Members of the OC Gooners outside their home pub
Meet the OC Gooners
Our next stop on our tour of Arsenal America branches takes us west to sunny Southern California. About 50 miles down the coast from Los Angeles lies The OC. More than just Disneyland and surfing hotspots, Orange County is the home to many Arsenal supporters. But some of them were growing weary of making the long trek to Los Angeles to watch matches with their fellow fans. Tthus, The OC Gooners were born! And just one yea laterr, the group has grown by leaps and bounds. As branch manager Nick Solano says:
"It's been a journey and I still cannot believe where we are today. The group continues to grow, we are generating a solid turnout for each match and people seem to really enjoy it"
Group Name: OC Gooners
Location: Orange County, California
Year established: 2010
Number of active members: "We currently have around 210 members. The normal turnout is around 30 per game, but we get 50+ for the bigger match days."
Where we watch matches: The Olde Ship British Pub & Restaurant, 1120 West 17th St. Santa Ana, CA 92706. (714) 550-6700
Where our members hail from: "The majority of us were born and raised in Southern California but we do have a fair amount of members who moved out here from other states and countries, including some expats. We have a very diverse group and it's something we embrace and are very proud of, just like Arsenal have players from a variety of nations. We love our unity."
Group's favorite Arsenal moment: "Our top pick was almost unanimously the 2003-2004 season when "The Invincibles" won the League without losing a match. Some other great memories include winning the old First Division title on goal difference at Anfield in 1989. Dennis Bergkamp's famous goal vs Newcastle in 2002. Andrey Arshavin's four goals at Anfield. Thierry Henry's goal at the Bernabeu in 2006 Champions League. The 2005 FA Cup Final. And last but not least, the first live match attended at Highbury and/or Emirates."
Favorite Player(s):
Past - Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Tony Adams
Present - Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas, Andrey Arshavin
Why we are Gooners: "Whether it was from growing up in London and attending matches every week, a friend or family member introducing us to the club, the gradual exposure of the league and club to the American audience, or even video game titles that donned the Gunners, we've all found Arsenal in our own special way. It all comes down to our history, our class and of course, our style of football. It's all second to none."
Why Americans should be Arsenal fans: "We are so often praised for our class and just the way the club is ran. We never break the bank, yet we are always challenging for honors. We have some of the most loyal supporters, even during rough times. If they want to support a club that does things the way every club should, Arsenal is for them. You can't argue with our attacking style of football either. Americans love lots of goals!"
Contact information: "You can email us at oc@arsenalamerica.com or find us online at OCGooners.com. We're also on Facebook and be sure to follow us on Twiiter @OCGooners."
Print this page Email to a friend
