120 – Tear up the Turf

In mid-June 2006, after all the other events at Highbury had taken place, I was lucky enough to get tickets for an o2 event called ‘Tear up the Turf’ where we not only got to play around on the pitch and stroll at will around the East Stand, but also got to take a square of pitch home. Surreal as that was, being accompanied by a quartet playing football chants in the middle of the pitch pushed it off the scale.

As the pitch was complete when we arrived, but not when we left, you could easily argue that this day was the very last football played on the pitch and to celebrate/commiserate that moment here are some photo’s I took that evening.

091 – Random 1970s Press Photo’s (part one)

As usual, any backslip details copied below the scans.

“Arsenal v Chelsea Jan 18 1970.
Hands go up to appeal for offside but Chelsea players need not have bothered. Arsenal’s Sammels missed the cross. Behind Sammels ( l to r) is Harris, Webb and Bonetti.”

“Arsenal v Sunderland 28th Feb ’70.
Sunderland goalkeeper Montgommery punches away from Kennedy, the Arsenal scorer, to quell another attack.”

“Feb. 1972
Hector (Derby) tangles with McLintock (Arsenal).”

“Football at Reading. Reading v Arsenal Fourth Round of the F.A. Cup.
It’s there. Pat Rice (right) gives a shout of triumph after he had scored Arsenal’s winner today. Other Arsenal players are (left to right) Ball, Nelson, McLintock and George.”

086 – In 1971 they really were being bought for the articles

There’s an old line about gentlemen excusing their purchase of top shelf magazines by saying they were only buying them for the articles.

Maybe there is some truth in that, and so today’s scans are two articles from Parade in 1971. Also, as the second article features Bob McNab, I’ve added a later press photo from his appearance in ‘On the Buses’.

“Bob McNab Turns Actor.
Arsenal football star Bob McNab, pictured here is a track suit, has taken time out to make his acting debut. Bob appeared in an episode of the TV comedy series “On The Buses”, as the star performer in the bus depot football team. Bob is rehearsing with star of the show, comedian Reg Varney, who plays Stan the bus driver – and obviously prefers knee-length “shorts”.
6th march 1973.”

084 – Inside the Gunners 1971

In the days when player’s wages seemed far more realistic it was common for the players of teams getting to the Cup Final to issue something to earn them a bit more money. To put it into context Bob Wilson told me he earned around £17,000 for the double season, although he did point out he bought a house for £26,500 around then.

In 1971 the players got some extra from a booklet called ‘Inside the Gunners’, and today’s scans are some of the pages from that booklet, including a player’s wives and girlfriends page.