Dec 1925: Arsenal’s winning run comes to an end but they stay top of the League.

By Tony Attwood Arsenal approached December 1925 in high spirits, and not just from the traditional drinking.  The club had five games to play and were top of the league.   Recent results had suggested that many clubs had managed to make sense of the new offside law both in terms of attack and defence, and …

In which season did the Times report ““the worst 45 minutes by Arsenal that any of their fans could remember”?

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 2003, and the answer of course is The Unbeaten Season, which I think says something about the Times ability to report anything. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Arsenal reach the top of the 1st division for the first time ever. Below are the …

First game at Highbury, police on strike, longest run in Division 1 and numbers on shirts

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1913, 1918, 1919 and 1939. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Arsenal reach the top of the 1st division for the first time ever. Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete …

Arsenal reach the top of the 1st division for the first time ever.

By Tony Attwood We are currently evolving a series on Henry Norris at the Arsenal.  The full index to the whole series is here, and there are more details at the foot of the article.   As Arsenal entered November 1925, things under Chapman were better than they had been under Knighton, for Arsenal had won three …

When the media complained about an Arsenal man, and Uefa immediately charged him.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 2009. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society October 1925: the month that turned English football inside out, and back again. Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 …

One year after the first regular column about Arsenal, and everyone’s complaining.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1891. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society October 1925: the month that turned English football inside out, and back again. Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 …

October 1925: the month that turned English football inside out, and back again.

By Tony Attwood Even if you don’t know much about Arsenal’s history you might well have come across mention of the first match in October 1925, for which the result was Newcastle 7 Arsenal 0.  The tale is that Chapman and Buchan sat down after the match and analysed what went wrong, and came up …

Birmingham 0 Arsenal 1 – the start Arsenal’s most significant run. So what happened?

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1932 – which is itself a clue as to what happened. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Chapman at the Arsenal – the opening month. Chaos in the goalmouth! Later today: The month that everything changed. Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, …

When the media turned on Arsenal and overturned the ref’s decision.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 2009 Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Chapman at the Arsenal – the opening month. Chaos in the goalmouth! Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over 6000 Arsenal …

Arsenal players warned about drinking before a match & police demand 11.30 kick off.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1899 and 1984 Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Chapman at the Arsenal – the opening month. Chaos in the goalmouth! Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files of over …

The stat that shows just how quickly Arsenal’s support can melt away

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1974 – such a short time after winning the Double, the crowd had shrunk to 27,000, showing perhaps that even a few thousand empty seats at the Emirates is still an improvement on what used to happen. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Chapman …

The Arsenal manager who never won a match on the opening day of the season

———- The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1914 – the answer to the question is six months and the game was a friendly. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Chapman at the Arsenal – the opening month. Chaos in the goalmouth! Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally …

Chapman at the Arsenal – the opening month. Chaos in the goalmouth!

by Tony Attwood We left Arsenal with the club having bought Highbury outright, and having installed Herbert Chapman, the man who had just won the League two years in succession with Huddersfield Town – the most unlikely of champions – as their new manager. The Reds had played the Blues in two pre-season trial games …

Spurs objected to Arsenal going north. But how long before we played them again?

  The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1914 – the answer to the question is six months and the game was a friendly. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society When Arsenal’s 15 year plan to become the biggest club in the league, came to fruition. Below are the Arsenal (and …

Arsenal get its youngest permanent captain ever

  The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1962 Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society When Arsenal’s 15 year plan to become the biggest club in the league, came to fruition. Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete …

When Manchester Utd v Arsenal was played at Anfield. But why?

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1971 Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society When Arsenal’s 15 year plan to become the biggest club in the league, came to fruition. Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files …

When Arsenal’s 15 year plan to become the biggest club in the league, came to fruition.

By Tony Attwood In our last episode we saw Arsenal manager Leslie Knighton either resign or be sacked from Arsenal immediately the 1924/5 season was over, and then rather peculiarly seemingly work out two week’s notice.   During that time an advertisement appeared in Athletic News advertising the post of manager at Arsenal. We also considered …

Arsène Wenger was accused of violent and threatening behaviour

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 2000 Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Arsenal in the summer of 1925: Knighton out and the club advertises for a manager Coming up next: Hello Chapman! Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken …

Who said, ““I saw something today I never saw last season – we played as a team.”

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 2001 Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Arsenal in the summer of 1925: Knighton out and the club advertises for a manager Coming up today: Hello Chapman! Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken …

Arsenal in the summer of 1925: Knighton out and the club advertises for a manager

By Tony Attwood As we have seen, on 2 May 1925 Arsenal played its last match of  the season – away to Bury.  Arsenal lost 2-0 and finished one place above the two relegation spots.   It was Arsenal’s worst performance since the resumption of football in 1919 although only marginally worse than the season before.   Arsenal were …

Referee decisions so weird even the newspapers mention them

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 2013 Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society April 1925: the end is nigh; Arsenal escape, experiments continue, a new dawn approaches Coming up today: Farewell Knighton Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from …

At last Arsenal owns its own ground, again.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1925. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society April 1925: the end is nigh; Arsenal escape, experiments continue, a new dawn approaches Coming up shortly: Signing Chapman Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from …

April 1925: the end is nigh; Arsenal escape, experiments continue, a new dawn approaches

By Tony Attwood As you will have gathered from this series, (although I suspect you already knew), Leslie Knighton was at this moment approaching the end of his time at Arsenal, and the club most certainly had a “this can’t go on” feeling about it as they moved into the last full month of the …

Who scored Arsenal’s first Premier League goal, and what was the final score?

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1992, rather obviously. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Arsenal in March 1925: The run of consecutive defeats ends, but recovery is slight Coming up shortly: Knighton’s final run Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for …

One of the great great signings and the countdown to opening a stadium on time.

The Arsenal Anniversary Files Today’s headline anniversaries come from 1996 and 2005. Latest article published by the Arsenal History Society Arsenal in March 1925: The run of consecutive defeats ends, but recovery is slight Below are the Arsenal (and for historical context, occasionally one or two non-Arsenal) anniversaries for today taken from the complete files …