Read any Arsenal history book or even a summary of Arsenal’s history and you get much the same story.
Our original name was Dial Square FC, and our first match was (for reasons not explained in any text before we came along) not at Woolwich (where the club was formed) but several hours journey away on the Isle of Dogs.
What you might not know is that all this history comes from one account, written 20 years after the formation of the club in 1886, plus a second written report 30 years after that.
Now, for the first time, three members of Arsenal History Society have done what all those people who have simply repeated the well-worn traditional story should have done years ago. They’ve checked the facts.
They have looked at newspapers, found other reports from people who were around at the time, and explored what else was happening in the area.
And the results change Arsenal’s history once and for all.
The story of Arsenal’s real history – as opposed to the invented tale that has been written up for the last 100 years – is quite different from that told in all the official histories. It is different because we’ve bothered to check, and different because we’ve asked certain basic questions like: “is this likely?” and “is that possible?”
You can read the real history of Arsenal’s early days on this site, through the next few articles that we will publish.
I hope you find it interesting.
Tony Attwood
Arsenal FC look, listen, and take note of what we say
Who invented the nickname “The Gunners” and when was it first used?
I’m trying to find information on a player from the old Woolwich Arsenal days. His surname was either Kellie or Kellie-Macdonald. If anyone has any clues as to where to look that would be great.
Cheers and Up The Arse!
Sorry Rich Hillary, but I can’t see a Woolwich Arsenal player with either name.