1979 Remembered
Oct 11th, 2012 by 'holic
In pre-Goonerholic days I was indebted to Darren at Arsenal-Land who decided I was just the sort of old fossil who could write some history articles for that excellent site. He got me started, but please don’t hold that against him! Since this piece was written in February 2006 Arsenal-Land has gone through a major redesign and those early pieces were lost in the ether. Once again therefore I owe Darren my gratitude for letting me reproduce them here, starting with a review of the 1978/79 season. Thanks Darren.
Here’s a question for you. When did Arsenal score five goals at White Hart Lane, and beat Manchester United in the FA Cup Final? Did I hear 2004-2005? Well, you are only half right. Welcome to the other season it happened.
Terry Neill Joined Arsenal as a seventeen year old in 1959 and served the club, primarily as a central defender, until departing for Hull City as player manager in 1970. Four years later he succeeded Bill Nicholson as manager of Tottenham. A couple of summers passed before this favourite son returned to Highbury. He immediately stamped his mark on the club by signing Newcastle striker Malcolm Macdonald for a club record £333,333. The steady improvement under Neill was supplemented, in 1977, by the return of double winning coach, Don Howe, a former defensive partner of Neill at Highbury. The pair celebrated their first season with a fifth place finish in the league, and an FA Cup Final appearance, albeit unsuccessful, against Ipswich Town.
By the start of 1978/79 they had removed all but the last remnants of the double winning squad of eight seasons earlier, and assembled an impressive group which, apart from Macdonald, included homegrown talent such as Nelson, O’Leary, Stapleton, Price, Rix, Gatting, Devine, the experienced skipper Pat Rice, and the supremely talented Liam Brady. Neill had persuaded Jennings, Young, and Walford to follow him to the other end of the Seven Sisters Road, whilst the lively Alan Sunderland had been purchased from Wolves.
There was, however, little sign of the glory to come in August. No wins, an embarrassing 3-1 defeat at Rotherham in the League Cup, and the loss of Macdonald for virtually the rest of the season with a serious knee injury didn’t bode well. Thankfully, September brought a 5-1 demolition of QPR and closed with an away win at Middlesbrough. In between these the East Germans of Locomotive Leipzig were overwhelmed 7-1 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup. Some of those who endured the tortuous trip behind the Iron Curtain sought out the team hotel after the away leg, and found themselves part of an impromptu ‘ceilidh’ in the banqueting hall with the Arsenal squad and management. Liam Brady’s rendition of ‘Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner’, an attempt to involve the awestruck guests, stole the show.
October and November produced yet more mixed fortunes, inconsistent league form countered by further progress in the UEFA Cup as Hajduk Split were conquered on the away goals rule. Liam Brady, having taken much punishment during the second leg at Highbury, finally retaliated with a shove and found himself red-carded along with his marker. The goal that took Arsenal through in the final seconds was delicately floated home from the edge of the box by the unlikeliest source, Willie Young would rarely demonstrate such a delicate touch.
However, a month later Red Star Belgrade, another Yugoslav side, ended the Gunners interest, also on the away goals rule. Malcolm Macdonald made a cameo appearance as a substitute after Arsenal had conceded a fateful late goal, and had the ball in the net. The referee, for a reason known only to himself, ruled the strike out, and Macdonald returned to the treatment table. December was not all bad news though. The month had dawned with a 1-0 defeat of Liverpool, courtesy of a David Price goal. And at White Hart Lane on December 23rd Tottenham were destroyed 5-0 by as good an Arsenal performance as any Terry Neill side produced. The highlight was a goal by Liam Brady that is still talked of, by older Gooners, in revered tones today. Having robbed Peter Taylor on the edge of the box, Brady hit a left foot curler into the top right corner of the net, and the watching television cameras caught perfectly the arc of the ball, and his celebration in front of a stunned Shelf. ‘We all agree, Brady is better than Hoddle’ sang the travelling fans as three sides of the ground all but emptied long before the final whistle.
If Brady had shone a little sun into our lives then January was the antidote. Snow and ice gripped the country and in the only league fixture of that month Nottingham Forest triumphed 2-1. The weather was not the sole reason for the lack of league action. Third division Sheffield Wednesday took the Gunners to FOUR replays before finally bowing out of the FA Cup. In the first replay at Highbury they had been seconds from a giant-killing when Brady grabbed a dramatic equaliser. Steve Gatting and Frank Stapleton netted the goals that secured Arsenal’s progress in the final meeting at Leicester.The month closed with a more comfortable 2-0 triumph over Notts County in the fourth round. Debut boy Brian Talbot, a Cup winner against Arsenal for Ipswich, celebrated his £450,000 move with a goal.
Inconsistency would again haunt Neill’s charges in February. At Old Trafford Alan Sunderland struck twice against a Manchester United side who could produce no response, but the title challenge was effectively ended at Highbury after Middlesbrough (0-0) and Wolves (0-1) made off with valuable points. Two days after the latter the team travelled to the City Ground to take on the reigning champions, Nottingham Forest, in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Forest were hot favourites having been unbeaten at home for 49 games stretching back two years. In this season they would go on to lift the first of two consecutive European Champions Cup’s, but Frank Stapleton’s 78th minute header was enough to take the visitors into a quarter-final appointment with Southampton.
After a 1-1 draw at the Dell, the Saints were felled 2-0 at Highbury with Alan Sunderland again grabbing a brace. The semi-final at Villa Park pitted Arsenal against Wolves. Liam Brady, mindful of his decision to play in the previous year’s final when not fully fit, declared himself unavailable. A surprisingly confident display resulted in goals for Stapleton and Sunderland without reply, taking the Gunners to their tenth FA Cup Final.
March had also witnessed the crowning of the Professional Footballers Association Player of the Year award. The choice of his peers was one Liam Brady. In an era when Liverpool and Nottingham Forest were the dominant forces, Liam’s recognition was proof indeed of his special talent.
April produced a minor panic. After scoring the equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Coventry City, left back Sammy Nelson celebrated by dropping his shorts in front of the North Bank bringing an immediate charge from the Football Association. For once the governing body acted stealthily, and Nelson was able to complete the ensuing suspension before the FA Cup Final.
So to the 12th May, 1979. Wembley bathed in sunshine for the first ever meeting of two of the games biggest clubs in the FA’s showcase event. Both had gone into the season tipped for success, but with eleven and twelve league defeats respectively, this game would provide only one of them with European competition the following season. Given that fact it was perhaps surprising that, for eighty-five minutes anyway, Arsenal were able to put a stranglehold on the proceedings. It took just twelve minutes for the first goal to arrive. David Price accelerated onto a Stapleton through ball on the right hand side of the penalty area, rounded Martin Buchan, and his perfect cut back was met by both Brian Talbot and Alan Sunderland. That the ball was in the back of the net there was no doubt. Almost to a man the players ran to congratulate Sunderland, whilst Talbot cut short his solo celebration and indicated it was in fact he who had got the touch. For now it didn’t matter, but the goal was later credited to the man who had picked up a winners medal twelve months previously. Sunderland would have his moment in the spotlight soon enough. In the closing minute of the first half the lead was doubled as the mercurial Brady surged from midfield, rode two challenges (including one from the hapless Buchan) and chipped perfectly to the unmarked Stapleton at the far post. Frank didn’t miss opportunities like that!
The second half saw United huffing and puffing, but the elegant O’Leary and the combative Young looked to be dealing comfortably with any direct threat. As the minutes ticked away the Gooners massed at the tunnel end started the celebrations. And then the unthinkable happened. What was to become known as the ‘five minute final’ actually started to become a contest, and how! In the eighty-sixth minute Steve Walford, a second-half substitute for David Price, failed to get a meaningful head on a free-kick lofted into the box. Joe Jordan hooked the ball back into the danger zone and centre-half Gordon McQueen swept the ball past the unsighted Jennings. Surely this was no more than a consolation? Less than two minutes later we had the answer as Steve Coppell fed Sammy McIlroy in the box. The young Irishman skipped inside the challenges of O’Leary and Walford and slipped the ball under Jennings for the equaliser. Arsenal players and fans alike were dumbstruck.
Many tales are told of fans who had their head in their hands and missed the final twist to this unexpected thriller. From the restart Sammy Nelson chipped the ball down the left flank for Stapleton who in turn fed Brady on the half way line. In the post match interviews ‘Chippy’ admitted he just wanted to carry the ball into the United half and prevent them from getting it back and scoring the winner. He saw off four challenges before catching a glimpse of Graham Rix charging down the wing and his perfect pass begged the perfect cross from the Yorkshireman. It got it! At the far post Alan Sunderland sidefooted possibly the most dramatic winner in any FA Cup Final (although Andy Linighan may contest that particular statement!) Pat Rice, a young right-back in the double year of 1971 finally picked up a trophy as captain.
Behind the goal at this end we went off the scale mental
Two days after the lifting the Cup, Arsenal faced already relegated Chelsea in the final league game of the season at Stamford Bridge. Malcolm Macdonald made his final appearance, and ‘Supermac’ fittingly grabbed the goal in a 1-1 draw.
History will record the FA Cup triumph as the highlight of the Neill years as manager. Twelve months later he led his team out at Wembley for the third consecutive season, and also took Arsenal all the way in the European Cup-Winners Cup. Both finals however ended in bitter disappointment, and Liam Brady moved on to the greater challenges that awaited him in Italian football. Behind him, Chippy left a treasure trove of memories of that magical left foot.
A thankfully brief, but new barren spell of eight years was about to be inflicted on Highbury’s finest.
132 Responses to “1979 Remembered”
In !!!
Out
I deserve that for getting obliterrated in the last drinks. 😉
Champions League whoops Europa Cup.
Btw lovely discourse ‘holic.
Fabulous stuff from the Gooner historian himself.
Just before sleeping, 2.30 am and I came accross this. Had to share it with the bar,
Santi & Arteta
Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO3Li6rp_kg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Thoroughly enjoyed that Holic.
Amazing memory. I was there for every home game that season, a few away games, the semi final and all four Sheffield Wednesday games, but I could never retrieve the ordered memories that you do.
The only game I missed was the FA Cup Final, despite having done my time with a few Swindon, Leeds, Ipswich final defeats. 🙁
Great post.
Thanks holic for this incredible read while Im standing waiting for a couple friends at London Bridge Station.
See you at the tollie before the qpr game!
Oh ‘holic what have you – reminded me of the pain of travelling south from Wakefield to Rotherham to see us crushed by the upstarts – and feeling that it was all my fault for having dared to want to watch my team on the one of the few occasions when they came to the North East
The cup final , as you say, was memorable for getting we tv watchers stressed out as the unworthy opposition scored when they wanted, but we had in Alan S a goal poacher who was well worthy of the name
Derrick 7 ….enjoy I did – lovely compilation.
Greatest Arsenal goal, ever!
Watched that final in a student gaff in Dublin – me, one other Gooner and what seemed like hundreds of Irish Mancs (sure I’ve shared that story both here and in the Tollington).
Those 5 minutes were agony. Can still hear Motty’s words though – “Sunderland, it’s there. It’s 3-2”.
The celebration was lengthy – I think I fell asleep with a pint of Smethwicks in my hand sometime toward midnight.
Ah, Dublin. Fine place, fine people.
Problem solved Mr U 😉
Bloody hell! A new post
Must read it.
COYG ICDDR
@ 13 – Zico
That’ll be Smithwicks!
Still a mighty fine brew.
I must be getting old… I looked at the title of this piece and thought, “hmmm… 1979… What happened that season…” and couldn’t think of anything. It was to be my final year at University as they rumbled me and suggested I didn’t bother coming back for the last year of my second degree.
Even so, I was home for Christmas and went to the match at SCL. As I recall someone – Sunderland? – scored a couple in he first half and Chippy seemed to spend most of the rest of the game trying to set him up for a hat-trick. I had the impression that he gave up with about 20 minutes left and only then started to try to score himself – didn’t he get two?
Treasured memories are of the motherly Arsenal fan in the upper tier who dropped her red-and-white scarf onto the unwashed home support and seemed genuinely surprised that they wouldn’t throw it back to her when she asked – they set fire to it instead.
Then there was the long walk down Tottenham High Street with my mate, both of us trying to look depressed while there were still locals around.
By the time the Cup Final rolled around I knew they were my last few weeks in the groves of Academe – should I watch the match in the college house I was sharing with a few friends or schlepp into college and watch it there? 85 minutes: “Wish I’d gone into college and shown the bastards”… 88 minutes: “Christ, I’m glad I didn’t go into college”… 90 minutes: “Yeeeeeesssss! Let’s go for a pint”.
Happy Days.
Thanks for reminding me guv.
COYG ICDDR
Great memory jerker as ever. 1979 was the first Arsenal final I attended, have been lucky to get to a few since, but dont think I will ever remember one as fondly as ’79.
Fine memories, Holic.
That Chippy goal is orgasmic.
Wasp
My spelling of it above was a damn sight better than my ability to say it, that night. 😉
Lovely article Holic’ and thank you as always for your hard work and even better memory!
And what a joy to remember “that” final. My first ever game in real life!!!
I remember “thinking” that I was a Gooner for weeks before as I knew that we were going to the game and decided that I would follow in my Step-Fathers footsteps to Red and Whitedom…
Which led to a funny little moment for me…
I spent the whole of the game, up until Sunderland buried the game, thining that we had FINALLY gotten back into the match after being 2 goals down for a lot of it! Seriously, Arsenal played in red, not yellow and blue! So, after wondering why everybody in our group of Gooners kept cheering the “oppositions” goals and remaining fairly silent when we seemed to be finally dragging ourselves into it, it suddenly hit home when the third goal went in that I was clearly missing something!!!!!!!
Turning to my Step-Father, only to see him almost falling over from the sheer effort of celebration, I felt the urge to ask why he was so happy…
“Bloody Wolves player…Can you effing believe it?!!”
Ahhhh…So, thankfully my football knowledge finally saved me from the potential of further embarrasment when it dawned on me that I had obviously misunderstood completely and it was not Arsenal playing Manchester United in the final, but Wolves after all!
That explained all that yellow I thought as we wanedered out of the stadium!!!
The innocence of my youth can never be replaced or recovered but I thank you heartily for bringing back thse wonderful memories.
Sláinte Holic’ and an endless supply of whatever you are drinking!
1979 Cup Final:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQEXjVWe6lA
Holic, You should know I went to the Tottenham Spurs official site, looking for you (courtesy of clues left by H2H 🙂 Read your intro but must wait till tomorrow for the rest. Really feel ‘daft’ too kind a word to describe me 🙁
14 Many thanks ‘holic…..sometimes it doesn’t pay to be too quick 😉
Good evening,all.
What a beautiful piece of history,holic,how you manage to remember all the details is a thing of joy. That Sammy Nelson bloke must have been one hell of a happy guy,am sure Andre Santos will be proud of him (and vice versa) if they ever read about each other. FOUR replays? Well,i’d prefer that to 2weeks of interlull.
Serious question: seeing as some us weren’t even born when Brady played,we can only imagine his talent,can we equate him with Messi in our imaginations?
Trev,nice post @305 from the last set of drinks.
Holic @12,oh my!! oh my!! Did he hit that with the outside of his boot? What a bloody worldy,that goal was!!! I guess that answers my question @25. Off to watch it again.
I’m not trying to compare the two but he hit it just the way Wilshere hits his shots,he hits it with the outside of his boot,the ball goes away from the post for a while but then it comes back just in time to nestle into the top corner of the net.
Cent@25
I didn’t get the chance to see that much of Brady although, even the few times that I did, I spent much of the game either ignoring him thinking he was playing for ManUre or, worse still, not realising at all what an incredibly talented and refined footballer he was. Just that youth was against me, I suppose!
Thankfully I have just about enough memory of him as well as enough VHS videos ad a few DVD’s of Arsenal matches that have been lovingly collected over the years that demonstrate that, whilst Messi may not be a great comparison in terms of style of play, the overall effect he could have on a game was certainly similar in that it was simply breathtaking.
I actually think that a better comparison would be Cazorla, although that could possibly be a little “nowadays blinkered”. He could literally glue the ball to his foot in midfield and walk around in circles taking all manner of punishment and yet seemingly NEVER give the ball up. He could speed up and slow down play at will. Totally unselfish, totally understated, always kicked up and down the pitch and never complained, let alone go down like Flail or Suarez!
Probably earned about 50 quid a week too!
A genuine legend, only bettered for me in terms of sheer natural ability and all round quality by DB10.
Thanks Cent, @25.
Thierry 28,thanks for the info,i guess he delivered the kind of performance Santi gave us against Westham consistently?
I don’t believe it (Meldrew stylee)
Even the Stones are doomers!
Cent@30
Yes indeed sir, exactly like that!
ah achingly poignant memories. I remember so well sitting glued to my old transistor radio, with fuzzy Radio 2, during those endless replays against the Wednesday. good times.
Though i have lived in Australia for many a year now, this post gave me many memorys.
I remember going to the Forest game from Grays in Essex via Harris coaches (do they still operate?). Somehow got two mates (1x west ham 1x chelsea to come with me). A tough game but what a scene when Stapleton scored. I remember some trouble back at the coach park but nothing to dispel the gooners joy.
The southampton trip was also intresting, took my dad with me who was most annoyed to be in a caged in area at the Dell.
The semi at Villa park, was amatter of dodging coins thown all game from the neaderthals of wolves.
I remember getting off the coach at thinking the wolves fans looked about 10 years behind the much more fashionable dress arsenal fans.
The final 5 minutes of the final were unbelevaible to express to those who were not there. Joy to depair and then utter joy.
The win after the embarresment of result against Ipswich the previous year more than made up for it, however the next year the 1-0 defeat to west ham, with Trevor Brooking scoring a headed goal again drove me to drink.
Am returning next year to london, first time in 16 years and hope to get tickets to see the might Arsenal and get my 10 year old Aussie son fully hooked on the best team and supporters in the world.
go the gunners
Good man, sydneyred. And good stories. 🙂
Thanks for the explanations in the last set of drinks Uplympian and Oxon. The 60s seem to be hardly referenced so I thought that time was all about Ian Ure and Billy Wright riots in the stands…
Great post Holic! I love reading these stories about the club back in the day. I must confess after reading this line ” He immediately stamped his mark on the club by signing Newcastle striker Malcolm Macdonald for a club record £333,333″, I’m wondering where do Arsenal hide the Pound Trees? 😉
Pint of the black stuff please?
That post was a bit too factual. I think you write much better now 😉
When we signed Malcolm MacDonald did Newcastle ask for a specific sum, and the Arsenal Board sent them packing with the reply “divide that by 3 and we’ll consider it…..”?
And what do you think happened to the loose £0.33?
Heh. And must have been the cost of the pint or two at the time, zico.
I heard rumours that ‘holic was involved.
Does anyone else remember the FA Cup Final quiz question – “What is taken to the final every year but never used?”.
After his appearance for Arsenal against Ipswich Town in 1978, which followed his game for Newcastle United against Liverpool four years earlier, one wag suggested the answer was “Malcolm MacDonald”.
COYG ICDDR
@ 39
That would explain a lot. 😉
any chance of a look at Sammy’s moon ? I know it was published on the back page of the Mirror next morning. For me, as a 12 year old, Brady was THE player to be on the pitch at school or in the park, I copied everything I could remember, until my left foot could do more than my right. I cried when he left for Juventus in ’80, a very bad summer.
thanks for the post
Wot does ICDDR stand for? International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research?
Thank you Maestro, top, top blogging.
I really appreciate these trips down memory lane. I never tire of remmebering Chippy’s stunner at The Sh*thole and Sunderland’s cup-final clincher.
1979 was indeed a season to remember and savour until another favoured son returned, years later, and gave us that moment at the end of the season in ’89.
UTA!
Thank you young fella me lad 😉
Mr Goon, put some clobber on and then you can look at Sammy’s moon…
http://www.anorak.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sammy-nelson.jpg
Holic, that was a cracking photo 😆
Thanks Holic
Few if any games are seared into my memory like this one.
As I have said previously, despite having been a gooner for 43 years I have never seen the boys play in the flesh (stuck down here in Australia).
In ’79 I was doing shift work in a glass factory in Brisbane having dropped out of uni, having failed first year law in ’78. I contracted chickenpox and had had 2 weeks off work as a result. I was due to resume work at 11.00pm on that Saturday night in May (the final started at midnight Australian time). I was at my mother’s place and she was hosting an engagement party for my cousin who was marrying a great Irish girl. I should have known I was never going to go to work.
The game cost me my job at the glass factory but it was worth every dollar it cost me (the glass factory paid really well – took me another 8 years and a degree to get a job that paid as well).
Surely the most chaotic 5 minutes of football ever.
Liam Brady was as great as any player we ever had – even DB10.
Ta.
ICDDR – I Categorically Declare Denilson is Rubbish
Lovely stuff Holic. Pushed for time today, but what a season ’79 was. Will dig out my scrapbook !!!
Fantastic photo @45. Sammy always did have a lot of bare-faced cheek. I’d like to say that’s a young Tabs right there in the front row, but sadly I was a little higher up 😉
@45
At last!!! This is what I’ve been saying this site needs.
More Arse pictures!
Excellent. Well Played Holic.
We must have been very adjacent that night then TaBS.
Good afternoon,’holics.
‘Holic,i cant stop laughing at that picture,i don’t know what’s funnier,the look on his face or what he was doing? Only sad thing about that picture is that he did it infront of a kid and probably many other kids where there too.
47,nice post.
This was my first season as an Arsenal fan, when I was eight years old, and I can’t recall much about it.
However, I do remember that on FA Cup Final day I had to go and visit family and wasn’t allowed to watch the match as they were watching something else on the other side.
I remember someone telling me it was 2-0 and then later 2-2 and I thought it was a wind up. Thankfully, Alan Sunderland got the winner and it all turned out nice.
GAWMI69. Between your and sydneyred’s great drinks I’m gathering there’s an inter lull in Australia too?
Did Sammy Nelson keep his undies on? I guess the Daily Mirror didn’t have a photographer posted in the most advantageous of angles then?
This guy really is a grade A twat.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19924802
I have seen both Rangers and Southampton.
I know who I want Arsenal to play.
Of course, I know he is playing to the gallery of knuckle-draggers, trying to flog them shares.
As for his comments on Villa – how to make friends……
Did I detect a hint of suggestion that Villa are not useless? 😉
Relative to Mr Green’s team, yes. 🙂
dkg @ 22
Thanks for the link – great memories: those hairstyles (heh), Chippy in his pomp and the roller-coaster emotions in that match which are only matched by Anfield ’89.
Meanwhile Mr Green’s new company and team should have had to apply for election to Division 3 against a number of well run candidates who have a history of honest endeavour as opposed to corruption, mendacity and off-field influencing of on-field decision making.
Correctomundo Baff
*tumbleweed*
On account of the lack of life in here, I am off to a real pub.
TGIFF. Slainthe.
It looks like some international unfriendlies will be played this evening. Anybody going to watch?
I’m going to be sure to try to catch Albania v. Iceland. 😉
England U-21s came very close to scoring a couple at the end of a 0-0 first half. Tom Ince, Jordan Henderson both coming close.
I can only try to imagine what it must have been like to have been at Wembley that day, and hope to one day get to experience something similar myself. Very much enjoyed reading about all the memories from the lot of you, cheers all!
zico@56: I also think “cunt”, “idiot” and “wanker” would be suitable words to describe him by.
Theo disgracefully taken out by the San Marino keeper and that’s his game finished for tonight. Hopefully Theo just badly shaken up but could be broken ribs at worst. Should have been a straight red for their keeper.
Presumably ref cutting the keeper some slack as total population of San Marino something like 34,000 and only one of their team a professional footballer. Why does it have to be an Arsenal player injured though, bah.
Ramsey, you are not very good…
Another injury incurred in an international.
Can’t someone just bin the whole boring schimozzle.
Walcott now going to hospital for a scan on his chest.
England at least seem to have found a new tactic to try at international level. It.’s called lumping in high balls. 🙁
Trev@71
It works for Scotland.
Oh!
Back from the neighbours, (hic).
Where is beveryody?
sipping mead after having few quality czech lagers:)
Drowning my sorrows about the predicted result with a glass of very fine Peat Smoke Benromach. You’d like it Holic.
bath knows 😉
Hi everyone (love it when our gooner mates from Down under visit!). Holic, someday I would like you to compare the classic Arsenal style of the 70’s to the Wenger era. And That goal, quite lovely indeed. Speaking of lovely, enjoyed the trips down memory lane by you fellas, interesting reads, all of them. Have to get ready for work now (sigh), after tonite I have a breather. Hope our Theo is ok. Would like to know who you fellas chose as goal of the month (September). Arshavin got my vote ! Till tomorrow holics 🙂
@ 75
We really are honking. 🙁
Upside, young Ramsey is suspended for Tuesday. One less potential Arsenal interlull injury.
No comparison abb. Different eras with their own ethos. 😉
AOC scored for England. Did anybody notice?
Not surprised he can’t stay up, bearing in mind he has hands where his feet are
http://i.imgur.com/WY77S.gif
What a despicable cheat Bale is…
Nonny,
I will say he does get clipped in that clip but where he gets no sympathy is the fact that he refuses to even try to put his leg down after the contact. Don’t get me wrong, I think he is a perpetual diver and flailing cunt.
Bale is a diving piece of shite. Only gets away from serious criticism because he’s playing for the media’s favourite club team. We must break him.
By the way, is their any thing more tedious than international football? Was impressed by Japan winning against France though. And good goal by the Ox against San Marino. I really hope Theo is okay…
8 ball @54
yes australia play iraq on wednesday in wcc
this after,
beating saudi arabia 4-2
drawing with oman 0-0, japan 1-1 and a loss to JORDAN
2-1!!!
Istill follow England more as country of my birth, but find it hard to get exited with the twats(terry,cole,rooney lampard ) .
Here in aussie we have now got del peiro playing for sydney and the only centre forward i can ever remember not being expected to score HESKEY playing for Newcastle(2 hours north of Sydney)
they are playing each other tonight in sydney and 40,000 expected.
currently watching argentina destroying urugay 3-0 live on setanta.
my first match was in the 60″s and think was against aston villa.can remember my dad holding me on guard rail in clock end.
he followed arsenal ,because as a scotsman he wanted to watch the scots who played for the gunners.
here we get alll the games live on foc ,plus league cup and fa cup soi well served .the only down is the time difference, with most games shown between midnight and 4am dependant on kick off and time difference.
there is a huge arsenal fan base here in aussie and growing
local league about championship level at best.
Bale really is a disgrace, he is one of the worst divers I have ever seen – both in the sense that he is a repeat offender and in the sense that the dives are usually quite pathetic but for some strange reason he almost always gets away with it and is never jumped upon by the media.
Lars… Meeja view:
British player = “went down a bit easy there/played for it/defender suckered into it” etc etc
Non British player = “dirty cheating despicable diver”
https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?v=info&id=191746294222328&refid=17&ref=stream
Up@87: too true, sadly.
Up@87: this
http://duncanjenkins.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/such-little-thing-makes-such-big.html
Absolutely stunning if true.
Good morning,friends.
With the interlull boredom in full swing,i woke up yesterday and decided to go amuse myself at Le groan,their post for the day was quite positive so i was dissapointed but on a second thought i delved into their comment section,lo and behold the world famous Gambon-who never ever settles for second best,who’s always slating Arsene and everybody who thinks our club is club is headed in the right direction,Gambon who’s always willing Arsene to show ambition by splashing the cash,in every worst possible way,Gambon who’s always telling anybody who cares to listen that Arsenal will never win anything because cheap players no matter how talented they are can never win trophies- delivered the irony of the year. Having rubbished our trophy aspirations for this season (because of the reasons stated above),bashed half of our squad and stating that Cleverly deserves 80k/PW while Theo doesnt,he went on to list his “world class” players who we must buy before we can win trophies,he asked if anyone knew anything about tyres,apparently he was about SAVING £700 and buying cheap tyres instead of splashing the cash and buying the best tyres,i couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of how someone who doesnt understand why our club has to turn in a profit every year is now willing to save money on tyres at the risk of losing HIS LIFE to possible road accidents that could occur as a result of the cheap but inadequate tyres,i pointed it out to him and as i expected he hasn’t replied or done anything to that effect.
Great memories!
I was living in Zambia in 1978 in Kalalushi, still remember going to someone in our mining town who had a telly wearing a red and white rosette with my Dad.
We were the only Gooners there and got some stick at the end!
In South Africa by 1979 and we had a telly so a much better experience.
Also watching the 88 final against Luton in Phalaborwa during my SA army two year stint , in the army base sickbay. Anyone been anywhere near there?
Also watching the highlights against Valencia in 1980. Because of apartheid we had the American coverage and the commentator didnt have a clue and just guessed the players name so when Rix missed the penalty he said here comes Talbot to take the kick and just ewvery player wrong during the game!
Cent @92
Ignorance is bliss, mate.
What i’m trying to illustrate from the above experience is that most fans who don’t seem to understand that we can’t compete with the Oil money clubs in the transfer market,actually understand and make similar sacrifices in their daily life but their problem is that whilst they see the need to save for their personal tommorow they choose to be blinded to the fact that our Club needs to do the same thing to survive,they don’t care that our Club is known for doing things the right way,they don’t care if the Club will be around for the next generation they just want the personal satisfaction of winning today no matter the cost,they want Arsenal to win trophies just so they can have the bragging rights among their mates and nothing more,they don’t care about anything else but trophies,they don’t care about the good name of our Club,they don’t love Arsenal,they love Arsenal with trophies.
Indeed,bath,indeed.
Cent,
do us all a favour.
There are reasons we come here rather than Le Groan. The less we hear about the tossers who post there the better.
Just sayin’
Morning bath & cent.
Welcome frilbee.
Astonishing story that Lars. Followed it yesterday when it went viral. Would love to know if Liverpool sack the incompetent twat who is wasting their money and reputation pursuing a blogger, or ban for life someone who has spent good money following the club for years…
Astonishing story Lars.
And we think PHW occasionally loses the plot! At least he has the excuses of 1) advanced age and loss of inhibitions 2) the social disadvantage of a public school education.
Nicely played bath, but the glory is mine! 🙂
Nice one bath. They’ll be dancing in the streets of Auchtermuchty tonight 😉
Heh, missed the number.
That was a cross that bounced off my big arse into the net when I was arguing with the ref.
First arse and the ton on the Drinks on the same day!
I better go and buy a lottery ticket. 🙂
Must be getting older than I thought, bg@100, because I find myself often agreeing with PHW…
Thanks for the wonderful memories of ’79, ‘Holic, that was the last year I got to be at Highbury for more than a decade – and in those days before the widespread international distribution of newspapers (and before the interwebby thing), it was bloody difficult following Arsenal from afar, but memories of Brady and THAT win against United went a long way…
Lars @ 91, still shocked about that post. And when you combine/compare it with AFCamden leaving Twitter for whatever reason, seems like Clubs are cracking down on how Information leaves… 😕
Zico,i understand.
Bath,well in for the Ton.
Lars,things just keep getting worse for Liverpool,they just can’t catch a break from bad P.R. They bring it on themselves though.
Wind,i followed that Afcamdden dude on twitter,he seemed a nice bloke and i genuinly loved the way he passed info but once he and a certain @GeoffArsenal started an indirect competition to bring news and posting our line-ups sometimes 24hours before games i just suspected the end was near for one of them if not both of them.
Why is anyone shocked about anything that happens at LFC these days?
The way the club handled the Suarez affairs tells you all you need to know, imho.
According to the Daily Hatemail, Jen Chang confirms he met with Duncan Jenkins but claims everything else was nonsense…hmm…[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2217067/Jen-Chang-bullying-Duncan-Jenkins-claims-denied-Liverpool–Charles-Sale.html?ito=feeds-newsxml]
The Mail also claims that Liverpool’s owners, in keeping with their moneyball philosophies, are appointing Dr. Wing Chow, who has a PhD in computational mathematics of data mining from MIT, as their director of blog and interweb research in order to use Kalman filters, the hidden Markov model, and hierarchical clusterfucking of all moaning bloggers. OK, OK, this last bit was made up, Wing Chow doesn’t actually have a PhD.
Cent at 96 – Most people haven’t got about £150m cash in the bank when they scrimp and save.
What Lars said about Bale – disgraceful, consistent, persistent cheat.
Cent –
sorry but I stopped reading when I saw you were commenting on Le Groan.
zico had it just about right – take his advice 😉
Well, we’ve all seen the photos of poor Theo lying on the pitch, in obvious distress. Some news accounts reporting he was spitting up blood and very short of breath. I have a problem with players having their privacy invaded like this, when they are vulnerable. Guess it’s the pictures I really feel are too intrusive. Fingers crossed for Theo 🙁
Great memories. Moved to London in 1978 to go to uni, so this was first full season of following the lads over land and sea. Well not over sea at this stage, that waited until Cup Winners Cup campaign, the following season. Did n’t miss a home game from Southamption (league game in October) onwards. Went away to Leeds, Norwich, Sperz, Chelsea, Liverpool, Sheffy Wednesday, Forest, Soton (cup game), QPR, Semi Final, but failed to get a ticket for Wemberlee. Watched the final as the only Arsenal fan in the Hall of Residence Dining Hall. Fuck me did I go mental when Sunderland scored. All games attended living on a student grant and travelling on a Student Railcard. Those were the days, absolutely impossible to do that now.
Happy, happy memories.
Steady on there bathgooner.
Firstly, not so much of the “old”.
Second, as to the “disadvantage of going to Eton”, last time I checked, although I can’t remember when it was, I was the fucking chairman.
Where do you sit on matchdays, eh “young” fella ?
That ‘bstrum’ chappie at least has some good sense.
Unbeleivable story @91 Lars.
Cannot believe that LFC comms director calls “especially Liverpool fans” crazy, with the whole Hillsborough issue in the full glare of the public gaze.
What is football about now ?
People used to criticise wealthy chairmen for having a G&T on the club !
Good point, Trev, have wondered why there’s been such widespread contempt for PHW (in da house now, actually). Other than committing the unforgiveable act of going to Eton, what has he said or done that’s terribly wrong? An Uzbeki pardoned oligarch IS not the right kind of owner for Arsenal, and a Yank billionnaire who was previously not the right sort for the club became immeasurably more acceptable when the club was threatened to be ingested by a heaving, quivering mass of unknown gelatinous matter. Is Theo worth much more than 75k a week? I don’t think PHW is all that rich, relatively speaking, and at least he’s in something a lot better than politics. Would everybody be happier if we had a chairman who spoke Essex?
Sorry for not taking part but despite my internet back on at last, I’m in a fucking foul mood since yesterday due to having been let down badly on the Schalke away ticket front.
Someone had earmarked a ticket for me but eventually decidedly to go, without having the necessary half-brain cell required to realise I needed to be informed as this would affect me (it’s a case of carelessness rather than lack of decency, I’d say).
If only that had been done, I would have had a chance to take remedial action, since they went on sale down to Silver it seems (sold out about half an hour before they went to Red on Friday-for some reason I thought Silver and Reds were treated the same for away game, but seemingly not, I’m still a third-rate supporter…), so I could have had a chance to use someone’s Gold or Silver log in.
Seriously, I normally like the guy, and I have no problem with him using his own ticket even if he hadn’t planned at the start, but not informing me is just fucking irresponsible and while I’m generally a rather forgiving man, this particular pill is extremely hard to swallow.
It’s not like travel is refundable either, eh?
My best man’s on the case if he hears something, there’s still time, but for once I’m not so confident, and I am fuming. If anyone else hears of a spare, please let me know.
Sorry for the rant but I had to get it out somehow.
Fucking unbelievable, Ollie, in fact, literally since he must have known travel was involved!
Nonny@111, Arsenal Fc is NOT one individual,it’s a group of individuals entrusted with the power to make decisions that affect the lives of millions of people directly and indirectly,so they can’t afford to gamble the way an individual does in his everyday life.
Trev,i understand.
Abb,his brother tweeted to say he was fine last night,i haven’t heard anything new since then.
Esso,thanks for sharing your memories.
Ollie,sorry about your ticket problems.
I’m in the same boat as you Ollie having already forked out for travel and hotel in Gelsenkirchen.But I think I’ve gone a stage further in paying out another 250 euro’s to get a ticket with this online ticket agencyhttp://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews247322.html .
Unfortunately I didn’t read the reviews before shelling out.Maybe they will come good with the ticket but I’m resigned to having lost 250 euro’s and expect to be watching the match in a bar near the Veltin’s arena.
Ouch washed up. Fingers crossed for you. That is even worse in some ways (and not in others, if I dare say, as you don’t have the personal let-down which is what hurts most).
One of the happiest days of my life.Hard to top.
Ollie I think it is very different as you’ve been let down on a personal level and I’ve just been a bit of a plonker.
Hopefully both of us will see the funny side in the near future.
Congrats, larry g.
True, washed up. And hopefully indeed, once we are sitting in the Veltins….
Or after a O.G. hatrick standing in a bar drinking purity law beers with boisterous Gooners and Germans happy to have witnessed by far the greatest team the world has ever seen.
Honestly I don’t expect to see the ticket ,so if it does turn up I will feel like I’ve won the lottery and will get the beers in once or twice(TM Lars)
Nonny@111; I’m genuinely sorry to see you spouting nonsense again – I had found much to applaud and agree with in your recent stuff.
I haven’t the followed Arsenal’s financial results closely and I’m not sure what tyres go for these days.
So, let’s assume that Arsenal do have £150M in the account at present. You’re evidently not impressed with the purchase of Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla at £12M, £11M and £22M (Source: Wikipedia, Wikipedia, my guess) i.e. £15M average. Let’s further assume that if we were shelling out £25M on average it would impress you. Apparently, then, Arsenal have sufficient in the bank for 6 signings.
I’ve just typed “Car tyre prices” into Google which came back with adverts for tyres at £50/£60 a throw. That sounds far too low to me. Cent’s original posting talked about £700. I would have guessed (without the help of Google) that tyres might be going for about £200.
Do most people really not have access to £700-£1200 if required? What about when the salary cheque comes in – not too different from looking at a football club accounts just after the season ticket revenue arrives. Surely most people are on more that £8,400-£14,400 a year?
So, someone deciding to compromise by buying cheaper tyres than some that are available sounds very comparable to Arsenal deciding to buy players who aren’t the most expensive around.
I anticipate an objection that while people do indeed have access to enough money for half-a-dozen expensive tyres, that money is committed elsewhere – rent, children’s education, holidays whatever. Well, isn’t that true of the Club as well – salaries, ground maintenance, buying in the merchandise for resale etc.?
Sorry mate, your point is nonsense. Please think harder before you post.
COYG ICDDR
Lonestar,
One word for today. “Ugly”
The Telegraph are reporting that Theo only suffered bruises around his lungs and did NOT break anything. Thank GOD.
I see that my mate Trev finally scored [of sorts] – did I miss anything else? I don’t believe that I will survive another massive back-drinking session ..
🙁
Two days, and ten years on >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>