First, Jacko Jones’ review of Arsenal against Blackburn 100 years ago where the writer states that he watched from a hot air balloon….
Woolwich Arsenal met with Blackburn Rovers in the Football League Division I on Saturday, It was too cold for standing on the terraces, with a fierce wind blowing across the pitch so the majority of the fans gathered in a hot air balloon hovering just over the centre circle.
Both teams were weak in shooting throughout the game and although it appeared nothing could be worse than the opening session after the turnabout it was so awful I lost consciousness and had to be revived by our trusty photographer.
It then got worse again. Before getting worse. And I had to be revived by two charming nurses who happened to be on hand.
Then a little while latter it got worse.
Towards the end of the game one of the Blackburn men scored, but by then most of the crowd had departed. However those who remained were so outraged and so cold that they jumped down from their flying machine, invaded the playing field and attacked the referee, who walked off the field, returning only after five minutes when order had been restored.
Hot punch and rum were not served, so the death toll among the hardcore fans is likely to be high.
If it is true that there are German spies on every street corner, the simplest way to defeat their dastardly plans is to force them to watch the next game at Woolwich Arsenal. Their pleas for mercy will be heard across the North Sea, and the German fleet will arrive, not to invade, but to take its advance guard home.
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In his diary Jacko then adds…
I persuaded Edward to take a picture of the empty ground after everyone had gone, and gave it the caption, “one of the highlights of Saturday’s game”, but just in case Mr Holloway [the sports editor at the Chronikcle] had not suddenly discovered the notion of humour I also included the picture of the on-pitch riot.
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This piece is taken from “Making the Arsenal” by Tony Attwood. For more details on the book please click here.
And now on to the question…
What time of day did Arsenal’s first ever football match kick off. This is not a quiz in the sense that I know the answer, but I’ve had the issue put to me, and I don’t know the answer. So if you have a clue, do write in.
OTHER ODDS AND THINGS…
Why did we move to Highbury and not somewhere else
From Manchester United to Mansfield – different ways of running a football club (or league)
Daily Rumours. All the greatest rumours about Arsenal, before they appear anywhere else, appear at the end of all articles on Untold Arsenal
Would you like to write for Untold Arsenal or the Making the Arsenal web site? If so send your story or an idea for a story to Tony@hamilton-house.com Please send the text as a word file – not within the email.
