I am going to the Anfield ‘89 20 year bash at the Offside Bar next week. And I have pre-ordered sausages and mash for my dinner.

As the anniversary of that amazing night approaches, all sorts of memories flood back. I was lucky enough to be there that night and alongside the birth of my children, it remains the outstanding memory of my 46 years on this planet. My wedding day was great too, but sorry love, Anfield ’89 was something else...

The thing for me about the achievement that night, was that it had been so long since we had won the league – 18 years in fact. In 70/71 I was just starting out on my Arsenal life as an 8 year old and to be honest, can’t remember too much about the season apart from the cup final at the end.

So the feeling of becoming champions was something virtually unknown for Arsenal fans of the day, and a footballing Holy Grail. Winning it finally set us apart from the Spuds, having traded cups and league finishes over the years. We were the undisputed Champions of England, something they hadn’t achieved in my lifetime, and probably never will. We were officially even better than Liverpool (who were in my humble opinion better and more ruthless than the recent Man U teams, almost unbeatable and seemingly impossible to dislodge). Anfield 89 was just like a fantastic dream!

Zoom forward 20 years, and of course the whole footballing dynamic has changed. Arsenal fans no longer have to worry about Tottenham achieving more than us, and even Spuds fans themselves accept their inferiority. We live in a super stadium and play in the Champions League. We have been watching Bergkamp and Henry, Cesc, Vieira, and Pires, Arshavin and Overmars. Recent years have seen two doubles, two other FA Cups, European finals, and a style of play that we could only have dreamed of back in ’89.

From a long serving fans perspective, the world of Arsenal has been transformed into something beyond imagination compared to what we knew back then. Now we are one of a few genuine world super-clubs; maybe not the biggest and best right now, but a super-club all the same.

And perspective is the thing. This season we have finished 4th and haven’t won anything since 2005. Four whole years and everyone is up in arms. Sack the manager! Mind you, we have been to a European Cup final (lost narrowly with 10 men) a League Cup final (with the kids) another Champions League semi final and FA Cup semi, and had a team that ought to have won the league last season but for injuries, a bit of inexperience and bad luck. What I’d have given for this level of ‘failure’ in the 70’s, 80’s, and most of the 90’s (and the 60’s I hear you older readers shout)

The reaction to our current ‘plight’ leaves me nonplussed. I remember people getting disgruntled with Terry Neill. He won one cup and bought John Hawley and Ray Hankin, but never got the dogs’ abuse that the current Arsenal are getting and rightly so. George Graham won two championships and three cups, then oversaw one of the worst Arsenal teams in my time as a fan with Eddie McGoldrick and John Jensen at the heart of midfield. Few walked out moaning with half an hour to go when we were losing 3-1 at home to QPR.

Whilst I remain as disappointed about our performance this season as the next fan, and whilst I agree that AW has ballsed up by not strengthening the squad after last season’s departures, the perspective that the occasion of the 20 year anniversary brings reminds me of what the club has achieved and where the expectation level now sits - and it’s in a different stratosphere.

Like most people, I expect real value for money for my season ticket and demand the right to boo players when they underperform and dive. I want to see Arsenal at the top of the tree and it upsets me to see Man U and Chelsea thumping us at home as easily as they have these last couple of weeks. But everything is relative. The notion that AW should be replaced is absurd in the extreme. Replace him with who? Big Sam? Tony Pullis? Sven? Come on guys, wise up.

Next week at the Offside Bar will like going back in time 20 years, and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to the sausages too, and right now they seem very appropriate. Because to paraphrase the great man himself, back then we ate sausages. These days, believe me - its caviar.

C’mon you Gunners.

(Ed's note - there are a few standing only tickets for next Tuesday evening at the Offside bar still available through the philosophy football website - see the 'events' category - at £3.50 each)