Greatest ever memory at Highbury

Post by **Mike1** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 6:59 pm

What's been your greatest ever memory at Highbury (or Ashburton Grove)?

I've been asked to contribute to a book and one of the questions I need to answer is this. I'm switching between the Everton game in 98 and the Anderlecht game in 71, which I didn't actually attend being a bit young but know it was a great night. Is there anything I'm missing?

Post by **REB** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:13 pm

my first game back in 1980 v southamton is special for me but my overiding memory of any game is the game when ian wright broke the arsenal record for goals scored, boy did he milk the crowd that day and one of the best atmosphere i remember at the grand old ground

miss the place

MutleyGooner · Post by **MutleyGooner** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:46 pm

For me it would have to be my first game against Villa in 1980, the excitment of attending my first game and a night game to boot or against Everton in 1998, sat amongst the Everton fans in the West Stand and watching that goal by TA6

Post by **flash gunner** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:58 pm

My first game was Notts County at home in the FA cup 1979 and one of my faves and another one was Everton in home 1998 i was in the North bank lower and the upper tier was seriously bouncing after Adams scored i actually thought it was going to collapse onto us. What a day that was

donkeywinsthe derby · Post by **donkeywinsthe derby** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:03 pm

JJ's goal against QPR.

Lost the game 1-3.

Rained.

Played crap (and in that season...again).

Wasted Â£10 on first goal scorer (mind you, would probably have chosen Pat Rice before Jensen).

Dropped my rail ticket in the bogs at half time.

BUT....

Sitting in the West Stand more or less level with the edge of the penalty area. JJ curls it in from that same edge and...bugger me with a fish slice it's only gone in the net. The opponents net. The net of the OTHER team.

The crowd went absolutely mental. Hats, scarves, underpants, children...you name 'em, up in the air they went. The noise was unbelievable - even the Clock End volume when Campbell score against PSG (Cup Winners Cup S/F) coudn't beat it.

Five minutes I think - that was all it lasted until QPR scored again. But for just a little while all those hours of tedium, all the questions of "Why McGoldrick", all the money wasted, all the dreams, all the wondering, all the waiting for REAL passion.....

We've had many glories before and, of course after. All were great in their own way. But this was a true one in a million moment. And I WAS there - which I wasn't for Michael Thomas's last minuter against Liverpool in '89 (and for which the gates of purgatory still swing open for me).

So, for me, John Jensen - goal scoring supremo and purveyor of a top quality moustache. May he rest in peace alongside all the other great onion baggers of our age.

Anyone remember how many other goals he scored for us?

donkeywinsthe derby · Post by **donkeywinsthe derby** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:06 pm

sorry - forgot to add (for sake of completeness):

game played at Highbury, 1994.

and my mate hurt his knee when he fell over celebrating

Martin Hayes · Post by **Martin Hayes** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:52 pm

There are loads, but can I give you a SOPPY answer?

March '98 - West Ham FA Cup: My mate couldn't go, so I asked my new(ish) girlfriend if she fancied going. She agreed, but began to wonder why, when it was pissing down and I had taken her to the glorious FP Tavern.

Then, when we entered the North Bank, she walked up the stairs to the seats, saw the view around her, fell in love...and barely missed a game for 9 years.

She is now the mother of my daughter...aaaaaahhh!

(and yes, I can hear you all vomiting and thinking, "What a soppy kent...")

Eboue-Why? · Post by **Eboue-Why?** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:37 pm

Got to be the first game. ManUre in the League Cup Aug 1977. 2-1 down then SuperMac got the winner in a 3-2 win. I can still see the green turf as I came up the stairs of the North Bank. Had travelled down from up north and started queueing at about 3.30pm for the 7.45 ko!!!
As a youngster was better than losing my virginity. Could probably name loads of other special goals but first game will always do it.

xDAVEYx · Post by **xDAVEYx** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:47 pm

Martin Hayes wrote:There are loads, but can I give you a SOPPY answer?

March '98 - West Ham FA Cup: My mate couldn't go, so I asked my new(ish) girlfriend if she fancied going. She agreed, but began to wonder why, when it was pissing down and I had taken her to the glorious FP Tavern.

Then, when we entered the North Bank, she walked up the stairs to the seats, saw the view around her, fell in love...and barely missed a game for 9 years.

She is now the mother of my daughter...aaaaaahhh!

(and yes, I can hear you all vomiting and thinking, "What a soppy kent...")

nah everyone's proper fuckin jealous mate

united, november 2001, GIVE IT TO BARTHEZ. rub it in the mancs at school, priceless

denhaaggooner · Post by **denhaaggooner** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:12 pm

so many at highbury but what most stands out for me is waiting in line at the ticket office to get my match ticket against forest when the announcement was made that gg had been sacked it was one of those jfk moments (for me at least ) i was so shocked that i couldnt even see how shit glen helder really was

olgitgooner · Post by **olgitgooner** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:12 pm

Nice post from Martin Hayes. Not at all soppy, ya nanna

Best experience at Highbury for me HAS to be the Fairs Cup Final v Anderlecht.

We had won bugger all for years. Suffered League Cup Final defeats against Leeds and Swindon (fucking SWINDON, for fucks sake!!!).

We are 3-1 down from the first leg of the Final. We need to win by two clear goals. I am NOT confident. Then we end up stuffing them 3-0!!!!

The match was not all ticket. You just paid at the turnstile. I took a mate who had never been to a top flight football match before. The lucky bastard. I wait for years and years to see something like that. He gets it in his very first game. It's not fair.

Martin Hayes · Post by **Martin Hayes** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:21 pm

Nice one Olgit!

Unsoppy version...

a) a 0-0 draw against Oxford in 1986. It wasn't much fun, but kind of set the blueprint for the GG era. Also, unless I'm much mistaken, it was Perry's first appearance.

b) For odd reasons, a victory (3-1??) over Newcastle Utd on a Friday night in 2003. Unless someone can tell me otherwise, the only Friday night game at Highbury in the comon era?

digger · Post by **digger** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:23 pm

One of my fondest Highbury memories was the game vs Spurs, same day that Rocky died. We beat them 2 - 0 and the atmosphere was as good as I've ever seen at Highbury. It was my first NLD and just fucking magic, loads of Rocky songs.

vs West Brom, the day we "officially" beat the record for the most consecutive games without defeat (this must have been about match number 43 or so?) and the whole NB singing "we're making history"

Sheffield United when Kanu took the ball from a throw in, crossed for Overmars, cue 4000 pissed up pissed off Yorkshiremen

Post by **g88ner** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:33 pm

digger wrote:One of my fondest Highbury memories was the game vs Spurs, same day that Rocky died. We beat them 2 - 0 and the atmosphere was as good as I've ever seen at Highbury. It was my first NLD and just fucking magic, loads of Rocky songs.

Yeah, that was a strange day!

The way I remember it (and I could be wrong) but, before the Sp*rs game started, we were also told of the death of young Arsenal defender Niccolo Galli who died in a car crash whilst on loan in Italy

I'm probably wrong, but that's how I remember that day.

HIGHBURY GOONER N5 · Post by **HIGHBURY GOONER N5** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:44 pm

mine was my first night game it was against sparta prague in 2005 , it was only my 2nd game first was v birmingham few weeks befor. I remember Henry scored and Van Persie scored a brilliant goal, it was the first time i saw Henry score, it was freezing cold but i loved that game and it will stick in my mind for a long long time.