Arsenal remain one of the most fascinating (and frustrating) teams to support in global soccer or in sport in general due to their rich and varied history. As such, they take on new fans each day, most of whom are not aware of the rich history of the club in any great detail.
This post won’t provide you with any deep knowledge on the subject, but it will try and highlight certain milestone events that each and every Arsenal fan should know. We’ll focus on events in the Arsenal history books which do not pertain directly to any specific player, as these get a lot of attention as it is, this list is by no means complete, but it will give the new fan a few places to start digging in order to better appreciate the club of today.
- 49 Games Unbeaten. From May ‘03 to October ‘04, Arsenal went unbeaten, and of the 49 games played in this period, the team won 36 and drew the other 13. Arsenal began this historic hot streak after a terrible home loss against Leeds, not an outcome that anyone would have bet on, though you can always bet on Arsenal or any upcoming Premier League matches on 188Bet, perhaps you can predict the next historic Arsenal winning streak.
- Arsenal is born. A band of Scottish soccer enthusiasts created a team that grew into the world conquering institution we know today. Its first games were played in 1886, but it wasn’t till 1891 that the name “Royal Arsenal” was chosen, named after a regional workplace and pub and from these humble beginnings sprouted something truly special.
- Herbert Chapman as Manager. Herbert Chapman’s reputation is not simply due to the prolific winning streak during his tenure but also to the way in which he modernised the team, forming them into something that could be argued closely resembles today’s team. Chapman was at the reins from 1925 to 1935, but tragically died of pneumonia at age 55 before being able to take his famous team to even greater heights.
- Arsène Wenger. Wenger showed up in 1996, despite being a total unknown throughout much of the soccer world he set the Premier League alight, winning the much-coveted double in his first full season in charge. His methods were unconventional at the time, focusing on the nutrition in the players’ diets along with other various scientific aspects on the game. His team repeated the double in 2002 and his side also embarked on a 49-game winning streak described above. Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit, Nicolas Anelka, Freddie Ljungberg and Cesc Fabregas are just some of the superstars Wenger helped to nurture to the heights which they attained during their careers.
If you’re just getting into Arsenal for the first time, it’s important to know your history. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the best goals of all time, the colourful personalities and the individuals who banded together as the great Arsenal teams of yesteryear, but it’s sometimes the figures and events that occurred around the players that add the real interest. Learn the context of your favourite players, results and games, and you’ll really start to see why Arsenal remains one of the best clubs sides in global football.
