Arsenal America

I’ll leave the end of season review to others with more journalistic skills, but I couldn’t let it pass without adding my view from the last day.

Well another season confined to history and were we gonna celebrate? The boys were ready and waiting outside the White Swan at 9.40 waiting for the doors to open. A huge breakfast was on offer to line the stomach for the hours ahead. The sun was out and so were the pretty girls. You see the reason North London is wonderful is cos it?s full of t*ts, fanny and The Arsenal. Oh and remember, fanny in England means ?front bottom?.

Well several pints and songs later we left TBirds and made our wobbly way to our place of worship. I managed to get the TBird flag into the ground but as I sit in the Lower West under the TV cameras you wouldn?t have seen it.

Oh how we laughed when Dickov put them ahead, we had all considered putting a bet on Dickov first goal scorer as he was at 66/1! The team needed waking up from their complacency especially Henry. This game was far too important for passengers, irrespective of what they had done throughout the season.

The crowd came back from their half-time pint or three, I know I haven?t mentioned Henry?s penalty, but like so many goals scored from the 39th minute on, I missed it. I?ll just have to get the end of season dvd. Again. Well not a lot happened until The Iceman put through the most beautifully weighted pass of the season to Paddy who, just like Tony Adams in ?98, scored a Captains goal.

The biggest cheer of the day was for Martin Keown coming on at the end to play his last game for The Arsenal. Then the whistle blew and it was all over.

The Leicester fans stayed in their seats to congratulate Th e Arsenal, it was appreciated by everyone. Then it was time for the medals. Each player took a bow and lifted the trophy. TH made sure he was the last player and lapped up the applause. But then came Le Boss. He lifted the trophy, the sound system blasted out ?Rocking All Over The World? and the Upper Tier of the NorthBank started moving. It moved so much they cut the song short, only to replace it with an equally bad/good choice.

The players went on their lap of honour, then again. some of the players kids joined in and Sol and TH laid on the pitch and soaked up the atmosphere. A gooner ran on the pitch laid down in the centre circle with them and got his shirt signed by both. Unfortunately for him he was then escorted from the ground by 4 stewards, hopefully he won?t pay the penalty others have. A total ban from the ground.

So the players finally left and it was time to carry on the party. The plan was back to TBirds for an hour and then a pub crawl along Holloway Road. We never made it away from TBirds. First they ran out of Bud, then Stella, then Carlsberg, we had to go over the road and buy from the grocers.

About 200 Gooners took part in a street football match outside the Arsenal Tavern as Blackstock road came to a standstill. The killjoys of the Met Police nicked the ball, so someone bought another. They then put up crash barriers and herded everyone onto the pavement. That didn?t last long cos Jose Antonio Reyes went past in his car with everyone trying to jump on the roof, bonnet (hood). He loved it, his driver was sh*tting himself.

The DJ started playing about 9.30 with some classic skinhead reggae and rare sixties soul. We were dancing on the tables and for those of you that visited us this season, you?ll remember the ladies of a certain age behind the bar. Well they were dancing on the pool table, Arsenal TShirts on and ribbons in their hair.

I don?t remember too much about getting back to Watford, but I do know I was not in any condition to witness the parade through the streets of Islington watched by 250,000 very happy, headache suffering gooners.

I watched some of it on TV and each player came onto the balcony of the Town Hall to speak to the fans. The speeches were memorable for their lack inspiration i.e Thankyou, I love you. However, TH simply said ?2003-2004 season will be remembered as the year a team went unbeaten. That team was Arsenal? .

The Iceman bought a lump to many a gooners throat when he said ?Thank you very much, guess what? I WILL see you next season?.

But Ray Parlour did it again when he asked if they wanted to hear him sing? Then he launched into ?My old man said be a Tottenham fan. ..? At this point he held the mike out to the fans who chanted back ?…I said, f*ck off, bollocks, you?re a c*nt?. Priceless.

I know you all wish you could?ve been here, but I?ve no doubt each and everyone of you celebrated in your own way.

Have a great summer, keep the faith and Party Long, Party Hard, Party Proud. We all deserve it and maybe we?ll meet in TBirds next season.