In 1910 the financially impoverished Woolwich Arsenal FC were taken over by Henry Norris, who at the time was also Chairman of second division Fulham.

This much, and Norris’ attempt to merge the two clubs, is well known and well documented.  Indeed Arsenal fans have every reason to feel grateful to Henry Norris for it was he who took the Gunners to Highbury, who fought for justice for Arsenal in the match-fixing scandals of the pre-war years, and who established the modern Arsenal under Herbert Chapman.

But what has never been clear is why Henry Norris bought Woolwich Arsenal in the first place.  There was no financial advantage, no footballing advantage (the club were bottom of the First Division when Norris took over) and indeed, no other benefit to Norris that is obvious to the modern eye.

“Making the Arsenal” is the first ever book which aims to explore what happened to this world-famous football club one hundred years ago, as it tells the tale of one journalist’s attempt to find out exactly what Henry Norris was up to – and why.

Set firmly amidst the contemporary events of the 1910 miners’ strikes, the spy paranoia, Dr Crippen, the anarchist threat and the violence surrounding the Suffragette movement, the book tells the story of Jacko Jones of the Daily Chronicle who uses his position to untangle and finally expose the extraordinary events that surrounded the birth of the modern Arsenal FC.

If you would like to buy a copy of the book direct from the publishers just click here for delivery details.

Tony Attwood, author of Making the Arsenal, is an Arsenal season ticket holder, the Committee Member of Arsenal Independent Supporters Association responsible for AISA’s “Arsenal History” project, and a contributor to both the Highbury High fanzine and the Arsenal Player Database on Arsenal.com.

Tony also edits two daily blogs.:

UNTOLD ARSENAL fervently supports the Wenger revolution and draws on a team of top writers to provide daily news and analysis of all things Arsenal.

WOOLWICH ARSENAL tells the day to day story of the club 100 years ago.