AISA Arsenal History Society: preserving Arsenal's heritage
As we sit around in 2010 waiting and watching and wondering if Fabregas and Merida are really buzzing off to Spain, 100 years ago to the day those who cared about Woolwich Arsenal wondered about the ownership of the whole club. There was no official announcement anywhere that Norris had now actually taken the club …
Read More “Norris finally takes over Arsenal – but the future is still unclear”
20th May 1910 the funeral of the King. You’d expect that it was a solemn day with everyone paying their respects. Like hell it was. What actually happened was that the pubs were open all day (no licensing laws at this time – they were brought in around the time of the First World War …
Read More “We’re waiting for Arsenal’s future to be resolved, and then once again everything stops.”
So on 18th May 1910 Woolwich Arsenal’s board met the Football League, at the Imperial Hotel in central London, with a view to explaining if the club could go forward for next season. The League were anxious to know because they wanted to settle down and draw up the fixtures for the coming season. Chelsea …
On Wednesday 18th May 1910 the board of Woolwich Arsenal FC turned up at the Imperial Hotel to see the Football League, and to explain whether they would be able to fulfil their fixtures in the 1910/1911 season. Also there were Henry Norris, chairman of Fulham, and two of his fellow directors, plus of course …
Read More “Arsenal saved from financial ruin with minutes to spare”
The days between 13th and 16th May, 1910 were a poker game as far as Woolwich Arsenal were concerned. The club had gone into administration. A new club (Arsenal Football and Athletic Club) had been formed and the shares had gone on sale, but the requisite number had not been sold. As with today, shares …
Read More “Tottenham and Chelsea show an interest in buying Arsenal”
By Tony Attwood 100 years ago, it was not looking good. May 11th – Leavey, the major shareholder in Woolwich Arsenal, admits he has not got enough local people to buy shares, and now must find others from outside the area to buy, or else put the club into administration. May 12th – In a …
William Garbutt – Arsenal’s original Herbert Chapman Tony Attwood Genoa Athletics and Cricket club was formed in 1893 with the football team being added in 1897. James Spensley, a doctor, goalkeeper and later an active member of the scout movement, took over the club and they became champions in six of the first seven seasons. …
Read More “The Woolwich Arsenal player who transformed Italian football”
By Tony Attwood It may have been the death of the King that did it, it may have been the worry over jobs, or it may have been a reaction to a dreadful season, but whatever the reason, local people failed to buy shares in Woolwich Arsenal FC when it was offered for sale in …
If you were at the Ems on Sunday, and bought a programme, you’ll know that there was an article over three pages about Henry Norris, written by “Highly respected football writer Brian Glanville”. I’m commenting on the piece because his version of events is so different from that which appears day by day on this …
Read More “Arsenal finally remember Norris, but get the facts all mixed up”
So there we were, 100 years ago, with the shares in the new Arsenal Football and Athletic Club on sale, and the existing owners anxious to sell to the local populace, when suddenly… Everything had to stop. On 7th May 1910 King Edward VII, son of Queen Victoria, died. And that meant everything but everything …
In fact in 1910 there were two general elections in the UK – which was rather good because in those days general elections took place over a two week period. The first election was in January and the results were Unionists (in effect the Conservative Party) 272 Liberal 274 Labour 40 Irish 71 All for …
Charlie Buchan was known to be an up and coming footballer in 1910. He was also known to have an independent mind, and to be an educated man, who wanted to train as a teacher. Buchan played some reserve matches for Woolwich Arsenal in 1910 but didn’t settle, undoubtedly because of Arsenal’s financial problems, and …
I can’t be 100% sure about this, because while writing this blog I am not only not at home, I am not even in England, so I am lacking the usual reference materials that are at my disposal as I jot down my thoughts. But I think it is true that for those who feel …
Read More “We should sack Wenger: he’s as bad as Herbert Chapman”
The shares in the club we know as Arsenal went on sale 100 years ago this week – it was the third attempt in 1910 to launch a new club – and the one that was the most serious. The new company being formed to replace the club that was teetering into administration 100 years …
Read More “Shares in Arsenal available now. £1 each. Five for the price of three”
Today’s Sponsor: Gooner Gifts – everything for the real Arsenal fan ——————- May 2010: some Arsenal supporters are expressing discontent. Equally many are very happy with the progress of the team, seeing the progress as reaching a moment of great excitement with so many of the youngsters who joined us six or seven years ago …
Read More “End of season feelings, 100 years ago and today.”
The final results of the 1909/1910 season were in and it was indeed Chelsea who went down from the first division. They had simply run out of games while in the final week others were finishing off their unplayed matches. It finished… 18th Woolwich Arsenal 31 points 19th Chelsea 29 points 20th Bolton Wanderers 24 …
Read More “Chelsea relegated, but Arsenal’s future remains in doubt”
It would be great to report that the new Arsenal – the Arsenal that became the club we know and love today, was launched with a huge fanfare, wild parties in the streets, dancing on the lawn and the rest. But it wasn’t. Saturday 30th April 1910 was the final day of the football season …
Read More “30 April 1910: the day the new Arsenal is launched”
If you have read the book, “Making the Arsenal” you might recall that just after Woolwich Arsenal’s season ends Henry Norris’ house was burgled. The story then goes on to describe who entered the house, what they found, and the insight that it gives into Norris’ life and his political ambitions. The novel is of …
Read More “Henry Norris’ house burgled: at least it says so in the book”
In fact everyone was looking to the heavens 100 years ago today, because Haley’s Comet was in the skies, and so bright that it could be seen all day as well as being the dominant object through the night – brighter even than the full moon. The Earth in fact, was moving in an orbit …
Read More “As an Arsenal fan 100 years ago today you would be looking to the heavens”
With one more saturday of the season to go, but no game to play, Woolwich Arsenal could watch the rest of the world of football, and look at the shambles of their own finances, and wonder. In the league itself, Bolton Wanderers were already relegated, and Aston Villa had won the title. At the bottom …
Read More “Arsenal prepare for the close season in fear and trepidation”
23 April 1910 was a curious date for Woolwich Arsenal. It was their last game of the season – one week ahead of most other clubs. The one issue of interest to Arsenal had been settled a week earlier – they were not going to be relegated, and so this match hardly mattered an inch. …
Read More “23rd April 1910. Arsenal safe, but not covered in honour”
Today’s Sponsor: “Making the Arsenal” – the most original book on Arsenal FC ever. . Today if an Arsenal supporter ever does think of Preston North End, it might be in the knowledge that they were the first Invincibles – unbeaten in the very first season of league football. With the black and white 19th …
With the draw at Tottenham in the penultimate game at season, Woolwich Arsenal were safe for one more season. The crowd at Tottenham had finally been published at 39,900, although the feeling was that it was probably much higher. Either way the figure was a record for Tottenham, and revealed that the near London clubs …
Read More “Arsenal safe: but now the real worry. Will they survive the summer?”
The first ever Tottenham v Arsenal match at the White Hart Lane ground ended 1-1, 100 years ago. With that result Woolwich Arsenal were safe for another season – although it had hardly been a classic year. The result also meant that Tottenham were probably safe, but that was dependent on the results in …
By Tony Attwood As a youngster I lived just off White Hart Lane, on Devonshire Hill Lane. If you are not familiar with the area, let me explain. The two Lanes meander, going through sudden 90 degree turns for no apparent reason while roads of different names suddenly take over straight ahead. At one point …
