So we were in the 1930’s, a Landmark Era in our Club’s Chronological History. It all began on April 26^th 1930; the day can be arguably regarded as the laying of the foundation stone on which pillars of success were raised..

11Gunners explaines..

True to his word, Herbert Chapman built a team of Winners and they tasted first blood by winning the historical FA Cup in 1930. It was just a sign of things, the signaling of a new dawn. They followed it up with a League victory the following year. On the way they netted 127 goals, a then league record. They inflicted defeats like 9-1, 7-1 and 7-2 on the hapless oppositions who could only admire the class of football. The frontline composed of Cliff Bastin, Jack Lambert and David Jack were a fearsome force put together and they simply ran riot in the league much to the delight of the fans who had waited a long time for this. After narrowly losing out to Everton in the league standings of 31-32, the Gunners bounced back in 32-33 season, their dominance was pretty apparent. The popularity Arsenal manufactured can be gauged from the fact that in the following season the London underground Station was rechristened from Gillespie Road to “Arsenal”. Chapman who was behind this achievement himself said-

“Whoever heard of Gillespie Road, it’s Arsenal around here”!!

The force was clearly surging and it had engulfed most of London by now.

Chapman’s premature death is still mourned by the North London faithful. But the seeds he had sown would continue to bear fruits and the testimony to that were the following seasons. In the next few seasons they went from strength to strength and their record read somewhat like:-

League Champions-1933-34

League Champions-1934-35

FA Cup Champions-1935-36

League Champions-1937-38

The boys now under the tutelage of George Allison made sure that Chapman ”Lived while he Died” and that his name would be immortalized forever in the pages of History. In the 34-35 season, we saw off a stern challenge from Sunderland and on 9^th march 1935 a total of 73,295 crowded up at Highbury to see the Gunners take on their nearest title contenders. The game ended 0-0 but that number would you believe is still the record attendance for an Arsenal home game, consider the increase in world population since then and you’d realize the magnitude of this event. Ted Drake was our main man then, his mammoth record of 42 goals a season still holds and we are talking of a Club which has seen forwards like Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright. He was a predator and on a chilly December night at Villa Park in 1935 he put “7” past them, each a classic in its own way.

The achievements of that era remain unparalleled even today. And are you thinking what I’m thinking, is this season going to be the dawning of such an era..

Keep your fingers crossed all you Gooners..

Also Read:

11Moments- The ‘Beginning’

11Moments- I Am ‘Legend’: Herbert Chapman

11Moments- Good Times Bad Times

11Moments- ‘Double’ The Fun: ‘71

11Moments- ‘Seconds’ To Glory: ‘89

11Moments- The Prof And His Geeks

11Moments- The ‘Invincibles’

11Moments- Henry Is ‘GOD’

11Moments- Highbury: A Fitting Farewell

11Moments- A New Beginning: The Emirates