Arsenal FC

Arsenal 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2 - Football League Division One

Arsenal Football Club started out as Dial Square in 1886 by workers at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, southeast London, and was renamed Royal Arsenal shortly afterwards. The club was renamed again to Woolwich Arsenal after becoming a limited company in 1893. The club became the first southern member of the Football League in 1893, starting out in the Second Division, and won promotion to the First Division in 1904. The club's relative geographic isolation resulted in lower attendances than those of other clubs, which led to the club becoming mired in financial problems and effectively bankrupt by 1910, when they were taken over by businessmen Henry Norris and William Hall.  Norris sought to move the club elsewhere, and in 1913, soon after relegation back to the Second Division, Arsenal moved to the new Arsenal Stadium in Highbury, North London; they dropped "Woolwich" from their name the following year. Arsenal only finished in fifth place in 1919, but were nevertheless elected to rejoin the First Division at the expense of local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, by reportedly dubious means.

I travelled to this match by Green Line bus 718 from Harlow, alighting at Finsbury Park/Seven Sisters Road. Although not my first visit to Arsenal Stadium, it was my first visit to see Spurs. The previous season had seen Spurs narrowly avoid relegation and things had improved this term. For the young Pieman this match was one of the highlights. A 2-0 victory on enemy territory was very pleasing.

First half goals from John Pratt and John Duncan secured the win. Pratt’s effort was direct from a corner that eluded Jimmy Rimmer at his near post. Terry Naylor never scored a league goal for Spurs but came very close in this first 45 minutes when his strike rebounded of the post. A crowd of 42,031 witnessed this fine victory. By coincidence Brotherhood of Man were in celebratory mood later that evening when their classic “Save your Kisses for me” was victorious in the Eurovision Song Contest (less political voting in those days –Ed)

Arsenal: Jimmy Rimmer, Pat Rice, Ritchie Powling, Terry Mancini, Sammy Nelson, George Armstrong, Liam Brady, Alan Ball, Trevor Ross, Brian Kidd, John Radford

Tottenham Hotspur: Pat Jennings, Don McAllister, Terry Naylor, Keith Osgood, Willie Young, Steve Perryman, John Pratt, Jimmy Neighbour, Martin Chivers, John Duncan, Chris Jones

Attendance: 42031
Programme: 10p

Other visits to Arsenal Stadium (Highbury)

• 22 November 1975 - Arsenal 3 Manchester United 1 - League Division One - Attendance: 40102
• 21 February 1976 - Arsenal 1 Birmingham City 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 20907
• 20 March 1976 - Arsenal 6 West Ham United 1 - League Division One - Attendance: 34011
• 21 August 1976 - Arsenal 0 Bristol City 1 - League Division One - Attendance: 28490
• 18 September 1976 - Arsenal 3 Everton 1 - League Division One - Attendance: 34076
• 02 October 1976 - Arsenal 3 Queens Park Rangers 2 - League Division One - Attendance: 39442
• 09 October 1976 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2 - Peter Simpson Testimonial - Attendance: tbc
• 19 February 1977 - Arsenal 2 West Ham United 3 - League Division One - Attendance: 38221
• 22 February 1977 - Queens Park Rangers 0 Aston Villa 3 - League Cup Sem-Final Replay Attendance: 40438
• 11 April 1977 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 47432
• 22 November 1977 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 3 - Pat Rice Testimonial - Attendance: tbc
• 18 February 1978 - Arsenal 4 Walsall 1 - FA Cup, 4th Round - Attendance: 43789
• 10 April 1979 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 53896
• 24 October 1979 - Arsenal 2 Magdeburg 1 - European Cup Winners Cup, 2nd Round 1st Leg - Attendance: 34575
• 26 December 1979 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 44560
• 09 April 1980 - Arsenal 1 Juventus 1 - European Cup Winners Cup, Semi-Final 1st Leg - Attendance: 51998
• 30 August 1980 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 54054
• 15 April 1981 - Tottenham Hotspur 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 - FA Cup Semi-Final Replay - Attendance: 52539
• 12 April 1982 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 3 - League Division One - Attendance: 48897
• 27 December 1982 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 51497
• 21 April 1984 - Arsenal 3 Tottenham Hotspur 2 - League Division One - Attendance: 48931
• 01 January 1985 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2 - League Division One - Attendance: 48714
• 08 May 1985 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 3 - Friendly - Attendance: tbc
• 01 January 1986 - Arsenal 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 45109
• 06 September 1986 - Arsenal 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 44703
• 08 February 1987 - Arsenal 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1 - League Cup, Semi-Final 1st Leg - Attendance: 41256
• 06 March 1988 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1 - League Division One - Attendance: 37143
• 30 April 1988 - Arsenal Reserves 3 Tottenham Hotspur Reserves 2 - Football Combination - Attendance: tbc
• 02 January 1989 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 45129
• 20 January 1990 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 46132
• 01 September 1990 - Arsenal 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 40009
• 13 October 1990 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 5 - Friendly - Attendance: 14806
• 01 December 1991 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - League Division One - Attendance: 38892
• 11 May 1993 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 3 - Premier League - Attendance: 26393
• 06 December 1993 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Premier League - Attendance: 35669
• 29 April 1995 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Premier League - Attendance: 38337
• 15 April 1996 - Arsenal 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - Premier League - Attendance: 38273
• 24 November 1996 - Arsenal 3 Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Premier League - Attendance: 38264
• 30 August 1997 - Arsenal 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - Premier League - Attendance: 38102
• 14 November 1998 - Arsenal 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - Premier League - Attendance: 38278
• 19 March 2000 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Premier League - Attendance: 38131
• 31 March 2001 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - Premier League - Attendance: 38121
• 06 April 2002 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Premier League - Attendance: 38186
• 16 November 2002 - Arsenal 3 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - Premier League - Attendance: 38152
• 08 November 2003 - Arsenal 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Premier League - Attendance: 38101
• 25 April 2005 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0 - Premier League - Attendance: 38147
• 22 April 2006 - Arsenal 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Premier League - Attendance: 38326 

Total matches attended at this venue 48