Old Gunners and Gooners : Cometh the Hour

Arsenal’s Quiz Champions show the way.

Arsenal Supporters Club Quiz Team Retain their Title.

Trevor (The Header) Brooking was our mascot.

I reach the Final of “Sports Anorak”

I think Rory was upset that I never won it.

January 1998.

At the beginning of 1998 Arsene Wenger brought in Christopher Wreh as cover for the strikers.

Arsenal then drew with Port Vale 0-0 at Highbury in the FACup 3rd round.

I went to the replay and this was another draw, with Arsenal winning on penalties 4-3.

Port Vale score.

Match ticket.

Seaman saves another penalty and Arsenal are through.

February 1998.

Arsenal were now 12 points behind Man Utd and only looked to be playing for a European place or one of the Cups.

In the FA Cup 4th round, JC and myself drive to Middlesbrough and watch Arsenal win 2-1.

Strangely, Ex Arsenal player, Paul Merson and, future Middlesbrough player, Ray Parlour, both score.

Even stranger, is that JC has actually got us tickets with the Arsenal Fans.

In the Visitor’s Section - For a change!!

Paul Merson scores for Middlesbrough.

Ray Parlour scores for Arsenal.

Arsenal then drew 0-0 at Highbury against Crystal Palace in the 5th round but won the replay 2-0.

Anelka scores at Palace.

Meanwhile, Arsenal had still been picking up points in the League, despite Ian Wright still not scoring regularly.

Anelka and Wreh were scoring some important goals though and the Back four were as reliable as usual with Martin Keown playing often as well.

Nicholas Anelka.

Christopher Wreh.

Goalkeeper David Seaman, had damaged a finger, but Alex Manninger came in and never let Arsenal down.

March 1998.

Arsenal went to Old Trafford for a must win game against Man Utd.

Marc Overmars scored the only goal and now the pressure was on in the title race.

Marc Overmars Scores.

Anelka Applauds.

Alex Manninger Saves at Old Trafford.

In March, Arsenal would also beat Wimbledon - Sheffield Wednesday & Bolton in the League.

In the FA Cup 6th round, Arsenal drew 1-1 against West Ham at Highbury.

Then won the replay 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Bergkamp gets sent off and misses the semifinal.

Manninger saves the day.

This was the 3rd time that Arsenal won the replay away, after drawing at Highbury.

In fact, they won the Cup without winning a game at Highbury.

As Arsenal had previously been knocked out of the League Cup by Chelsea, all Gooners were starting to dream of the Double.

April 1998.

Putney borrowed a Limousine from work and along with his son, JC and myself travelled in style to Villa Park for the FA Cup semifinal, where Putney had also got us into a private box.

The first and only time I’ve seen Arsenal play from one.

The funniest part of this was when we pulled up in the official car park, there were hundreds of Wolves fans lining up to enter the stadium.

On seeing our car they all turned to see who the famous occupants might be.

JC got out first, said his customary greeting, Hello Lads, and as one, all the Wolves fans turned away and carried on queuing.

Another silly, but Magical Moment.

Our Posh 4 Wheels.

JC looks out.

The Not so Posh - Original 4 Wheels arrive.

Our Posh Box - JC never got these.

Arsenal Fans in the Holte End.

The Teams come out.

Wreh Scores the Winner.

Wreh & Petit celebrate.

Me - JC - Zico? - with the broken window.

The Bill for my celebration.

When Wreh scored, because we were in the box we weren’t really part of the celebrations, it’s a very weird experience and not the way I was used to watching football.

To get some of the atmosphere I pulled myself up by hanging on the slatted window and cheered through the gap.

Embarrassing, those slats are only meant to be air vents, and they obviously snap.

I’d managed to get us banned from Villa Park Private Boxes.

Christopher Wreh scored the only goal against Wolves and we’re going to Wembley.

After the game, we decided to have a couple of beers in the car park and wait for all the traffic to leave.

We were still there when the Arsenal players came out to their coach.

As you can imagine, I don’t miss opportunities like that.