HOW DID YOU COME ABOUT SUPPORTING ARSENAL?
I've always been a football fan, although me and my twin brother are the only football fans in my whole family. In 2000, my sister came back from holiday in Italy and brought two fake football shirts for me and my brother: a Man Utd shirt with Beckham and the Arsenal home shirt with Overmars. I already liked Arsenal at that time, but Overmars had just signed a contract with Barcelona. So I chose the Beckham shirt.
I was never really a fan of Man Utd though, because on Dutch television they used to broadcast Premier League games every weekend and most of the times it was Arsenal because of Dennis Bergkamp. I started to love Arsenal more and more when I saw those beautiful shots of Highbury, and the team was magnificent of course.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU SUPPORTED ARSENAL?
About ten years.
WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST GAME?
Arsenal - Middlesbrough 2-0, both goals scored by Cesc Fabregas (April 2009)
WHO WAS YOUR ARSENAL HERO AS A KID?
Dennis Bergkamp. His goal in the World Cup quarter final against Argentina is one of the first football memories I have.
WHERE DID YOU SIT AT HIGHBURY?
Never been there to watch a game.
First time I was at Highbury was in October 2003, when I had a school trip to London. Went to the stadium with a few classmates, but we were not allowed to have a look inside the ground. They told us we should come back on Friday for a stadium tour, but that was impossible as we were going back to Holland that day.
Last month I went to Arsenal v Fulham at the Emirates and two days before I finally got into the ground! One of the gates was opened, so I was lucky. Couldn't get onto the place that used to be the pitch, but I was very happy I could finally walk inside the old stadium. I think they did a good job with the Stadium Square project, it looks fantastic.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE GAME?
That would be White Hart Lane in 2004 when we won the league. I also loved the Final Salute in May 2006 because my fellow-countryman Martin Jol decided that he and his team should eat some lasagna the day before.
My favourite European games are Inter 5-1, Real Madrid 1-0 in the year we got to the final and the 2-0 victory at AC Milan in 2008. Because I just hate those three clubs.
TELL US ABOUT WHEN YOU MET AN ARSENAL PLAYER?
I'm a journalist for Goal.com and sometimes I go to watch Go Ahead Eagles in Deventer, where Marc Overmars is in the Board. Seen him a few times but never spoke to him yet.
Last year I had a little chat with Michal Papadopulos of sc Heerenveen, just after their Europa League home game against Hertha BSC. Papadopulos scored twice, but Heerenveen lost 3-2. He was a bit moody because of the defeat, but he immediately began to smile when I asked him about his time at Arsenal. He played only one game for us, a Carling Cup game against Wolves at Highbury, when Cesc became the youngest goal scorer in our history.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE HOME SHIRT AND AWAY SHIRT?
Home: 2006-08, the only red & white home shirt I have. I really hated the home shirt of the last two years.
Away: the 2008-2009 Anfield anniversary shirt. I also liked the
2002-03 away shirt, because that was my first Arsenal shirt ever. I still wear it sometimes.
WHAT WAS YOUR BEST MEMORY OF HIGHBURY?
Walking into Highbury Stadium Square last month and the 'concierge' allowed me to have a look at the Marble Halls. I'll never ever forget that.
WHAT IS THE FUNNIEST CHANT YOU HAVE HEARD AT AN ARSENAL GAME?
Last year October I was in Alkmaar, where I heard the Arshavin song for the first time (He's 5ft4, we've got Arshavin, bla bla
). But the best song was 'I saw your wife in the window!'
WHERE DO YOU SIT AT ASHBURTON GROVE?
I'm a red member, so usually the green quadrant. Been to two home games at the Emirates so far: v Middlesbrough in april 2009 (block 122) and v Fulham last month (block 120).
but it's usually anywhere in the upper tiers.
