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Arsenal Football Club may have been founded as Dial Square, away from their present north London base, and with the intention of rebuffing the lure of professionalism, but the club's subsequent history includes some flattering constants. FIFA.com delivers the tale of a side that has spent a record 90-year uninterrupted period in the English top flight and consistently challenged for major trophies.
Birth of an institution
Dial Square were founded as a workers' team by the employees of an armaments factory in Woolwich, and debuted with a 6-0 victory over Eastern Wanderers in 1886. They swiftly became known as Royal Arsenal and, after flitting from home to home across south-east London, began to excel in local tournaments. They were overwhelmed in their first two seasons in the FA Cup, however, and therefore elected to turn professional. This decision was frowned upon in the capital and the side was banned from regional competitions by the London Football Association.
Woolwich Arsenal, a name they had now adopted, reacted by becoming the first southern club to join The Football League, although this prompted some of the club's disgruntled players to disband and form their own team. After surviving bankruptcy and stricture over their move to Highbury in north London, Arsenal (the Woolwich was dropped in 1914) were promoted to the top tier for the second time in 1919, and have remained there ever since.
Making of a legend
Arsenal were transformed into a heavyweight by Herbert Chapman, who assumed the reins in 1925. A pioneer both on and off the pitch, the Yorkshireman guided the Gunners to five First Division titles and two FA Cups during the 1930s; dominance indebted to attacking luminaries Joe Hulme, Jack Lambert, David Jack, Cliff Bastin, Ted Drake and especially Alex James.
http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/...847/index.html
Birth of an institution
Dial Square were founded as a workers' team by the employees of an armaments factory in Woolwich, and debuted with a 6-0 victory over Eastern Wanderers in 1886. They swiftly became known as Royal Arsenal and, after flitting from home to home across south-east London, began to excel in local tournaments. They were overwhelmed in their first two seasons in the FA Cup, however, and therefore elected to turn professional. This decision was frowned upon in the capital and the side was banned from regional competitions by the London Football Association.
Woolwich Arsenal, a name they had now adopted, reacted by becoming the first southern club to join The Football League, although this prompted some of the club's disgruntled players to disband and form their own team. After surviving bankruptcy and stricture over their move to Highbury in north London, Arsenal (the Woolwich was dropped in 1914) were promoted to the top tier for the second time in 1919, and have remained there ever since.
Making of a legend
Arsenal were transformed into a heavyweight by Herbert Chapman, who assumed the reins in 1925. A pioneer both on and off the pitch, the Yorkshireman guided the Gunners to five First Division titles and two FA Cups during the 1930s; dominance indebted to attacking luminaries Joe Hulme, Jack Lambert, David Jack, Cliff Bastin, Ted Drake and especially Alex James.
http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/...847/index.html
Yes honey!!!! Erm....excuse me a bit.......
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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