Chapman’s real innovations as a football manager

By Tony Attwood This is an article in our series on Herbert Chapman.  The full index of the series to date is to be found in the Chapman page of the Managers’ Index We have heard so much about how Herbert Chapman revolutionised Arsenal, introducing the WM formation after being beaten 7-0 by Newcastle, how …

28th October 1912 – Another defeat, but still above Tottenham

by Andy Kelly This weekly series charts Arsenal’s final season in Plumstead and the move to Islington that, effectively, saved the club’s very existence. Saturday 26th October 1912 Woolwich Arsenal travelled to Bradford 100 years ago this week. Angus McKinnon and David Greenaway returned to the team after one game whilst Ernest Hanks made his …

The Crowd At Woolwich Arsenal – the first complete analysis

We have written before about the crowd at Woolwich Arsenal’s ground and I won’t repeat everything said before. But it is important to say that the book has now been published. If you want to order the book directly from the publishers click here But here’s another option: if you would like to read a …

On this day in 1949 – Arsenal players start the second half with a fag!

by Andy Kelly On the 22nd of October 1949 Arsenal’s reserves journeyed to South Wales to play Cardiff City in a Football Combination game. Arsenal’s team included youngsters Jack Kelsey, John Chenhall, Joe Wade, Ray Daniel, Arthur Shaw and Arthur Milton, who would all go on to win honours at the club, along with veteran …

21st October 1912 – Woolwich Arsenal to move to North London

by Andy Kelly This weekly series charts Arsenal’s final season in Plumstead and the move to Islington that, effectively, saved the club’s very existence. Wednesday 16th October 1912 Arsenal had a mid-week game at Crystal Palace in a relatively new competition – the Kent Senior Shield. It had been inaugurated the previous season and was …

From Failure to Excellence: moving from Knighton to Chapman

The club that changed football Coming this week – “The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal” Making the Arsenal Referee Decisions – just what are the refs up to this season? The only guaranteed way to lose weight programme Untold Arsenal Arsenal History Index ————————————————– The big difference that Chapman made in his first season. By Tony …

The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal

 By Mark Andrews As part of the Arsenal History Society programme, Hamilton House is publishing my thesis, which is the source for chapter 6 of the recently published “Woolwich Arsenal FC 1893-1915: the club that changed football”. This book ‘The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal FC’ is in essence the original research I carried out while studying …

Fred Pagnam: One reason why Knighton’s testimony should be ignored

    By Tony Attwood This article was updated in the light of evidence and questions raised in the comments made at the end.  The comments have been left in place so that the questions raised can still be seen by anyone who would like to do further investigation.   The name Fred Pagnam hardly rings …

14th October 1912 – The Wheels Start Wobbling

by Andy Kelly This weekly series charts Arsenal’s final season in Plumstead and the move to Islington that, effectively, saved the club’s very existence. Saturday 12th October 1912 Arsenal hosted fellow Londonders Chelsea. Chelsea were a relatively new club having been formed in 1905. They gained admission into the Second Division of the Football League …

The anniversary of Arsenal’s record FA Cup victory

 The club that changed football Making the Arsenal ———————————- Today, 14 October is the 119th anniversary of Arsenal’s all time FA Cup record victory. It came right at the start of the Woolwich Arsenal era, and is recorded in detail in the book, Woolwich Arsenal the club that changed football.  Below is an extract from …

13 October 1928: Arsenal Smash The World Transfer Record – But what REALLY happened?

By Andy Kelly 84 years ago today Arsenal broke the world transfer record by paying a reported £10,890 to Bolton for David Jack. I’m sure that you, dear reader, will have read the story of Jack’s transfer many times. But, did you know that there actually two versions how Arsenal came to sign one of …

Herbert Chapman: the Northampton Town years

 The club that changed football Making the Arsenal Coming very soon: The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal By Tony Attwood We have variant stories as to how Herbert Chapman moved from being a footballer to being a football manager.  Not very variant, but slightly different.  But it is still possible to get a fair picture of …

The Chapman formation: did he really create something new?

 The club that changed football Making the Arsenal The main series:  Islington 100: celebrating 100 years of Arsenal in Islington Arsenal’s Anniversaries The Managers index with two managers that no one else includes! ——————————— By Tony Attwood For the story so far, see The Chapman Files We’ve looked at Chapman’s choice of player for each …

7th October 1912 – Title winning form from Woolwich Arsenal

by Andy Kelly This weekly series charts Arsenal’s final season in Plumstead and the move to Islington that, effectively, saved the club’s very existence. Saturday 5th October 1912 The Woolwich Arsenal team journeyed up to the north-west to play Oldham. Captain Percy Sands and Charlie Randall returned to the team after missing one and two …

Did Chapman really introduce a new playing formation in 1925?

Did Chapman really introduce a new formation? The way in which teams line up in formations that we today call 4-3-3- etc etc emerged from the original rules of football, and to how matters led up to what we now celebrate as the WM formation of Herbert Chapman can only be understood in the context …