RIP DON HOWE

[markmark64]

Rip Don btw I like the dittys they make an rip thread more Molly.

[Ray C]

Very sad to hear this news , I was at a funeral yesterday so I missed it .
Wonderful man who was at times badly treated by the club he loved but took it all on the chin and never spoke ill of the club.
My endearing memeory of him was away at Wolves, must haver been late 60's .
A young man called Charlie George was picked for the travelling 13 but wasnt named in the final 12 so he joined his mates on the terraces in the infamous South Bank of Wolves !
This was a massive end but wasnt segratgated so there was always trouble and this occaision was no different , some scuffles broke out and Charlie got nicked !
In those days they used to march them round the pitch and as he passed the dugout Don pops up grabs Charlie off the officer and throws him into the dugout before thanking the bemused officer for bringing him back !
I was sitting about 3 rows behind the dugout and coulds clearly hear dons brummy brogue giving Charlie the bollocking of of his life ,telling him in no uncertain terms what is required of a player for The Arsenal !

[Ray C]

I promise this story will end up with an anecdote about Don!

Brilliant story from a time that footballers were accessible to their fans.

RIP Don

Charlie joined me & some mates for a sunday afternoon kick about on Regents Park. He was just walking past and asked if he could join in. He was only a young bloke then but we all knew who he was. Imagine a player doing that these days !.
Once again R.I.P. Don.

[Chippy]

Would the club have done it in '71 without him?Many of our players of that era seem to think not. RIP.

I am an old fart so remember the 71 double season vividly. Bertie Mee was a great guy and a good manager, but I am convinced we would never have won anything that season without Don's coaching. Particularly in defence. You used to to be able to coach players to defend in those days.

[arseofacrow]

Very sad about this.

RIP Don

[beck]

I promise this story will end up with an anecdote about Don!

In the early 80s I played for team in Kent whose manager left at the end of the season. The new manager who arrived the following season was slightly unhinged.
After one training session he asked if any of us would like to meet the England team. My hand went up like a shot. I took the following afternoon off work and went to pick him up from his house. The entire house was filled with plaster ducks in various stages of completion. The finished ones were decked out in club colours with little bobble hats on and the motto 'I'm quackers about ...' It was like a minature, really shit Terracotta Army.

It turned out that this was how he made his living and we were off to the England hotel to fulfill previous orders and take new ones from the England players.
We left from Chatham in my Simca 1100 and arrived some hours later at the team hotel (I think the Holiday Inn in High Wycombe).
He marched straight up to reception, asked where the team were and, when told they were finishing dinner, marched straight there with me in red-faced, hyper-embarassed pursuit.

Half the players, plus Bobby Robson and Don were still there. They politely asked us to let them finish. We went back to reception and acosted every player who passed. I remember Lee Dixon buying one, John Barnes politely refusing and a player who I didn't recognise, but who turned out to be Graham Roberts with his teeth in, not replying or even breaking stride.

Afterwards we went to the bar where the team had gathered. I remember being shocked at how small they all were. Only Shilton and Hoddle appeared to need adult sized clothes.
My manager tried to sell and chat to them while I loitered on the edge of the group.

After an hour or so the players started to drift away so we marched back to reception where the loony asked which room Bobby Robson was in. To my amazement the girl told him and we set off down the corridor. The loony knocked at the door and Don opened it. The loony stepped in (Booby, Don and another bloke had charts and diagrams spread out all over the bed) and tried to chat and sell. After Bobby explained he was busy, what with a Euro Qualifier the next day, the loony piped up with "I'm a manager as well". He proceeded to give the England management a run down of our team. He then asked for some advice about attacking corners, as he felt we we poor in that area. Don then took some paper and drew and explained a tactic he recommended. He then explained he had work to do and wished us good night.

I couldn't believe the team were staying in shit rooms in a shit hotel and particularly that Bobby and Don, and most of the players, were so polite. I'm sure you'd get arrested if you tried it now.

Epilogue.
The following night I was at Wembley to see us lose 0-1 to Denmark. Barnes was particularly shit, never once beating his man.

Don's corner tactic drawing looked like something from Stephen Hawking's blackboard. We practised it for half of every training session, twice every week, for months and never once scored from it.
I've often wondered what happened to the drawings. They would have been an amazing souvenir.

I like the story mate but lee dixon?
He was playing in the 3rd division with burnley at the time

[armchair]

I promise this story will end up with an anecdote about Don!

In the early 80s I played for team in Kent whose manager left at the end of the season. The new manager who arrived the following season was slightly unhinged.
After one training session he asked if any of us would like to meet the England team. My hand went up like a shot. I took the following afternoon off work and went to pick him up from his house. The entire house was filled with plaster ducks in various stages of completion. The finished ones were decked out in club colours with little bobble hats on and the motto 'I'm quackers about ...' It was like a minature, really shit Terracotta Army.

It turned out that this was how he made his living and we were off to the England hotel to fulfill previous orders and take new ones from the England players.
We left from Chatham in my Simca 1100 and arrived some hours later at the team hotel (I think the Holiday Inn in High Wycombe).
He marched straight up to reception, asked where the team were and, when told they were finishing dinner, marched straight there with me in red-faced, hyper-embarassed pursuit.

Half the players, plus Bobby Robson and Don were still there. They politely asked us to let them finish. We went back to reception and acosted every player who passed. I remember Lee Dixon buying one, John Barnes politely refusing and a player who I didn't recognise, but who turned out to be Graham Roberts with his teeth in, not replying or even breaking stride.

Afterwards we went to the bar where the team had gathered. I remember being shocked at how small they all were. Only Shilton and Hoddle appeared to need adult sized clothes.
My manager tried to sell and chat to them while I loitered on the edge of the group.

After an hour or so the players started to drift away so we marched back to reception where the loony asked which room Bobby Robson was in. To my amazement the girl told him and we set off down the corridor. The loony knocked at the door and Don opened it. The loony stepped in (Booby, Don and another bloke had charts and diagrams spread out all over the bed) and tried to chat and sell. After Bobby explained he was busy, what with a Euro Qualifier the next day, the loony piped up with "I'm a manager as well". He proceeded to give the England management a run down of our team. He then asked for some advice about attacking corners, as he felt we we poor in that area. Don then took some paper and drew and explained a tactic he recommended. He then explained he had work to do and wished us good night.

I couldn't believe the team were staying in shit rooms in a shit hotel and particularly that Bobby and Don, and most of the players, were so polite. I'm sure you'd get arrested if you tried it now.

Epilogue.
The following night I was at Wembley to see us lose 0-1 to Denmark. Barnes was particularly shit, never once beating his man.

Don's corner tactic drawing looked like something from Stephen Hawking's blackboard. We practised it for half of every training session, twice every week, for months and never once scored from it.
I've often wondered what happened to the drawings. They would have been an amazing souvenir.

I like the story mate but lee dixon?
He was playing in the 3rd division with burnley at the time

Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story mate.
Well spotted though.

[beck]

I promise this story will end up with an anecdote about Don!

In the early 80s I played for team in Kent whose manager left at the end of the season. The new manager who arrived the following season was slightly unhinged.
After one training session he asked if any of us would like to meet the England team. My hand went up like a shot. I took the following afternoon off work and went to pick him up from his house. The entire house was filled with plaster ducks in various stages of completion. The finished ones were decked out in club colours with little bobble hats on and the motto 'I'm quackers about ...' It was like a minature, really shit Terracotta Army.

It turned out that this was how he made his living and we were off to the England hotel to fulfill previous orders and take new ones from the England players.
We left from Chatham in my Simca 1100 and arrived some hours later at the team hotel (I think the Holiday Inn in High Wycombe).
He marched straight up to reception, asked where the team were and, when told they were finishing dinner, marched straight there with me in red-faced, hyper-embarassed pursuit.

Half the players, plus Bobby Robson and Don were still there. They politely asked us to let them finish. We went back to reception and acosted every player who passed. I remember Lee Dixon buying one, John Barnes politely refusing and a player who I didn't recognise, but who turned out to be Graham Roberts with his teeth in, not replying or even breaking stride.

Afterwards we went to the bar where the team had gathered. I remember being shocked at how small they all were. Only Shilton and Hoddle appeared to need adult sized clothes.
My manager tried to sell and chat to them while I loitered on the edge of the group.

After an hour or so the players started to drift away so we marched back to reception where the loony asked which room Bobby Robson was in. To my amazement the girl told him and we set off down the corridor. The loony knocked at the door and Don opened it. The loony stepped in (Booby, Don and another bloke had charts and diagrams spread out all over the bed) and tried to chat and sell. After Bobby explained he was busy, what with a Euro Qualifier the next day, the loony piped up with "I'm a manager as well". He proceeded to give the England management a run down of our team. He then asked for some advice about attacking corners, as he felt we we poor in that area. Don then took some paper and drew and explained a tactic he recommended. He then explained he had work to do and wished us good night.

I couldn't believe the team were staying in shit rooms in a shit hotel and particularly that Bobby and Don, and most of the players, were so polite. I'm sure you'd get arrested if you tried it now.

Epilogue.
The following night I was at Wembley to see us lose 0-1 to Denmark. Barnes was particularly shit, never once beating his man.

Don's corner tactic drawing looked like something from Stephen Hawking's blackboard. We practised it for half of every training session, twice every week, for months and never once scored from it.
I've often wondered what happened to the drawings. They would have been an amazing souvenir.

I like the story mate but lee dixon?
He was playing in the 3rd division with burnley at the time

Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story mate.
Well spotted though.

Oh I,m all for that but it was a schoolboy error
God bless don
Gave keown rocastle Hayes and Quinn there debuts
Was the driving force behind our 1st double
Left the club with dignity and always refered to the arsenal as us

[QuartzGooner]

Arsenal News Review today.



http://www.arsenalnewsreview.co.uk/thre ... tz-gooner/

[GranadaJoe]

I promise this story will end up with an anecdote about Don!

In the early 80s I played for team in Kent whose manager left at the end of the season. The new manager who arrived the following season was slightly unhinged.
After one training session he asked if any of us would like to meet the England team. My hand went up like a shot. I took the following afternoon off work and went to pick him up from his house. The entire house was filled with plaster ducks in various stages of completion. The finished ones were decked out in club colours with little bobble hats on and the motto 'I'm quackers about ...' It was like a minature, really shit Terracotta Army.

It turned out that this was how he made his living and we were off to the England hotel to fulfill previous orders and take new ones from the England players.
We left from Chatham in my Simca 1100 and arrived some hours later at the team hotel (I think the Holiday Inn in High Wycombe).
He marched straight up to reception, asked where the team were and, when told they were finishing dinner, marched straight there with me in red-faced, hyper-embarassed pursuit.

Half the players, plus Bobby Robson and Don were still there. They politely asked us to let them finish. We went back to reception and acosted every player who passed. I remember Lee Dixon buying one, John Barnes politely refusing and a player who I didn't recognise, but who turned out to be Graham Roberts with his teeth in, not replying or even breaking stride.

Afterwards we went to the bar where the team had gathered. I remember being shocked at how small they all were. Only Shilton and Hoddle appeared to need adult sized clothes.
My manager tried to sell and chat to them while I loitered on the edge of the group.

After an hour or so the players started to drift away so we marched back to reception where the loony asked which room Bobby Robson was in. To my amazement the girl told him and we set off down the corridor. The loony knocked at the door and Don opened it. The loony stepped in (Booby, Don and another bloke had charts and diagrams spread out all over the bed) and tried to chat and sell. After Bobby explained he was busy, what with a Euro Qualifier the next day, the loony piped up with "I'm a manager as well". He proceeded to give the England management a run down of our team. He then asked for some advice about attacking corners, as he felt we we poor in that area. Don then took some paper and drew and explained a tactic he recommended. He then explained he had work to do and wished us good night.

I couldn't believe the team were staying in shit rooms in a shit hotel and particularly that Bobby and Don, and most of the players, were so polite. I'm sure you'd get arrested if you tried it now.

Epilogue.
The following night I was at Wembley to see us lose 0-1 to Denmark. Barnes was particularly shit, never once beating his man.

Don's corner tactic drawing looked like something from Stephen Hawking's blackboard. We practised it for half of every training session, twice every week, for months and never once scored from it.
I've often wondered what happened to the drawings. They would have been an amazing souvenir.

I like the story mate but lee dixon?
He was playing in the 3rd division with burnley at the time

You're right, but I was convinced it was Dixon!! It might have been Sansom (it was definitely an Arsenal player).
I fucking hate getting old. I was telling my daughter about a holiday I'd had when my wife pointed out I'd actually merged two separate holidays from different years.

[beck]

I promise this story will end up with an anecdote about Don!

In the early 80s I played for team in Kent whose manager left at the end of the season. The new manager who arrived the following season was slightly unhinged.
After one training session he asked if any of us would like to meet the England team. My hand went up like a shot. I took the following afternoon off work and went to pick him up from his house. The entire house was filled with plaster ducks in various stages of completion. The finished ones were decked out in club colours with little bobble hats on and the motto 'I'm quackers about ...' It was like a minature, really shit Terracotta Army.

It turned out that this was how he made his living and we were off to the England hotel to fulfill previous orders and take new ones from the England players.
We left from Chatham in my Simca 1100 and arrived some hours later at the team hotel (I think the Holiday Inn in High Wycombe).
He marched straight up to reception, asked where the team were and, when told they were finishing dinner, marched straight there with me in red-faced, hyper-embarassed pursuit.

Half the players, plus Bobby Robson and Don were still there. They politely asked us to let them finish. We went back to reception and acosted every player who passed. I remember Lee Dixon buying one, John Barnes politely refusing and a player who I didn't recognise, but who turned out to be Graham Roberts with his teeth in, not replying or even breaking stride.

Afterwards we went to the bar where the team had gathered. I remember being shocked at how small they all were. Only Shilton and Hoddle appeared to need adult sized clothes.
My manager tried to sell and chat to them while I loitered on the edge of the group.

After an hour or so the players started to drift away so we marched back to reception where the loony asked which room Bobby Robson was in. To my amazement the girl told him and we set off down the corridor. The loony knocked at the door and Don opened it. The loony stepped in (Booby, Don and another bloke had charts and diagrams spread out all over the bed) and tried to chat and sell. After Bobby explained he was busy, what with a Euro Qualifier the next day, the loony piped up with "I'm a manager as well". He proceeded to give the England management a run down of our team. He then asked for some advice about attacking corners, as he felt we we poor in that area. Don then took some paper and drew and explained a tactic he recommended. He then explained he had work to do and wished us good night.

I couldn't believe the team were staying in shit rooms in a shit hotel and particularly that Bobby and Don, and most of the players, were so polite. I'm sure you'd get arrested if you tried it now.

Epilogue.
The following night I was at Wembley to see us lose 0-1 to Denmark. Barnes was particularly shit, never once beating his man.

Don's corner tactic drawing looked like something from Stephen Hawking's blackboard. We practised it for half of every training session, twice every week, for months and never once scored from it.
I've often wondered what happened to the drawings. They would have been an amazing souvenir.

I like the story mate but lee dixon?
He was playing in the 3rd division with burnley at the time

You're right, but I was convinced it was Dixon!! It might have been Sansom (it was definitely an Arsenal player).
I fucking hate getting old. I was telling my daughter about a holiday I'd had when my wife pointed out I'd actually merged two separate holidays from different years.

I know the feeling
Doing plenty of walking in rooms and forgetting what I went in for
But it probably was Sansom
He was the only arsenal player in the team for that game

[DB10GOONER]

Not much I can add to the tributes on here, so I'll just say Don Howe is a legend. A true football man and a Gunners Legend. RIP.

[arseofacrow]

Not much I can add to the tributes on here....

That's credit to Don in itself.

[SteveO 35]

A true Arsenal man and a very well regarded coach throughout the country. Was treated shamefully when we were looking for managers behind his back before giving him the punt when we were 3rd in the table (imagine that eh Arsene?)

Great bloke, and sadly missed. RIP Don !

[DB10GOONER]

Not much I can add to the tributes on here....

That's credit to Don in itself.

You should try taking a leaf out of that book.