In today’s world, for football clubs to become hugely successful they should have a world-class stadium, a large fan base and a marketable name to be able to survive around the big fish. At Arsenal, those things have been looked at and done since 1913.
As most of us Gooners know, Arsenal Football Club was established in 1886 by Royal Arsenal workers in Woolwich, south- east London. At the time, the team’s name was Dial Square before changing to Woolwich Arsenal shortly afterwards. It was at the time of Henry Norris, then owner of the club, where things started ticking. Due to low attendances and the club underperforming on the field and financially, Norris sought to move Woolwich Arsenal to North London in 1913. Upon moving to Highbury, Norris dropped the name Woolwich and renamed the club Arsenal.
Another innovative period in Arsenal’s history was the appointment of Herbert Chapman in 1925 as manager. Chapman revolutionized the club in many ways, introducing floodlights at Highbury, numbers on player’s shirts, striped socks for players to know each other on the field and white sleeves instead of the all dark red shirt (worn in 2005-2006 season in honor of Highbury). Chapman introduced new training techniques and formations, signed respectable players and won a lot of silverware along the way until his sudden death in 1934.
The third major change was the appointment of the then unknown Arsene Wenger in 1996. The club was looking for stability, growth, along with a playing style that was attractive, rather than “boring boring Arsenal” of the early 90’s. The club knew that with attacking flair Arsenal would prosper and gain a lot of followers from all over the world. Arsene Wenger introduced different training methods, a diet for players that was nonexistent in English football, and an attack minded team with flair. Buying Nicolas Anelka from PSG for £500,000 and selling him two seasons later for £23m, using the money to build a first class training facility for the club in London Colney is still talked about today.
Wenger created a team that dictated English football for years and were undefeated for 49 games, he worked with a very limited budget in order to ensure the club moved to the Emirates, a 60,000+ first class stadium without financial problems and kept competing for the Premier League and Champions League despite facing teams with unlimited amount of money.
The club’s long-term vision will always be remembered as a great achievement for many years. They not only saw the advantages of having an attractive name in an attractive location, but also set up plans to relocate to a larger state of the art stadium when other teams are suffering to do that. The club proudly spends money it generates without depending on others and now has the ability to compete financially for the best talent around. Players want to join Arsenal not only because they can now pay the wages, but also because of the football philosophy the club plays for.
Arsenal global records:
-First football team to use numbers on their shirts in 1927.
-First football team to play a match broadcasted live on radio in 1927.
-First football team to play a match broadcasted live on TV in 1937.
-First football team to play a match broadcasted live in 3D in 2010.
Arsenal Football Club is an example of a successful business model and football club that people will talk about for years to come.
Victoria Concordia Crescit…
I hope you all enjoyed it!
Thanks for all the support.
Daniel Baz
Daniel is a 24 year-old Arsenal fan from Lebanon. He was born in Orlando, Florida, but grew up -and now resides – in war-torn Beirut. He has a degree in Business Marketing and is currently studying for a FIFA Sports Management Certificate.
Arsenal have never won the European cup
WE WONT THIS YEAR EITHER
YET AGAIN SHORT CHANGED BY THE MANAGER AND HIS INABILITY TO SPEND A BUDGET.
What did I just read?
Wenger had a limited budget AFTER we went to the Emirates, the club was not looking to appeal to fans overseas or to develop an attractive style of play, Wenger just brought these ideas with him after they appointed him, along with revolutionary training methods.
Bruce Rioch was not given much funds but he brought in Bergkamp and Platt before Wenger’s arrival …. Rioch’s appointment was obviously a temporary thing while another manager van be found …. and one was found by David Dein, a man you have not mentioned?
How about George Graham who was successful during the 1-0 to the Arsenal days, yeah mate, the period which came after the “Boring Boring Arsenal” days of Terry Neill.
Give me strength.
Arsenal were the first team to win the Cup Double (League Cup and FA Cup)
Arsenal were the first club to have undersoil heating.
Arsenal have had the most consecutive years in the league (the only team to have never been relegated from the top flight since joining it).
First London Club to win the League Title and FA Cup Double (Tottenham did not become a London Club until 1965 …. in 1961 they were a Middlesex Club).
Most FA Cup Final Appearances.
Most FA Cup Wins.
Most Goals scored by one player in a single game.
Most League goals scored in a season as a league winner.
Most players from one club in an England starting line-up.
Most consecutive league wins in the top league.
…. are just a few records you missed out …there are many more and some other firsts. Some remain unbroken, some will likely never be broken. 🙂
Thank you for writing about my great club though.
Hello Arsena1Again,
The records you mentioned are 100% true, but my point was to show how the club moved forward, from being in Woolwich all the way to where we are now. The way the club moved forward business wise with appointments that had major changes in Arsenal’s history.
Arsene Wenger should have been appointed before 1996, but the Arsenal board were not convinced at first. Dean met Wenger and was impressed by his philosophy and ideas, with a CV of developing players in AS Monaco to managing Nagoya Grampus in Japan.
Mr. Dein definitely deserves a mention because of his hard work in bringing in players like Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp and the great chemistry he had with Arsene Wenger. I will be writing about David Dein later on, so did not mention him here.
Having a certain philosophy with attacking flair definitely attracts more people around the world, especially neutrals. Arsenal fans are known to be well educated football wise, and not supportive only because of the trophies the club won. Fans attend football matches and enjoy when their team play attractive football and win matches beautifully, rather than a defensive style with 1-0 results (with all due respect to George Graham).
Thank you for your feedback.
Baz
Asking questions are genuinely pleasant thing if you are not
understanding anything totally, but this article provides pleasant understanding even.
Have you ever thought about adding a little bit more than just ypur articles?
I mean, what you say is important and all.
But imagine if you added some great photos or videos to give your posts more, “pop”!
Your conternt is excellent buut with pics and clips, this blog could definitely
be one of the verry best in its field. Awesome blog!
I wass ɑble to find goߋd info from уοur blog
articles.
I can help you to discover your blogging success, at Eli – Ken Marketing.
Here are a few bloggers thoughts on how to start and write craft blogs:
. Paid versions have more animations, but the free version is very nice.
Very fascinating piece of writing
It makes sense then to have most if not all of your
first plots of land dedicated to the alfalfa crop.
Whatever the reason, if your pizza crust suddenly is not the same
after you move, I’d do some trial and error experimenting with
adjustments to the recipe to see if you can get better results.
It chops nearly something from fruit to veggie to even nuts.
Great post. Ι waѕ checking continuously tɦiѕ blog
and І’m impressed! Extremely helpful info ѕpecifically tɦe
last part 🙂 I care for sucҺ іnformation a lot. Ӏ waas seeking
this ϲertain information for a long time. Ҭhank you and good luck.
This post is genuinely a good one it assists new internet users,
who are wishing in favor of blogging.
Hello, important recommendation and an fascinating article post, it’s going to be interesting if this is still the state of affairs in a few years time
I couldn’t refrain from commenting. Well written!