Herbert Chapman, Tony Adams, Thierry Henry, oh and Romford Pele

13 December 11

Posted at 5:18

Today's photoblog is about Arsenal Football Club and it's 125th Anniversary. Celebrated last Saturday. Unfortunately a dodgy chilli on Friday night left me with a severe bout of food poisoning and I was unable to make the game. Yesterday though I ventured out and photographed the three statues unveiled on Saturday in celebration. Three former Arsenal legends.

The first is Herbert Chapman, seen here gazing at the famous clock that once graced one end of the ground at Highbury. Herbert an enlightened manager of the day, an 'Arsene Wenger' of that period, managed the team from 1925-34 and won the league four times in five years.

Herbert Chapman

Tony Adams - Our Tone!

Our Tone

Tony Adams spent 19 years at Arsenal, his only club. Joined as a trainee in 1983 and was captain by 1988 at the age of 22. He went on to lead Arsenal to ten major honours and he made a total of 669. I am fortunate to have seen Tony throughout his phenomenal career at Arsenal.

Tony Adams

Last but not least, our most recent legend Thierry Henry. Arsenal’s all-time leading goal scorer with 226 goals. During his eight years at the Club between 1999 and 2007 he won two Premier League championships, two FA Cups, the Premier League ‘Golden Boot’ on four occasions and the PFA Player of the Year twice. Fittingly, on May 7, 2006, he scored the last ever goal at Highbury.

Thierry Henry

Well that's the statues. I thought I'd include a photo of Ray Parlour aka Romford Pele

Ray Parlour

It's all said above really although I might add; through most of the latter years of Ray's career I used to have a little flutter, my outsider, of Ray Parlour score first and Arsenal win 4 -0. Ray was not a renowned goal scorer and 1-0 is far more likley for us than 4-0. So the bookies gave good odds and I ensured the bookies stayed profitable. One week, against Wimbledon at Highbury Ray scored first and over the course of the match the Gunners scored three more. In Block 20 in the Clock End we were already celebrating my winnings of £850 and planning which pub we would head for straight after the match as there were just 2 or 3 minutes remaining. Then Chris Wreh scored a fifth. The bet was lost. Block 20 was silent. I can't blame CW too much - he did score against Wimbledon in a 1-0 win in our '98 double year. 

Of course neither Ray nor Chris know anything of this.

 

Ooh! Ah! Ray Parlour......

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