With very little news floating about on the Arsenal sunset, its back to an ‘On This Day’ for the 26th of January. It may be the 26th of January, but it seriously feels like the 174th of January, so let’s hope February comes round soon, maybe a few more weeks and we’ll be free of this real Tottenh*m of a month. Upon researching, it appears not much has ever really happened on this day aside from one rather memorable FA Cup game… for all of the wrong reasons.
26th January 1891 – Royal Arsenal 0 Everton 5 – Three bumper wins was abruptly ended with a thumping home defeat by Everton.
26th January 1895 – There was crowd trouble even back then, and the Woolwich Arsenal ground was sensationally closed for two games. The incidents also involved ‘unsportsmanlike behaviour towards the ref’ (probably Mike Dean’s Grandad) and the ground was meant to be shut for the remainder of the season, but was cut down on appeal.
26th January 1980 – Sammy Nelson and Brian Talbot scored as we breezed through against Brighton at Highbury.
26th January 1985 – FA Cup: York 1 Arsenal 0 – one of the biggest shocks in FA Cup history, a last minute Keith Houchen penalty dumping us out of the competition.
The game almost didn’t go ahead as the pitch was covered with snow, but an appeal was launched and over 200 York fans turned up with shovels and the game was given the green light by the ref.
Keith Houchen also scored another lovely goal in the FA Cup if you need cheering up here:
In 1993, the lowest ever Premier League attendance was recorded at the match between Wimbledon and Everton, with just 3,039 watching the game which ended in a 3-1 win for Everton.
