1986
– The Legend that is Paul Merson made his debut in 3-0 win over Man City who would be later relegated that season (City not Merson). This was a far cry from nowadays when Man City win loads of stuff because an Arab bought them off Oasis for like a billion Arab pounds. It’s a little know secret that Man City have spent almost a billion actual pounds on players, yet Sky and Match of the Day never mention this amazing feat.

Paul Merson would go on to become part of the Arsenal tapestry and the folk lore which made us what we are today scoring 78 goals in just over 300 appearances. He was also part of the 1989 league title winning side and scored in our 1993 League Cup final win over Sheffield Wednesday ahead of the literal dumping of Steve Morrow by Tony Adams.

Regular drinking sessions with the aforementioned Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Ray Parlour took its toll, and Merson eventually broke down and admitted to a drink, drug and gambling problem. Namely that he could no longer afford any of them after drinking with Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Ray Parlour.

After a bit more football with Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and some others and an Adams-like, Gascoigne-esque management role at Walsall, you can now find Paul Merson on the TV. He now commentates on Sky Sports of a Saturday afternoon struggling to pronounce the foreign lads names, saying Jeff a lot and basically looking a bit scruffy.

2003 – Arsenal 3-0 Birmingham, still unbeaten since the start of the season, the run which was now 13 games, Ljungberg, Bergkamp and Pires all scored.

1919 – In the club programme when we played Notts County we were referred to as ‘The Arsenal’ for the very last time by ourselves, we also won 3-1.

1997 – Sheffield Wednesday 2 Arsenal 0. Game 15 of the 97/98 Double season, the defeat and the defeat in our next game meant we had only won once is six games, so perhaps this season’s title is still on after all?

2000 – Spartak Moscow 4 Arsenal 1, a right battering in Russia, and not in a good way.

More tomorrow reader(s)!