After Liverpool FC, who else?

Throughout my younger years I saw Arsenal play a lot. I was never an Arsenal fan but it was my only opportunity to go to football matches, and I did get to see Liverpool play away to Arsenal several times.

The Arsenal team when I was younger included Liam Brady, Frank Stapleton, Pat Rice, David Price, Pat Jennings and Willy Young amongst others and the manager was Terry Neil. I actually managed to get sign photographs of a few of them over those years.

My sister's boyfriend (Kevin) used to take me to Highbury as often as he could, I loved going even though it wasn't Liverpool, the atmosphere you get from being at a 'top-flight' match is an experience every football fan should have at some point in their lives whoever the match is between. It's immense. Such a buzz as you hear the crowd roar & chant as you approach your seat (or in them days your standing position), I can't describe how that makes me feel, it's amazing.

Arsenal won the FA Cup in 1979 and it was the most exciting cup final I had ever seen (up until 2006) and beating the Mancs made it so much better. I recorded the match commentary off the radio and I have played that tape so many times that I know quite a bit of that commentary word perfect.

Here is a couple of bits of the commentary from when the game was 2 - 1 to Arsenal:

"McIlroy's inside the area, he's still there, he must score ... McIlllllllrrroooyyyy has scoooorrrrred for Manchester United, it's 3 - 2 and United are right back in the game"

"It's Liam Brady now for Arsenal, ball comes in, high across the area, it's there, Alan Sunderland. I do not believe it, I swear I do not believe it, Alan Sunderland has won the cup for the 2nd time for Arsenal 3 - 2"

I did feel a little jealous at the end of the 1979 season as Kevin decided to take my sister to Highbury to see the Arsenal team parade on the open-top bus celebrating their win of the FA Cup over Man Utd. My sister didn't (still doesn't) even like football, she got to go just because she was his girlfriend. Pfft ... is that important!

I'm not an Arsenal fan, by any stretch of the imagination but providing they don't affect Liverpool's placing in the league or cups then I am not bothered if they win, unlike some other teams - who I never want to do well. Besides half my family support Arsenal and it's nice to see them happy when Arsenal win ... sometimes ;)