Champions Again.

Stadium looking good. 

So is The Squad. 

                                                              Season 1990-91.

After the disappointment of the previous season, George Graham decided to revamp the squad on and off the pitch.

He brought Pat Rice and Geordie Armstrong in as coaches, with Stewart Houston as Assistant Manager to replace Theo Foley who’d left to become the manager at Northampton.

The players who left were Martin Hayes - Kevin Richardson and John Lukic.

To be replaced by Anders Limpar - Andy Linighan - Siggi Jonsson - Colin Pates & David Seaman.
Also promoted from the Youth team were Kevin Campbell - Andy Cole & Wesley Reid.
These 3 kids would go out on loan to gain some experience. Only Reid wouldn’t make the big time.

The Arsenal Fans were divided about signing Seaman as Lukic had never let Arsenal down.

David Seaman would eventually become one of the All Time Top Arsenal goalkeepers.

Anders Limpar - David Seaman - Andy Linighan. 

Makita Cup. 

Arsenal lost 2-0 to Sampdoria at Highbury in the Final. 

Remembering 2 Arsenal Greats. 

Legendary Goalie - Jack Kelsey died. 

Legendary Captain - Joe Mercer also died. 

League. 

Arsenal got of to a good start winning 3-1 at Wimbledon, where they’d started their Champions campaign 2 seasons ago. 

Arsenal would only lose one League game all season, away at Chelsea 1-0.

Only conceding 18 goals. 

In October the Arsenal players were involved in a 21 man brawl, only Seaman staying out of it, with the Man Utd team during our 1-0 victory at Old Trafford. 

United go for Limpar. 

Anders prays that Arsenal won’t lose points. 

The FA aren’t listening, Arsenal are docked 2 points and United only one point. 

As Arsenal march on almost unbeaten, the Arsenal Fans start singing,

“You can stick your 2 points up your arse”

In November I go to QPR Away with my wife and her boss, both QPR fans, we all sit in the Main Stand with QPR season ticket holders and their fans all around us. 

I promise to be on best behaviour and all is calm. 

Then after getting some merciless stick from QPR fans, Tony Adams decides to give them all the V sign after Arsenal score. 

With the game in the balance Arsenal are pushing for the winner when, after a corner, the ball is bouncing about the QPR goalmouth and I jump up and shout at the top of my voice, “Get the fucking thing in will ya!!!.

My wife is mortified and her boss just stares straight ahead. 

Once a Gunner, always a Gooner. 

Arsenal eventually win 3-1 and my wife declares she’ll never go to football with me again. 

Her boss later told her, “I never heard him but he was very enthusiastic”. A true Diplomat. 

League (Rumbelows) Cup. 

I went to see Arsenal beat Chester Away with my old schoolmate George H. 

This game was played at Macclesfield’s ground because Chester’s wasn’t up to standard. 

Then I saw Arsenal win at Man City, before playing Man Utd at Highbury. 

United had one of those nights, where the Away team score every time they have a shot at goal. 

Arsenal lost 6-2 with Lee Sharpe scoring a hat trick. 

Oops!!

In January 1991 Arsenal drew 0-0 at the Lane in the League. 

I never went as they’d restricted the number of tickets for Arsenal Fans. 

Arsenal Fans get a small section at the Lane. 

FA Cup. 

Arsenal beat Sunderland in the 3rd round. 

Leeds in the 4th round, after 4 games. 

Shrewsbury in the 5th round. 

Cambridge in the 6th round. 

Then had to play that other team from up the A10 in the semifinal at Wembley. 

We lost 3-1 and despite only losing 3 games all season, our Double dream was gone. 

We wouldn’t wait long for revenge. 

Normal service is resumed in the League though. 

In March, JC and myself went to Liverpool to see Arsenal win 1-0 against the current title holders. 

Incidentally, Liverpool wouldn’t win it again during the next 30 years. 

The next 15 years belonged to Arsenal and Man Utd. 

Liverpool match ticket. 

Goal scorer - Paul Merson. 

B’Jesus said Paddy!!!

Also in March, JC gets 8 of us tickets for Norwich Away.

As any Arsenal Away Fans will know, the Away section is in a corner of the ground. 

JC proudly tells us that our seats are on the half way line, with a great view of the pitch. 

It sounds too good to be true. It is!!!

There are 8 large Arsenal blokes sitting with the “Junior Canaries”.

Yep, that’s right. We’re in with the kids and their mum’s and dad’s. 

The police came to check our tickets were ok, but all JC kept on about was the great view. 

Funny then - One of many magic memories of JC now. 

JC - Legendary Arsenal Fan & Our Mate. 

Next up we’re off to Sheffield United to see Arsenal win 2-0 despite Vinny Jones trying to dismember Anders Limpar. 

After the game, as we’re walking back to the car, JC is talking about us winning the league. 

A young United fan hears him and starts ranting loudly and remarking, how his dad had told him all about “Lucky Arsenal” and that we’d only had 2 shots and scored both times to win the game. 

JC just stood there smiling, waiting for the young bloke to stop, before saying “Our goalie won’t even put his shorts in the wash today”.

The young fella is now waving his arms around and walks off, muttering to himself about Cockneys. 

Another funny memory of JC. 

A Sheffield United fan’s nightmare. 

We beat Aston Villa 5-0 at Highbury and David Platt went in goal for them during the game. 

If we ever buy him, hopefully, it won’t be as a goalkeeper. 

Ray Kennedy Testimonial. 

Arsenal played Liverpool in a testimonial game for both clubs ex player Ray Kennedy.

Spandau & one of his sons with Ray Kennedy. 

Sunderland. 

Now we’re off to Roker Park to play Sunderland. 

I go up there with Putney in his brand new bright yellow Volvo car. 

When we arrive in Sunderland, he wants to find a car wash. I ask him why? as we’ve got to drive home later. 

He replies “because we’re “Flash Cockney Bastards”.

After getting the car washed, we drive into the car park of a large Victorian style pub that’s got a big window with a door either side. 

As we park up, I notice lots of Sunderland fans with their faces pressed against the windows watching us. 

We stroll into the bar and after getting a beer and some rolls, engage in conversation about football with the extremely friendly locals. 

Most of whom were too young to have been at Hillsborough for the 1973 FA Cup semifinal. 

They loved it when we told them about the noise Sunderland fans made that day. 

After a while Putney tells me to drink up, as we’re leaving to see the sights of Sunderland. 

We shake hands with all their fans, wish them well, tell them where we’re going and go outside. 

I’m going to the car when Putney says “follow me” and we walk back into the pub by the door on the other side of the window. 

All the fans in the pub turn around to see us standing there and one of them says “we thought you were going to see the sights?”.

Putney replies “We have, there’s fuck all here”.

The Sunderland fan says “you Flash Cockney Bastards”

Putney smiles and looks at me saying, “I told you”.

The Roker Roar. 

Last visit to a proper old stadium. 

Champions Again!!

A few days later we’re all in the “Robinson Crusoe” pub in Highbury Quadrant. 

We’re watching Liverpool lose at Forest on the tv, which means Arsenal are Champions before they kickoff against Man Utd later. 

Arsenal win 3-1. 

We Won the League, In the Robinson Crusoe, is our chant!!!

All the gang are there and again at the weekend when Arsenal beat Coventry 6-1 before receiving the Champions trophy. 

Every Picture tells a story. 

1990-91 

Champions. 

They stopped them. 

 North Bank is happy. 

They scored them. 

The Trophy is in Safe Hands. 

We’re happy outside the Robinson Crusoe. 

And Inside. 

Nearly Invincible. 

George Knows!!

Spandau & his kids - Proud Dad. 

I’ve now held more Champions trophies than the team from the Lane. 

Next Post - Sunday 30/5/2020. 

Vienna - Lisbon - Wrexham. 

Comments/Questions - oldgunnersandgooners@gmail.com