Arsenal chant:

North London forever
Whatever the weather, these streets are our own
And my heart will leave you, never
My blood will forever run through the stone – Lyrics from the song The Angel (North London Forever) by Louis Dunford

I have been following Arsenal since 1969. Following meant watching a PBS weekly TV show that covered a summary of professional football in Great Britain. When that program ended then it was going to Rich’s Cigar Store in Portland to purchase World Soccer News, a monthly British magazine.

Fox sports began covering the Premier League, but Arsenal was not always the televised weekend match every weekend. They did cover the last match for Arsenal in the 2023-24 season. Arsenal was called ‘The Invincibles’ that season. “The club ended the Premier League campaign as champions without a single defeat – a record of 26 wins and 12 draws.”

I can now watch every Arsenal Premier League match on NBC Peacock’s streaming service. Little did the munition employees of Royal Woolwich Arsenal in 1886 that founded the club could for see the worldwide following Arsenal now has.

In October 1886, Scotsman David Danskin and fifteen fellow munitions workers in Woolwich formed the Dial Square Football Club, named after a workshop at the heart of the Royal Arsenal complex. Each member contributed sixpence, and Danskin also added three shillings to help form the club. – from Wikipedia

Football, or soccer can be a cruel sport. Our grandson has been playing soccer for his club since he was 9-years old. He is 15 now soon to be 16. Some of his teammates have been left behind. ‘You have to earn the right to play’ is a phrase that is heard at the high school and club level for young players.

The Angel in the song is a pub that Arsenal supporters in North London frequent if they don’t have tickets to an Arsenal match. The chorus I quoted at the beginning of this essay is sung by Arsenal supporters at the match. Language warning for those of you that may find it offensive.