Arsenal F.C.
In October 1886, fifteen munitions workers gathered inside a workshop at the Royal Arsenal complex in Woolwich. They called themselves Dial Square and each contributed sixpence to fund their new football club. Scotsman David Danskin added three shillings of his own money to help establish the group. The team played its first match on the 11th of December 1886 against the Eastern Wanderers and won by a score of 6, 0. By January 1887, the name changed to Royal Arsenal as they sought more formal recognition. Their early home ground was Plumstead Common before moving to the Manor Ground for most of their existence. The club became the first London side to turn professional in 1891. Financial struggles among the workers led to near bankruptcy by 1910. Businessmen Henry Norris and William Hall stepped in to save the organization from collapse.
Herbert Chapman arrived at Highbury Stadium in 1925 after being lured away from Huddersfield Town with record-breaking salary offers. He appointed Tom Whittaker as trainer who would later become a legendary manager himself. Chapman implemented the WM formation with help from player Charlie Buchan. He signed generational talents like Cliff Bastin and Eddie Hapgood while spending lavishly on stars such as David Jack and Alex James. The team claimed their first national trophy, the FA Cup, in 1930. League Championships followed in 1930, 31 and 1932, 33. Off-pitch changes included white sleeves added to the kit and shirt numbers introduced for the first time. A Tube station was named after the club and floodlights were installed at Highbury. Chapman died suddenly of pneumonia during the middle of the 1933, 34 season. His colleagues Joe Shaw and George Allison continued his work winning three league titles between 1933 and 1938 plus another FA Cup in 1936.
Arsène Wenger took charge of Arsenal in October 1996 bringing attacking football and new dietary practices to the squad. Key players from France including Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry helped win doubles in 1997, 98 and 2001, 02. The 2003, 04 season saw the team go unbeaten through all 38 matches earning the nickname The Invincibles. This run extended from the 7th of May 2003 to the 24th of October 2004 covering 49 league matches without a single loss. Wenger departed on the 13th of May 2018 after 21 seasons as manager. In July 2006, the club moved into the Emirates Stadium after spending 93 years at Highbury. They reached the Champions League final in 2005, 06 losing 2, 1 to Barcelona. The 2014 FA Cup Final victory over Hull City came back from a 2, 0 deficit to end a trophy drought since 2005. By 2016, 17, Arsenal won their 13th FA Cup becoming the most successful club in that tournament's history.
The original Highbury stadium held more than 60,000 spectators at its peak before capacity dropped to 38,419 due to safety regulations. Construction of the new Emirates Stadium finished in July 2006 with a capacity of 60,704 seats. The project was named after airline sponsor Emirates who signed a deal worth around £100 million. Matchday revenue generated by the Emirates Stadium reached €109.2m (£96.2m) in 2019 according to Deloitte Football Money League data. Forbes valued the entire club at $2.238 billion in 2018 ranking third in English football. Annual revenue for the 2023, 24 season stood at £616.6m making Arsenal the eighth-most valuable football club globally. Stan Kroenke achieved full ownership by August 2018 buying out Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov for £550m. He now owns more than 90% of shares controlling the board and operations.
Royal Arsenal's first crest unveiled in 1888 featured three cannons viewed from above pointing northwards similar to Woolwich coat of arms. The cannon motif returned in 1922 when the club adopted a single cannon pointing eastward with The Gunners inscribed alongside it. Herbert Chapman introduced an Art Deco-style badge in the 1930s framing letters A and C around a football within a hexagonal border. White sleeves were added to red shirts in 1933 creating the iconic red-and-white combination that defines Arsenal today. The yellow and blue away kit became famous after being worn during the 1971 FA Cup Final victory over Liverpool. Adidas reintroduced the cannon-only crest on away kits starting in 2021, 22 marking its return since 1991. The current crest features green replaced by dark blue and sans-serif typography above the cannon facing east.
Arsenal's longest-running rivalry exists with nearest neighbor Tottenham Hotspur known as the North London derby. Matches between these two clubs generate intense local competition across decades. The club maintains significant support beyond London with 49 overseas supporters' clubs affiliated globally by 2007. A 2011 report estimated Arsenal's global fanbase at 113 million people worldwide. Social media activity ranked fifth highest in world football during the 2014, 15 season. Fans refer to themselves as Gooners derived from the nickname The Gunners. Virtually all home matches sell out reaching 60,070 average attendance in 2007, 08 representing 99.5% of available capacity. The team anthem is The Angel (North London Forever) played before every home game while chants like One-Nil to the Arsenal echo through Emirates Stadium.
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Common questions
When was Arsenal F.C. founded and by whom?
Arsenal F.C. was founded in October 1886 by fifteen munitions workers who called themselves Dial Square inside a workshop at the Royal Arsenal complex in Woolwich.
Who managed Arsenal F.C. during the unbeaten season of 2003 to 2004?
Arsène Wenger managed Arsenal F.C. during the 2003, 04 season when the team went unbeaten through all 38 matches earning the nickname The Invincibles.
Where did Arsenal F.C. play before moving to the Emirates Stadium?
Arsenal F.C. played at Highbury Stadium for 93 years before moving into the Emirates Stadium which finished construction in July 2006.
What is the value of Arsenal F.C. according to Forbes in 2018?
Forbes valued the entire club at $2.238 billion in 2018 ranking third in English football.
Which rival does Arsenal F.C. have known as the North London derby?
Arsenal F.C. has its longest-running rivalry with nearest neighbor Tottenham Hotspur known as the North London derby.