They were gifted the easiest path to the Champions League final, but hey credit to them as they have taken their opportunity, what irks me though is the Arsenal fans.
As a Newcastle United fan now living and working down in London I find myself seeing it up close.
My kids’ uncles on my wife’s side are all lifelong Arsenal fans who grew up around Highbury.
One of them was a doctor for many years at the RVI and would go to games at St James’ Park in the Ashley era.
When we get together he has fond memories of that time and Newcastle United are his second team, the one he always looks out for after Arsenal. He lived in North Shields and his stories from back then are good ones.
As for other Arsenal fans though…
On Wednesday morning, facing the fact that I have to work with self-satisfied so smug Arsenal supposed supporters who have never been to the Emirates, never mind Highbury.
I receive a whatsapp message from an Arsenal teaching colleague that reads “Congratulations Newcastle United, you have avoided relegation”, followed by congratulations to Tino Livarmento for choosing to join Arsenal next season. Claims backed up with screenshots from dodgy social media.
Way back, I wrote on The Mag about the importance of humility after years ago travelling to away games to watch Burnley with a mate who supports them, at the time they were desperately fighting to stay in the old fourth division as it was. A concept obviously beyond your average Arsenal fan.
I will be surrounded today by kids bigging up Arsenal, even though they have very little chance of seeing the Gunners live. These kids totally unaware that the club they feel a connection with, were actually taken away from their home town that is Woolwich.
When you are fifteen years old and your team gets to the Champions League final for the first time in twenty years then it is a big deal.
Reaching the Champions League final for them though will never be near as big as the day that me and my lad jumped around a pub in Soho after we beat Liverpool at Wembley a year ago. Nothing will even come close to touching that.