The Vlad & Woody Show.

                                          Season 1982-83.

The Squad. 

Arsenal finally signed a top quality striker in England International, Tony Woodcock.
They also signed Lee Chapman and pushed Alan Sunderland into a wider position on the wing.

These kids were promoted to the squad - Stewart Robson - Danny O’Shea - John Kay & Colin Hill.
This enabled the club to release Paul Vaessen - John Hawley - John Hollins & John Devine.

Top Class - Tony “Woody” Woodcock.

Lee Chapman. 

Alan Sunderland in the New Away Strip at Stoke. 

League. 

Not a good start. 

In the League Arsenal were very inconsistent and eventually finished in 10th position. 

I was now alternating between sitting in the East Stand Lower and standing at the side of the North Bank. 

vs Liverpool. 

Stewart Robson - One of our most consistent players. 

UEFA Cup. 

One for our Russian fans to read.

A slight hope?

No hope!! - Great view of a great team. 

One of the best teams I’ve ever seen at Highbury. 

They even got a standing ovation from Arsenal Fans. 

Oleg Blokhin - Possibly the greatest Russian player ever. 

In an attempt to improve the midfield, Terry Neill gave a short term contract to one of the most skilful players to ever play for Arsenal at the time, Vladimir Petrovic. 

Sadly, he was allowed to move on at the end of the season. 

The Vlad & Woody Show begins. 

Vlad the Player - not the Impaler. 

They’re not wrong. 

Vlad’s first goal vs Swansea. 

Woody still scoring. 

One of the Highlights. 

Luton Away - We might be getting older but we ain’t mugs. 

Rod M - Spooky - Putney - Dave W - Granty & myself decided to go to Luton for this match. 

We all sat together in the section allocated to the Arsenal Fans. 

This Stand was not segregated and we mistakenly assumed that no Luton fans would be nearby. 

Wrong!!!

Just before kickoff we were all either standing up or sitting in our seats minding our own business, when a couple of Luton blokes about 6 rows in front of us started slagging off Arsenal. 

Granty & Spooky then got involved in a slanging match with these blokes. 

After a few verbals going back and forth, one of the Luton fans decided to call Spooky “Joe 90” because of his thick rimmed glasses. 

Spooky asked Putney who “Joe 90” was? When he heard that it was a puppet in a kids programme on the television, the glasses went in his pocket and him, Granty & Rod M went straight over the 6 rows of seats, they didn’t bother using the aisles, apologising to the people sitting in them, and started clumping the Luton blokes. 

Putney, Dave W and myself were still sitting in our seats pissing ourselves laughing. 

A couple of coppers came in and broke it all up and escorted my mates back to their seats. 

At half time these 2 Luton idiots came up the aisle and asked Spooky to come downstairs. 

Spooky just laughed and told them to go away as they’d already been rescued by the police once. 

As I was sitting on the end next to the aisle, they asked me to go downstairs with them.

So off I went, knowing that I wouldn’t be alone. 

On the concourse beneath the stand one of the coppers from earlier was watching them and me having a stand off when, from the corner of my eye a blur went flashing past and the mouthy Luton fan disappeared from my view and ended up against the far wall with Spooky punching his lights out. 

 2 coppers pulled Spooky away and, amazingly, after lecturing us about retaliation, sent us both 

back to our seats. 

The 2 Luton blokes were led away by the police and ambulance men. 

Another Older Bloke - Who’s still got it. 

Arsenal Fans attacked at Liverpool. 

League Cup

In the League Cup Arsenal beat Cardiff - Everton - Huddersfield & Sheffield Wednesday to set up a semifinal with Man Utd. 

We’re in the League Cup Semifinals. 

Arsenal played Man Utd at Highbury in the 1st leg of the semi final and lost 4-2. 

Classic Stapleton. 

Frank Stapleton’s happy again at Highbury. 

Me & thousands of Arsenal Fans are not happy. 

Arsenal lost the 2nd leg 2-1. 

FA Cup. 

After beating Bolton - Leeds (after 3 games) - Middlesbrough & Aston Villa we’re off to Villa Park

FA Cup vs Leeds. 

A glimpse of our future goalie - John Lukic. 

Rixy finally wins it against Leeds. 

Rixy wins it again at Middlesbrough. 

Woody scores against Aston Villa to put Arsenal in the FA Cup semifinal. 

FA Cup Semi final vs Man Utd. 

At Villa Park we have to play Man Utd again in the semifinal of the FA Cup this time. 

Losing again 2-1 after taking the lead. 

If I recall correctly, we were mainly in control until Norman Whiteside took out Stewart Robson to neutralise  the midfield. 

I’m in. 

So are they - Happiness is short lived though. 

No Wembley for us this year. 

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, this happens in the League;

Horrendous!!!

To cap it all, Arsenal decide to let Vladimir Petrovic leave. 

A strange decision. 

The Arsenal Fans loved him. 

Although, there’s a glimmer of light on the horizon. 

A kid named Tony Adams signs. 

He looks useful - I wonder what will become of him??

Maybe he’ll last as long as Barry B at the Supporters Cub. 

Barry in the 70’s. 

Barry still looking good at 82. 

I’ve known him since I went on the coaches as a kid in 1964.

This photo has been circulating on Twitter recently;

I can confirm that this is myself surrounded by some of the Old North Bank Boys. 

Summer 2018. 

Next Post - Thursday 21/5/2020. 

Bonnie Prince Charlie Arrives. 

Comments/Questions - oldgunnersandgooners@gmail.com