Last updated: 26 April 2004
The Club
 Arsenal Football Club began life when a group of workers at the Woolwich Arsenal Armament Factory decided to form a football team in late 1886. They were originally known as Dial Square, as one of the workshops within the Arsenal was called Dial Square, the name chosen to represent the team, winning their first match 6-0 over the Eastern Wanderers. However at a meeting at the Royal Oak, next to Woolwich Arsenal Station, on Christmas day 1886 the name of Dial Square was changed, and a combination of Royal Oak and Woolwich Arsenal resulted in the regal sounding name Royal Arsenal. The name was later changed to Woolwich Arsenal in 1891 when they turned professional, joining the Football League in 1893 .
Following the First World War, the First Division was extended to 22 teams and Arsenal was voted into the top division, a position it has held ever since. In the League, Arsenal's 75 consecutive years in the top division is a League record.
In 1970/71 Bertie Mee took the Gunners to the League and F.A. Cup 'Double' for the first time, coming from behind in the Cup Final to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley. Later in the decade, Terry Neill took Arsenal to three consecutive F.A. Cup Finals, becoming the first team to do so, winning the 1979 game 3-2 against Manchester United after a truly memorable last five minutes. The Gunners also reached the 1980 Cup Winners' Cup Final but lost on penalties to Valencia.
The catalyst for future triumphs came in 1986/87 when Arsenal became the inaugural winners of the Littlewoods Cup. It was the first time the club had won the League Cup in any of its guises. In 1991, Arsenal only lost one League match (another record for the 20th century). They won a unique domestic Cup 'Double' in 1993 (again, the only club to win the League Cup and FA Cup in one season) and, finally, the Cup Winners' Cup victory against Parma in 1994.
In 1996, Arsene Wenger arrived at Highbury, becoming the club's first ever manager from outside the British Isles. In 1997/98, Wenger's first full season at Highbury, Arsenal achieved the domestic 'Double', for the second time in the club's history. The Frenchman also picked up the Carling Manager of the Year Award. A tremendous season was rounded off perfectly for French internationals Emmanuel Petit, Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Robert Pires as the Gunners stars played their part in France's victorious World Cup campaign. The club also said goodbye to striking legend Ian Wright, who left Arsenal as record goalscorer with 185 goals in all competitions.
The Gunners also made it to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 2001, but were eliminated on the away goals rule by eventual finalists Valencia.
2001-02 Saw the Gunners write a new chapter in their illustrious history with a third 'Double'. We clinched the F.A. Cup in style with a 2-0 win against Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium. And won the Title at the sweetest of venues, Manchester United's Old Trafford.
The Club Crest
The 2002/03 Squad
v. Bronckhorst, Aliadière, Touré, Upson, Cygan, Seaman, Taylor, Kanu, Stepanovs, Tavlaridis, Silva, Luzhny
Pennant, Lewin, Rice, Colbert, Johnson, Gant, Primorac, Niedzwiecki, Lewin, Akers, Harris, Akers, Jeffers
Wiltord, Ljungberg, Lauren, Bergkamp, Pires, Keown, Wenger, Vieira, Campbell, Henry, Edu, Parlour, Cole
Charity Shield, Premiership Trophy, FA Cup
Arsenal's Arsenal
Arsenl's strongest line-up. Almost half of the French national team studded the strike force of the Gunners. Frenchmen Viera, Pires and Henry are key men to Arsenal's fast build-up and prudent counter-attacks. The French Factor are a class apart from the aspiring talents of other teams in England, which lacks the creative sparks of captain Viera who holds the strings of Highbury. World Cup winner, Gilberto Silva, who holds the record for fastest Champions League goal with 19.4 seconds against PSV Eindhoven, plays the holding role in front of the defence. Ljungberg stands out in his industry and goal-scoring ability, providing chances for others with his direct runs from midfield. The Gunners just might need a little improvement in its defence. An over-reliance on card-magnet, Campbell to man the garrisons is too big a risk to take while Toure, apparently the first-choice defender this season, had benched Keown. Arsenal was quiet in the transfer market this season, the only major signing being that of former Dortmund's keeper, Lehmann. Arsenal has no English players in their attacking grooves, which makes their playing style more Europeon - prefering individual skills rather than teamwork. As Les Murray from SBS commentated, "Arsenal is pure class..."
The Wardrobe
2001/2002 Home & Away
2002/2003 Home & Away
Home & away full attire plus an alternate gold version.
"When you put on a France or Arsenal shirt, you change. It's like a new skin. You become Superman."
That's why these ladies like it even if they have it on...
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...or not.
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And they are not afraid to...
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...show it.
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The Honours
League Champions (13 titles)
1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938, 1948, 1953, 1971, 1989, 1991, 1998, 2002, 2004.
Charity Shields (10 titles)
1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1948, 1953, 1998, 1999, 2002.
F.A. Cup (9 titles)
1930, 1936, 1950, 1971, 1979, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2003
League Cup (2 titles)
1987, 1993
Europeon Records
1970 - European Fairs Cup winners beating Anderlecht of Belgium 4-3 on aggregate.
1980 - Cup Winners' Cup finalists losing on penalties to Valencia of Spain in Brussels.
1994 - Cup Winners' Cup winners beating Parma of Italy 1-0 in the final in Copenhagen.
1995 - Cup Winners' Cup finalists losing 2-1 to Real Zaragoza of Spain after extra time in Paris.
2000 - UEFA Cup finalists losing 4-1 on penalties to Galatasaray after extra time in Copenhagen.
Highbury - The Home Of Football
| Name: Arsenal Stadium (aka Highbury)
Ground Capacity: 38,500
Dimensions: 110 x 70 metres
Address: Avenell Road, Highbury, London, N5 1BU
Club Number: +44 (0)20 77044000
Fax Number: +44 (0)20 77044001
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A diagram of Highbury. Click image to enlarge
An artist's impression of the new 60,000 seater, Ashburton Grove stadium. Click image to enlarge
An internal shot of the proposed new stadium. Click image to enlarge
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