premier-league – My Life: A Memoir

In 1970, I was 11 years old. My elder brother was 12 years older than me. He supported Leeds United. My sister Carol, 9 years older, was dating Malcom. He supported Arsenal. My sister Sue was dating Rex, he supported Liverpool. Our long time family friend, Howard, one of Derrick and Carol’s childhood friends, supported Manchester United.

I used to sit around and listen ot the boys banter and joke with each other. I was aware of football by then, because I was a Highalds Park fan, they were a great local team that, as it turned out, wore Manchester United colors. Anyway, I was in the car with Malcom, a white Renault as I recall, when I asked Malcom, (who seemed to know a lot about English Football,) to bring me up to speed on each of the teams that the boys supported. Maclom gave me a detailed analysis (as far as my 11 year old self was concerned,) and by the time he finished, it became clear to me that the logicla team to support at that time was Arsenal. I am sure he embelished Arsenal a bit to get my buy in, but even so, I was in.

In 1971, armed only with Shoot Magazine and the weekly table in the Sunday Times, I monitored Arsenal’s coming and going. The first thing I became aware of as a fan of Arsenal was Charlie George scoring the winning goal against Rams in the FA CUp final. His long flowing locks, his arms outstretched as he lay in the grass after scoring is indelibly chisled into my brain as the source of my Arsenal journey.

I was hooked.

Those were heady days for a young fan. Arsenal won the league and cup double in 1971 and since then have gone on to win so many trophies.

Between 1970 and the present, Arsenal has won 28 major and domestic trophies. This includes 4 League titles, 9 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, 1 European Cup Winners’ Cup, 1 European Fairs Cup, and 11 FA Community Shields, so it has been quite a storied club. Between their last league win in 2004 and this one this season were 22 years of heartache.

Leeds came and went as did Liverpool and Manchester United. I grit my teeth as both Liverpoola dn United won titles and Champion’s League titles, but was convinced that we would come good. Our 2004 team, The Invincibles, went through the league unbeaten, but they could not get that Champion’s league title. Maybe this year?

With 3 secon place finishes the last 3 years, we had built the weight of expectations goign into the season. Because of the summer business, building out a great deep squad, I had good feelings about our chances. I even put a bet on Arsenal to win the league when I was in Vegas! I watched every minute of every game this season and was rewared for my loyalty when Arsenal won the league. I may yet be rewarded further on Saturday when we face PSG in the Champions League Final.

One thing thst has stood out to me as great about being an Arsemal fan is the love of my sweet wife who, as it turns out, selected Arsenal to watch and support around the time we moved in together 8 years ago. She joined me during the Emery years, which were, well, bleak, but she was enjoying the way Wolves played under Nuno Espiratos Santos, and she watched Arsenal with me because that was my passion. An Arsenal player, Uraguain LucasTorreira, got her attention, and when Wolves fired their coach, she switched her allegance to Arsenal. Once Arteta took over and as she got to know the players, she began to get serious. I picked an an Arsenal jersey for her and like a good fan, she wears it for every game.

As tiem passed, she became even more rabid of a fan than I am, but I am not complaining. I love having her as my Arsenal commuity. We love the Arsenal together.