Arsenal’s three statues at the Ems: exclusive revelation of who is on show « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Supporting the Lord Wenger; coach of the decade

By Tony Attwood

In early August 2010, I was privileged to get a meeting with Ivan Gazidis the chief executive of Arsenal FC.  I was there as part of a delegation of fans putting forward ideas about Arsenal and the wider world.  And because (as you may know) I am interested in Arsenal’s history, I put forward some ideas about, well, not to put too fine a point on it, Arsenal’s history.

The notion of putting up statues in the area around the ground was not the only idea I came up with, but it was one, and I set out my plans for statues in some detail.

My point was that in the days of Highbury everyone was able to see the famous bust of Chapman – all you had to do was attend on a non-match day and go up to the box office, and there the old boy was in all his glory.

Now however Mr C is tucked away in the Directors’ entrance, away from us mere mortals, the fans, the guys who pay for our tickets.  Of course there are good reasons to have the bust there – it is important to impress these Johnny-come-lately directors of other clubs who own oil mines and the like, and yes it is true we can still see one of the copies of the bust in the shop.  But even so…

So I said, let us have a statue of Herbert Chapman.  And next to him, let us have a statue of our founder Jack Humble.

Now I have to admit I am not a great reader of faces but I try and follow the expressions of those sitting on the other side of the table (metaphorically) and I got a feeling that maybe there was an interest in the Chapman bit, but not Jack Humble.   Humble was a leap too far into the dark, but Chapman – that rang a bell.  And a statue.  Oh yes.  That was definitely on.   1-0 to the Tony Attwood.

I have not changed my view on Jack Humble, indeed if you follow my ramblings on the AISA Arsenal History Blog you will know that the notion that Humble was the central figure in the club’s foundation, growth, development, and survival has been proven over and over again.   But if you look around the stadium you will see that Arsenal in its wisdom has not recognised Humble but has recognised other figures who either drifted away from the club, or actually went and joined the opposition.

So no Humble, but I thought, yes, I have made a bit of an impact here.   And when the message came out from Arsenal that three statues were being put up, I thought, “now this is an interesting coincidence – the notion of statues and the notion of three.”  And I thought, “What clever bugger came up with that idea?”  And then I thought, “Oh I remember.  Me.”

My three suggestions were Humble, Chapman and Wenger, with Mr Wenger’s statue being added after our Great Lord and Most Successful Manager has retired.   But it seems we have three at once.  So who?

We start with Mr Chapman as the first.  That’s a given.  But then what?

My thinking then is we have up George Allison.  You’ll know George from the Arsenal Stadium Mystery movie – he joined the club in 1910 as “Gunners Mate” editing the club programme in Woolwich.  He wrote the first ever club handbook, made his way up the rankings, and after the death of Herbert Chapman, and the conclusion of that season with Joe Shaw in charge, became manager, winning the third of the three consecutive championships.  (I won’t repeat the rest of his work – there’s a whole series about him on the AISA Arsenal History site).

Chapman and Allison worked together, and Allison continued the legacy.  Those two were the founders of our league and cup success.  But who else?

We discussed this within the AISA Arsenal History Society (of which you will note this is very much NOT an official communique – but rather a ramble by me in the true spirit of Untold), and the conclusion was clear.  Bertie Mee – the club physio who gave us Euro success and the first double.

So there you have it, Chapman, Allison, Mee.  We circulated the notion among those in the know (stonemasons, truck drivers, crane operators, that sort of thing) and by and large we seem to have come up with the goods.

Unless all those buggers are lying.

The Arsenal History Society will be represented at the grand opening on Friday, and the press will dutifully announce that Arsenal has put up its statues.

But just remember, as always, you read it here first.  Or not.  As the case may be.  But anyway, at least I can say, the idea of three statues came from the meeting between Arsenal FC and the Arsenal History Society in August 2010.  I was there, I put the idea forward, and even though this makes me look hopelessly egocentric, I am rather proud of what I did that day.

Follow us on Twitter @Untold Arsenal

———————————-

“Making the Arsenal” – is available on Amazon, Arsenal on line, the Woolwich Arsenal site and in the Arsenal store.

———————————–

—————————————-

——————————————–