London Calling

…to the far away town… Ah, The Clash, now there was a band.  But as this isn’t a music web site you’re probably wondering what’s going on.

Well rest assured there hasn’t been a takeover of your site.  It’s still an Arsenal site, and that’s what this piece is all about.

Arsenal.  Specifically following Arsenal first hand in the UK.  I’ve been in contact with Graham for a while and we’ve agreed that you might enjoy a weekly column from someone who’s lucky enough to get to most games to try and give you a flavour of what’s going on over here.

I won’t be giving you match reports per se, because, let’s be honest there are loads of them around.  What we hope this column will do is fill in the gaps that are left.  Maybe details that don’t appear in the press, gossip from the pubs around Highbury, thought’s on away grounds and trips there: that sort of thing.  And (no doubt) plenty of digs at the spuds!

So who am I?  Well some of you may know me by my ‘screen name’ Exiled In Newcastle that I post on some sites under, and I also write for Arsenal-Mania.com (yes I wrote that ‘Open Letter’).  But if that means nothing to you…

 
Me and me old mate Herb

I’m a 30-something Gooner who started supporting Arsenal in the spring of ’71 solely because Bob Wilson was being interviewed on TV and I realised those waves in his hair could be used to hide corks (a story for another day I think).  Asked my Dad who he played for and the reply was the rather magical word ‘Arsenal’.  Hooked.  By 1977 I was dragging my Dad to so many games he decided to go the whole hog and get us season tickets, and I’ve held one ever since.  The way I figure it is the Wengerball I get to watch now is payback for the mid 70’s, 80’s and 90’s!

I moved to Newcastle (for personal reasons) in the spring of 1998 and in all honesty when I renewed my season ticket that summer I thought that would be my last year – it would be madness to keep travelling up and down to Highbury from Newcastle.  The same thought occurred in 1999, 2000 and 2001.  By the summer of 2002 I realised there was no way out of my addiction – I was going to be renewing my season ticket ‘til they nailed the lid down on me!  I really don’t want to think about how many miles I’ve racked up over the last few years bombing up and down to Highbury.  It’s about 300 miles each way.  Now I know to you guys 300 miles is just popping next door, but 300 miles on the M1 equals 1000 miles anywhere else!  Sometimes I get the train, but it’s no use for midweek games as the last train to Newcastle leaves before 10pm, and there’s no way I’m leaving a match before the end to get to Kings Cross on time!

But there are some advantages to living up here.  It’s much easier to get to away games north of the midlands from here.  All the grounds in the North West are only a couple of hours away, and obviously the North East is easy.  Especially St James’, which is a 20-minute walk away from my front door.  Actually, I must be about the only Gooner who’s thrilled by an away cup draw on Tyneside! 

Anyway, that’s enough about me.  The first column will be going up within the next week and I’ll cover pre-season, and the Newcastle home game. 

If you have any thoughts or ideas as to what you’d like to hear about feel free to contact me because this column is for you and we’re going into this with an open mind.

Come on you red(currant)s.

Exiled In Newcastle.