It is exactly 120 years since Arsenal Football Club played their first game.
On December 11, 1886, Dial Square beat Eastern Wanderers 6-0. The victors later became Royal Arsenal, Woolwich Arsenal and then Arsenal FC. To celebrate this event, Arsenal.com asked fans to send in questions for Chairman Peter Hill-Wood. The interview was conducted this morning, here are his answers.
What do you think is Arsenal’s best ever achievement both on and off the pitch? Jo Denham, Bethnal Green.
PHW: “It is impossible to give an answer to that. We have had so many wonderful things happen to us in the last 50 years or so. Moving to Emirates Stadium was a massive achievement. It is an enormous stadium and cost an awful lot of money. I feel it will transform the fortunes of the Club for the future.”
How pleased are you with life at Emirates Stadium so far? Is the new stadium as you envisaged it would be? Richard Gendall, Bude.
PHW: “I think it is far better than I thought it was going to be. I think it looks great and the fans all get a good view. It works very well. I don’t think I could have hoped for it to better than it is. I think it is magnificent.”
As a lot of fans still cannot get tickets for home games, should the ground have been bigger? Gary Caffell, Cheshunt.
PHW: “That is something that we certainly considered. But, overall, my view and I think the view of the other directors was a ground with 60,000 in it is not so big that half the people can’t see anything. I am sure we could sell 80,000 seats for many of our matches but 20,000 people would be miles away from the pitch. I would rather have a more intimate stadium.”
What is your favourite Arsenal match that you watched at Highbury? TF Blinks, East Sussex.
PHW: “I have said this before but that Fairs Cup match against Anderlecht. We were down because we had lost in Belgium. That is as good an achievement in my opinion.”
Does the team depend too much on Thierry Henry? Jamal Ibrahim, Egypt.
PHW: “Team matters really need to be referred to Arsène. He’s the expert. But Arsène has always said that it is not a one-man team. Thierry has not played all that much this season and the boys have proved that they can play whether he is with them or not. You must miss a player of Thierry Henry’s talent but the others have done very well indeed.”
What is your biggest challenge in your time as chairman? John Davies, Huntingdon.
“Every day is a challenge [laughs]. Again I suppose agreeing the development of moving from Highbury to Emirates Stadium. It was a risk. There were no real doubts in my mind although I admit I was nervous that we would not find the finances. But everything fell into place very well.”
With recent club take-overs and ever increasing transfer budgets, will money be available to Arsène Wenger if needed during transfer windows? Ashleigh.
PHW: “Well he has been very shrewd in his transfer dealings, he has not spent huge amounts but has produced a side that can compete at the highest level. We have never denied him any money but he has never asked for silly amounts.”
What do you think of foreign investment in Premiership clubs? Krishan Gohel, Cambridgeshire.
PHW: “I don’t think it does any harm and it brings more money into the game so, you know, good luck to them.”
What do you think about Arsenal's performance this season? Alexei Kovalev
PHW: “We have had one or two disappointing results this season when we have drawn but we should have won. That would have put us up the table. However they are a very young side and I am delighted at the way we have played our football that has been hugely entertaining.”
Who would you consider to be your best managerial appointment? Marc Heller, Mill Hill.
PHW: “That is simple - Arsène Wenger. Definitely. He has been hugely successful but also made the team play attractive football. We are in the entertainment business. Although under George Graham we were successful we did not play particularly attractive, attacking football. With Arsène we play a free-flowing game on the ground with lots of passing. I think it is terrific to watch.”
Who else was considered for the Arsenal job when Arsène was appointed? Michael, Enfield.
PHW: “When Arsène was appointed? That answer is nobody. We approached him and did not think about anyone else
Did you have any doubts about him? Joan Seamark, Brittany.
PHW: “You are always a bit nervous when you appoint a manager because you are never sure he will work like you want him to. But on the day you appoint him you must assume you have made the right decision.”
I am an Arsenal supporter from Malta. I have always wanted to ask you if there have ever been any plans for an Arsenal TV channel to be set up, an obvious source of increased revenue for the club? Damian Camilleri, Malta.
PHW: “Well it isn’t an increased revenue stream. Manchester United and Chelsea have them and I am not sure they make too much money out of them. There is lot of television and there are lots of limits on what you can show on your club channel.”
Do you think Arsenal will ever tour Africa? Abubaker Sekajugo
PHW: “Well we might do. The problem we have with tours nowadays is there is so much football — then there are internationals — that the players get very little time off. So to tour — be it America, the Far East of Africa — is low down in our list of priorities.”
Has there ever been a player you regret not releasing funds for? Imraan, London
PHW: “No I don’t think that there is. With Arsène Wenger we have always gone along with his recommendations. So I would not think there would be anyone he would have wanted that we did not get.”
We have a good team for the future, but it might be another three years or more before it bears fruit. Are there any plans or measures to bring trophies to the Emirates sooner or are you happy with our youth policy? Lim Kian Young
PHW: “I feel we want to build up the youth policy and I think it can bear fruit sooner than the questioner is anticipating. This team can get better and better.”
Who is the best player ever to play in the red and white jersey? Dan Mason, Brentwood, Essex
PHW: “That is an impossible question. I can’t answer it. There are so many players for us who I thought were wonderful — Brady, McLintock, Adams, Bergkamp, Pires, Henry? I can’t just say one player, there have been too many outstanding ones.”
How often do you get to see reserve and youth games? Do you keep up to date with the goings on at the academy? Dave Greenhouse, Cumbria
PHW: “I don’t get to see the games very much. My colleague Richard Carr sees a lot of them. He is very involved in that.”
What are your earliest memories of the Club? Boris, Dusseldorf
PHW: “I suppose going to a game with my father and grandfather in 1948. I think we played Sheffield United. That was my first game but my father and grandfather had been chairman.”
What do you miss most about Highbury? Nathan, Leighton Buzzard
PHW: “It was a very intimate place and I got extremely used to it. It was sad leaving it but, when you look at it, perhaps the stadium was beginning to look a little bit tired. The main stand had been there for 70 years. Everyone was very emotional on that final day against Wigan. I did not cry exactly but I felt very sad.”
Could Arsenal be interested in starting their own League in cooperation with the other members in G14? Ole Dürr Pedersen, Goerlev Denmark
PHW: “The domestic game is very important. I think it is what the supporters prefer. They like the European matches and Champions League but I believe Premiership games are very vital.”
Did you buy anything in the Highbury auction? Jenna Harrison, Oulton
PHW: “The simple answer is no. But I do have a lot of memorabilia I have collected over the years. I have little trophies and bits and pieces. I have a very small house so I don’t have much room for anything else.”
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