Like many fans of a
certain vintage, Highbury has a special place in my heart. To some degree, I
grew up there, forming life-long friendships, and strengthening family bonds.
This well
researched book takes the reader through a history of Arsenal’s home ground
from 1913, until the move to The Emirates Stadium in 2006. Spurling has
gathered recollections and stories from players, staff and fans over a long
period, so there are poignant recollections from Arsenal heroes who are no
longer with us, including Ted Drake, George Armstrong and Paul Vaessen,
alongside fascinating contributions from the likes of Bob Wilson, Alan Smith,
Anders Limpar and Patrick Vieira.
There are
individual chapters dedicated to cult heroes including Limpar, Ray Parlour and
Vladimir Petrovic - players the Highbury crowd particularly took to their hearts,
and detailed reflection on some of the great matches including Juventus in
1980, and the exhilarating hammerings of Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and
Liverpool in the early 1990s.
The most colourful
stories come from the fans, and there are contributions from supporters from
all eras. For me, the book really comes alive in the chapters about the 1980s
and 1990s, which I’m sure in part is down to it being ‘my era’, but also
because of the regular high drama Highbury hosted in those years.
Highbury: The Story
of Arsenal in N5 provides a great excuse to rattle through Arsenal’s finest
moments and remember charismatic players who were loved by the fans.
Highbury: The Story of Arsenal in N5 is available from Amazon.
You can read more about some of Highbury's finest matches on the Nostalgic Gooner blog.