Three FA Cup finals in four years and a team so consistently excellent that finishing fifth is seen as a major disappointment. What a gloriously happy accident that my seven year old self should have chosen to support the side in the red shirts and white sleeves all those very many years ago. Was I seduced by Alan Hudson’s flowing locks? By Peter Osgood’s bushy grips? Not on your Nelly. Not while Bob Wilson gazed flint eyed from beneath his goalie’s cap, not while Frank McLintock strode the muddy pitches like a colossus, defining my callow concept of masculinity, and never for a moment would the brutish Ron Harris nor the agricultural David Webb inspire or seduce me while Charlie George flicked the lazy fringe from his eyes and strolled with a careless nonchalance from the pitch and into my dreams.
The strand which connects this ageing, aching old man to the bewildered, excited child is unbroken. Nothing else in my life has lasted as long nor enjoyed so many reinventions. The cup final morning in 1971 runs seamlessly forward through cruel uncaring time to this expectant May morning. It is a path littered with noble victories and bitter defeats. From George Armstrong through Alan Ball to Liam Brady the team evolved, my heroes changed faces, shirt numbers and positions but The Arsenal remained constant. From David O’ Leary to Tony Adams, David Rocastle to Anders Limpar, Dennis Bergkamp to Tomáš Rosický the thread has unspooled until here we are today licking our lips at the prospect of watching Mesut Özil and Aaron Ramsey on the Wembley turf in the most hallowed of our footballing traditions, the final of the FA Cup.
Am I really as excited as a seven year old? Is it even possible to compare this creaking wreck of a man with the fresh elasticity of an unspoiled boy? Only in this. Only on cup final morning. And no matter how the machinations of mega powerful international money men nor the spiteful insolence of the modern internet supporter try to force me from the game, I cannot conceive of a cup final morning which won’t matter to me – as long as Arsenal are on the ticket.
Today the ineffable powers which control the football fates have dealt us an unenviable hand. Losing players to injury, suspension and illness in the week before such a game and all of them from the same vital position on the pitch is a wicked doom to befall Arsène Wenger. The re-jigged formation which so altered our league form will now either need to be scrapped or placed into the hands of players unfamiliar with one another’s strengths and shortcomings. Players who will face the champions of England, a side in their pomp, playing with supreme confidence and who’s boundless riches have seen them assemble a collection of the world’s very best.
So can we approach the match with hope in our hearts? Dare we dream of victory? Of wresting back our record from Manchester United? I say emphatically yes. Whatever the shortcomings of our back five in terms of familiarity and match fitness they are still fine footballers. Not only that but the pointy end of our side is producing some of the most eye catching play we’ve seen in years. Aaron and Granit understand each other as well as they ever have, Mesut and Alexis are both at their peerless best right now and either Danny’s pace and guile or Larry’s strength and finishing can provide the perfect foil for both. With Theo and AOC waiting in the wings to provide blistering finishing pace to the game we have no reason to fear the outcome.
So to those of you at Wembley today I wish you may have a final to remember. A day to stitch to the tapestry of your supporting life. A cup final which reaches back to past glories just as it will stretch on into the future. I hope to be back from work in time to join the worldwide television audience. My thoughts will, however, be with my little nephew for whom this game marks the end of his first season supporting the Arsenal. I envy him that leap into the unknown, the foundations of nostalgia he lays today on which his life cheering the boys in red and white will be built.
It’s just another final for us old fogeys but for him this is the biggest match ever. The greatest moment in his supporting life. These years are, for him, the golden age. What a journey he has set out on, I pray it begins in harmony and with a victory.
Positively Arsenal 
Great article from a proper fan and I am a Chelsea season ticket holder!
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Marvellous. Absolutely as excited as can be. Terribly fortunate to have a ticket and just don’t know how to fill the time between now and kick off. It’s way too early to set off pubwards particularly given the tea-time kick off. I shall mow the lawn. Or something.
Up The Arsenal.
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“The strand which connects this ageing, aching old man to the bewildered, excited child is unbroken.”
Oh Steww, that brought tears to my eyes.I fear my 70 years a gooner will shortly be broken. The quacks gave me until last September if I was lucky…bugger that, the lads were playing so well that hanging on to the excited child seemed a far better idea. Admittedly there were times earlier this year when I wondered but here we are with another cup final to enjoy. Win or lose I’ll be leaving shortly with a big smile and so many wonderful memories. Thanks for all the pleasure your pre-matchers gave me.
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gf60 – now you have put tears in my eyes. I hope the lads do you proud.
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gf60: heres to you hanging on much, much,much longer mate. You, not the Quacks are in charge of your body and are able to tell it what to do.
Nows NOT the time to leave, try 80 years a Gunner first then think about it. The club needs your support and your perspective.
Heres to everyone at the game or at home and wishing you a great day. And let the Guns blow the Blues away.
COYG!!
(PS-I did write a first go at this not sure if it came through or not, so apologies if Im repeating myself but my first post went off somewhere for a Burton).
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Fantastic Stew. A fitting final effort for the season. This is the very epitome of Positively Arsenal. I can’t thank you enough! my friend.
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On route to London. Read Steww’s erudite piece. Wonderful stuff as always.
But there’s a lump in my throat after reading gf60’s comment…..let the boys do it for our beloved Old Fart….
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Oh Stew! This has been a final chapter worth the anticipation.
No retreat, no surrender, nothing whatsoever of that great mind killer… fear! Just something that gets us licking our chops even more as we await the next few hours till kick off. Bravo!
Good luck to the great Arsenal and good luck to all positivistas around the world. To use Stew’s phrase… Today will be a day to stitch to the tapestry of our supporting life. Your nephew may not know it yet, but he is in for one hell of a ride. Good luck to him too.
COYG
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The Old fart is living proof that Arsenal is good for the soul! Me only being an Arsenal supporter since just before the Wenger years, it has been a great honour living vicariously through you and most on here vast years of support that pre-date the 70’s.
I don’t drink but I shall have a glass of merlot for this final.
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“Bushy grips”
Priceless !
Lovely start to the day – and a special day no matter how old or young a fan is.
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COYG!
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I was there in ’71 and I’ll be there this afternoon. Being an Arsenal fan has helped me through so many of life’s bad times and I’ll always bless the day 60 years ago that I made the emotional sign-up.One of the best decisions I ever made.
Thank you for writing so positively and so emotionally.So many of my own thoughts expressed so much more eloquently than I could ever be capable of.
Thanks and good luck to us all.
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one thing I miss from my younger days re fa cup final, is the 3pm kick off, hate this 5.30 kick off time.
on team selection, I see many saying ox at left wing back, maybe he will start right wing back, with hector on the left, as hb has at least played left back in the past.
depending on injuries, I have a feeling that the big surprise selection will b, if Mustafi is not fit, Debuchy at cb, a 3 of Holding, Per, Debuchy with Bellerin and Monreal as the wing backs
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great little interview by Arsene Wenger on football focus. He really came out fighting.
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GeoffArsenal @GeoffArsenal 11h11 hours ago
12 Cup Finals in 20 years. Some of you don’t know how lucky you’ve been. Bet it won’t be matched again at the club.
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martin keown is right about ozil, oh my god, how dare ozil not be there when needed, due to injury and illness,
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Wenger: No problem with criticism. Level of disrespect has been a disgrace and I will not forget that.
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something I expect to say many many times today
“Anthony Fucking Taylor is a CUNT”
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Liam Brady said on BBC Radio 4. He’s expecting announcement that Wenger’s signed for 2 yrs with structural changes.
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Hang on in there gf60. You have something to live for. On a personal note, you are an inspiration to this amateur analyst. I am like sometimes wtf. How the f*ck did George get me committed to this sh*t? But the fact that you always have a sensible, factual response especially post-game is why writing for PA is worth it. Hang on in there.
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wenger mentioned the other day that we might, due to injuries go back to 4 at the back today.
could it be
Ospina
Bellerin Holding Mertesacker Monreal
Xhaka Ramsey
Oxlade-Chamberlain Ozil Alexis
Giroud
subs Martinez, Debuchy, Elneny, Coqeulin, Iwobi, Walcott, Welbeck
of course Gibbs and Mustafi might be fit to be in the squad, although I’d expect if Mustafi is fit to be in the 18, he will start,
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Steww that again was beautiful. Should there be a Nobel prize for sportswriting it should be yours. A hell, you deserve it anyway, every so-called quality-paper would be flattered with your writing. Whatever the outcome today, we already have our moment of poetry
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It would be very just like Arsenal to go and win the cup today.
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Wenger: “There’s a difference between criticism & being treated like no human being deserves. Behaviour of some people has hurt me the most”
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We face the Champions, a club with limitless resources.
A club that seems consistently to be far more In favour with the gods of injury than our team. They can play their full strength team, we cannot
We face a team that tend to get the …erm….rub of the green….especially against us away from our ground. Then, a referee who tends not to give us the rub of the green, as I suspect we will see today.
They have a manager most teams would take, after today, I doubt if our players even know who our manager will be come August….there’s seem to think Mr Wenger will stay, but I doubt they know that for sure.
Quite a task this afternoon…..can we do it, sure can if they put in the kind of effort I expect them to today. Cup finals are very unpredictable,,nobody gives our boys a prayer…..might just suit them fine.
Good luck today, may the best team win, the officials do their job impartially,may Sanchez get the winner
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Not a bad mentor. Helps when you have Messi as the 1st option.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/arsenal-midfielder-alex-oxlade-chamberlain-wants-learn-dani-alves-1623633
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Superb words from the man today.
I still fear he could walk, and recent words do nothing to change my opinion. Really hope I am wrong on this, but whatever happens, but will cherish this game all the more, and hope next week brings good news…we shall see..
Staying or going, win or lose, just hope the do their utmost…for The Boss
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Oh how I Love this site. I am so nervous today, they say the more times you fly the more nervous you get because you know the normal sounds and the abnormal ones and that is much like ARSENAL Cup Finals. The First ones, I was mainly just excited but as I became experienced in the emence delight or massive dissapointment the chance of feeling the wrong emotion has left me scared.
However when I come on here and read the simply brilliant Steww and the amazing commentators underneath it lifts me so much. I believe GF60 will sign a new contract for at least another two years and see many an ARSENAL hayday to have thoughts about.
Everybody have a great day and enjoy yourself whereveryou are. COME ON YOU RIP ROARING REDS COYG.
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gf60, just read your post, so sorry, stay strong. Seventy years a gooner is a blessing….well, most of the time, really hope you get a few more
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Brilliant Stew, just brilliant. I almost chose not to comment, because I feel so much that I don’t really know what to say. But that’s Cup final day in a nutshell, I guess. One thing I do know: the boys will give it everything they have today. It may be enough, it may not. But at the final whistle, I’ll love them, and the Boss, just the same. Come on you Gunners!!
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Anthony Fucking Taylor is a CUNT
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last game of the season, just another 7 weeks till first game of pre-season
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Wenger “I don’t mind criticism because we are in a public job,” he told BBC Sport’s Football Focus before Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley.
“I believe there’s a difference between being criticised and being treated in a way that human beings don’t deserve.”
“The lack of respect from some has been a disgrace and I will never accept that. I will never forget it.
“The behaviour of some people during the season, that is what hurts me most. It’s not my person that is hurt but the impeccable image of the club around the world. That kind of behaviour does not reflect what Arsenal is.
“A strong club is a club that makes a decision. It is wrong that in modern society it is not a question of whether a decision is right but whether it is popular. That has nothing to do with competence. People with responsibility have to make the right decision.”
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Thanks for the good wishes guys’n’girls. Mills…believe me, I wish I was in control but at least,I’ve managed to keep the old scythe man away far longer than even I hoped for!
A 2 year contract Shotta? Even at 8 mill a year I’ll have to decline! Just can’t hold my breath that long. Bless you all and may the next few hours be bliss! Keep the faith.
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afcstuff @afcstuff 19m19 minutes ago
Today’s game will be Arsenal’s 20th FA Cup Final appearance, more than any other club in the history of the competition. #afc
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gf-well looks like a lot of people here want you to hang on in there and keep posting (Shotta summed it up well at 12.53pm,many of your posts could have been blogs if you had submitted them)!!
Summer might seem long, but Andy Nic and Eddy do a good job of keeping things going.Hope the boys do you proud today.
Anyway youve got to hang on in there as next year we are up for the treble…
COYG!
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might be reading too much into this, but arsenal twitter just showed a clip saying “look who’s turned up to support the lads today”
the clip has mustafi, koscielny, reine-adelaide and cazorla walking in, with Rosicky.
seeing mustafi walking in with players – plus rosicky – not involved in game today it looks like he is out of the game
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One thing that got me thinking about your excellent blog today Stew, was that capture of FAC final day atmosphere.
For a competition thats supposed to be dead, it doesnt feel like that on here or out and about.
My first was 78, the end of the era of Sidney Burns. Poor old Supermac mouthing it off as always and we came to nothing and were out played by the Ipswich.Yet through your words today I recalled all the cup finals, what I was doing and hoe I felt before and after. Ive got some really funny stories.
Arsenal might be the underdogs today, but thats only with pundits and bookies, this is a one off (cliché)…well thanks again for the last time this season and all your blogs.
COYG!
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Chelsea team: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill (c); Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Pedro, Diego Costa, Hazard.
subs: Begovic, Zouma, Ake, Terry, Fabregas, Willian, Batshuayi.
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Arsenal without a defender on the bench, Chelsea with 3
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Positively Arsenal @Blackburngeorge 10m10 minutes ago
Look Ospina plays so we have a chance against the inevitable penalty.
Best I can come up with.
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Made it back home in time to explain to my nephew how the pundits don’t know enough about Arsenal to comment in any sort of depth on our players or tactics. Poor lad was bemused by what they were saying imagining it to be true!
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Paddy @VieiraPaddy 47m47 minutes ago
If Cech really is injured then that’s the best XI we could have picked given the circumstances. The CBs need to play well and the full game.
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yes steww, the anti arsenal bias on the bbc is astounding,
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i wonder will we start with 3 or 4 at the back, i know the team announced is as a 3, but that 11 really could be a 4
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seemingly Gibbs misses out today, not through injury, but through illness.
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COYG
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