1924/5: Knighton’s best start and a look back to Norris’ work on Fulham’s election of 1903

By Tony Attwood And so we move on to 1924/5 – a monumental season in the history of Arsenal – and one that can surely not be overplayed in terms of its impact not just on the club in the 1920s but in terms of the club for all time. September 1924 was also a …

Arsenal in February 1924: Under Knighton’s guidance the club is sinking fast

By Tony Attwood The month began with a statement by the country’s new Labour government that it was going to do things differently.  For the first time since the revolution seven years earlier, the UK recognised the Soviet Union as the legitimate government of what had previously been Russia. In the world of football, Cardiff’s …

Jan 1924: Arsenal slip dangerously while Cardiff, Bolton and Huddersfield march upwards

By Tony Attwood We have noted in earlier chapters that during the 1920s Sir Henry Norris had been taken seriously ill, had recuperated in Italy and France (where he had had a house built), and had withdrawn from politics.  He had still been able to show his feisty side in successfully taking on a libel …

How Highbury Stadium was built in just ten weeks.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Below are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

Arsenal in Dec 1923. Misreporting in the press, Chapman appears, Norris’ political career

By Tony Attwood At the start of December 1923 Arsenal League table at start of the month in 16th, four points above the relegation places. Pos Team P W D L F A GAv Pts 1 Cardiff City 16 8 7 1 27 16 1.688 23 2 Huddersfield Town 16 9 4 3 23 12 …

When a pre-season game was abandoned due to fighting

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Below are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

When Arsenal announced 11 departures at once!

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Below are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

The passing of Buchan and the leaving of Henry

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Below are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

Arsenal to beat the world record transfer fee? The club’s history: November 1923

  By Tony Attwood As seemed to happen so often during the Knighton reign at Arsenal in the early 1920s, in November 1923 Arsenal started a month in the bottom section of the league, sitting not too far away from their two London rivals in the first division: Tottenham and Chelsea. Pos Club P W …

He didn’t make it at Arsenal, refused to play for Mexico and now is the star of the show

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Below are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

After all the myth making, he admitted he’d already re-signed for Leicester

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Below are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

Woolwich Arsenal begins, Chapman arrives, our first benefactor dies

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Below are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

October 1923: Arsenal learn variable tactics as the vultures circle over Henry Norris

By Tony Attwood For Arsenal the month of October 1923 began with a game against Manchester City at Maine Road on the 6th. The League table printed in the programme for the game showed both clubs as needing to win to rise up the league and find safety althoughwith City in a slightly worse position …

So awful did the press think him, they ran a weekly column on his mistakes. Arsenal signed him.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Below are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

The second Arsenal physio to become Arsenal manager and win the League.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Here are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

A career horribly hampered by injury; a life cut short by war.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Here are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

The first man to score at Highbury, and first man to be carried off injured at Highbury.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Here are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

“If you think you can do a better job at Arsenal than me, just take the club over.”

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Here are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

When Arsenal took over a non-league team as its official feeder club.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Here are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

Arsenal in September 1923: recovery after a terrible start; a new insight into Henry Norris

By Tony Attwood After a home defeat to Newcastle by 1-4 and a 0-1 away defeat to West Ham in August 1923, Arsenal and their supporters were desperate for the team not to fall into the early downward spiral that had beset them across recent seasons in the opening games, leaving them with a relegation …

Arsenal buy Highbury, Rioch becomes manager

The Anniversary Files Here are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current historical …

Selling the best player to pay the bills: its almost as old as Arsenal itself

  The Anniversary Files Here are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …

Norris knighted, Wright sacked, English teams banned, Bould signed

The Anniversary Files Here are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current historical …

He came, he saw, he played three friendlies, he left. Clive Allen at Arsenal

The Anniversary Files Here are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current historical …

Chapman and Brady: joining the club 46 years apart.

  The Anniversary Files Here are the Arsenal (and occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal anniversaries which appear on the Arsenal History Society website.  An index to the Anniversary files can be found in the left column of this site under “Pages” The current …