL
http://poll.pollcode.com/j4BV
I’m fine thanks ‘holic, looking forward to the season and some interesting signings from left field over the next month.
Am confident we’ll do well if we can keep the injuries to a minimum and some of the middling players get a kick up the jacksie from last year.
Loving your blogging btw!
Trev @12 just want the stadium to look it’s best is all!
Herbie @18 – i know you do – my comment was only a little joke back.
I know Trev@19 its just that the wife calls me a git as well when i tell her that she could do more with herself so I’m used to being defensive π
People, I should let you know that Herbie was a ‘partner in crime’ when we discovered on Bergkamp testimonial day that you could stroll upstairs from the lower tier to Club Level to partake in free beer. π
I’m still trying to find my free tee shirt from that day think it was last seen on eBay the following morning cheeky gits !!! Funny enough the last time I saw the old girl in all her glory was that same day, Had one final walk round her with barely a soul about !!
I’m sure you two have put more than enough in Arsenals coffers over the years, so the very least they can do is give you free beer now and again π
I came away from that day with 6 shirts, there was a massive empty area next to me so I picked up some extras, as did everyone else around me!
Loved the Ajax fans in The Gunners – great memories.
Had forgotten about the free beers though!
Hope we have some crackers from this season as well!
PS: I did give them away to less well off/fortunate gooner friends and their kids.
Had forgotten about the free beers though!
Maybe it was Mush then. I thought it was all three of us!
Probably was GM, I was with my little Brother and I can’t recall club level.
Did smuggle some bottled beer to my seat during the Milan game though!
A very fine post ‘holic. Evocative. You really should consider publishing a collection of your posts in the fine tradition of collected essays.
One day our paths may cross and it will be a privilege to buy you a Guinness or three.
For now mines, a Bath Golden Hare. Cheers
LOVE this blog ‘holic. Many thanks.
Taking my 6 year old to his 2nd member’s day tomorrow. Only this time, he has been selected to ask a question at the player’s Q&A.
His question? “What team did you support when you were 6 yrs old and why?”
What’s the betting they don’t allow him to ask Cesc!
Another large glass of Cab Sauv please barkeep.
Let that be a warning to you kids. Booze addles the memory after just four years π
Herbie, Sounds like they found a good home π
Ajax Fans are always a pleasure had some great times in the dam and at the arena !!
Whatβs the betting they donβt allow him to ask Cesc!
Heh! Great stuff, DAF. Have a great day. I did the first one, then had a relaxing liquid lunch in the Gunners to prepare myself for the first season in ‘Highbury West’.
Just had a flashback to the ClockEnd in the mid 70’s. My dad taking me to the game with his mates, the Percy Dalton’s man wending his way through the crowd, giving his his booming “Peanuts, Roasted Peanuts”! Bovril, Wagon Wheels. Heaven! Ta much sir for provoking a most pleasant reverie.
Hello rider.
Hope you have had a good summer…
Wonderful stuff ‘Holic. Has brought a tear to my eye as I envisage taking my son to The Arsenal for the first time. Hopefully will get my Dad along too to make it a generation thing.
actually that brings up a reasonable question; to any Dads out there who have done it – when’s a good age to take a kid to his first game? i.e he’ll appreciate it and not be scared sh##less by the crowds?
Mine’s 3, so two more years?
If he can take his local Fiesta Mayor he can take a trip to the Arsenal. Just keep him close and let him stand on his seat and take in the view and all that goes with it. With you I will take an Estrella.
True – if he can put up with fireworks being lobbed around then he should be fine with a bit of footy! An ice cold Estrella for you Potter..
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Cheers mate, Aquesto es la vida ( I think )
Briliant piece!
Clockendrider beat me too it, but the roasted peanut cry conjured up memories and brought me make to my younger years, that guy had a very distinctive voice that I’ll never forget.
I too spent my first Highbury years, before defecting to the North Bank, in the Clockend, I always used to stand at the small grey gate in the corher next to the St John’s ambulance post, it was also the place that the old bill would take you if you got “nicked”.
I’m glad the old clocks found a new home. the Arsenalisation of the Grove seams to be coming along nicely, it’s good to see the board respecting the wishes of the fans.
Cider please guv’.
Cheers.
It might just be BS, but what do you all think of this;
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2010/08/04/arsenal-ready-to-make-move-for-8m-solution-to-problem-area-wenger-wants-hart/
Just to top this wonderful post here’s the list of preseason games lost by the top 7 clubs:
Arsenal:
Chelski:
1:2 Hamburg
1:2 Frankfurt
1:3 Ajax
Man Indebted:
2:3 Guadalajara
1:2 Kansas City
Liverpool:
0:1 Monchengladbach
0:1 Kaiserslautern
Merc Citeh:
1:3 Dortmund
0:3 Inter
1:2 NY Red Bulls
Tottenham:
1:4 Villareal
Aston Villa:
1:4 Benfica
1:2 Bohemians
Thanks for the memories and a toast to the future! Seems like cider season so pour me a cold one please.
Catalan,
Took my son when about 5 and he was a bit frightened. However we persisted (!) and now aged 8 I can’t get him to talk about anything else. My son now quotes the history and statistics to me which I either never knew or the ravages of time have erased from my memory. My wife now driven to distraction by 2 obsessed Gooners. Everything in the universe in it’s right place.
Cat – I took the prodigal to his first game when he was 8. He’s now 11 and he wants more, more, more!
I’d say 5 is a good age at the Grove. Everything is kinda sanitised and family friendly. If it was Highbury, I’d say a bit older, that ‘tight’ atmosphere would probably be a bit daunting for a young ‘un.
Word to the wise, there is no way of avoiding the Armoury. Those fine architects have ensured that your ‘customer journey’ takes you directly outside with those two beautiful
cannons.
@Clockendrider and @ 74
Cheers for the advice – I think I’ll plan for 5 or 6 and check him out first with Potter’s method of exposure to gunpowder!
At 3 he reckons there’s three different types of games; “football”, which he plays in the garden with me, “Arsenal”, and the “team that shall not be named”- depending on who’s on TV!
Like Clock, my wife too is becoming ever more resigned to her fate….!
Catalan, I am reliably informed I went as a baby, and regularly through my formative years, but in all honesty I don’t remember anything with any clarity until I was about six.
Jeez ‘Holic – you’re doing well. I can’t remember much from before I was 35!
Heh!
I remember less after then!
CG,
“The team that shall not be named”!. Brilliant…..
Clockend
My in-laws have accepted that there shall be no support for TTTSNBN this year as a matter of principle! I am, however, not allowed to be too overt in my protests (actively abusing them in front of son etc.) I am trusting that my silence shall speak powerfully…
CG,
In situations like this I find it useful to think back on what one of the great men of the 20th century would do.
“Talk softly. And carry a big stick”!.
Harry S. Truman.
Clockend
Do you think attacking the TV with a big stick would be going too far? Personally I’m open to the idea. As long as we’re round at The Dark Lord’s gaff!
Personally I am comfortable sticking pins in uncomfortable places into the home made voodoo doll of him and invoking the gods of the underworld while listening to Sympathy with the devil being played backwards, if that’s what it takes.
But that might be just me.
Now… if I can just get hold of a strand of Puyol’s hair…
My first game was boxers v jockeys no idea when 1958/9 ish .I’m sure you have seen the great black and white photo of highbury at night with the swirling mist thats how I first remember Highbury. the night games my first league game was Wolves about 1960 . when I was 9/10 me and my mates used to go down the clockend get in first ish and sit on the barrier and hold on to the railings where the steps went down, nobody could get in front of you WHAT A VIEW !!
Danny.
boxers v jockeys?
Was it a good game?
It sounds like it could of been pants. π
Reminds me, H2H,
Time for a couple of shorts… π
I watched my first ever Arsenal game at the Clock End – this was a really nice reminder ‘Holic – well done.
When I took my daughter to her first game at the Emirates last season I tried to explain to her the significance of the clock but I don’t think she quite got it – the penny will drop now that it is plonked on to the structure of the roof I’m sure!
We could do with those long arms in goal as well π
Members Day was great and Fab4 got a massive cheer as he came out first of anyone.
The players Q&A was very excellent. Held in the Press Conference room, we were joined by Vermaelen, Clichy (who was hilarious and VERY media friendly), Sagna and Fabianski (who was a reasonable talker but looked like he was texting under the desk for most of it).
Bought my 6 year old his first proper Arsenal strip (he’s had only hand me downs and training tops ’til now). Shirt, shorts, socks and a name and number (RVP 11 since you ask). Β£76!!! OK, where have I been?
Bloke behind me in The Armoury (@AFC!(&$ – know what you mean!) some Middle Eastern looking guy bought (…count ’em…) SEVENTY ONE new home shirts and wanted names on the back of all of them. Do the maths. This Member’s Day lark is a real money spinner.
Arsenalisation looking great on the concourses, really classy, see here: http://twitpic.com/2bwy9x
Cheers zico, and thanks for that DAF. I’ll never forget that week in Copenhagen.
I had the unfortunate experience of having to take a dump in the bogs at the clock end during ht at the 1990 north London derby.
I remember sitting there with my cacks around my ankles getting loads of abuse from what seemed to be thousands of fellow gooners behind the locked door.
This was due to the lack of general toilet facilities in those days.
I was a north bank man myself. That game was an all ticket early kick off sell out, I bought my ticket off a spurs fan by the railway bridge on seven sisters road.
The game ended goaless and we went on to win the league.
@57 H2H and @58 Holic. Y oh Y oh Y……………
Evening gents. Great article holic. I was always a North Bank boy so remember fondly staring at the clock form my vantage point.
Catalan. I have 2 kids, now 6 and 10. Both went to their first games at about 4/5. Both nervous first time out, Both can not get enough now. My advice is go to a low key game. Never any problems and quite kiddie friendly.
Was at today’s members day with my 6 year old lad. Had a great time. Quite a delay getting in but a very good day otherwise. We were also luck enough to be in the press room. DAF, I think we were sitting across the isle from you? Row 2???? I echo your comments. Very relaxed and informal. Very good and well ran. Staff were also very friendly with free refreshments available. Could it possibly be that we are getting this all right at last?
@Steve T – yes my son and I were in row 2! Desperately trying to remember what you looked like!! I was the one wearing the commemorative Highbury redcurrant shirt with ‘DAF’ on the back π
Daf, I was in row 2 on the other side of the isle. White t shirt and shorts, son in his blue away shirt. Very good session I thought? A credit to the club.
rvp – is he number 10?
Hi Catalan – took my daughter when she was 5, after much pleading to go along with me. She could pronounce all the players names at 1 3/4 so i knew the interest was there.
It was basically a question of her being able to handle the toilet sisuation as i couldn’t go in with her, and by half-time you would not take a 5 year old girl into the gents!
I thought she would definately not maintain interest for the whole game, but how wrong can you be.
She watched from the upper tier window for an hour before kick-off, transfixed by the sheer number of arriving gooners and all the shirts and scarves she could ever imagine (and more).
Half way through the second half, she was looking the wrong way, at Almunia, as we attacked the other area and looked likely to score.
“Quick look” I said, “you’ll miss a goal otherwise. Are you getting a bit bored?”, I asked.
“No” she said, “I’m watching our goalkeeper to see what he’s doing, in case they suddenly go at our goal”.
Blimey, i thought, 5 years old and she’s seen it after 60 minutes!
She still loves it, when i can get/afford the extra ticket – one next to mine can cost Β£94 a time!
But look forward to his first game – it’s a great day.
Cheers Trev, I’m looking forward already.
Just found out that now got a 3rd one on the way too… which was a nice surprise!
We’ve got our wish of Cesc for one more year, so now really looking forward to Jack and Pingpong being blooded into the team. And the return of Rambo, of course.
A bottle of cava for anyone feels like celebrating!
There’s always a reason to celebrate, Catalan! Now, even more so. I’ll share a bottle!
Congrats Catalan, Good news indeed π
And good to see Cesc will be with us next year, Gotta say it was a refreshing change to read a footballers statement that resembled the truth, At least he didnt try and butter it up, He wanted to go we all knew that so tell the truth, Good Lad didnt fail,
Up The Arse,
Cheers Toby and Chippy – 2 kids in 17 months…I blame the crap Spanish TV!
Congrats Catalan – always thought sleep was very overrated anyway!
Bottle of SMA Gold for Catalan, please.
So it seems Cesc and Vela have to travel to bloody Mexico the same week as our first fixture.. and loads more of friendlies involving our squad. Arseblog was right with what we should do to Blatter. It’s outrageous
‘holic
Lovely piece. So nice to visit the old days via you…..and composed with class. Our ground, our clock, our team….nothing need shake that.
Tim
Another fine blog βholic. Always enjoy hearing of your (and any gooners) past experiences.
Testimony to your writing that the sentiments that followed in these βDrinksβ are also written with such revere.
Well done.
Guinness is the only way forward π