TEARS IN THE BATH

BY DAVE ARMSTRONG

I became a Gooner during the George Graham years after my best friend at primary school introduced me to his family’s love for The Arsenal. They weren’t glamorous years to earn my grounding as a fan, the football was boring, but it was effective. I still look back fondly on the Steve Bould near post corner flick-on and remember trying to recreate the same move in the playground.

In 1993 we’d won both the League and FA Cup and the next year, in what ITV might call ‘that night’ in Copenhagen, we secured our first European silverware for 24 years beating Parma. In a sort of celebration I’d used a black permanent marker to write on my football, “Arsenal Cup Winners’ Cup Champions 1994.”

A year later we were in the final again, this time against Spanish side Real Zaragoza, and the permanent marker was still visible. I spent the afternoon in the build-up to the match playing out the final…Arsenal won of course. I tempted fate, I’m sorry Gooners it’s all my fault. I added “1995” to my white ball. I was being presumptuous.

Of course things didn’t work out. Nayim did his thing in the final seconds from the halfway line. I went upstairs, had a bath and cried. Arsenal made me weep. It was official, I was a supporter for life.