TOPIC:

I have been an Arsenal supporter since my early 20s. I saw a game at their old home ground (Highbury) and have been a fan ever since. I enjoyed the early period under Wenger when they were "The invincibles" but they have fallen away a bit since then. I wonder if anyone else on this site supports them? If not I would settle for some banter from any Tottenham, Man City or United, Liverpool or any EPL club fans. Who do you support?

Sunderland
The first game of soccer I can remember was the 1973 FA Cup.Famous victory over the dominant team of that era Leeds United.
Interesting history a club formed by Scottish school teachers.Where the dominant team in England just before WWII.1936-37-38.
Spent a decade in the EPL just surviving relagation 9 of the 10 seasons.Having 6 managers in that decade.In the last 3 seasons have been relegated from the EPL+Championship and now 10th in division 1.
Ellis Short the American owner of the Black Cats.Who owns American Basketball and Baseball sides .Sold Sunderland to former player Nial Quinn for 1 Pound.However he inherited a 75 million pound debt.A decade away from Premier League promotion.
Also a Celtic supporter in the SPL.Fantastic win over Italian side Lazio on Thursday night 2-1.

gtr: good one; I had a hard time watching the 73 final, even though I was watching it 20 years after the event. Well done to Sunderland. The following season LU went 29 games undefeated from the start of the season to win the league title as partial compensation; but, as I have heard Norman Hunter say about that 73 cup loss, 'you always remember the loses more than the wins'.

Arsenal were made great by a former Leeds City player nammed Herbet Chapman and some other team mates of his. He won three titles at Huddersfield Town before moving down to London to dominate with the Arsenal.

A couple of little fun facts:

Leeds City were banned by the football league for a financial payments scandal; hence Leeds United is the second version of the city's club

in terms of great managers -- they have come mainly from Scotland, Yorkshire -- naturally -- Lancashire and Durham. I pointed this out to an Arsenal supporter and Londoner the other day, the only person to have won the english soccer title to have been born 'south of the wash' in modern times is Sir Alf Ramsay. The last Englishman to win it? Can anybody remember?

mikeh: there is a lot I could write on the red and whites, have actually never forgiven them for sacking Wenger so quickly after his successes in the FA cup

two points I would make to highlight Arsenal' greatness:

statistically they have the two best perfmmed sides in English football:

i the invincibles a you mentioned with aplomb
ii also, around George Graham's day, 1990 or so, they won the title sufferring just one defeat in the season.

gtr: here is a little post just for you on Sunderland fc

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1935%E2%80%9336_in_English_football

ArkRoyal wrote: gtr: here is a little post just for you on Sunderland fc

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1935%E2%80%9336_in_English_football

Easy to remember there FA Cups.1937+1973.

Nup, Man U and Glasgow Celtic.

Thanks for reminding me Bazza. Arsenal have had a pretty awful year and have now gone the way of Manchester United by employing an ex player as manager. Not too sure about that strategy really

mikeh wrote: Thanks for reminding me Bazza. Arsenal have had a pretty awful year and have now gone the way of Manchester United by employing an ex player as manager. Not too sure about that strategy really

Seems to be one step forward and two back with Ole at the moment mate, Tbh I reckon it will be another 2 or 3 years before Man U are a genuine title chance again.

Anyway Liverpool are in for an amazing king of the world run at the moment.

I signed up to Be In Sports to watch the last old firm game...the result was bad enough topped off by the fact the SPL went into a 3 week recess after that,,what a shaft.