1989 Tragedy strikes at Hillsborough
Though apparently unrelated to Arsenal, this history cannot be complete without making mention of the tragedy that unfolded on the terraces at Hillsborough on the 15th April 1989. Liverpool were due to meet Nottingham Forest in an F.A. Cup Semi-Final at Sheffield Wednesday's ground. A day that should have been filled with the joys of football at it's best was grotesquely turned on it's head as 95 Liverpool supporters were crushed to their deaths at the Leppings Lane end of the ground prior to kick-off. As a supporter of Football, I hope that this tragedy can never happen again, and I send my sincerest condolences to all the families and friends that that dreadful Saturday touched.

1989 "Liverpool be warned, the Championship is coming to North London this season, and you heard it on Capital Gold!"
I heard these words uttered on a bright Mayday Monday afternoon after Arsenal had demolished Norwich City (3rd on the league at the time) by five goals to nil. There were still four games to go in a season that showed the World the highs and tragic lows of English football in what has been called "the most exciting title race ever!"

There were many games during the 1988-9 season that shone, the first of these came on 27th August 1988 on the opening day of the season. Arsenal had been drawn to play Wimbledon away, and were being quoted at 16-1 odds for the Championship, the odds were about to take a tumble. An away fixture to Wimbledon is never easy, and things looked like they were not going to go Arsenals way when Fashinu scored after 7 minutes. Still, 83 minutes later the game ended, and Arsenal had scored five goals ( Smith 3, Merson, Winterburn) signalling to the league that Arsenal were back with a vengeance. There was a new vibrancy about these Gunners. There defence was still far from rock solid, but they knew how to entertain (infact, it wasn't until the 10th of December that they recorded their first scoreless game, and even then it was probably due to a dubious twice taken penalty after Brian Marwood had scored at the first attempt and been recalled due to encroachment!).

By Christmas, Arsenal finally took the lead in the title race . They had scored five against Wimbledon, four against West Ham and Nottingham Forest, while they had put three past Tottenham, Middlesborough and Charlton. The season seemed to have so many highlights. The Nottingham Forest game was one that was viewed by the country as it went live on a Sunday afternoon. Nottingham Forest's early lead through Nigel Clough seemed to only anger a lethargic Arsenal as they flooded forward in attack. They seemed to do everything but score when Sutton the Forest goalie felled Marwood. Unfortunately Sutton redeemed himself, but the onslaught continued culminating with Smith equalizing after cleverly chipping the goalie from close in. The half time score was 1-1, and Arsenal continued to press forward in the second half and were rewarded with goals from Bould, Adams and Marwood (from a wonderfully crafted Winterburn pass). Add to that an Alan Smith shot that rattled the crossbar, and you have a comprehensive victory.

Mention also has to be made of two victories against our North London neighbours both Home (2-0 Merson and Thomas) and Away (3-2 Winterburn, Marwood, Smith) the three goals came in an action packed nine minute spell and sealed our 5th victory in a row at White Hart Lane.

February though saw chinks start to appear in the armour as points started going astray. Queens Park Rangers and Millwall both fought out scoreless draws, while Coventry and Nottingham Forest proved to good for us on the day. Victories against Southampton (3-1), Everton (2-0), Newcastle(1-0), Norwich (5-0) and Middlesborough (1-0) kept us in the race though as Liverpool clawed their way back from a twelve point deficit to sit on our shoulders and then in May to take the lead. There was some "to-ing and fro-ing" before our epic meeting on Friday May 26th 1989.

A rearranged fixture at Anfield was fortuitously scheduled to be the very last game of the 1988-9 season. The football league had settled everything except the champions of the First Division. Liverpool had a goal difference that was 4 better than ours. The statisticians had calculated that anything less than a 2-0 victory to Arsenal would see the title head north once again, while 2-0 or more would see the trophy nestling in the Marble Halls for the following season. There could be no more fitting place than Anfield to win the Championship, and on the 26th May 1989 Anfield was a foreboding coliseum filled to the rafters (attendance of 41,783) after Liverpool had won 10 home games straight in '89 and, had the added incentive of completing a second League and F.A. Cup double if the result went their way. All in all, whatever eventuated, the night would indeed be one to remember. Independent Television were also broadcasting the match live around the world and we watched on as Arsenal made history.

A tense first half remained goal-less as Arsenal tried to take control of the game but were unable to make a breakthrough. George Graham told his team not to panic, at least they hadn't conceded anything, he told the players to stick to the game-plan and hopefully the rewards would come. So into the second half. Arsenal needed an early breakthrough, and after 52 minutes it looked like we had done it. Amidst what seemed like huge controversy at the time, Alan Smith set Arsenal on their way when he headed Nigel Winterburn's perfect cross just inside Bruce Grobbelaar's far post after Ronnie Whellan had raised his feet dangerously in the face of an on-the-ball David Rocastle. The Liverpool players besieged the referee claiming that Smith had not got a touch to the ball and that the indirect free-kick had been put straight into the net by Winterburn. The referee consulted with his linesman for what seemed like an eternity before he finally pointed towards the centre-spot to confirm that the goal was indeed fair. The Liverpool supporters chants of, "We're gonna win the league" were silenced as they realised that the game was now on a knife-edge. The game took on a whole new complexion as Arsenal concentrated almost solely on attack whilst Liverpool seemed to be more concerned with defending and trying to catch us on the break rather than winning. This tactic was indeed to be their downfall. With minutes ticking away Liverpool became more and more assured of defeat by a single goal on the night but victory in the Championship. All seemed lost when Michael Thomas missed a fairly easy chance with about 15 minutes left. The commentators on the television were discussing how Arsenal had played with, "so much passion a drive", and how fitting it was that we had won at Anfield even though we weren't to win the league. I remember Brian Moore's anwer to that little comment being that it would probably mean nothing to us, and oh how right he was..... The game continued with Arsenal pressing for the second goal, and as time began to ebb away. After 88 minutes and 43 seconds, the game stopped as Kevin Richardson needed treatment, Gary Lewin ran onto the pitch to tend to him, and the Liverpool players began congratulating eachother. The Liverpool supporters started chanting "CHAMPIONS, CHAMPIONS" as the clock clicked it's way past the 90 minute mark. Steve McMahon got word from the bench that there was only one minute left and informed his players of the fact (chants of "one minute, one minute" continued to be used to daunt him for many a year afterwards). Finally, after 90 minutes and 27 seconds the game resumed. Brian Moore continued to commentate, "Just a few seconds more for Kenny Dalglish unless Arsenal can mount something absolutely spectacular in the few seconds that remain."

Then, with 91 minutes and 22 seconds of the game played, Michael Thomas wrote his name into the history books as the player who scored the winner in the 1988-89 Championship race. Dixon passed the ball upfield to Alan Smith, Smith flicked it on into Thomas' path. The ball bobbled as he ran into the area and calmly, oh so calmly chipped the ball over a diving Grobbelaar as Liverpool lost by two goals at home for the first time since 1986. The Arsenal players, bench and supporters went wild as the the jubilation set in. Arsenal had won their first Championship since 1970-71 and their 9th in all. North London erupted as street parties began and the news media was filled with glorious images of red and white.

*** 1990 Arsenal give points away to give the rest of the League a chance! ***

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