It's now 90 years at our historic home, Leigh Edwards selects Highbury headline stories from this month down the years.
1948 - GUNNERS BLAST MARINERS
Lionel Smith made his League debut as four goals by Ronnie Rooke
plus two from Denis Compton and others by Alex Forbes and Jimmy
Logie gave the following Arsenal team a remarkable 8-0 First
Division victory over Grimsby Town at Highbury on May 1, 1948:
George Swindin, George Male, Laurie Scott, Archie Macaulay, Lionel
Smith, Joe Mercer, Don Roper, Jimmy Logie, Ronnie Rooke, Alex
Forbes, Denis Compton. It equalled Grimsby's biggest-ever
margin of defeat in a league match and the Mariners finished ten
points adrift at the foot of the table, while Arsenal won the
League Championship by seven points that season.
- Arsenal full-back Laurie Scott gained his 14th consecutive England cap in the 4-0 win over Italy in Turin on May 16, 1948.
- Tom Whittaker boosted his Championship squad by signing inside-left Doug Lishman from Walsall for £10,500 on May 27, 1948.
1972 - CENTENARY CUP FINAL
Holders Arsenal faced First Division rivals Leeds United in the
centenary FA Cup Final at Wembley on May 6, 1972. Allan
Clarke's second-half strike gave Don Revie's Leeds a 1-0
victory over the following Arsenal team: Geoff Barnett, Pat Rice,
Bob McNab, Peter Storey, Frank McLintock, Peter Simpson, George
Armstrong, Alan Ball, Charlie George, John Radford (Ray Kennedy),
George Graham. It was Leeds' first FA Cup triumph and they
hoped to emulate Arsenal's 'double' success of the
previous season but lost 2-1 in a vital League match at Wolves two
days later, missing the title by a single point for the second year
running.
- Arsenal ended Liverpool's title hopes by holding Bill Shankly's side to a 0-0 draw in front of 39,285 at Highbury on May 8, 1972.
- Goals from Alan Mullery and Ralph Coates gave Tottenham Hotspur a 2-0 win over Arsenal at Highbury on May 11, 1972.
1980 - GUNNERS WIN MARATHON
Holders Arsenal reached the FA Cup Final for the third successive
year as Brian Talbot's early goal gave the following team a 1-0
semi-final third replay win over Liverpool in front of 35,335 at
neutral Highfield Road on 1st May 1980: Pat Jennings, Pat Rice,
John Devine, Brian Talbot, David O'Leary, Willie Young, Liam
Brady, Alan Sunderland, Frank Stapleton, David Price, Graham Rix.
The two sides had initially drawn 0-0 at Hillsborough, then Alan
Sunderland scored both times as Arsenal and Liverpool fought out
two 1-1 draws at Villa Park. They also drew 1-1 in a First Division
match at Anfield during that period.
- Trevor Brooking's early header gave Second Division West Ham a shock 1-0 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup Final on May 10, 1980.
- Spanish side Valencia defeated Arsenal 5-4 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the ECWC final in Brussels on May 14, 1980.
1991 - ARSENAL CLINCH CHAMPIONSHIP
Arsenal celebrated their second League Championship success in the
space of three seasons as Alan Smith's hat-trick gave the
following team a 3-1 First Division victory over Manchester United
in front of 40,229 at Highbury on May 6, 1991: David Seaman, Lee
Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, David Hillier (Michael Thomas), Steve
Bould, Tony Adams, Kevin Campbell, Paul Davis, Alan Smith, Paul
Merson, Anders Limpar (David O'Leary). It was an anti-climactic
end to that season's title race after the televised 2-1 defeat
of rivals Liverpool at Nottingham Forest that afternoon had handed
the Championship to Arsenal ahead of their evening match.
- George Graham was named Barclays Manager of the Year on May 10, 1991 after plotting Arsenal's tenth League Championship success.
- Anders Limpar grabbed a hat-trick as Arsenal trounced Coventry City 6-1 in front of 41,039 at Highbury on May 11, 1991.
1993 - LINIGHAN'S LATE SHOW
Five days after Ian Wright's goal gave Arsenal a 1-1 draw
against Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup Final, the Premier League
rivals met again in the replay at Wembley on May 20, 1993. Chris
Waddle cancelled out Ian Wright's opener but Andy
Linighan's last-gasp extra-time winner gave the following
Gunners team a 2-1 victory: David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel
Winterburn, Paul Davis, Andy Linighan, Tony Adams, John Jensen, Ian
Wright (David O'Leary), Alan Smith, Paul Merson, Kevin
Campbell. Arsenal had also beaten Wednesday in the Coca-Cola Cup
Final and became the first club to win both major domestic Cups in
the same season.
- Ian Wright, Paul Dickov and Kevin Campbell scored in Arsenal's 3-0 win at home to relegated Crystal Palace on May 8, 1993.
- Two goals by John Hendry plus another from Teddy Sheringham gave Tottenham Hotspur a 3-1 win at Arsenal on May 11, 1993.
1995 - ARSENAL LOSE GRIP ON CUP
Holders Arsenal faced Spanish side Real Zaragoza in the European
Cup Winners' Cup final in Paris on May 10, 1995. John
Hartson's second-half strike cancelled out Juan Esnaider's
opener but the following Arsenal team was cruelly defeated 2-1 with
the last kick of extra-time as David Seaman, hero of the semi-final
penalty shoot-out, was beaten by a speculative 40-yard looping shot
from former Spurs midfielder Nayim in front of 42,424: David
Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn (Steve Morrow), Stefan Schwarz,
Andy Linighan, Tony Adams, Martin Keown (David Hillier), Ian
Wright, John Hartson, Paul Merson, Ray Parlour.
- Arsenal were held to a 0-0 Premiership draw by Wimbledon in front of 32,822 at Highbury on May 4, 1995.
- Glenn Hoddle ended his playing career as Chelsea defeated Arsenal 2-1 watched by 29,542 at Stamford Bridge on May 14, 1995.
1998 - GUNNERS AT THE DOUBLE
Newly-crowned Premiership champions Arsenal faced Newcastle United
in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 16, 1998. Arsenal were
without injured Footballer of the Year Dennis Bergkamp but goals by
Marc Overmars and Nicolas Anelka gave the following Gunners team a
2-0 victory in front of 79,183: David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel
Winterburn, Patrick Vieira, Martin Keown, Tony Adams, Ray Parlour,
Nicolas Anelka, Manu Petit, Christopher Wreh (David Platt), Marc
Overmars. It was Arsenal's seventh FA Cup Final triumph and
they emulated Manchester United's achievement of two League and
Cup 'double' successes.
- Marc Overmars scored twice as Arsenal clinched their 11th Championship with a 4-0 victory at home to Everton on May 3, 1998.
- Arsenal's 18-match unbeaten run in the Premiership ended as a weakened team lost 4-0 to Liverpool at Anfield on May 6, 1998.
2000 - ARSENAL PAY PENALTY
Arsenal faced Turkish side Galatasaray in the UEFA Cup Final in
Copenhagen on May 17, 2000. The Gunners were foiled by inspired
'keeper Taffarel and failed to capitalise on Hagi's
dismissal as the match went to a penalty shoot-out after a 0-0
draw. Davor Suker and Patrick Vieira both struck the woodwork and
former Spurs defender Gica Popescu snatched the spot-kick winner as
Galatasaray defeated the following Arsenal team 4-1 on penalties:
David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Silvinho, Patrick Vieira, Martin Keown,
Tony Adams, Ray Parlour, Thierry Henry, Manu Petit, Dennis Bergkamp
(Kanu), Marc Overmars (Davor Suker).
- Thierry Henry scored twice as Arsène Wenger's side defeated Chelsea 2-1 in front of 38,119 at Highbury on May 6, 2000.
- Goals by Lee Dixon, Silvinho and Thierry Henry gave Arsenal a 3-3 draw at home to relegated Sheffield Wednesday on May 9, 2000.
