I was reflecting yesterday on days past, football memories and others. The exercise probably the result of too little motivation to get on with real work on a sunny Friday afternoon. Some great days and vivid images flooded back. More often not the pivotal moments of a day or an event, but the incidental and personal details are what stick.
Having gathered my wits we come to a day that will, five years, ten years, twenty years (crosses fingers) hence join that pantheon of historic days with the long awaited FA Cup Final.
The paths to this final for our club has been challenging but comparatively smooth. Difficult matches against Liverpool, Everton and our neighbours but all at home and, even allowing for a slight rose tint to the specs, all easily enough won.
Plucky Coventry came and went, the highlight of the Friday evening a demo among the visiting supporters about something or other. At the Ems we are never a crowd to ignore a good demo.
Then….. and then ……. Wigan………. (frowns contemplatively). Obdurate opponents, yes. Well capable of causing an upset as Citeh know, it’s true. In the end put away through a combination of good keeping and penalties on our part, and poor penalties on theirs, indeed. Our performance that day on both sides of the ball did not however do us justice. I have formed fifty plausible reasons for the hiccup, and read and heard a hundred convincing explanations from fans, pundits and everyone in the global village who has access to a keyboard or a telephone. I am unpersuaded on cause. One of those inexplicable afternoons that as a fan I must accept as penance for my hubris. I believe there is an explanation when there is not. Still, better to have it at the semi final stage than find the engine has seized with the Cup with ribbons on and ready to go.
So today, the team(s), who plays where, who I fancy to score and who I see as our killer player and their weak link I shall say nothing as it would antagonise Fate. Anyway you can read that sort of stuff in 50 other blogs and in the papers, and to be frank most of it is factually better informed than I am.
Two final points.
First, I am determined to enjoy today, and drink in the reward our great football has bought this season. I hope to see a great display of football from both teams, a hard, fair fought contest decided by a flash of goal scoring skill or gravity defying keeping. I hope we win but if not, and the goddess has decided that it is Hull’s turn, then so be it. My day, and the small details stowed away to be retrieved in due course, will not be spoiled.
Second, somewhat off topic. I have watched Hull at Wembley twice before, the rugby league club and they won one, lost one back in the early 80s. The city is a great stronghold of the northern game with two sides, Hull FC and Hull Kingston Rovers, expending the usual family splitting mutual hate. You might think, just once and with the city’s football club stepping onto the pitch at Wembley for their first ever final, that the implacable detestation might be shelved for a few hours, set aside to cheer on their round balled cousins in their first ever final to land a real trophy. If not cheer then at least watch the game. Not a bit of it. The 222nd Hull derby kicks off today at 5 pm.
We shall speak later !
Once again we have Andrew ( @anicoll5 ) to thank for today’s article.
Positively Arsenal 
FA Championes!
CHAMPIONES!!!
What a team!
What a manager!
What a way to usher in a new era!
FA Championes!
CHAMPIONES!
CHAMPIONES!
How I wish I could be at the parade.
CONGRATS Positivistas!
Congrats to all gooners worldwide!
CHAMPIONES!
CHAMPIONES!
Goodbye monkey leech.
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Musica miestro!!!!!!
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Pedrito & gerkoff and Myles ” d••• in palm of his hand” Palmer and the rest of their gang are theoretically bankrupt and no longer relevant. WE WON IT. WE WON IT THE RIGHT WAY & IN THE PROCESS DEBUNK EVERYTHING THEY STAND FOR.
good guys finish first , sometimes. Against all odds.
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What a great day yesterday, im knackered and only up because I’ve been woken by the dogs. The police put all pubs on lockdown yesterday and so you were either inside or out but the atmosphere was fantastic.
Can’t believe I missed GP as at points we must have been very close and I accosted many fans in the outfit George said he was wearing but just got a series of puzzled looks.
One of the main points about yesterday was the teams determination and belief that they would eventually end up as victors a winners mentality you could say.
Another accusation put to bed was our ability to effect things from the bench, a couple of players taken off who were not at their effective best and how happy are you to see Jack and TR7 standing there waiting to come on. Ox, Jenks, Diaby, Walcott, Kalstrom , Gnarby, Bentner, all in suits not socks and that’s not including the wealth of talent coming through the ranks…strength in depth? I think so and I havnt mentioned the subs not used and Yaya who chased more than a rabid dog (how the hull defenders must have loved that on a swealtering hot afternoon)
All is good today with the football world
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Escape to Victory
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On my way to the PARADE….
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Morning guys! It’s packed down here already and everyone is in good voice. GP, I don’t think I’m going to get anywhere near the Armoury now, but I’m on the corner of Aubert Rd as I have a good vantage point. I’m wearing a white Arsenal tube station T-shirt today and my try to get closer to the Armoury for the return journey
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George that’ll be the title of my eventual attempt at a review, Ramsey can play the role of Pele!
I’m claiming it now because it might take me a day or two *coughs* I might try and include the parade if I make it….
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GP, I’m opposite Aubert Park, on the stadium side
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The parade just past. I got a great view and probably some rubbish pics, but the memories will stay with me
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*past or passed even!
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I’m down by the Armoury now by the barriers
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“This must be a nightmare for Pedro and his LeGroan acolytes, Myles Palmer and his sycophants and every other WOB cunt……”
They say no one is bigger than the club, then they proceed to shit on this victory and demand that their needs be met right now in the most selfish manner.
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Enjoy the parade, everyone in North London who can make it.
Terribly hungover, but I’m grinning all morning but going around like a smug eejit.
Long may the feeling last.
Tottenham haven’t won a cup in 6 years.
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I’m standing by a couple of miseries complaining that had it been a better team we would not have come back! Can’t they just enjoy the fact that we won and give it a rest for one day at least?
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Seeing the size of the crowds lining the parade route on TV.
Don’t say that the Arsenal isn’t a massive massive club.
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Sky sports news saying 1/4 of a million Gooners are on the streets!!!!
What a fucking day!
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@Passenal
Unfortunately those kind of people can’t be changed. They refuse to give credit to the players and the manager at every opportunity. Even if we had won the league, they would have found a way to talk us down. It’s shameful, but don’t bother with them. Enjoy the parade. Wish I could be there with the hundreds of thousands of Gooners but the live broadcast on Arsenal Player will have to do.
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Passenal
I’m opposite the armoury. The arches are 50m to my left the screen directly in front of me. I’m in the middle of the road. I have a flag and a newly purchased sports bag on the ground between my feet. I’m wearing camouflage shorts and hat
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This guy
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-fa-cup-final-parade-3560726
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DC, there are at least that many and it’s perfect weather for it too!
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Camouflage shorts? she will never find you.
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PG
They stand out in an urban jungle
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GP, I’m standing by the barriers in front of the stadium as I needed some shade. As I have a good spot I don’t want to move so if you’re around I’ll catch up with you when the crowds start melting away
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Passenal
I’m still here. We must be few metres away. I’ll hang around. I can’t see much shade by the barriers. Are you right up against them opposite the box office?
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9 minutes away from the team coming back here to the stadium
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Passenal
I’m standing by the big red gents sign on the arch
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Goonerkam my good buddy,
How about them gunners eh?
I’ve been trying to get thru to DJ Cacofonix to whip up some tunes but he keeps mumbling something about a bad interweb connection and the skyrocketing price of humble pie.
I think the poor guy had a little too much libation yesterday and his faculties are off kilter.
Who could blame him, we’re all still ecstatic.
Nine years of famine ain’t been easy, we’re all gourging on happiness here.
In
Wenger
We
Trust!
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A red and white letter day.
The end of an era.
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“End of an Era”
I’ve definitely heard at somewhere ………………?
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Absolutely great scenes on the Parade and at the stadium today – players in great spirits, Arsene bouncing like a teenager, ever Gunnersaurus had a gleam in his eye.
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You’ve got blogs!
GP and Passenal. All the makings of a classic romcom. Standing by the arches. Camouflage shorts. Crowds melting away.
.
Did they narrlowly miss each other at the last parade 9 years ago? Will they ever meet up. Will they finally do so this time?
Background music? Well going Underground to start with to honour Pass’s top, but then seguing to Its such a PERfect Day.
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Jack Wilshere has upset the type of people who throw coins at a man on a stretcher.
Screw the shadow dwellers, watching our parade from behind their twitching curtains.
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I am so glad that Jack Wilshere finished the game on the pitch, and even allowing for his fresh legs against the Hull tired ones it was a lovely reminder of his default position of running at players and making space as a result. Its been a frustrating year for him, but some great moments too (goal of the season and do you remember that little dink lob that hit the angle) and finally the call-up to the England squad. Not orignal, I know, but he is my tip for a record-breaking season next year.
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ok ? from the start ? 6 beers plus half ..armpits sweating all over the fresh white shirt…anyway taxi comes 19:45..waits downstairs till i see wenger lifting the damn thing…cab takes me to that shitty pathetic nonsense hotel charity bullshit of an event …i leave at 00:30…i pick up my fuckbuddy ( totenham fan ..haha… ) ..and go home…where i discover ive lost keys….hmmm….embarassed swearing in greek to the skies and in momment of sheer madness i went to try to climb from the pipes..she laughs and tells me to get serious and go to hers..we go….at around 10:00 i am awaken by helicopters..she lives in highbury corner …i start swearing what the fuck is the helicopter doing so early disrupting the peace….i slowly get up ..zombie style…and phone up the hotel, the cab the landlord ..just anyone for a key…i take down three locksmiths numbers and order another cab to go home…cab calls me tells me he cant come over cause road is blocked for the parade…i told him to wait and i would walk to him….impossible…phoned him again told him to forget it as the streets are severely crowded …so i walk…like a miserbale fuck…hangover nightmare in the sun still with last nights clothes and really “dirty, filthy obscene and immoral” in the streets of holloway….horror show….no sunglasses…..i reach the stadium and i see that they have placed a stage on top of the armoury so i decided to have a horseburger and sit and watch …nothing to lose..no keys anyway….i have taken a 10 minute video which im trying to download to the pc and share it here…i was to the left of the cannons 50 yards before the tunnels ..beautiful…… i am now home though and without paying a fucking locksmith since luckily landlord lives right across the street and had spare… i lost my keys but i got a blowjob and arsenal won a trophy …..and its aaaaarseenaaaaal …..whata goal by santi…balls!! the pink boot of TITAN cazorla….konscielny? ..raul!! inzaghi!!! and aaron..just jjzzaa …abla….jjzaaa
IGNORE THE HATERS…..THEY ARE IRRELEVANT TO ARSENAL…
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Poetry H poetry !
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goonerkam at 1:12 am
Boom Shaka Laka Boom, Boom!
And it’s Arsenal…
Arsenal FC…
We’re by far the greatest Team…
The world has ever seen…
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I hope this works
https://mobile.twitter.com/ramb0afc/status/468018269518327808/photo/1
Thank you Mikel.
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Foreverheady, that’s very poetic @3 pm, but it was mission accomplished – despite the crowds we managed to meet and had a good chat about all things Arsenal and a few other things too!
It has been a fantastic weekend, but I have so many thoughts and emotions running through my head and heart at the moment that it will probably take a few days for me to come down to Earth and make sense of it! I think I am just overwhelmed by the enormity of it all mainly because of the “9 years without a trophy” mantra that has been drummed into our heads making this first one so much more of a big deal than it needed to be. It no doubt contributed to the tentative start yesterday that nearly saw us fall, but the boys rallied and turned it around proving they really do have “mental strength” after all.
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I have just got back from the brilliant parade that had a real outdoor party atmosphere.
Despite the police’s best efforts to wind people up (closing off numerous access streets where the Arsenal bus traveled along so it was difficult to line the streets), everyone was/is out there enjoying themselves. The players leading the chants was brilliant!
I just feel sorry for the fans that were blocked off so couldn’t get to anywhere or see anything – must of been around at least 150,000 (maybe more) fans near the Emirates before the police blocked off streets to stop others from joining at the end. It was like the Arsenal version of the Notting Hill carnival!
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Is Hunter still drunk? Images of a Grecian model must be floating through his stupor.
What will he do if we win the title?
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im still a bit of everything shotta…..drunk,, tired, dirty, stoned….but thank god i didnt have to pay a fucking locksmith hehe ..the colsest one was in totenham lane 67 ahahahahah i would have to pay a totenham cunt to open my door ..no way…
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I stand corrected, there was about 250,000 before police helicopters said start closing access roads!
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A happy Hunter is a good Hunter. I think you are even happier for the title than the bloody spud locksmith.
Gwaan!
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Oh Hunter … that’s publishable, someone keep it for all our sake, PG, capture that slice of moment on the day Arsenal won the FA Cup, the victory parade on Sunday, you know, back in 2014; written by a bloke, Hunter13. We’ll call it “OK, From the Start”.
Follow it up by this by Passenal … I have so many thoughts and emotions running through my head and heart at the moment that it will probably take a few days for me to come down to Earth and make sense of it! I think I am just overwhelmed by the enormity of it all mainly because of the “9 years without a trophy” mantra that has been drummed into our heads making this first one so much more of a big deal than it needed to be. It no doubt contributed to the tentative start yesterday that nearly saw us fall, but the boys rallied and turned it around proving they really do have “mental strength” after all.
We’ll call it …”Camouflage shorts? She’ll never find you”, enigmatically.
Mainly, mainly, I am so, so happy for Arsene Wenger.
Hey, Shotta, PaulN, Fins … just look what we got here, a big ol’ victory parade, red and white. Last night an Arsenal supporter took off his Arsenal shirt in a noisy Harare club, the moment the final whistle blew, as did many others, running round all crazy.
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PASSENAL
go girl. Have yourself a blast. We all deserve it. I lost a few brain cells yesterday on singing my head off and tequila shot / Stella chaser. I wasn’t using them anyhow so no big loss.
AND IT IS A BIG DEAL. not because the 9 year bullshevick nor any darn monkeys on our backs but because we earned this by building a team and not purchasing it. ONE CUP FINAL TROPHY EARNED IS WORTH TEN GOTTEN THE ILL-ADVISED WAY. so enjoy and PARTEEEEEEEE HARDEEEE.
AMAN
don’t worry mate. The music, singing and full pageantry of FA CUP FIMAL WIN is still in my head and not going anywhere’s for as long as I Live. party hardy . I’m giving all those that played last evening a rating of 10 out of 10.
We love you ARSENAL . YES WE DO.
SHOTTAGUNNA
o o o to be a gooner.
Ooo to be a gooner.
O o o to be gooner.
So this is what they meant by tequila Sunrise. Them Eagles. Sages.
ARSENAL…. ARSENAL …… ARSENAL…….
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It works DC !
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greetings to harare Zimpaul..we celebrate worldwide with potatoes ..stake..rice..salad..coca cola and all the highlights..again and again!.
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What an amazing feeling! A sense of getting to an important step after a long, hard and necessary struggle. This was such an important trophy to win. The victory was all the more sweet considering our past pain and how we came back to win the bloody match! On top of it all, we played the Arsenal way. I think this will be important, because in future crunch matches, we wont panic. We will play the way we always play. Loving the celebration here, on twitter and on the streets. I am absorbing all the outpouring of joy from our true supporters, players, manager and the support staff. The players will be different now.
Amazing to see Arsene Wenger lift the trophy. Amazing to see rosicky scream as he held the trophy in one hand. Amazing to see every player with the trophy. They all deserved it. It means so so much to them. I am beyond words happy for them.
Lastly, if you dont mind a bit of crude language and want to laugh at those that hurt the club from within, I suggest visiting Le Grove, only for today and look through the comments on today’s post. A guy called Phil is giving them nightmares. He is so brutal, they think he is hunter.
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hehe just seen the video with podolski running at wenger and emptying a bottle of champagne…funny scene..
sorry i need to stress this out again..what santi did…at that momment..that shot…big player…
is it civilised to eat a salad with a spoon ? cant get enough quantity on the fork..lettuce keeps dropping and its so annoying plus the round tomatoes is difficult to pierce and also difficult to balance on a fork while with a spoon its much easier….
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