Arsenal: It’s about the fans
Usually when it comes to the interlull, You Are My Arsenal.com goes quiet. The grind of running the blog, tweeting and other associated activities takes its toll. How some of the bloggers who blog every day do it is beyond me. But this time I wanted to do something dedicated to the real heart of Arsenal FC.
Much has been said about Arsenal fans. We are noisy away, quiet at home. We are prawn eating snobs. We will eat our own when we disgaree. These are just a few. I am sure you can think of more. Who cares. What I have come to learn in my over 22 years as a supporter is that we are a diverse, passionate and insanely loyal group. We love our club and we all have differing views about it. But what remains the constant is Arsenal and our commitment to it. Players, managers and owners can come and go but we will still be here well into the 12th generation of our families.
So to honour the fans. I wanted the fans to tell us at YAMA – why Arsenal? What is it that makes them your club? How did you come to support the club. I’ve got a pretty good group lined up so far. So I hope over the next few days ad the interlull in addition to any normal pieces we do, you’ll take the time to read about fans just like you. And if you feel so compelled drop us your story at daadmingooner (a) youaremyarsenal dot com and we’ll go ahead and run with.
So to kick this shin dig off, I figured I would tell my story. The first question I get is how can a yank be an Arsenal fan. Well, let’s put the nationality aside, because it doesn’t matter where you are from. You can love a club all the same from 5 minutes our 5 hours away.
I am a Navy veteran. I served in the US Navy from 1987 to 1991 on active duty. During my time in the Navy I was stationed in Naples. But I had to do trips to London as part of my duties. It just so happened that in 1989 I was in London from April through May working on a project.
Now, I had played football in the states. I stopped in high school as I got recruited for throwball because I had a linebackers build even though I was no taller than Lionel Messi. I continued to play in rec leagues and in the Navy but I digress. Whilst stationed there in London, I made some friends with many of the lads (and lasses) in the Royal Navy. They spent their free time making sure me and a few of the boys I was stationed with got a true taste of English culture. It almost always resulted in a few pints somewhere. We also got to watching football matches at our barracks. To be honest watching it on TV wasn’t nearly as drawing in as what I was about to introduced to.
On a particularFriday in May, we were scheduled to be off duty because the US team of which I was part of was headed back to Naples come Monday. One of the RN lads was a rabid Arsenal fan and asked me if I wanted to join up for a trip to Liverpool to watch a “proper football match.” He was chiding me for two reasons, the NFL and that I told him living in Napoli I got to see great football. I also happened to live in Naples in the height of the Maradona era. I said sure.
On the way up I got the full explanation of what was going on. The match was originally scheduled for late April but due to the Hillsborough tragedy, it was moved back to this date. I had heard how Arsenal let Liverpool over take them in the run up to this game with poor performances (some things never change) in the run up to close the season out. As it stood Liverpool were top 3 points clear and a superior goal differential (that took some explaining). These two points I remember clearly – 1. Arsenal had to win by 2 goals to win on goals scored or 2. Arsenal had to score 3 goals to win on GD. Any other result and the title was Liverpool’s.
The few things that are still clear as day was the Arsenal tribute to the Hillsborough. The players presented flowers to Liverpool fans in different parts of the Anfield. I also remember it was 0-0 at the half and I remember I still had no real clue what I was witnessing.
Then it got interesting in immediate start up was the Smith header off the Winterburn free kick. Score 1-0. Still not enough to win the trophy. Man I had never seen a fan reaction like what I had witnessed in the only time I would ever be with the away fans. But I didn’t know what was still to come.
Liverpool would have their chances and i remember some in the group getting nervous as we went into stoppage time with Richardson down and when the restart happened Liverpool calmly controlling play. But then it happened. Lukic got the ball and dished it out to Dixon who got a long ball to Alan Smith who beautifully dinked it to Michael Thomas. Thomas coming in from the right (left of the away fans) looked like he was going into the low far corner but brought the ball across himself beating the defenders and the Liverpool keeper.
Of course you all know that. It was the one of the greatest if not the greatest moments in Arsenal history. And by an absolute fluke I got to be there. I didn’t know what I had just witnessed. I had never been in a sporting event as energized as that. All I know is that it sent me down the path of following Arsenal.
It was hard in the US after I got out of the Navy. You could get the weekly Express or Times of London but the news was old. When the internet started you could track more and then in the last 10 or so years as information and access exploded you could be a far away fan and for the most part follow the team as if you were a local. Though to me nothing can beat growing up a fan like some of you have. It is completely different experience. But that’s what is great about us all. We all have our stories.
So let’s see them
Until next time. . . Stay Goonerish.
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