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My Favourite Arsenal Goal

Some promo for the new issue of The Gooner on sale today

8 November, 2015 9:00 16 comments
My Favourite Arsenal Goal

Back cover of issue 254

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Ed’s note – Issue 254 of The Gooner goes on sale today on your approach to the stadium at the match v Spurs. Full details can be found here. Our special feature this issue sees contributors write about their favourite goal. Two of them chose John Radford’s header against Anderlecht which secured the Fairs Cup at Highbury in 1970. So we are using one of them on the website to promote the issue. Here goes…

As a sprog on the North Bank throughout the 1960s, I never got a chance to witness the team collecting any silverware. In fact, being a supporter was becoming a bit of a chore, although I always harboured a thought that one day it would be our turn.

However, it all changed on 28th April 1970 with the second leg of Fairs Cup Final. Having wiped the floor with Ajax in the semis, we were certainly up for it. But we lost the first leg 3-1 at Anderlecht, and it was a tall order to repair the damage at Highbury. I am sure that the 51,000 crowd played its part as the atmosphere was, to coin a phrase, fever pitch.

Eddie Kelly banged in a first half rasper in front of the Clock Enders and we had to wait until the 75th minute for the goal which will be always etched in my memory. Bob McNab’s immaculate cross from the left was met by my super hero John Radford who rose like a salmon to plant a firm header into the far corner of the North Bank net.

It was right in front of where I was standing and it was a magical moment. In fact, it was one of those moments when you had to pinch yourself to make sure that it was for real. The North Bank erupted. In fact, the whole stadium erupted. I had never witnessed such euphoria before. It was wonderful. Silverware at last!

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16
comments

  1. Made Up Stat

    Nov 11, 2015, 7:55 #79048

    'It's only Ray Parlour' was a sweet one - but that absolutely sublime goal by Bergkamp v Newcastle is my favourite. You will see great goals and brilliant goals - but I've yet to see another goal quite like that one. DB10 - God.

  2. mbg

    Nov 10, 2015, 14:37 #79031

    exiled&dangerous, the players weren't to fatigued those nights, and if they would have been certainly wouldn't have complained about it, or the fans either, I wonder why.

  3. exiled&dangerous

    Nov 09, 2015, 15:49 #78963

    For me - has to be Michael Thomas, Anfield, 26th of May, 1989. I was stood on the terraces bang in line with the goal line, we had to wait until the ball stopped in the back of the net before we could tell it was in. I swear time stood still. Then about two seconds later I was about fifteen feet further down the terrace....... Second is Rocastle v Man Utd at Old Trafford when he chipped Schmeichel, and I've got too many joint thirds to mention but Alan Smith in Copenhagen is one of them.....

  4. Westlower

    Nov 09, 2015, 10:20 #78916

    @R/K I also loved that Charlie goal & I'm sure he'd tell us that he meant to play the ball back to himself off the defenders legs. Same season he scored a towering header in the FA Cup tie at Maine Road. The pitch was like a ploughed field & Charlie scored both our goals in a 2-1 win over Citeh.

  5. Radfordkennedy

    Nov 09, 2015, 9:43 #78915

    A difficult choice to name one but a top three would be.....Kelly against Anderlecht purely because I'd never heard noise like it.......Charlie at home to Newcastle 70/71 I've no idea if he meant to play a 1-2 of the defenders legs but have you ever seen a ball hit so hard?.......and I know it's not a spectacular goal but Stapletons goal away to Forest in the cup was special to me as no-one beat Forest at the city ground back then,we defended like Trojans afterwards a real Arsenal performance that one

  6. mbg

    Nov 09, 2015, 2:36 #78905

    It wasn't scored last night anyway mate. Go now old man. wenger out.

  7. Wrinkly Voyeur

    Nov 08, 2015, 23:37 #78902

    well...errr....overall...errr...badarse...do you belieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve?

  8. Badarse

    Nov 08, 2015, 21:08 #78893

    Well I have had a rethink and have to say I am confused-you did it 24601. I read your account of Ray's goal and I was back there again. By the way I saw the exchange with you and jj-good post jj-and wanted to add that my position was on the same side as you Butch Cassidy-where else would the 'Kid' be? I was just 10-15yards the other side of the halfway line away from you, near the front. Have another set of grid references for my old time machine. Magical night, and yes the earth shifted on it's axis that evening-Monday May 3rd 1971. We became adults and stepped out from their shadow as far as our age groups were concerned, we have only ever gone onwards and upwards since. Thanks you two, good memories really embraced, for a while I was a young dude again. Now I must go back to being an older dude, ha ha.

  9. Westlower

    Nov 08, 2015, 13:41 #78882

    'JJ, I was on the dead opposite side of the ground to you, level with the edge of the penalty area. It made a change celebrating on the pitch afterwards, after being chased around the Lane terraces in earlier years by the locals. The 'joy' of standing on the terraces with no barriers when the scum were hell bent on giving you a good hiding. Some people want a return to those scary days, really?

  10. goonercolesyboy

    Nov 08, 2015, 13:19 #78881

    Agree Westlower, my favourite goal as I was sitting in the stand with a Tottenham friend of the family, my Dad got in by chance when they opened a turnstile that he was queuing next to just before kick off. Managed to get on the pitch afterwards and dug up a piece of the turf where I guessed Ray had stood as he headed the cross in. Kept it at home in a pot in the garden for the longest time. Oh the wonders of being a kid.

  11. jjetplane

    Nov 08, 2015, 12:33 #78879

    Great post WeSTIE and still am puzzled how we got into the groud that night and then my little bruv nearly passed out and we were moved to just the point where armstrong put that ball across. The walk home back Highbury way was incredible with the non stop singing! heady times indeed and my biggest memory is getting muddied up when I layed down between the north bank goalposts after Raddie and Mod Top Jon had made history. Think that was my last game in the schoolboys and it was time to move onto the North Bank. Unbelievable days!

  12. Westlower

    Nov 08, 2015, 12:07 #78876

    Growing up in the early 60's, Spurs were a far better team than Arsenal & my first Arsenal game ended in tears at the Lane losing 2-4. Next time I went back to the Lane, Spurs lost to Leicester, when a certain Frank McLintock caught the eye. Every year at the Lane was the same, Arsenal never won until 1968/69 when an own goal & John Radford cancelled out Jimmy Greaves goal. We did the league double over them + knocked them out of the LC, we were on our way or so we thought, until the debacle of the Swindon defeat at Wembley. The following season they did the double over us, but crucially we discovered a winning habit in Europe. Inspired by the Fairs Cup win we won 2-0 at Highbury in 70/71, George Armstrong scored both goals. We appeared to have lost the battle with Leeds to be Champions of the First Division. A gruelling season all came down the final league game at the Lane. I left work at midday to make the 70 mile car journey & arrived at the Lane at 2.0. Couldn't believe how many people were already queuing at the ground. The police made us form a zigzag pattern to accommodate the vast hordes of Gooners. The gates opened about 5.30 and chaos ensued. My feet didn't touch the ground much but on one occasion when on terra firma I threw myself towards the turnstile. I was one lucky b**tard, I got in & so did 51,991 others. Minutes remaining when George Armstrong, who else, chased a ball that the rest assumed was going out of play.In came the pinpoint cross and there's young Ray Kennedy heading the sweetest header you'll ever see. Cue total madness & mayhem. The Lane was ours. We had lost many previous battles but we won the war and some! Thanks to that belligerent bunch in red and white we were now masters of North London. A culture changed had occurred, courtesy of Ray's Championship clinching header. The most significant goal of my lifetime. Whatever happens from here it will never be surpassed for this particular Gooner.

  13. Ron

    Nov 08, 2015, 10:47 #78873

    Many many great goals over the decades ive been privileged to see lads. Van Persies volley away at Charlton 8 yrs or so back was a real humdinger though. I was right behind the goal that day and the away end was in raptures i d not seen for many a long year. Wiltords at OT in 2002 was a pleasure to witness though!

  14. Arseneknewbest

    Nov 08, 2015, 10:41 #78872

    The moaninho picture caught my eye. I'm not sure about septic (because although poisonous, he ain't American) - for any non-cockernees out there septic = septic tank = yank). A better play on words might be "spectator" given the portugeezer's time in the stands at the boleyn recently. Fozzy - good choice. One of the greatest nights at THOF. Usual mixture of nerves and anticipation about today. Coquelin will be our key to success.

  15. Wear Your Colours

    Nov 08, 2015, 10:27 #78871

    One of my favourite goals of all time is Chippy's effort that put us 4-0 up against Spurs at the Lane in the late seventies. Although it had little significance in terms of trophy winning it was such a fantastic strike. I think Aaron Ramsey's volley against Hull in the 2014 FA Cup final may be just as important for many of today's Junior Gooners as Radford's was in the 1970 Fairs Cup Final. Let's hope we score a few more memorable goals today. COYG!

  16. Badarse

    Nov 08, 2015, 8:54 #78866

    Absolutely Fozzy, two minutes later in the game and Jon Sammels goal put us ahead. This for me was the one. It whistled straight for me and nestled in the corner of the goal. We were actually winning 4-3 at this stage, and the jumping up and down, and singing celebrations from Big Raddy's goal were still reverberating around the terraces when the last went in...cue pandemonium! Oh Sammy, I would still walk a million miles for one of your goals!