Wembley Wonders.

Lenny “the Legend “ Togwell. 

Copenhagen 1994. 

Lenny in Highbury. 

Lenny with His Son Jamie & Best Mate Gary D. 

Yesterday, 30/6/2020, I received the desperately sad news that Lenny Togwell had just died. 

He’d had a number of health problems in recent years. 

I’d known Lenny since the days of going to Arsenal away games on the coaches in 1965. 

He was one of the original North Bank Boys and gave us the famous “Bertie Mee said to Bill Shankly” song. 

He was a very funny bloke and would always stand his ground when things got a bit lively on the terraces. 

He was originally from the Angel but moved to the suburbs after getting married. 

He never really got over tragically losing his 15 year old daughter in a car crash, in the late nineties. 

He was so totally committed to Arsenal, that he even used to drive past the stadium every morning, to buy a paper at the kiosk next to Arsenal tube station. 

Farewell to a laughing, loyal, Legendary Old Gunner. 

Lenny - His Son Jamie & Charlie George. 

Paris 1995. 

Wembley Wonders. 

Arsenal won the FA Cup three times in four years between 2014 & 2017. 

These are the only FA Cup games that I went to in that time. 

2014 - Semifinal - Arsenal vs Wigan. 

Guy & Myself. 

Old Gunners & Young Gooners.

2014. 

Arsenal win penalty shootout against Wigan. 

At this game, the first rumblings of discontent with Arsene Wenger amongst Arsenal Fans were emerging.

Only a late goal from the “BFG”, Per Mertesaker, saved the day for Arsenal. 

  

2014 - Final - Arsenal vs Hull. 

Myself & Brian T. 

A Couple of North Bank Boys. 

Old Original North Bank Boys. 

Programme vs Hull. 

Up with the Pigeons. 

Gooners End. 

Jim M shaking Arsene Wenger’s hand. 

Arsene Wenger is happy. 

2015 - Final - Arsenal vs Aston Villa. 

2015 - Arsenal beat Aston Villa 4-0. 

I wasn’t there. 

2017 - Final - Arsenal vs Chelsea. 

Along with my Grandson, I met up with two other Old Original North Bank Boys and one of their sons, in a pub at Highbury Corner before this final. 

Going to Wembley on the tube, we encountered some similarly aged Chelsea fans, 

Typical of the new generation of Chelsea fans, they were singing about how Arsenal had never won the Champions League. 

They soon shut up, when we sang about how we’d never won the “Full Members Cup” either. 

I don’t suppose they know much about Chelsea before the Russians took over. 

When we got off of the tube, my Grandson, laughingly said to me, “You 3 were going to have it with them, weren’t you? But you’re all pensioners now”.

I replied that “old habits die hard”.

Myself & Guy. 

An Original North Bank Boy & his son. 

Old Original North Bank Boys. 

A Younger Original North Bank Boy. 

Chelsea fans are in. 

Gooners are in. 

Arsenal parade the Cup to their fans. 

Tringy - An Old Original North Bank Boy is happy. 

Chelsea fans ain’t, they’ve gone home. 

Banner says it all. 

Final ticket. 

Arsenal also reached the League Cup Final at Wembley in 2018, losing to Man City. 

Guy & Grandad. 

Arsenal vs Man City - 2018. 

League Cup Final Programme. 

Alan Connell. 

Alan is the son of Vic Connell, another Original North Bank mate of mine. 

I used to work with Terry A, who was the Assistant Youth Development Officer at the team from the Lane in the 1990’s. 

One day at work,  I told Terry that my mates son was training two nights a week at the Lane. 

He asked me what the kid’s name was? I replied, “Alan Connell”.

Terry said “that’s the little bastard, who turns up in his Arsenal kit”.

I was laughing so much that I could barely reply “yep, sounds about right”. 

As a result of Alan wearing his Arsenal kit, the team from the Lane, supplied the kids with club training gear in the future. 

Alan had a decent career as a professional footballer and is now the Youth Team Coach at Bournemouth. 

One of the highlights of his time at Bradford City, was scoring in a penalty shootout victory against Arsenal in the League Cup. 

Alan Connell takes on Jack Wilshere. 

Alan Connell, turns away and refuses to celebrate, after scoring his penalty against Arsenal. 

Alan Connell, 2nd from right - winning promotion from Division 2, with Bradford City at Wembley in 2013. 

Some of us also went to see Alan play for Swindon against Chesterfield in the Johnstones Cup Final in 2012 at Wembley. 

Paolo Di Canio was the Swindon boss. 

Chesterfield won 2-0. 

Swindon fans, for one day. 

A young Alan, kissing his famous Arsenal kit, with his dad, Vic Connell. 

Johan Cruyff. 

Johan Cruyff - My Favourite Non - Arsenal player died in 2016. 

The Cruyff Turn. 

Next Post - Thursday 2/7/2020. 

Beginnings & Endings. 

Comments/Questions - oldgunnersandgooners@gmail.com