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(copied as it may go behind pay wall - ssssh)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article713738.ece

 

N ONE of my more nostalgic hits, Come Dancing, I mourn the demolition of the local dance hall: The day they knocked down the Palais, part of my childhood died, I sing. The disappearing world is a recurring theme in my early songwriting, typified by the Kinks album Village Green Preservation Society.

I wrote all the songs on that album when I was in my early twenties, almost as though I was writing for an older generation. Time passes. Things change. But I had no idea I would be around to witness the demise of one of North Londons great landmarks. The Arsenal Football Club will leave Highbury tomorrow for a bright new future at Ashburton Grove.

I will miss the old stadium. It has been a fixture in my life and provided me with some of the most cherished memories of my childhood.

It was a bright sunny September afternoon when I was first taken to Arsenal by my Dad. I was only 5 or 6 years old but I remember going from Muswell Hill on the 212 bus down to Finsbury Park then making our way to the ground by foot. My Dad held my hand firmly in his as we walked down Blackstock Road, and turned right towards Avenell Road. It was then that I saw the stadium for the first time, glittering and palatial between streets of terraced houses. As we got closer, I could hear the crowd cheering and singing. It has turned out to be one of the most enduring moments of my life.

Inside, the brass band of the Metropolitan Police played Anchors Aweigh as the home team ran on to the pitch and at half time they marched up and down in the mud to the slightly dissonant strains of Sousa. The band leader led from the front and would occasionally throw a large metal baton up into the air. He never hesitated or dropped it, even though the jeering crowd did everything it could to spoil his concentration.

My father instilled in me the belief that Highbury was the most hallowed of places and the stadium itself epitomised the noblest spirit of true Corinthian sporting endeavour. He had seen the great Arsenal side of the 1930s dominate English football and on one occasion provide the England team with seven players for one game.

According to my father, the players were as close as it got to god-like status and the club itself was secure and unmovable, a sporting monolith that would last a thousand years.

On my first visit to Arsenal there was a crowd of more than 50,000 and I remember being held up by my father and seeing an array of cloth caps and trilby hats. At half time Dad scrambled in the queue to buy me a weak tea and soggy meat pie. The refreshment stand was dangerously near the toilets and I recall an overwhelming odour of tobacco and urine filling the immediate area where I watched my father eat his pie.

Having a club like Arsenal to support must have given Dad a sense of purpose and place particularly in the postwar austerity of 1950s London, with the old British Empire crumbling around him.

There was a small, railed fence down the side between the North Bank and the East Stand. Once, my father stood me and my younger brother there to keep us away from the packed crowd as it swayed dangerously back and forth. It was from there that Dave and I watched the Busby Babes beat Arsenal 5-4 in a league match, a few days before most of that team died in the Munich air crash.

Later, when I could afford to buy a seat in the East Stand, I saw George Best torment and humiliate the entire Arsenal defence so much that one poor defender miskicked a panicky clearance into his own goal. At a Tottenham derby, and before lighter, more aerodynamic balls were introduced, I saw the immaculate Jimmy Greaves bend a corner so dramatically with his left foot that it put the entire Arsenal defence on the wrong foot.

From that same stand I saw Liam Brady play his first game and the unfortunate George Graham knock his own side out of the European Cup against Ajax by back-heading past Bob Wilson into his own goal. I also witnessed epic encounters against Liverpool and particularly Leeds, when the superb Arsenal hatchet man Peter Storey managed to somehow foul Johnny Giles six times within a 15-yard run. We saw the great Charlie George score against Newcastle on the way to the Double: magnificent days indeed.

I suppose the move is all about survival and making profit. Arsenal, like so many big businesses has been forced to go multinational both on and off the field. The capacity at Highbury is about 39,000 but will be increased to 60,000-plus in the new stadium. That will raise more revenue, provide better conditions for the supporters (those who can afford a ticket) and result in a healthy bank balance. It will also increase the traffic in the area and optimists say it will rejuvenate some of the small businesses near to the new ground. Lets hope so.

The local Palais was a victim of changing styles and the emergence of a new wave of musicians (primarily beats groups like my own) who came along and contributed to the destruction of the big-band dancehall era depicted in Come Dancing.

Life has to move on; otherwise Paul McCartney and Ringo would still be living in Liverpool and Rod Stewart on the Archway Road (I might be an exception as I still live close to where I grew up), but somehow, until today, wherever I was in the world I would feel secure knowing that Arsenal would be at Highbury.

Ill miss the walk down Blackstock, the Gillespie and Avenell roads. The new ground is less than a mile away, but for sentimental die-hards like myself, it might as well be in East Cheam or worse, in Tottenham. I suppose Ill just have to get used to it.



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Loudmouth

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Very interesting article by Ray Davies. As a football fan I always look out for which team certain bands might pledge loyalty to. Just checked, Jarvis Asterisk is a Sheffield Wednesday supporter.

That list of Spurs and Arsenal fans must have included every celebrity in the world. Perhaps the team on Lennon's album was the mighty Rotherham United- did he specify it was the Gooners?



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Definitely Arsenal

http://www.runofplay.com/2010/12/08/football-and-the-beatles-the-easily-uncovered-truth/

Is it possible that the young John Lennon cared more about football than anyone has realized? He painted a picture of one of the great English footballers of his era in an FA Cup final that didnt include Liverpool, and took care to get every detail of the kits right, down to Arsenals long collar points.



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noelindublin wrote:

Very interesting article by Ray Davies. As a football fan I always look out for which team certain bands might pledge loyalty to. Just checked, Jarvis  is a Sheffield Wednesday supporter.


Geldof has never expressed any interest in football.  When asked on Swap Shop who he supported he said no one and asked the caller the same question.  The caller said Arsenal and Geldof said they were rubbish!



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Loudmouth

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Re Lennon Some people claim that the Blue Meanies of Yellow Submarine fame (one of my favourite films, brilliant animation) was a reference to Everton FC. But the script was done  not by the Beatles so this was just incidental or accidental.

On one of the recent interviews possibly with Simon Mayo Geldof says he hates the modern way players celebrate goals eg rocking an imaginary baby or those silly dances. Have  to say I totally agree with him. Think Geldof has attended some Chelsea matches but very few, mainly cos he lived or lives (as a non stalker I don't know)  In SW London.

Certainly he attended one in the nineties against Man Utd because he was interviewed on BBC radio 5 live outside Stamford Bridge and  I taped the interview!

Interesting that lennon didn't choose liverpool or Everton as they were small fry before the mid Sixties. Presume the other team in the Tuna army.

 



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noelindublin wrote:

Interesting that lennon didn't choose liverpool or Everton as they were small fry before the mid Sixties. Presume the other team in the Tuna army.


None of The Beatles are known to have any real interest in football. 

"I've never seen any of the Beatles standing on the Kop and any tickets I have spare will be going to my mates on the Kop" - Bill Shankly




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In the Long Grass

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We Palace fans can boast(?) Bill Wyman, Captain Sensible and the guys from I Ludicrous among our number. At a push we admit to Steve Brookstein (was that this name?) and if we want a tenuous link we can call on Neil 'Bob' Morrissey. Wish he'd 'fix' that bloo..ming leaking gutter in the old stand for starters.



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suss wrote:

We Palace fans can boast(?) Bill Wyman, Captain Sensible and the guys from I Ludicrous among our number. At a push we admit to Steve Brookstein (was that this name?) and if we want a tenuous link we can call on Neil 'Bob' Morrissey. Wish he'd 'fix' that bloo..ming leaking gutter in the old stand for starters.


 Sean Hughes the Irish comedian who has lived in London for years is a well known Palace supporter. He used to have a show on BBC Radio London (formerly GLR) and he frequenty mentioned the club during his shows.

Always loved the Palace strip in the late seventies, the white shirt and blue and red diagonal stripes- one of the classic football shirts even though it was not their proper blue and red stripes. Where's Dave Swindlehurst when you need him and Jim Cannon et al!



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noelindublin wrote:
 Sean Hughes the Irish comedian who has lived in London for years is a well known Palace supporter. He used to have a show on BBC Radio London (formerly GLR) and he frequenty mentioned the club during his shows.

 We've got a fair few comedians off the pitch to complement those on it. Kevin Day is another not afraid to pin his colours to the mast. Jo Brand attends. Ronnie Corbett is a part time fan (and part time comedian?). And Roger De Courcey (sound effects for scraping barrels please) used to have a Palace rosette proudly attached to Nookie Bear.

Didn't mention these, or Bill Nighy, or that PC Stamp off the Bill as not strictly rock related.

 



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Never In A Million Years

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Brighton and hove albion have des lynam and fat boy slim as fans.

Not sure if bob is a brighton fan but the rats played here enough times(five times i recall).

Brighton are playing palace at their new stadium on sept 27(see you there suss !!)aww



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do the rat wrote:

Brighton are playing palace at their new stadium on sept 27(see you there suss !!)aww


 If I can get a ticket. We usually need several away ticket stubs, season ticket, membership, a clean driving licence, no other convictions and evidence of a Blue Peter badge to satisfy the criteria to go to 'that' match. At least we'll get 4 figures unlike the 700 you gave us for Withdean (where we remained unbeaten with 4 points from 2 visits as I recall smile )

p.s. Can't you claim the Piranhas as fans as well if memory serves me?



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Never In A Million Years

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I think you`re right suss,the piranhas are albion fans.

Their singer bob grover was a regular in my local pub,until i moved.

As for the new stadium i think they are selling about 2,000 tickets to away fans but still might have a problem getting one.

Withdean was a joke for away fans, i think where you sat and the pitch was in a different postcode.disbelief



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Wonder what Brighton fans think of Crawley Town now that they are in the football league? And what Palace think of Crawley? Isn't Robert Smith of The Cure from Crawley?



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Never In A Million Years

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I think it`s great news that crawley town have got into the football league.

In fact i was cheering them on against man utd down my local pub.

Hope they progress up to league 1 as well.

P.S. personly i have nothing against palace either(OK SUSS).aww



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I think I'll let Mr Cholmondley-Warner have the final word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4CXY6TVBMc



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do the rat wrote:

I think it`s great news that crawley town have got into the football league.

In fact i was cheering them on against man utd down my local pub.

Hope they progress up to league 1 as well.

P.S. personly i have nothing against palace either(OK SUSS).aww


 Only just seen this.

Good to know not all BHA fans want to

a) nearly strangle me by ripping scarf off (1980)

b) concuss me by lobbing chunks of Goldstone terrace into away section (1983)

c) chase me across Hove Park kicking and punching all the way (1984)

Happy days!

Anyway, if I were a betting man I'd put a few quid on Crawley knocking Palace out of League cup tomorrow night. We're dire at the moment frustrated.gif. Not relishing trip to Amex next month one bit. 



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In the Long Grass

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do the rat wrote:

Brighton and hove albion have des lynam and fat boy slim as fans.

Not sure if bob is a brighton fan but the rats played here enough times(five times i recall).

Brighton are playing palace at their new stadium on sept 27(see you there suss !!)aww


 Looked out for you, but no joy. Maybe you were one of those who left early as our goals rained in wink

What is it with BHA fans and lobbing (Brighton) rocks? Had to dodge another barrage passing Falmer station!

 



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Do Palace have a rivalry with Charlton Athletic? Charton might seem more like local rivals than Brighton so I've always wondered why there was such animosity between BHA and CP?

Must be confusing with one half of the crowd singing 'Eagles', and the other half going 'Seagulls'!



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noelindublin wrote:

Do Palace have a rivalry with Charlton Athletic? Charton might seem more like local rivals than Brighton so I've always wondered why there was such animosity between BHA and CP?

Must be confusing with one half of the crowd singing 'Eagles', and the other half going 'Seagulls'!


No one sarf of the river likes Palace.  Millwall hate them, Charlton hate them and even on the south coast they are hated.  I'm not really sure why, Palace seem totally inoffensive to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Palace_F.C.#Rivalry

Perversly Brighton have a rivalry with Orient.  I reckon they are just harking back to the mod/rocker battles on the seafront and a desperate to find anyone to have a ruck with.

Of course, I support a team that is pretty much disliked throughout the whole of England, yet when it comes down to it we only have one opponent that matters.

Manchester United smile 

That'll really wind up spurms who read this; but how can you consider them as rivals?

  St. Totteringham Day



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In the Long Grass

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The Brighton thing stems from mid 70s when a) hooliganism was at its height and many clubs' fans were just hellbent on having a main rival b) Palace and Brighton were usually in same division fighting either to go up or stay up c) a controversial FA cup replay led to some unwise words/actions from BHA manager which really fanned the flames.

Agree that geographically it ought to be Millwall first then Charlton, but suspect fact that Millwall already had a big thing with WHU and to some extent Pompey (and let's face it anyone who wanted it) meant we didn't/don't feature too high on their list. Not sure they feel too much at all about us - bit of disdain maybe. Same rationale applies for us and Charlton - simple fact is most Palace can't be bothered with Charlton, although this did get severely tested when they equalised and got us relegated from prem in 2005. Always seems like CAFC never quite found their rivals mid 70s as described above, and seem to feel the need even 30 years on.

Funnily enough I've always had a lot of time for Arsenal, Spurs and most London teams. Been sad to see what the money has done to CFC fanbase though, and their expectations, but nowhere near the arrogance of MUFC.

p.s. The Eagles/Seagulls chanting is slowly dying a death, so confusion limited nowadays. Has caught us out before though. Did once gravitate towards a mob in hove then backtrack a bit sharpish. I always think of that scene in 'The Longest Day' where a US soldier thinks he's heard a friendly 'clicker' identification sound, only to stand up and get shot by the German who's just slid the bolt on his rifle. 

 

 



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Slightlty unrelated but why don't they have a Wembley play off between West Ham and Spurs to see who will get the Olympic Stadium ground. Maybe best of three games!

Has the Palace/ Brighton 'derby' got any name? A lot of the lesser derby games tend to be named after motorways that connect the two towns. The Norwich/ Ipswich one has possibly the most amusing title 'The Old Farm Derby'.



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noelindublin wrote:
Slightly unrelated but why don't they have a Wembley play off between West Ham and Spurs to see who will get the Olympic Stadium ground.

I reckon Manchester United should move in.  It would save their supporters a fortune in travel expenses.

Personally, it will be sickening to me whoever gets it as I have to travel past it every day.  In the past, the worst I could expect would be the Orient fan in the same carriage on the underground. 

Orient are planning to renovate their supporters club as the Geldof mingle is going to be held there later this year.  BT have told them they have the red paint and it will all be ready for next Tuesday.  

 

 

 

(I'll get my coat)



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In the Long Grass

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Thinking about rock and football, I guess there's a lot to be said for writing a song that a club or its fans adopt, in terms of exposure, continued sales, royalties etc. Don't suppose it's enough to retire on but must all help the artists concerned. Not sure I'd have bought Dave Clark 5 greatest hits were it not for Glad All Over, and I've also bought 7 Nation Army, Zombie Nation, 25 miles and other tracks purely because they get played at ground before game, after goals etc.

There's also the chanting thing (as the Clash once said). Plenty of songs I've got to "like" for no reason other than they remind me of the chants. Rod Stewart's Sailing, Boney M's Mary's Boy Child, for the Hark Now Hear bit (although I was obviously already a fan anyway in ArrGee's eyes), Walking in a Winter Wonderland etc etc.

Love the rough and ready way fans apply replacement lyrics too. With further apologies to DoTheRat, there's already an online campaign to have Selhurst singing following at home game this Sat.

'Oh what a night, late September down the A23, the scum scored one but we scored three, they surrendered what a night'.

Got to admire the total lack of scansion, but since when did that matter on the terraces.

p.s. In response to Noel's query, don't think our derby has any name, but have heard it referred to as the A23 derby, not a name that will catch on I imagine/hope. 

 



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suss wrote:
... other tracks purely because they get played at ground before game, after goals etc.

When Arsenal moved to the new Highbury Stadium, they started to play The Wonder of You as the team came onto the pitch.  Whereas once upon a time, I would have let that pass me by on the radio without any comment, I now have a total hatred of the song.  Other cr@p we have endured down the years has been the A-Team tune, Good Old Arsenal (to the tune of Rule Brittania), Go West and Right Here, Right Now.  Each and every one a c0ck sucking pile of sh!te. 

Chelsea have a pretty decent one with The Liquidator, I only wish Arsenal had something decent. In retrospect, Close As You'll Ever Be, should have been the song when they moved to the new Highbury in the aftermath of Paris disbelief



-- Edited by ArrGee on Thursday 29th of September 2011 10:29:35 PM

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In the Long Grass

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Interesting - I find myself noticing these songs more than I would have, and sometimes developing a fondness due to the association, but you find it's turned you completely against them. Not sure what that says about the matchday experience at the E*****s smile. Guess the point for me is that they're often far from great songs and possibly uncool in every respect, yet they come to mean something to me.

Will now have to think about Rats songs to suit particular clubs following the Close as You'll Ever Be reference. Might suggest Another Sad Story to PA at Selhurst for a start...



-- ADMIN NOTE, please refrain from using the E word



-- Edited by ArrGee on Friday 30th of September 2011 08:46:00 AM

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suss wrote:

Will now have to think about Rats songs to suit particular clubs following the Close as You'll Ever Be reference. Might suggest Another Sad Story to PA at Selhurst for a start...


Some suggestions....

Drag Me Down - Any club that had Alan Ball as manager

Like Clockwork - Barcelona

Never Bite The Hand That Feeds - Carlos Tevez

Looking After No. 1 - Manchester United

Having My Picture Taken - David Beckham

Real Different - Jose Mourinho

Europe Looked Ugly - Manchester City

Under Their Thumb - Spurms

Fall Down - West Ham

Cherrio - West Ham

Up or Down - West Ham

Don't Talk To Me - Alex Ferguson

He Watches It All - Arsene Wenger (though apparently he sees nothing)

Born to Burn/House on Fire - Bradford City (yes, a very dark reference)



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In the Long Grass

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LOL PMSL LMFAO ROFLMAO biggrinbiggrinbiggrin

SussOfArc

^^^^^^^^

Cool Post as Always Suss



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Never In A Million Years - Chances of Middlesbrough (my team -long story) winning the Premership.

Say Hi To Mick ( Mccarty)- Yorkshire's finest Irishman. Bloody 'eck, etc.

Sleep -  Watching 'Boro.

Diamond Smiles- song for Rushden and Diamonds perhaps?

Me and Howard Hughes- must be a Howard Hughes footballer somewhere, but haven't found one with any notable club after a quick google search!

Hard Times- any club with little money or prospects- no shortage of those.

Lying Again - for Carlos Teves.

Charmed Lives- for whichever club has best history of barely escaping relegation.



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suss wrote:

LOL PMSL LMFAO ROFLMAO biggrinbiggrinbiggrin

SussOfArc

^^^^^^^^

Cool Post as Always Suss


 I admit I always have to look up those acronyms after Joan's legendary posts.



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noelindublin wrote:

I've always wondered why there was such animosity between BHA and CP?

 

 

Seems it goes back further than I thought judging by following...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuiQ7ZH9Clg&feature=youtu.be 



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Loudmouth

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Very amusing. Those Hitler rants have been used for all sorts on the Internet. Wonder do the copyright holders of Downfall not constantly have to pull those copyrighted clips with seem to crop us everywhere?

In the words of Bill Shankley football is not a matter of life or death, it's much more important than that.

The Amex Stadium is properly the American Express Stadium, another nail in the coffin of the romance of football. Wonder when teams will include the sponsors name in the team name -it's probably just a matter of time. Think one Welsh team is called something like a corporation name, but offhand can't think of the teams name.



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In the Long Grass

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Agreed. Even my son's school have got the same Hitler spoof adapted for their teachers etc somewhere on YouTube, but did enjoy the variation above.

I think the team you're referring to might have been TNS, which started out as Total Network Solutions, but I believe switched to be known as The New Saints. At least that's a move in the correct direction.



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