On Atlanta's east side lies an eclectic neighborhood, that while just a few miles from Downtown, has a very different feel from the rest of the city. Little Five Points is famous for its alternative culture and features plenty of bookstores, record shops and cafes.
Meet the fans: Atlanta Gooners
Group name: Atlanta Gooners
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Home Pub: Brewhouse Cafe
401 Moreland Ave, Atlanta
Facebook: Atlanta Gooners
Twitter: @ATLGooners
Email: ATLGooners@gmail.com
It has also been the home of the Atlanta Gooners for nearly five years.
Since their first matchday at the Brewhouse Café, the Atlanta Gooners have mirrored their home city and enjoyed some tremendous growth.
"Our crowd of Gooners is usually more than 50 for weekend matchdays," says Doug Goodwin, the group's manager. "Most weekday fixtures also attract solid attendance."
He then adds, "The most telling sign of our numbers was when the local Spurs supporters group fled to another bar on the other side of town!"
Goodwin says that it’s becoming more common to see Arsenal shirts throughout the city and the Atlanta metro area. But it's not just support for Arsenal that is growing here. The popularity of the game itself is also surging in Atlanta. In recent years, the city has hosted Gold Cup games, summer club tours and international friendlies. There is also speculation that Atlanta could win a Major League Soccer franchise in the near future.
In the meantime, Goodwin says, "If you’re in Atlanta and you back the Arsenal, you are already one of us! Whether you grew up in the terraces of hallowed Highbury, were won over by the Invincibles or just chosen AFC as the team of your life, all are welcome in Atlanta.
"Except for Tottenham fans."
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
