History

42. Free-scoring Gunners clinch first title

Arsenal 1931

Arsenal’s first major trophy came at Wembley in May 1930 when they beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 to take the FA Cup back to Highbury.

This match yielded the start of an amazing decade for the Gunners, but it was the following season which stands out as possibly the greatest campaign.

Revitalised Arsenal started the season in magnificent fashion with seven wins and two draws in their first nine games, but despite their dominance over the whole year they had to wait until April 18, and the third from last game of the season, to take the title.

Liverpool were the visitors to Highbury that day and the Merseysiders were easily beaten 3-1 with strikes from David Jack, Cliff Bastin and Jack Lambert.

Arsenal had officially won their first league title.

The newly crowned champions took a trip to Newcastle next. They won that game 3-1 and beat Bolton 5-0 on the final day of the season at Highbury.

Arsenal ended with a points total of 66 which was a new record at the time, later eclipsed by Leeds United before the two points for a win system was replaced.

Most astonishingly, Chapman’s side scored 127 goals that season, a total that would still be a record today had runners-up Aston Villa not scored 128 in the same campaign.