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Ken Friar returns to open school pitch

Club director Ken Friar was on hand to celebrate the opening of a new football pitch at his old primary school St John’s Highbury Vale in May 2017.

Mr Friar spoke to the current pupils about his time at the school in the 1940s, and how – soon after leaving – he came to start work with Arsenal.

Playing football on the road outside Highbury in 1945, Friar miskicked his ball under the car of the then-manager George Allison. Impressed by the young Friar’s enthusiasm, Allison offered him a job as a messenger at the stadium on matchdays. Mr Friar has been a loyal servant of the club ever since.

An Arsenal in the Community football session followed Mr Friar's assembly. Tickets were also handed out to pupils for Arsenal’s next home match, against Sunderland.

Mr Friar said: “It was a pleasure to return to St John's and see so many excited young boys and girls using the new pitch. It brought back some fond memories and I'm proud we're in a position to help.”

The pitch at St John's Highbury Vale was the latest in a series of local pitches to be refurbished following our Legends match against AC Milan at Emirates Stadium, which helped to raise £1 million for The Arsenal Foundation.