{{pp-semi-protected|small=yes}}
{{infobox football club
| clubname = Arsenal
| current = Arsenal F.C. season 2007-08
| image = [[Image:Arsenal FC.png|150px|Arsenal crest]]
| fullname = Arsenal Football Club
| nickname = The Gunners
| founded = 1886 as ''Dial Square''
| ground = [[Emirates Stadium]]
| capacity = 60,355<ref name="annualreport2007">{{Cite web | url=http://www.arsenal.com/userIncludes/docs/Arsenal_Annual_Report_May_2007_FINAL.pdf | title=Statement of Accounts and Annual Report 2006/2007 | publisher=Arsenal Holdings plc | date=May 2007 | accessdate=2007-12-19 }}</ref>
| chairman = {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Peter Hill-Wood]]
| manager = {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Arsène Wenger]]
| league = [[Premier League]]
| season = [[Premier League 2006-07|2006–07]]
| position = Premier League, 4th
| pattern_b1 =
| pattern_la1 = _borderonwhite
| pattern_ra1 = _borderonwhite
| leftarm1 = CC0000
| body1 = CC0000
| rightarm1 = CC0000
| shorts1 = FFFFFF
| socks1 = FFFFFF
| pattern_b2 =
| pattern_la2 = _borderonwhite
| pattern_ra2 = _borderonwhite
| leftarm2 = 651725
| body2 = FFFFFF
| rightarm2 = 651725
| shorts2 = 651725
| socks2 = FFFFFF
}}
<!--
PLEASE NOTE:
This section is the introduction. Please do not add too much detail here. Instead add it in the relevant section below or in the relevant daughter article. This especially applies to details of recent events.
-->
'''Arsenal Football Club ''' (also known as '''Arsenal''', '''The Arsenal''' or '''The Gunners''') are an [[England|English]] professional [[association football]] club based in [[Holloway, London|Holloway]], north [[London]]. They play in the [[Premier League]] and are one of the [[Football records in England#Most successful clubs overall (1888 - present)|most successful clubs]] in [[Football in England|English football]], having won thirteen [[Football League First Division|First Division]] and Premier League titles and ten [[FA Cup]]s.
Arsenal were founded in [[1886 in football (soccer)|1886]], though they won their first major trophies in the 1930s, with five League Championship titles and two FA Cups. After a lean period in the post-war years they became only the second club of the 20th century to win [[the Double]] in [[1970-71 in English football|1970–71]], and during the past twenty years they have been one of the most successful clubs in English football — in this time Arsenal won two further Doubles, the Premier League in [[2003-04 in English football|2003–04]] unbeaten, and in [[UEFA Champions League 2005-06|2005–06]] became the first [[Football in London|London club]] to reach the [[UEFA Champions League]] final.
The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history. Similarly, the club have changed location over time; the team were initially founded in [[Woolwich]], south-east London, but in [[1913 in football (soccer)|1913]] they moved north across the city to [[Arsenal Stadium]], [[Highbury]]. In [[2006 in football (soccer)|2006]] they made a less drastic move to their current home, the [[Emirates Stadium]] in nearby [[Holloway, London|Holloway]].
Arsenal have a large and diverse fanbase, who hold a string of long-standing rivalries with several other clubs; the most notable of these is with neighbours [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]], with whom they regularly contest the [[North London derby]]. Arsenal are one of the richest clubs in English football (worth over £600m as of 2007), and thanks to their stature, have regularly featured in portrayals of football in [[British culture]]. [[Arsenal L.F.C.|Arsenal Ladies]] are the most successful English club in [[women's football (soccer)|women's football]] and are also affiliated with the club.
==History==
{{details3|[[History of Arsenal F.C. (1886–1966)]] and [[History of Arsenal F.C. (1966–present)]]}}
<!--
This section is meant to be just a summary. Please do not add too much detail - the "History of Arsenal" articles are intended for detailed additions.
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Arsenal were founded as '''Dial Square''' in 1886 by workers at the [[Royal Arsenal]] in [[Woolwich]], but were renamed '''Royal Arsenal''' shortly afterwards. They renamed themselves again to '''Woolwich Arsenal''' after turning professional in [[1891 in football (soccer)|1891]]. The club joined [[the Football League]] in [[1893 in football (soccer)|1893]], starting out in the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]], and won promotion to the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] in [[1904 in football (soccer)|1904]]. However, the club's geographic isolation resulted in lower attendances than those of other clubs, which led to the club becoming mired in financial problems and effectively bankrupt by [[1910 in football (soccer)|1910]], when they were taken over by [[Henry Norris]].<ref>{{cite book |
author=Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin |
title=The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal |
publisher=Hamlyn |
year=2005 |
pages=pp.32–33 |
id=ISBN 0-600-61344-5}}</ref> Norris sought to move the club elsewhere, and in 1913, soon after relegation back to the Second Division, Arsenal moved to the new [[Arsenal Stadium]] in [[Highbury]], North London; they dropped "Woolwich" from their name the following year.<ref>{{cite book |
author=Soar & Tyler |
year=2005 |
title=The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal |
pages=p.40
}}</ref> Arsenal only finished in fifth place in 1919, but nevertheless were elected to rejoin the First Division at the expense of local rivals [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]], by reportedly dubious means.<ref>It has been alleged that Arsenal's promotion, on historical grounds rather than merit, was thanks to underhand actions by the then Arsenal chairman, [[Henry Norris|Sir Henry Norris]]; see [[History of Arsenal F.C. (1886–1966)]] for more details. These allegations range from political machinations to outright bribery; no firm proof of any wrongdoing has ever been found. A brief account is given in {{cite book |
author=Soar & Tyler |
year=2005 |
title=The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal |
pages=p.40 }} A more detailed account can be found in {{cite book |
author=Spurling, Jon |
title=Rebels for the Cause: The Alternative History of Arsenal Football Club |
publisher=Mainstream |
year=2004 |
id=ISBN 0-575-40015-3 |
pages=pp.38–41 }}</ref>
The fact that Arsenal have not been relegated since makes them the only team currently in the top division whose status is not purely based on playing merit.
[[Image:Trophy presentation Highbury 2004.JPG|right|thumb|200px|Arsenal captain [[Patrick Vieira]] lifts the [[2003-04 in English football|2003–04]] [[Premier League]] trophy.]]
[[Image:Arsenal open top bus parade 2004.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Arsenal's players and fans celebrate their 2004 League title win with an open-top bus parade.]]
In 1925, Arsenal appointed [[Herbert Chapman]] as manager. Chapman had already won the league twice with [[Huddersfield Town F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] in [[1923-24 in English football|1923–24]] and [[1924-25 in English football|1924–25]], and he brought Arsenal their first period of major success. His revolutionary tactics and training, along with the signings of star players such as [[Alex James (footballer)|Alex James]] and [[Cliff Bastin]], laid the foundations of the club's domination of English football in the 1930s. Under his guidance Arsenal won their first major trophies — an FA Cup in [[1929-30 in English football|1929–30]] and two League Championships, in [[1930-31 in English football|1930–31]] and [[1932-33 in English football|1932–33]]. In addition, Chapman was reportedly behind the 1932 renaming of the local [[London Underground]] station from "Gillespie Road" to "[[Arsenal tube station|Arsenal]]", making it the only Tube station to be named specifically after a football club.<ref>{{cite web |
url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/3709.aspx |
title=London Underground and Arsenal present The Final Salute to Highbury |
publisher=Transport for London |
date=[[2006-01-12]] |
accessdate=2007-04-08 }}</ref>
Chapman died suddenly of [[pneumonia]] in early 1934, but [[Joe Shaw (footballer born 1883)|Joe Shaw]] and [[George Allison]] carried on his successful work. Under their guidance, Arsenal won three more titles ([[1933-34 in English football|1933–34]], [[1934-35 in English football|1934–35]] and [[1937-38 in English football|1937–38]]) and an FA Cup ([[1935-36 in English football|1935–36]]). However Arsenal had started to fade by the decade's end, when the intervention of [[World War II]] meant competitive professional football in England was suspended.
After the war, under Allison's successor [[Tom Whittaker (footballer)|Tom Whittaker]], Arsenal enjoyed a second period of success, winning the league in [[1947-48 in English football|1947–48]] and [[1952-53 in English football|1952–53]], and the FA Cup in [[1949-50 in English football|1949–50]]. However, after that their fortunes waned; unable to attract players of the same calibre as they had in the 1930s, the club spent most of the 1950s and 1960s in trophyless mediocrity. Even former [[England national football team|England]] captain [[Billy Wright (footballer)|Billy Wright]] could not bring the club any success as manager, in a stint between 1962 and 1966.
Arsenal began winning silverware again with the surprise appointment of club [[physiotherapy|physiotherapist]] [[Bertie Mee]] as manager in 1966. After losing two [[Football League Cup|League Cup]] finals, they won the [[Inter-Cities Fairs Cup]], their first European trophy, in [[Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1969-70|1969–70]]. This was followed by an even greater triumph: their first League and FA Cup [[the Double|double]] in [[1970-71 in English football|1970–71]]. However, the Double-winning side was soon broken up and the following decade was characterised by a series of near misses. Arsenal finished as First Division runners-up in [[1972-73 in English football|1972–73]], lost three FA Cup finals ([[1971-72 in English football|1971–72]], [[1977-78 in English football|1977–78]] and [[1979-80 in English football|1979–80]]) and lost the 1979–80 [[Cup Winners' Cup]] final on [[penalty shootout (football)|penalties]]. The club's only success during this time was an FA Cup win in [[1978-79 in English football|1978–79]], with a last-minute 3–2 victory over [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] that is widely regarded as a classic.<ref>A 2005 poll of English football fans rated the 1979 FA Cup Final the 15th greatest game of all time. Reference: {{cite news |
url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2005/04/19/sfnwin19.xml |
title= Classic final? More like a classic five minutes |
author=Winter, Henry |
work=Daily Telegraph |
date=[[2005-04-19]] |
accessdate=2007-01-30
}}</ref>
The return of former player [[George Graham (footballer)|George Graham]] as manager in 1986 brought a third period of glory. Arsenal won the League Cup in [[1986-87 in English football|1986–87]], Graham's first season in charge. This was followed by a League title win in [[1988-89 in English football|1988–89]], won with a last-minute goal in the final game of the season against fellow title challengers [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]]. Graham's Arsenal won another title in [[1990-91 in English football|1990–91]], losing only one match, the FA Cup and League Cup double in [[1992-93 in English football|1992–93]] and a second European trophy, the [[Cup Winners' Cup]], in [[1993-94 in English football|1993–94]]. However, Graham's reputation was tarnished when it was revealed that he had taken kickbacks from agent [[Rune Hauge]] for signing certain players,<ref>Graham was banned for a year by the Football Association for his involvement in the scandal after he admitted he had received an "unsolicited gift" from Hauge. Reference: {{cite news |
url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,148114,00.html |
title=Rune Hauge, international man of mystery |
work=The Guardian |
author=Collins, Roy |
date=[[2000-03-18]] |
accessdate=2006-12-08
}} The case is given a detailed treatment in {{cite book |
author=Bower, Tom |
title=Broken Dreams |
publisher=Simon & Schuster |
year=2003 |
id=ISBN 0-7434-4033-1
}}</ref> and he was sacked in 1995. His replacement, [[Bruce Rioch]], lasted for only one season, leaving the club after a dispute with the board of directors.<ref>{{cite web |
url=http://www.arseweb.com/history/faq/faq96.html |
title=Arsenal - summary of the 1995/96 season |
work=Arseweb |
accessdate=2007-01-30 }}</ref>
The club's success in the late 1990s and 2000s owes a great deal to the appointment of manager [[Arsène Wenger]] in 1996. Wenger brought new tactics, a new training regime and several foreign players who complemented the existing English talent. Arsenal won a second league and cup double in [[1997-98 in English football|1997–98]] and a third in [[2001-02 in English football|2001–02]]. In addition, the club reached the final of the [[UEFA Cup 1999-00|1999–00]] [[UEFA Cup]] (losing on penalties to [[Galatasaray S.K.|Galatasaray]]), were victorious in the [[2002-03 in English football|2002–03]] and [[2004-05 in English football|2004–05]] FA Cups, and won the Premier League in [[2003-04 in English football|2003–04]] without losing a single match, which earned the side the nickname "[[The Invincibles (football)|The Invincibles]]";<ref name="invincibles">{{cite news
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3713537.stm
| title=Arsenal the Invincibles
| work=BBC Sport
| author=Hughes, Ian
| date=[[2004-05-15]]
| accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref> in all, the club went 49 league matches unbeaten, a [[Football records in England|national record]].
Arsenal have finished in either first or second place in the league in eight of Wenger's eleven seasons at the club.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.fchd.info/ARSENAL.HTM
| title=Arsenal
| work=Football Club History Database
| accessdate=2007-09-21
}}</ref> They are one of only four teams (along with [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]], [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] and [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]) to have won the Premier League since its formation in 1993, although they have failed to retain the title each time they have been champions.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engchamp.html#c1993
| title=FA Premier League Champions 1993-2007
| work=[[RSSSF]]
| accessdate=2007-09-21
}}</ref> Until recently, Arsenal had never progressed beyond the [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] quarter-finals; in [[UEFA Champions League 2005-06|2005–06]] however, they reached the competition's [[2006 UEFA Champions League Final|Final]], the first club from London to do so in the competition's fifty-year history, but were beaten 2–1 by [[FC Barcelona]].<ref name="2006ucl"/> In July 2006, they moved into their current stadium, the [[Emirates Stadium]], after 93 years at Highbury.<!--
PLEASE NOTE:
This section is meant to be just a summary. Please do not add too much detail - the "History of Arsenal" articles are intended for detailed additions. If you wish to mention events that have happened very recently, such as Arsenal's most recent results, please remember this is an encyclopedia, not a news service. Your contribution may be more suitable for addition to Wikinews (http://en.wikinews.org/) instead. Thank you.
-->
==Crest==
[[Image:Arsenal crest 1888.png|thumb|160px|Arsenal's first crest from 1888.]]
[[Image:Arsenal fc old crest small.png|thumb|160px|Arsenal's crest from ''c.'' 1949 to 2002.]]
Royal Arsenal's first crest, unveiled in 1888, featured three [[cannon]] viewed from above, pointing northwards, similar to the crest of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich|Borough of Woolwich]]. These can sometimes be mistaken for [[chimney]]s, but the presence of a carved lion's head and a [[wikt:cascabel|cascabel]] on each are clear indicators that they are cannon.<ref name="crest">{{cite web |
url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=The+Club&article=344298&Title=Arsenal+Crest |
title=The Crest |
work=Arsenal.com |
accessdate=2007-02-13
}}</ref> This was dropped after the moved to Highbury in 1913, but in 1922, the club adopted their first single-cannon crest, featuring an eastward-pointing cannon, with the club's nickname, ''The Gunners'', inscribed along side it; this crest only lasted until 1925, when the cannon was reversed to point westward and its barrel slimmed down.<ref name="crest"/> In 1949, the club unveiled a modernised crest featuring the same style of cannon, the club's name set in [[blackletter]] above the cannon, and a scroll inscribed with the club's newly adopted [[Latin]] [[motto]], ''Victoria Concordia Crescit'' (meaning "victory comes from harmony"), coined by Harry Homer, the club's programme editor.<ref name="crest"/> For the first time, the crest was rendered in colour, which varied slightly over the crest's lifespan, finally becoming red, gold and green.
Because of the numerous revisions of the crest, Arsenal were unable to [[copyright]] it; although the club had managed to register the crest as a [[trademark]], and had fought (and eventually won) a long legal battle with a local street trader who sold 'unofficial' Arsenal merchandise,<ref>{{cite web
| title=''Arsenal v. Reed'' in the Court of Appeal
| publisher=Michael Simkins LLP
| url=http://www.simkins.co.uk/ebulletins/DAFArsenalReed.aspx
| author=Free, Dominic
| date=2003
| accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref> Arsenal sought a more comprehensive legal protection. Therefore, in 2002 they introduced a new crest featuring more modern curved lines and a simplified style, which was copyrightable.<ref>{{cite news
| title=Arsenal go for a makeover
| work=BBC Sport
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/1795444.stm
| date=[[2004-02-01]]
| accessdate=2006-12-09
}}</ref> The cannon once again faces east and the club's name is written in a [[sans-serif]] [[typeface]] above the cannon. Green was replaced by dark blue. The new crest received a critical response from some supporters; the Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association claimed that the club had ignored much of Arsenal's history and tradition with such a radical modern design, and that fans had not been properly consulted on the issue.<ref>{{cite web
| title=Crestfallen
| url=http://www.aisa.org/pdfs/crest_leaflet.pdf
| publisher=Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association
| accessdate=2006-12-08
| archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20061108191039/http://www.aisa.org/pdfs/crest_leaflet.pdf
| archivedate=2006-11-08
}}</ref>
==Colours==
{{Football kit box |
align = left |
pattern_la = |
pattern_b = |
pattern_ra = |
leftarm = 7B1421 |
body = 7B1421 |
rightarm = 7B1421 |
shorts = FFFFFF |
socks = 242B31 |
title = Arsenal's original home colours. The team wore a similar kit (but with redcurrant socks) during the [[2005-06 in English football|2005–06]] season.
}}
For much of Arsenal's history, their home colours have been bright red shirts with white sleeves and white shorts, though this has not always been the case. The choice of red is in recognition of a charitable donation from [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]], soon after Arsenal's foundation in 1886. Two of Dial Square's founding members, [[Fred Beardsley]] and [[Morris Bates]], were former Forest players who had moved to Woolwich for work. As they put together the first team in the area, no kit could be found, so Beardsley and Bates wrote home for help and received a set of kit and a ball. The shirt was redcurrant, a dark shade of red similar to burgundy, and was worn with white shorts and blue socks.<ref name="squadphotos">{{cite web |
url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=The+Club&article=375812&Title=Squad+photos+gallery |
title=Squad Photos Gallery |
work=Arsenal.com |
accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref>
In 1933 Herbert Chapman, wanting his players to be more distinctly dressed, updated the kit, adding white sleeves and changing the shade to a brighter [[pillar box]] red. The origin of the white sleeves is not conclusively known, but two possible inspirations have been put forward. One story reports that Chapman noticed a supporter in the stands wearing a red sleeveless sweater over a white shirt; another was that he was inspired by a similar outfit worn by the [[cartoonist]] [[Tom Webster (cartoonist)|Tom Webster]], with whom Chapman played [[golf]].<ref name="kitdesign">{{cite web |
url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=The+Club&article=344300&Title=Kit+Design |
title=Arsenal Kit Design |
work=Arsenal.com |
accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref> Regardless of which story is true, the red and white shirts have come to define Arsenal and the team have worn the combination ever since, aside from two seasons. The first was [[1966-67 in English football|1966–67]], when Arsenal wore all-red shirts;<ref name="squadphotos" /> this proved unpopular and the white sleeves returned the following season. The second was [[2005-06 in English football|2005–06]], the last season that Arsenal played at Highbury, when the team wore one-year commemorative redcurrant shirts similar to those worn in 1913, their first season in the stadium. The club reverted to their traditional colours at the start of the [[2006-07 in English football|2006–07]] season.
Arsenal's home colours have been the inspiration for at least three other clubs. In 1909, [[AC Sparta Praha|Sparta Prague]] adopted a dark red kit like the one Arsenal wore at the time;<ref name="kitdesign"/> in 1938, [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibernian]] adopted the design of the Arsenal shirt sleeves in their own green and white strip.<ref>{{cite web |
url=http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Scottish_Football_League/Hibernian/hibernian.htm |
title=Hibernian |
work=Historical Football Kits |
accessdate=2007-02-01
}}</ref> In the 1930s, [[S.C. Braga|Sporting Clube de Braga]]'s coach returned from a game at Highbury and changed his team's green kit into a duplicate of Arsenal's red with white sleeves and shorts, giving rise to the team's nickname of ''Os Arsenalistas''.<ref>{{cite news |
url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/theknowledge/story/0,13854,1643916,00.html |
title=Nicking the shirts off their backs |
work=The Guardian |
date=[[2005-11-23]] |
accessdate=2007-02-13
}}</ref> These teams still wear these designs to this day.
{{Football kit box |
align = right |
| pattern_la = _maroonhoop
| pattern_b = _navyhoops2
| pattern_ra = _maroonhoop
| leftarm = 000033
| body = 990000
| rightarm = 000033
| shorts = 000033
| socks = 000033
| title = Arsenal's third-choice & European away kit for 2007–08
}}
Arsenal's away colours are traditionally yellow and blue, although they wore a green and navy away kit between 1982 and 1984.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://hem.passagen.se/arsenalshirts/80-talet/80.htm
| title=80s Shirts
| work=Arsenal Shirts
| accessdate=2007-01-16
}}</ref> Since the early 1990s and the advent of the lucrative replica kit market, the away colours have been changed regularly; the general rule currently is that they are changed every season with the outgoing away kit becoming the third choice kit for the following season.<ref>{{cite web |
url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=The+Club&article=344874&Title=Club+Charter |
title=Club Charter |
work=Arsenal.com |
accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref> Generally, the away colours in this period have been either two-tone blue designs, or variations on the traditional yellow and blue, such as the metallic gold and navy strip used in the [[2001-02 in English football|2001–02]] season,<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://hem.passagen.se/arsenalshirts/2000-talet/2000.htm
| title=2000s Shirts
| work=Arsenal Shirts
| accessdate=2007-01-16
}}</ref> and the yellow and dark grey used in [[2005-06 in English football|2005–06]] and [[2006-07 in English football|2006–07]]. However, Arsenal's domestic away colours for the [[2007-08 in English football|2007–08]] season are a departure from the norm, being white shirts with redcurrant shorts and hooped white and redcurrant socks.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=471231&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=New+away+kit+2007/08+-+Wallpaper
| title=New away kit 2007/08
| work=Arsenal.com
| accessdate=2007-06-11
}}</ref> Arsenal's third kit for 2007–08 consists of redcurrant and obsidian hoops, and will be used for domestic games where both the first and second choice colours clash with those of their opponents, as well as being primary away kit for Champions League matches.<ref>{{cite web
| url= http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=477567
| title=Pre-order the new third kit now
| work=Arsenal.com
| date=[[2007-06-05]]
| accessdate=2007-07-19 }}</ref>
===Shirt sponsors and manufacturers===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!Period
!Kit manufacturer
!Shirt sponsor
|-
|1930s–70s
|Bukta
|rowspan=2|''None''
|-
|1975–82
|rowspan=2|[[Umbro]]
|-
|1982–86
|rowspan=3|[[JVC]]
|-
|1986–94
|[[adidas]]
|-
|1994–99
|rowspan=4|[[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]
|-
|1999–2002
|[[SEGA Dreamcast|Dreamcast / SEGA]]
|-
|2002–06
|[[O2 plc|O<sub>2</sub>]]
|-
|2006–
|[[Emirates Airline|Fly Emirates]]
|}
==Stadiums==
[[Image:Arsenal Stadium interior North Bank.jpg|thumb|200px|The North Bank Stand, [[Arsenal Stadium]], [[Highbury]].]]
[[Image:SA400264.JPG|thumb|right|200px|The [[Emirates Stadium]] filling up on the day of [[Dennis Bergkamp]]'s testimonial.]]
For the majority of their time in south-east London, Arsenal played at the [[Manor Ground, Plumstead|Manor Ground]] in [[Plumstead]], a three-year period at the nearby [[Invicta Ground]] between 1890 and 1893 excepted. The Manor Ground was initially just a field, but the club installed stands and terracing in time for their first Football League match in September 1893. They played there for the next twenty years, until the move to north London in 1913.
[[Arsenal Stadium]], widely referred to as Highbury, was Arsenal's home from September 1913 until May 2006. The original stadium was designed by the renowned football architect [[Archibald Leitch]], and had a design common to many football grounds in the UK at the time, with a single covered stand and three open-air banks of [[stadium|terracing]]. In the 1930s, the entire stadium was given a massive overhaul, with new [[Art Deco]] East and West stands constructed, and roofs added to the North Bank and Clock End terraces. At its peak, Highbury could hold over 60,000 spectators, and had a capacity of 57,000 until the early 1990s. The [[Taylor Report]] and [[Premier League]] regulations forced Arsenal to convert Highbury into an all-seater in time for the [[1993-94 in English football|1993–94]] season, reducing the capacity to 38,419 seated spectators.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=The+Club&article=344883&Title=Highbury
| title=Highbury
| work=Arsenal.com
| accessdate=2006-12-09
}}</ref> This capacity had to be reduced further during [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] matches to accommodate additional [[advertising]] hoardings, so much so that for two seasons ([[1998-99 in English football|1998–99]] and [[1999-00 in English football|1999–00]]) Arsenal played Champions League home matches at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]], which could house more than 70,000 spectators.
Expansion of Highbury was restricted because the East Stand had been designated as a Grade II [[listed building]] and the other three stands were close to residential properties whose owners objected to expansion. These limitations have prevented the club from maximising the revenue that their domestic form could have brought in recent seasons. After considering various options, Arsenal decided in 1999 to build a new 60,000-seater stadium at Ashburton Grove (since renamed the [[Emirates Stadium]]), about 500 metres south-west of Highbury. The project was initially delayed by red tape and rising costs, but construction was completed in July 2006, in time for the start of the [[2006-07 in English football|2006–07]] season. The stadium is named after its sponsors, the airline company [[Emirates Airline|Emirates]], with whom the club signed the largest sponsorship deal in English football history, worth approximately £100 million;<ref name="emiratesdeal">{{cite news |
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3715678.stm |
title=Arsenal name new ground |
work=BBC Sport |
date=[[2004-10-05]] |
accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref> however some fans refer to the ground as Ashburton Grove, or the Grove, as they do not agree with corporate sponsorship of stadium names.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.arsenal-world.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=283908
| title=The 'E' Word
| work=Arsenal World
| author=Dawes, Brian
| date=2006
| accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref> The stadium will be officially known as Emirates Stadium until at least 2012, and the airline will be the club's shirt sponsor until the end of the 2013–14 season.<ref name="emiratesdeal"/>
Arsenal's training centre is in [[Shenley, Hertfordshire|Shenley]], [[Hertfordshire]], at a purpose-built facility which opened in 2000. Before that the club shared training facilities with [[University College London]] [[University College London Union|Student Union]] nearby, having trained at Highbury up until 1961.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=the+club&article=344346&lid=ClubNews&Title=Training+Centre
| title=The Training Centre
| work=Arsenal.com
| accessdate=2007-12-01 }}</ref> It is also where Arsenal's [[Arsenal F.C. Academy|Academy]] teams play their home matches, while the [[Arsenal F.C. Reserves|Reserves]] play their games at [[Underhill Stadium|Underhill]], home of [[Barnet F.C.|Barnet FC]].
==Supporters==
Arsenal have a large and generally loyal fanbase, with virtually all home matches selling out; in 2006–07 Arsenal had the second-highest average League attendance for an English club (60,045, which was 99.8% of available capacity),<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.tonykempster.co.uk/archive06-07/prematt.htm
| title=Premiership 2006–07 Attendances
| author=Kempster, Tony
| date=2007
| accessdate=2007-06-18
}}</ref> and the fourth-highest all-time average attendance.<ref>{{cite web |
url=http://www.nufc.com/html/attendance-all-time.html |
title=All Time League Attendance Records |
work=Nufc.com |
accessdate=2007-02-02
}} Please note that some pre-war attendance figures used by this source were estimates and may not be entirely accurate.</ref> Arsenal fans often refer to themselves as "Gooners", the name being derived from the team's nickname, "The Gunners". The club's location, adjoining both wealthy areas such as [[Canonbury]] and [[Barnsbury]], mixed areas such as [[Islington]], [[Holloway]] and [[Highbury]], and largely working class areas such as [[Finsbury Park]] and [[Stoke Newington]] has meant that Arsenal's supporters have come from across the usual class divides. In addition, Arsenal have the highest proportion (7.7%) of non-white attending supporters of any club in English football, according to a 2002 report.<ref>{{cite news
| title=Soccer violence declining say fans
| work=BBC News
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/1844962.stm
| date=[[2002-02-27]]
| accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref>
Like all major English football clubs, Arsenal have a number of domestic supporters' clubs, including the Official Arsenal Football Supporters Club, which is affiliated with the club, and the Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association, which maintains an independent line. The club's supporters also publish [[fanzine]]s such as ''The Gooner'', ''Highbury High'', ''Gunflash'' and the less cerebral ''Up The Arse!''. In addition to the usual English [[football chant]]s, Arsenal's supporters sing "One-Nil to the Arsenal" (to the tune of "[[Go West (song)|Go West]]") and "Boring, Boring Arsenal", which used to be a common taunt from opposition fans but is now sung ironically by Arsenal supporters when the team is playing well.<ref>{{cite news |
url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,353528,00.html |
title=Boring, Boring Arsenal |
work=Time |
date=[[2002-09-22]] |
author=Noble, Kate |
accessdate=2007-01-30 }}</ref>
In recent times, a supporter's attachment to a football club has become less dependent on geography, and Arsenal now have many fans not just from London but all over England and the world. While there have always been small pockets of supporters abroad, Arsenal's support base has widened considerably with the advent of [[satellite television]], and there are now significant supporters' clubs worldwide. A 2005 report by Granada Ventures, which at the time owned a 9.9% stake in the club, estimated Arsenal's global fanbase at 27 million, the third largest in the world.<ref>{{cite web
| title=Arsenal FC - the Premiership’s fastest growing football brand
| publisher=Granada Ventures
| url=http://www.granadaventures.co.uk/newsdocs/doc28.doc
| date=[[2005-08-05]]
| accessdate=2007-04-08
}}</ref>
Arsenal's longest-running and deepest rivalry is with their nearest major neighbours, [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]], with matches between the two being referred to as [[North London derby|North London derbies]]. Matches against other London sides, such as [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] and [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] are also [[derby match|derbies]], but the rivalry is not as intense as that between Arsenal and Tottenham. In addition, Arsenal and [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] have had a strong on-pitch rivalry since the late 1980s, which has intensified in recent years when both clubs have been competing for the Premier League title.<ref>{{cite news |
url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=2574208|
title=Red-hot rivalry, but United and Arsenal won't rely on brute force |
work=The Scotsman |
author=Lappin, Tom |
date=[[2004-10-23]] |
accessdate=2007-10-31 }}</ref>
==Ownership and finances==
Arsenal's parent company, Arsenal Holdings plc, operates as a non-[[Financial quote|quoted]] [[public limited company]]. Arsenal's ownership is considerably different from that of other football clubs. Only 62,217 shares in Arsenal have been issued,<ref name="annualreport2007"/> and they are not traded on a public exchange such as the [[FTSE]] or [[Alternative Investment Market|AIM]]; instead, they are traded infrequently on PLUS, a specialist market. As of [[December 6]] [[2007]], Arsenal's [[market capitalisation]] value is £532m,<ref>{{cite web
| title=Arsenal Holdings plc
| publisher=PLUS Markets Group
| url=http://www.plusmarketsgroup.com/overview.shtml?ISIN=GB0030895238/GBP/PLUS-exn
| accessdate=2007-12-06
}}</ref> and the club made an operating [[profit]] (excluding player transfers) of £51.2m in the year ending [[May 31]] [[2007]], from a [[turnover]] of £200.8m.<ref name="annualreport2007"/> As of March 2007, business magazine ''[[Forbes]]'' ranks Arsenal as third most valuable team in the world, after [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] and [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]], valuing the club at £495m.<ref>{{cite web
| title=Soccer Team Valuations - #3 Arsenal
| url=http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/34/biz_07soccer_Arsenal_340006.html
| work=Forbes
| date=[[2007-03-29]]
| accessdate=2007-06-18
}}</ref> Accountants [[Deloitte]] rate Arsenal as ninth in the 2007 [[Deloitte Football Money League]], a ranking of the world's football clubs in terms of revenue, with the club earning £133m in the [[2005-06 in English football|2005–06]] season.<ref>{{cite web
| title=Real Madrid stays at the top
| url=http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/cda/doc/content/UK_PressRelease_DeloitteFML07(1).pdf
| publisher=Deloitte & Touche LLP
| date=[[2007-02-08]]
| accessdate=2007-06-18
}}</ref>
Arsenal's [[board of directors]] hold 45% of the club's shares; the largest shareholders on the board are [[Danny Fiszman]] (a London [[diamond]] dealer) and [[Nina Bracewell-Smith]] (wife of the grandson of former chairman [[Bracewell Smith|Sir Bracewell Smith]]), who hold 24.1% and 15.9% respectively.<ref name="annualreport2007"/> Fellow director [[Richard Carr]] has 4.4% and club [[chairman]] [[Peter Hill-Wood]] owns 0.8%, with all the other directors holding nominal amounts.<ref name="annualreport2007"/>
In recent years, with other major English clubs such as [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]], [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and Manchester United all having been taken over by foreign investors, Arsenal have been identified as a target for a buyout. The [[United States|American]] sports tycoon [[Stan Kroenke]], via the UK arm of Kroenke Sports Enterprises, currently owns or controls 7,584 shares or 12.2% of the club,<ref name="annualreport2007"/> the bulk of which he bought from Granada Ventures (a subsidiary of [[ITV plc]]) in April 2007.<ref name="kroenke">{{cite news
| title=Takeover gains pace at Arsenal with 9.9% sale
| url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2051488,00.html
| work=The Guardian
| author=Scott, Matt and Allen, Katie
| date=[[2007-04-06]]
| accessdate=2007-04-06
}}</ref> The largest single stake in the club held by a non-board member is the 23% owned by the firm Red & White Securities, which is co-owned by [[Russia]]n billionaire [[Alisher Usmanov]] and London-based financier [[Farhad Moshiri (businessman)|Farhad Moshiri]]. An initial 14.6% was bought in August 2007 from former Arsenal vice-chairman [[David Dein]], who is now chairman of Red & White Securities,<ref name="usmanov">{{cite news
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6971124.stm
| work=BBC News
| title=Russian buys Dein's Arsenal stake
| date=[[2007-08-30]]
| accessdate=2007-08-30
}}</ref> and was upped to 23% the following month.<ref>{{cite news
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7017710.stm
| title=Usmanov buys more Arsenal shares
| work=BBC News
| date=[[2007-09-28]]
| accessdate=2007-08-28
}}</ref> Both purchases have led to press speculation of an imminent takeover bid for the club.<ref name="kroenke"/><ref name="usmanov"/> However, Arsenal's board of directors have agreed not to consider a sale of their shares to non-"permitted persons" until at least April 2009, and have first option on each others' shares until October 2012.<ref>{{cite news
| url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=483048&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Arsenal+board+announce+revised+%27lock-down%27+agreement
| title=Arsenal board announce revised 'lock-down' agreement
| work=Arsenal.com
| accessdate=2007-10-18
}}</ref>
==Arsenal in popular culture==
As one of the most successful teams in the country, Arsenal have often featured when football is depicted in [[British culture]] and have appeared in a number of media "firsts". On [[January 22]] [[1927]], their match at Highbury against [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]] was the first English League match to be broadcast live on [[radio]].<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=&article=353983
| title=It Happened at Highbury: First live radio broadcast
| work=Arsenal.com
| accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref> A decade later, on [[September 16]] [[1937]], an exhibition match between Arsenal's first team and the reserves was the first ever football match to be [[television|televised]] live.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/2260280.stm
| title=Happened on this day - 16 September
| work=BBC Sport
| accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref> Arsenal also featured in the first edition of the [[BBC]]'s ''[[Match of the Day]]'', which screened highlights of their match against [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] at [[Anfield]] on [[August 22]] [[1964]].<ref name="bbchist">{{cite web
| title=History of Match of the Day
| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/match_of_the_day/879960.stm
| work=BBC Sport
| accessdate=2007-01-16 }}</ref>
Arsenal also formed the backdrop to one of the earliest football-related [[film]]s, ''[[The Arsenal Stadium Mystery]]'' (1939).<ref>{{cite web |
url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031055/ |
title=The Arsenal Stadium Mystery |
work=[[IMDb]] |
accessdate=2007-02-02
}}</ref> The film is centred on a [[friendly match]] between Arsenal and an amateur side, one of whose players is poisoned whilst playing. Many Arsenal players appeared as themselves, although only manager George Allison was given a speaking part.
More recently, the book ''[[Fever Pitch]]'' by [[Nick Hornby]] was an [[autobiography|autobiographical]] account of Hornby's life and relationship with football and Arsenal in particular. Published in 1992, it formed part of, and may have played an active part in, the revival and rehabilitation of football in British society during the 1990s. The book was later made into a film starring [[Colin Firth]], which centred on the club's [[1988-89 in English football|1988–89]] title win. The book also inspired an [[United States|American]] [[Fever Pitch (2005 movie)|film adaptation]], about a fan of [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[Boston Red Sox]].
Arsenal have often been stereotyped as a defensive and "boring" side, especially during the 1970s and 1980s; many comedians, such as [[Eric Morecambe]], made jokes about this at the team's expense. The theme was repeated in the 1997 film ''[[The Full Monty]]'', in a scene where the lead actors move in a line and raise their hands, deliberately mimicking the Arsenal defence's [[Offside law (football)|offside]] trap, in an attempt to co-ordinate their [[stripping]].<ref name="atthemovies">{{cite web |
url=http://www.arseweb.com/other/movies.html |
title=Arsenal at the movies |
work=Arseweb |
accessdate=2007-02-02
}}</ref> Another film reference to the club's defence comes in the film ''[[Plunkett & Macleane]]'', in which there are two characters named Dixon and Winterburn, named after Arsenal's long serving full backs – the right-sided [[Lee Dixon]] and the left-sided [[Nigel Winterburn]].<ref name="atthemovies"/>
The club have also been mentioned in several ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]'' sketches, and in [[Douglas Adams]]' ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'', where a barman remarks that the impending end of the world is a "lucky escape" for Arsenal. Additionally, in the 2004 film ''[[Ocean's Twelve]]'', the main characters don Arsenal tracksuits as a disguise, in order to escape from a hotel during one of their European heists.
Arsenal have featured in popular music as well; [[Joe Strummer]] wrote the song "[[Tony Adams (footballer)|Tony Adams]]", dedicated to the then Arsenal captain, which appeared on his 1999 album ''[[Rock Art and the X-Ray Style]].'' Strummer was also known to wear an Arsenal scarf during gigs despite himself being a Chelsea fan. Additionally, Arsenal (along with arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur) receive a mention in [[The Pogues]] song "Billy's Bones", which appears on the band's second album, ''[[Rum, Sodomy and the Lash]].''
==Arsenal Ladies==
{{details|Arsenal L.F.C.}} <!-- NOTE: Please make detailed additions to the [[Arsenal L.F.C.]] article -->
[[Arsenal L.F.C.|Arsenal Ladies]] are the [[Women's football (soccer)|women's football]] club affiliated to Arsenal. Founded in 1987, they turned semi-professional in 2002 and are managed by [[Vic Akers]], who is also kit manager for the men's side. Arsenal Ladies are the most successful team in [[Women's football in England|English women's football]] today; they are the current reigning champions of the [[FA Women's Premier League]] and holders of the [[UEFA Women's Cup]], having won both in the 2006–07 season as part of a unique quadruple, along with the [[FA Women's Cup]] and [[FA Women's Premier League Cup]]. Although the men's and women's clubs are formally separate they have quite close ties; Arsenal FC's managing director [[Keith Edelman]] is president of Arsenal LFC, a role previously held by [[David Dein]] and Arsenal Ladies are entitled to play once a season at the Emirates Stadium, though they usually play their home matches at [[Boreham Wood F.C.|Boreham Wood]].
==Statistics and records==
{{details|Arsenal F.C. records}}
[[David O'Leary]] holds the record for Arsenal appearances, having played 722 first-team matches between 1975 and 1993. Fellow [[centre half]] and former [[captain (football)|captain]] [[Tony Adams (footballer)|Tony Adams]] comes second, having played 669 times. The record for a [[goalkeeper]] is held by [[David Seaman]], with 563 appearances.<ref name="clubrecords">{{cite web |
url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=The+Club&article=344296&Title=Club+Records |
title=Club Records |
work=Arsenal.com |
accessdate=2007-01-30 }}</ref>
[[Thierry Henry]] is the club's top goalscorer with 226 goals in all competitions between 1999 and 2007 having surpassed [[Ian Wright]]'s total of 185 in October 2005.<ref name="henry">{{cite web |
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/h/henry_22698.stm |
title=Squad profiles: Thierry Henry |
work=BBC Sport |
accessdate=2007-07-04
}}</ref> Wright's record had stood since September 1997, a feat which overtook the longstanding total of 178 goals set by winger [[Cliff Bastin]] in 1939.<ref>{{cite web |
url=http://www.arseweb.com/97-98/reports/130997.html |
title=Arsenal vs Bolton. 13/09/97 |
work=Arseweb |
accessdate=2007-09-24
}}</ref> Henry also holds the club record for goals scored in the League — 174<ref name="henry"/> — a record that had been held by Bastin until February 2006.
Arsenal's record home attendance is 73,707, for a [[UEFA Champions League]] match against [[RC Lens]] on [[November 25]], [[1998]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], where Arsenal formerly played home European matches because of the limits on Highbury's capacity. The record attendance for an Arsenal match at Highbury is 73,295, for a 0–0 draw against [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] on [[9 March]] [[1935]],<ref name="clubrecords"/> while that at [[Emirates Stadium]] is 60,161, for a 2–2 draw with [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] on [[November 3]] [[2007]].<ref>{{cite news
| url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=news&article=483924&lid=fixture_323045&Title=Man+Utd+game+attracts+record+attendance
| title=Man Utd game attracts record attendance
| work=Arsenal.com
| date=[[2007-11-05]]
| accessdate=2007-12-24
}}</ref>
Arsenal have also set records in English football, most notably the most consecutive seasons spent in the top flight (80 as of 2006–07) and the longest run of unbeaten League matches (49 between May 2003 and October 2004). This included all 38 matches of their title-winning [[2003-04 in English football|2003–04]] season, making Arsenal only the second club ever to finish a top-flight campaign unbeaten, after [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]] (who played only 22 matches) in [[1888-89 in English football|1888–89]].<ref name="invincibles"/>
Arsenal also set a UEFA Champions League record during the 2005–06 season by going ten matches without conceding a goal, beating the previous best of seven set by [[A.C. Milan]]. They went a record total stretch of 995 minutes without letting an opponent score; the streak finally ended in the final against [[FC Barcelona]], when [[Samuel Eto'o]] scored Barcelona's equaliser in the 76th minute.<ref name="2006ucl">{{cite news|
url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/history/season=2005/intro.html |
title=Ronaldinho delivers for Barça |
work=UEFA.com |
accessdate=2007-01-30
}}</ref>
==Players==
===Current squad===
''As of [[January 2]], [[2008]].''<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.arsenal.com/squad.asp?thisNav=First+Team
| title=Arsenal Squad 2007/08
| work=Arsenal.com
| accessdate=2007-09-17
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/competitions/ucl/2008/e/e_01_md.pdf
| title=2007/08 UEFA Champions League - Matchweek Stats Pack
| publisher=[[UEFA]]
| date=[[2007-09-16]]
| pages=p.20
| accessdate=2007-09-17
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?article=483715&lid=NewsHeadline%E2%8A%82=Arsenal+announce+squad+for+Carling+Cup
| title=Arsenal announce squad for Carling Cup
| work=Arsenal.com
| date=[[2007-10-31]]
| accessdate=2007-10-31
}}</ref>
{{Fs start}}
<!-- For help using the below template, please see [[Template talk:Football squad player]] -->
{{Fs player | no=1 | nat=Germany | pos=GK | name=[[Jens Lehmann]]}}
{{Fs player | no=2 | nat=France | pos=MF | name=[[Abou Diaby]]}}
{{Fs player | no=3 | nat=France | pos=DF | name=[[Bacary Sagna]]}}
{{Fs player | no=4 | nat=Spain | pos=MF | name=[[Cesc Fàbregas]]}}
{{Fs player | no=5 | nat=Cote d'Ivoire | pos=DF | name=[[Kolo Touré]] | other=[[vice-captain (football)|vice-captain]]}}
{{Fs player | no=6 | nat=Switzerland | pos=DF | name=[[Philippe Senderos]]}}
{{Fs player | no=7 | nat=Czech Republic | pos=MF | name=[[Tomáš Rosický]]}}
{{Fs player | no=8 | nat=France | pos=MF | name=[[Lassana Diarra]]}}
{{Fs player | no=9 | nat=Croatia | pos=FW | name=[[Eduardo Alves da Silva|Eduardo da Silva]]}}
{{Fs player | no=10 | nat=France | pos=DF | name=[[William Gallas]]|other=[[captain (football)|captain]]}}
{{Fs player | no=11 | nat=Netherlands | pos=FW | name=[[Robin van Persie]]}}
{{Fs player | no=13 | nat=Belarus | pos=MF | name=[[Aliaksandr Hleb]]}}
{{Fs player | no=15 | nat=Brazil | pos=MF | name=[[Denílson Pereira Neves|Denílson]]}}
{{Fs player | no=16 | nat=France | pos=MF | name=[[Mathieu Flamini]]}}
{{Fs player | no=17 | nat=Cameroon | pos=MF | name=[[Alexandre Song]] }}
{{Fs player | no=19 | nat=Brazil | pos=MF | name=[[Gilberto Silva]] | other=[[vice-captain (football)|vice-captain]]}}
{{Fs player | no=20 | nat=Switzerland | pos=DF | name=[[Johan Djourou]] }}
{{Fs player | no=21 | nat=Poland | pos=GK | name=[[Łukasz Fabiański]] }}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player | no=22 | nat=France | pos=DF | name=[[Gaël Clichy]]}}
{{Fs player | no=24 | nat=Spain | pos=GK | name=[[Manuel Almunia]]}}
{{Fs player | no=25 | nat=Togo | pos=FW | name=[[Emmanuel Adebayor]]}}
{{Fs player | no=26 | nat=Denmark | pos=FW | name=[[Nicklas Bendtner]] }}
{{Fs player | no=27 | nat=Cote d'Ivoire | pos=DF | name=[[Emmanuel Eboué]]}}
{{Fs player | no=30 | nat=France | pos=DF | name=[[Armand Traoré]]}}
{{Fs player | no=31 | nat=England | pos=DF | name=[[Justin Hoyte]]}}
{{Fs player | no=32 | nat=England | pos=FW | name=[[Theo Walcott]]}}
{{Fs player | no=34 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=[[Kieran Gibbs]]}}
{{Fs player | no=36 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=[[Mark Randall (footballer)|Mark Randall]]}}
{{Fs player | no=37 | nat=England | pos=DF | name=[[Paul Rodgers (footballer)|Paul Rodgers]]}}
{{Fs player | no=39 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=[[Henri Lansbury]]}}
{{Fs player | no=40 | nat=Italy | pos=GK | name=[[Vito Mannone]]}}
{{Fs player | no=41 | nat=England | pos=DF | name=[[Gavin Hoyte]]}}
{{Fs player | no=42 | nat=Spain | pos=MF | name=[[Fran Mérida]]}}
{{Fs player | no=43 | nat=Netherlands | pos=MF | name=[[Nacer Barazite]]}}
{{Fs player | no=–– | nat=England | pos=DF | name=[[Kerrea Gilbert]] }}
{{Fs end}}
===Players out on loan===
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player | no=–– | nat=Brazil | pos=MF | name=[[Pedro Roberto Silva Botelho|Pedro Silva]] | other=at [[UD Salamanca|Salamanca]] until June 2008 }}
{{Fs player | no=–– | nat=England | pos=FW | name=[[Jay Simpson]] | other=at [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]] until May 2008 }}
{{Fs player | no=–– | nat=Netherlands | pos=MF | name=[[Vincent van den Berg]] | other=at [[Go Ahead Eagles]] until June 2008 }}
{{Fs player | no=–– | nat=Mexico | pos=FW | name=[[Carlos Vela]] | other=at [[CA Osasuna|Osasuna]] until June 2008 }}
{{Fs blank column}}
{{Fs end}}
''For recent transfers, see [[List of English football transfers Winter 2007-08]].''
===Reserves and Academy===
{{dablink|See [[Arsenal F.C. Reserves]] and [[Arsenal F.C. Academy]].}}
===Notable players===
{{details|List of Arsenal F.C. players}}
<!-- Do not list players here; any notable players should instead be detailed in the main List of "Arsenal F.C. players" article -->
==Managers==
[[Image:Arsene Wenger.JPG|thumb|right|140px|[[Arsène Wenger]], manager of Arsenal since 1996.]]
''As of [[December 26]], [[2007]]. Only competitive matches are counted.''<ref>Wins, losses and draws are results at the final whistle; the results of [[penalty shoot-out]]s are not counted.</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Name
!rowspan="2"|Nat
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="6"|Record
|-
!P!!W!!D!!L!!F!!A
|-
|align=left|[[Sam Hollis]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|August 1894
|align=left|July 1897
||95||43||14||38||213||181
|-
|align=left|[[Thomas Mitchell (football manager)|Thomas Mitchell]]
|{{flagicon|Scotland}}
|align=left|August 1897
|align=left|March 1898
||26||14||4||8||66||46
|-
|align=left|[[George Elcoat]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|March 1898
|align=left|May 1899
||43||23||6||14||92||55
|-
|align=left|[[Harry Bradshaw]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|August 1899
|align=left|May 1904
||189||96||39||54||329||173
|-
|align=left|[[Phil Kelso]]
|{{flagicon|Scotland}}
|align=left|July 1904
|align=left|February 1908
||151||63||31||57||225||228
|-
|align=left|[[George Morrell]]
|{{flagicon|Scotland}}
|align=left|February 1908
|align=left|May 1915
||294||104||73||117||365||412
|-
|align=left|[[Leslie Knighton]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|May 1919
|align=left|June 1925
||267||92||62||114||330||380
|-
|align=left|[[Herbert Chapman]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|June 1925
|align=left|[[6 January]] [[1934]]
||403||201||97||105||864||598
|-
|align=left|[[Joe Shaw (footballer born 1883)|Joe Shaw]]*
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|[[6 January]] [[1934]]
|align=left|June 1934
||23||14||3||6||44||29
|-
|align=left|[[George Allison]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|June 1934
|align=left|June 1947
||283||131||75||77||543||333
|-
|align=left|[[Tom Whittaker (footballer)|Tom Whittaker]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|June 1947
|align=left|[[24 October]] [[1956]]
||428||202||106||120||797||566
|-
|align=left|[[Jack Crayston]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|[[24 October]] [[1956]]
|align=left|May 1958
||77||33||16||28||142||142
|-
|align=left|[[George Swindin]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|[[21 June]] [[1958]]
|align=left|May 1962
||179||70||43||66||320||320
|-
|align=left|[[Billy Wright (footballer)|Billy Wright]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|May 1962
|align=left|June 1966
||182||70||43||69||336||330
|-
|align=left|[[Bertie Mee]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|June 1966
|align=left|[[4 May]] [[1976]]
||539||241||148||150||739||542
|-
|align=left|[[Terry Neill]]
|{{flagicon|Northern Ireland}}
|align=left|[[9 July]] [[1976]]
|align=left|[[16 December]] [[1983]]
||414||187||117||112||601||446
|-
|align=left|[[Don Howe]]
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|[[16 December]] [[1983]]
|align=left|[[22 March]] [[1986]]
||116||56||32||31||187||142
|-
|align=left|[[Steve Burtenshaw]]*
|{{flagicon|England}}
|align=left|[[23 March]] [[1986]]
|align=left|[[14 May]] [[1986]]
||11||3||2||6||7||15
|-
|align=left|[[George Graham (footballer)|George Graham]]
|{{flagicon|Scotland}}
|align=left|[[14 May]] [[1986]]
|align=left|[[21 February]] [[1995]]
||460||225||133||102||711||403
|-
|align=left|[[Stewart Houston]]*
|{{flagicon|Scotland}}
|align=left|[[21 February]] [[1995]]
|align=left|[[15 June]] [[1995]]
||19||7||3||9||29||25
|-
|align=left|[[Bruce Rioch]]
|{{flagicon|Scotland}}
|align=left|[[15 June]] [[1995]]
|align=left|[[12 August]] [[1996]]
||47||22||15||10||67||37
|-
|align=left|[[Stewart Houston]]*
|{{flagicon|Scotland}}
|align=left|[[12 August]] [[1996]]
|align=left|[[15 September]] [[1996]]
||6||2||2||2||11||10
|-
|align=left|[[Pat Rice]]*
|{{flagicon|Northern Ireland}}
|align=left|[[16 September]] [[1996]]
|align=left|[[30 September]] [[1996]]
||4||3||0||1||10||4
|-
|align=left|[[Arsène Wenger]]<ref>Wenger's statistics include the [[FA Cup]] match played against [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]] on [[February 13]] [[1999]]; Arsenal won 2–1 but the match was replayed following a controversy about the winning goal.</ref>
|{{flagicon|France}}
|align=left|[[1 October]] [[1996]]<ref>Although Wenger's appointment was announced before Arsenal's match against [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] on [[September 28]] [[1996]], Pat Rice remained in charge of the first team for that game and Wenger did not officially take over until [[October 1]]. Reference: {{cite web
| url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=418750&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Wenger+1996+to+2006:+the+French+evolutionary
| title=Wenger 1996 to 2006: the French evolutionary
| author=Clarke, Richard
| work=Arsenal.com
| date=2006
| accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref>
|align=left|''Present''
||645||372||160||113||1166||581
|}
''Note:'' Managers marked with a star (*) had the role of [[caretaker manager]].
==Honours==
{{details|Arsenal F.C. seasons}}
* '''[[Football League First Division|First Division]] and [[Premier League]]'''<ref name="divisions">Up until 1992, the top division of [[Football in England|English football]] was the [[Football League First Division]]; since then, it has been the [[Premier League]]. Similarly until 1992, the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] was the second tier of league football, which is now known as [[Football League Championship|The Championship]]</ref>
:''Winners (13):'' [[1930-31 in English football|1930–31]], [[1932-33 in English football|1932–33]], [[1933-34 in English football|1933–34]], [[1934-35 in English football|1934–35]], [[1937-38 in English football|1937–38]], [[1947-48 in English football|1947–48]], [[1952-53 in English football|1952–53]], [[1970-71 in English football|1970–71]], [[1988-89 in English football|1988–89]], [[1990-91 in English football|1990–91]], [[FA Premier League 1997-98|1997–98]], [[FA Premier League 2001-02|2001–02]], [[FA Premier League 2003-04|2003–04]]
:''Runners-up (8):'' [[1925-26 in English football|1925–26]], [[1931-32 in English football|1931–32]], [[1972-73 in English football|1972–73]], [[1998-99 in English football|1998–99]], [[1999-2000 in English football|1999–2000]], [[2000-01 in English football|2000–01]], [[2002-03 in English football|2002–03]], [[2004-05 in English football|2004–05]]
* '''[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]'''<ref name="divisions"/>
:''Runners-up (1):'' [[1903-04 in English football|1903–04]]
* '''[[FA Cup]]'''
:''Winners (10):'' [[1929-30 in English football|1929–30]], [[1935-36 in English football|1935–36]], [[1949-50 in English football|1949–50]], [[1970-71 in English football|1970–71]], [[1978-79 in English football|1978–79]], [[1992-93 in English football|1992–93]], [[1997-98 in English football|1997–98]], [[2001-02 in English football|2001–02]], [[2002-03 in English football|2002–03]], [[2004-05 in English football|2004–05]]
:''Runners-up (7):'' [[1926-27 in English football|1926–27]], [[1931-32 in English football|1931–32]], [[1951-52 in English football|1951–52]], [[1971-72 in English football|1971–72]], [[1977-78 in English football|1977–78]], [[1979-80 in English football|1979–80]], [[2000-01 in English football|2000–01]]
* '''[[Football League Cup|League Cup]]'''
:''Winners (2):'' [[1986-87 in English football|1986–87]], [[1992-93 in English football|1992–93]]
:''Runners-up (4):'' [[1967-68 in English football|1967–68]], [[1968-69 in English football|1968–69]], [[1987-88 in English football|1987–88]], [[2006-07 in English football|2006–07]]
* '''Charity Shields and [[Community Shield]]s'''<ref>The trophy was known as the Charity Shield until 2002, and as the Community Shield since then.</ref>
:''Winners (12):'' [[1930-31 in English football|1930]], [[1931-32 in English football|1931]], [[1933-34 in English football|1933]], [[1934-35 in English football|1934]], [[1938-39 in English football|1938]], [[1948-49 in English football|1948]], [[1953-54 in English football|1953]], [[1991-92 in English football|1991]] (shared), [[1998-99 in English football|1998]], [[1999-00 in English football|1999]], [[2002-03 in English football|2002]], [[2004-05 in English football|2004]]
:''Runners-up (7):'' [[1935-36 in English football|1935]], [[1936-37 in English football|1936]], [[1979-80 in English football|1979]], [[1989-90 in English football|1989]], [[1993-94 in English football|1993]], [[2003-04 in English football|2003]], [[2005-06 in English football|2005]]
* '''[[UEFA Champions League]]'''
:''Runners-up (1):'' [[UEFA Champions League 2005-06|2005–06]]
* '''[[Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners' Cup]]'''
:''Winners (1):'' [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1993-94|1993–94]]
:''Runners-up (2):'' [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1979-80|1979–80]], [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1994-95|1994–95]]
* '''[[Inter-Cities Fairs Cup]] / [[UEFA Cup]]'''
:''Winners (1):'' [[Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1969-70|1969–70]]
:''Runners-up (1):'' [[UEFA Cup 1999-00|1999–2000]]
* '''[[UEFA Super Cup]]'''
:''Runners-up (1):'' [[1994 UEFA Super Cup|1994]]
Arsenal's tally of thirteen League Championships is the third highest in English football, after [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]],<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engchamp.html#sall
| title=England - List of Champions
| work=RSSSF
| accessdate=2007-12-27
}}</ref> while the total of ten FA Cups is the second highest, after Manchester United.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engcuphist.html#sall
| title=England FA Challenge Cup Finals
| work=RSSSF
| accessdate=2007-12-27
}}</ref> Arsenal have achieved three League and FA Cup "[[The Double|Doubles]]" (in 1971, 1998 and 2002), a joint record shared with Manchester United,<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/doublerec.html#coun
| title=Doing the Double: Countrywise Records
| work=RSSSF
| accessdate=2007-12-27
}}</ref> and were the first side in English football to complete the FA Cup and League Cup double in 1993.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.krysstal.com/multiple.html
| title=Football : Multiple Trophy Winners
| work=KryssTal
| accessdate=2007-12-27
}}</ref> They were also the first [[London]] football club to reach the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2006.<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=the+club&article=357268&lid=History&Title=Arsenal+Facts
| title=Arsenal Facts
| work=Arsenal.com
| accessdate=2007-12-27 }}</ref>
Arsenal have one of the best top-flight records in history, having finished below fourteenth only seven times. Arsenal also have the highest average league finishing position for the period 1900–1999, with an average league placing of 8.5.<ref>{{cite news
| title=Arsenal: Team of the Century 1900–1999
| author=Hodgson, Guy
| work=The Independent
| date=January 2000 }} Archive copy available at: {{cite web |
| title=Arsenal: Team of the Century 1900–1999
| url=http://arseweb.com/99-00/century.html
| work=Arseweb
| accessdate=2006-12-08
}}</ref> In addition, they are one of only five clubs to have won the FA Cup twice in succession, in [[2002 FA Cup Final|2002]] and [[2003 FA Cup Final|2003]].<ref>{{cite web
| title=English FA Cup Trivia
| url=http://www.phespirit.info/football/english_fa_cup_trivia.htm
| work=phespirit.info
| accessdate=2008-01-01
}}</ref>
==Footnotes==
{{reflist|2}}
==Further reading==
*{{cite book |
author=[[Nick Hornby|Hornby, Nick]] |
title=[[Fever Pitch]] |
publisher=Indigo |
year=1992 |
id=ISBN 1-84018-900-2}}
*{{cite book |
author=Maidment, Jem |
title=The Official Arsenal Encyclopedia |
publisher=Hamlyn |
year=2006 |
id=ISBN 0-600-61549-1 }}
*{{cite book |
author=Soar, Phil & Tyler, Martin |
title=The Official Illustrated History of Arsenal |
publisher=Hamlyn |
year=2000 |
id=ISBN 0-600-60175-7}}
*{{cite book |
author=Spurling, Jon |
title=Rebels for the Cause: The Alternative History of Arsenal Football Club |
publisher=Mainstream |
year=2004 |
id=ISBN 0-575-40015-3}}
==External links==
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{{Spoken Wikipedia|Arsenal_FC.ogg|2007-04-15}}
{{commonscat|Arsenal F.C.}}
{{wikinewscat|Arsenal F.C.}}
;Official websites
* [http://www.arsenal.com/ Arsenal.com] Official club website
* [http://www.premierleague.com/page/arsenal/0,,12306~1072252,00.html Arsenal] at the [[Premier League]] official website
* [http://www.uefa.com/footballEurope/Club=52280/competition=1/index.html Arsenal] at the [[UEFA]] official website
;General fan sites
* [http://www.arseweb.com/ Arseweb]
* [http://www.arsenal-mania.com/ Arsenal-Mania]
* [http://www.arsenal-world.co.uk/ Arsenal World]
* [http://www.arsenal-land.co.uk/ Arsenal Land]
;News sites
{{BBC football info|a/arsenal|Arsenal}}
* [http://www.skysports.com/football/team/0,,11670,00.html Arsenal news] from [[Sky Sports]]
;Fanzines
* ''[http://www.upthearse.net/ Up the Arse!]''
* ''[http://www.onlinegooner.com/ The Gooner]''
{{fb start}}
{{Arsenal F.C.}}
{{FA Premier League}}
{{Champions League 2007-08}}
{{G14}}
{{fb end}}
{{featured article}}
[[Category:Arsenal F.C.| ]]
[[Category:English football clubs]]
[[Category:Sport in London]]
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[[pt:Arsenal Football Club]]
[[ro:Arsenal F.C.]]
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[[sk:Arsenal F.C.]]
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[[uk:Арсенал (Лондон)]]
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