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Big moments. Local heroes.

ArsenalFootball Club

The highs. The heartbreak.
The people who made it.
This is their story.

Founded
1886
Known as
The Gunners
Home turf
Emirates Stadium
From
Greater London
The long read

More than a scoreline.

From local beginnings to the big occasions. This is Arsenal.

An introductory history of the men’s first team, from the club’s origins through 2006. Selected turning points and honours, rather than a complete season archive; later results are outside this edition.

From Woolwich to Highbury

Arsenal began in 1886 as Dial Square, rooted in the armaments works at Woolwich. The names Royal Arsenal and Woolwich Arsenal followed. Moving to Highbury in 1913 gave the club a new home in north London without erasing that industrial origin. Source →

A place at the top

Herbert Chapman’s team won the FA Cup in 1930 and the league the following season. Further championships made the 1930s a defining era. The foundations of Arsenal’s national reputation were in place well before the Premier League existed. Source →

Doubles and a European trophy

The league and FA Cup Double of 1971 became a landmark for another generation. George Graham’s era brought further league success and the 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup. These were distinct teams, linked by a club that repeatedly found a route back to trophies. Source →

The unbeaten season

Under Arsène Wenger, Arsenal won Doubles in 1998 and 2002. In 2003–04 they went through all 38 league matches unbeaten. Two years later the move to the Emirates closed the Highbury chapter and changed the physical setting of the club’s story. Source →

The moments that mattered

Through the years.

  1. 1886

    An industrial beginning

    The club begins as Dial Square in Woolwich. [source]

  2. 1913

    North of the river

    Arsenal move to Highbury. [source]

  3. 1930–31

    First league championship

    The FA Cup victory of 1930 is followed by a league title. [source]

  4. 1970–71

    The Double

    Arsenal win the league and FA Cup. [source]

  5. 2003–04

    Unbeaten champions

    The Premier League campaign ends without a defeat. [source]

  6. 2006

    A new home

    The Emirates replaces Highbury. [source]

Home turf

More than a ground.

Emirates Stadium

The club moved from Woolwich to Highbury in 1913. Highbury remained home until 2006, when Arsenal moved a short distance to the Emirates Stadium.

Read the ground’s history ↗
Club characters

The people behind it.

A few figures from the milestones in this introduction.

Building a contender

Herbert Chapman

Manager for the first FA Cup and league triumphs.

Read the source ↗
The Invincibles

Arsène Wenger

Managed the unbeaten league champions of 2003–04.

Read the source ↗
In the trophy cabinet

Reasons to celebrate.

Selected senior honours and promotions. Competition records ↗

First Division / Premier League

Champions · selected seasons
1930–31, 1970–71, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04

FA Cup

Winners · selected seasons
1929–30, 1970–71, 1997–98, 2001–02

European Cup Winners’ Cup

Winners
1993–94
Behind the story

Good stories.
Proper sources.

Written in our own words, with links back to the records. Last reviewed .

  1. Arsenal FC

    Arsenal: history and origins ↗

    Background to the club, its identity and the people in this introduction.

  2. Football Club History Database · Richard Rundle

    Arsenal: competition record ↗

    Competition records; the honours below are a selection within this page’s stated period.

  3. English Heritage

    Herbert Chapman ↗

    The manager and the club’s first major trophies.

  4. Arsenal FC

    The Wenger Years ↗

    Wenger’s era, including the Doubles and unbeaten league season.

A growing record

Our first chapter is an introduction, not an exhaustive archive. We credit existing research and will expand the collection as more material is checked. Our editorial approach ↗

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