Norwich game

So thought I would share with you my experience of the Norwich game.

It was a very surreal experience for me in particular. I mean I’ve been to the majority of home games this season but this experience struck a cord as I was positioned in the stadium somewhere I had not experienced before

My favourite position at games is behind the goal, you can’t beat seeing the ball hit the back of the net whilst in the north bank (when scored by arsenal) however the last few games I attended was whilst in the clock end. Maybe a bit of a jinx since our last few results haven’t swung our way.

I hate upper tier seats, love the view but prefer to be closer to action (don’t get me started on price); anyway on this occasion for the Norwich game I had purchased a ticket in the clock lower. What I didn’t notice when I bought ticket was my position near the away fans

As I walked in to find my seat I noticed how close in proximity the Norwich fans were, as I searched for my seat number they became closer and closer. Too bloody close! My seat was directly next to the buggers. Separated on my right by a set of stairs and a steward. “This will be interesting” It’s always nice to give it to any away fans that visit the emirates but to experience it when fans are in earshot is a completely different kettle of fish. I could actually put a face to the voices; I was in eyeshot, earshot close enough to lash a programme in their face.

Seriously anyone who has a season ticket positioned this close either has amazing restraint or loves a good ol’ slanging match and probably a fight too.

Of course we don’t lose very often at emirates so we would normally get one over the away fans more often than not. However, when you do lose or a result is against the arsenal the last thing you need is an away fan bellowing into your ear. There’s nowhere to turn your face.Normally when I’ve been in the stadium my block would pick out from afar a fan in the away section that stood out to berate and wind up. 9 times out of 10 it would be the fat bastard fan. They always seem to be most animated and easiest target.

The game had a lot of ups and downs we scored in the first minute, I was happy, I cheered, I sang while the Norwich fans were silent and wondering if this will be a mauling.

Apparently not, as Norwich proceeded to take the game to us. We took our foot off the pedal and were punished for it. First they equalised and all of a sudden those Norwich fans voices were getting picked up on my radar. Then they went 2-1 up and boy could I hear them. Every snide comment, every song, every chant. We looked like conceding every time they attacked and its then it was hard to make any noise. I admit I went silent, followed type as I was trying to get my head around what was going on.A few comments of being the library came up.

Another thing that didn’t help situation was the constant reminders to sit down. I wasn’t too fussed about sitting down but when you see that they don’t apply the same rule to the away fans it kind of feels like they have one up on us.

There was a funny interaction between an arsenal fan sat next to me and a steward. Went a little like this:

Steward: “can you sit down please” Fan: “I stand when the F**k I want”

Steward: “excuse me?” Fan “fuck off c*nt” Steward: “swear at me one more time and you are out of here” The fan continued to ramble on but didn’t swear. Then he sat down. The steward went back to his position then the fan muttered “F**king steward was bang out of order” all this went on to the amusement of the Norwich fans nearby.

Anyway back to the game and the second half was interesting. The half started with a one on one between Simeon Jackson and the keeper. Luckily Simeon Jackson is Simeon Jackson and so the chance was wasted. After that we picked up our game and got our equalizer

I cheered but it was half-hearted. A draw wasn’t enough and I wanted to really give it to those Norwich fans who were constantly chanting ‘Thursday nights Channel 5”

All the comments had got to me but I didn’t want to give it to them until we were actually ahead. We were on top now and a next goal was coming.

Oh how I couldn’t wait to give back. Then the moment came RVP slipped the ball into the back of the net. 3-2 up I went MENTAL! I mean I turned to those fans and gave ‘em a right rollicking. There was some serious tension built up and I let it out.

The look on their faces, “wooo” that felt good. The whole of the clock was so vocal now; I guess I wasn’t the only one that held it in.

What happened next wasn’t part of the plan. There’s a break, from where I’m sitting it seemed best option for Chezzer to come out and close the angle, he half thought and then retreated. Morison lets fly and the ball is in the back of the net.

How the Norwich fans let rip, how the Norwich fans let us know how the last laugh is the best. How I didn’t stage dive into the Norwich fans and take out as many as I could I don’t know. There was no place to hide, stunned but unable to digest what had happened. I got it full barrel from those fans. I’ve never heard so many voices that sound like farmers at the same time. The channel 5 song was back. Also an interesting one about they’d rather have Holt than RVP (ok). Arsenal then proceeded to test my heart to full capacity. We had about 4 clear-cut chances to score but the ball would not go in.

Full time came and I was just sat there in silence, contemplating all the possible scenarios. 3^rd place was out of our hands. The farmer voices had won this battle of banter but the war will go on. I’ll be seeing you next season boys.

Not sure if I could sit in that position on a regular basis. And I don’t know how my restraint would be if it was against the likes of Spurs and Chelsea.

I will however make sure I can get in that seat for next season’s encounter with Norwich. I need revenge; I’ll give those buggers channel 5…

Enjoy rest of your day people

The Bet

Every now and then football fans place themselves into a situation they may rather regret. You know, that situation born out of their blinkered love for their club; which disregards all logic and common sense. When you have in attendance that one person that gets up your back; usually pretty much immediately after your team has lost.

There is window of opportunity to exploit any fan at their most vulnerable. Seriously I’m surprised people do not try this regularly as you could make a mint from it.

Football fans make ridiculous bets immediately after their team has lost.

As certain as the sun rises in the sky you can be sure that if you catch a fan after his team has lost and wind him up the right way he will bet his house that his team will batter your team.

Keeping within the realms of reality I’m not talking about a Wolves fan giving it large to Manchester united fan. This more relates to your local rivals or teams of similar stature. I’m talking your Arsenal/Spurs, Liverpool/Everton, Man utd/Man city type of rivalry.

Now I have found myself in a situation. Anyone who knows me will tell you I am not a gambling man. I tend to think before I throw a load of cash at something. I normally avoid the window of opportunity to make a ridiculous bet because I usually turn my phone off after a defeat. I don’t want to talk football and Match of the Day gets avoided.

On this occasion it was a Spurs supporting friend of mine who made the proposal. This was at a time when Spurs were starting to wobble and just had a bad result. The Arsenal momentum was up as it was during our winning streak which included the 5-2 win over Spurs.

I was offered the bet of who will finish above who come end of season Arsenal or Spurs?

I don’t think we had overtaken Spurs at that time but we were riding the crest of a wave and it was only a matter of time. I’d take that bet.

My Spurs supporting friend was in that window of opportunity though at the same time it was not definite Arsenal had it sewn up.

What was at stake in this bet? Well a figure was thrown out there. I think around £100 “Get the hell out of here! I got bills to pay” (in this current climate that will only get me to 2 arsenal games)

Ok, compromise, loser has to put on the shirt of the winners team and be snapped in it. “OK, I’ll take that”

At the time it seemed a harmless bet. After all we weren’t going to throw this away. Spurs were imploding. I took the bet. How smug I was

Fast forward to last Saturday. Me sitting/standing in the clock end witnessing sub standard players like Simeon Jackson tearing us a new one. It was not a pleasant experience (will give you more about my Norwich experience in a future blog).

What a sinking feeling I felt at the final whistle. The actual realisation sunk in that I could lose this bet. I would have to put on a spurs shirt.Thank the lord for Aston Villa but at the same time we are not home and dry.Any possible St Totteringham day will be on the final day of the season.

All is at stake and I am nervous as F**k

It should never be that I have doubts of my team beating West Brom but it is.The bet I have on is worth far more than £100. This is my pride and dignity on the line.

Pray for me people, Pray for Arsenal. Non-believers…wish me luck!

On Arsenal news front Twitter was awash with claims that Arsenal have tied up the transfer of Yann M’villa. Let’s hope it’s true. Definitely the kind of player we need at our club.

Enjoy your day people

Anfield 1989

Arsenal had a feature a couple of years ago to celebrate Arsenal’s emphatic win at Anfield in ’89

They invited Arsenal fans to recall their memories of that great night by emailing their recollections and a few were selected and published on the Arsenal.com site.

I was lucky to have my memory published.

Have a read.. have a laugh

post in all its glory:

Michael Thomas’ goal was a defining moment in defining my love for Arsenal and cementing me as an Arsenal fan. I was around 11 at the time and considered myself an arsenal fan but coming from a household that wasn’t full of football fans I wasn’t as engulfed in football as some of my friends at school. It was my local team and that was enough to start supporting them.

I knew the names of a few players but didn’t ‘know’ the team inside out. On this particular night of the game I was in the local youth club (called lions boys club) and apart from the usual high jinks an 11 year old gets up to some of the bigger boys went upstairs to watch the game on the big tv. I followed and proceeded to watch the game with them. Fascinated by their conversations about who was rubbish who was great what a great pass that was my mind was like a sponge taking in everything. I particularly remember one of the older boys commenting on John Lukic’s stance and technique before kicking the ball out. The pressure the atmosphere everything about this game captivated me. I was really drawn in as a true football fan. Unfortunately my curfew was up and I had to go home. I so wanted to stay I so wanted to listen to the older boy conversations about Lukic Smith et al but i had to go.

I ran home as fast as I could (it was a lot safer in those days) and when I got home my mum was watching the game on tv. Even my mum was into it? Where had this intense football feeling been all my life? It was from this moment at home that I started to show off and repeat the bigger boy comments about the game pretending like I was a fan in the know and correcting my mum for getting names wrong and explaining to her the importance of the need to score once more. When time was running down and the chance of the elusive 2nd goal was slipping away my mum was congratulating arsenal on putting in a good effort and that maybe next year they might win something.

The intensity was so high I was half blocking out what she was saying. But then the moment came the move seemed to happen so quickly and in a flash Mickey Thomas was through on goal. Could this be it? Come on Thomas!! Yesss!!!! Goal!!! Mummy mummy! We did it! My screams must have disturbed the neighbours but I didn’t care arsenal did it. My Arsenal did it!! We were the champions. I love football I love Arsenal I love Michael Thomas I want to be an Arsenal player and score like that (steady). All be it I was at home in the living room with my mum when Michael Thomas scored. But I really can look back at it being one of the defining moments in making me an Arsenal fan. I had never been to a match I had probably never sat through 90 mins of an Arsenal game on tv. But that moment changed everything.

yeah,yeah I shouted mummy. and what? lol

Hello world!

I finally decided to give this blogging lark a try. Feel the need to share my thoughts on everything Arsenal and football in general.

A silver member who goes to Arsenal games as often as possible.A former season ticket sharer however the commitment to every game was a bit taxing on the old bank balance.

A fan since a child, grew up in Shoreditch and supported my local club Arsenal which seems logical enough

Have a soft spot for Leyton Orient also but that’s another story.

Anyway, hope you will enjoy my daily updates on my views about arsenal, some passing comments on other teams and my general positive outlook on AFC.

I get p’d off like every fan when things go against us but ill leave the angry knee jerk reactions to Twitter

Enjoy your day and happy reading

Gambeanosnitch