Arsenal anniversaries 3 October: Arsenal’s worst ever experience in Europe

Details of some of our other series are given at the end of the anniversaries

Today’s headline anniversary comes from 1979

3 October 1896: Arsenal played their second game in the United League – a 2-2 home draw against Luton Town – with a not insignificant crowd of 8000 – very high for the United League.

3 October 1903: There was 20,000 in the crowd for the Man U home game on this date, compared with 1,000 for the next away game (at Glossop)!  Arsenal won 4-0, making it 21 goals for and 0 against in the first five games of the season.

110 years ago today…

3 October 1914: Arsenal were away to Leeds City (managed by Herbert Chapman)  and secured a 2-2 draw with 12,000 in the crowd.  One of the earliest meetings between Chapman and Henry Norris and quite possibly the start of the friendship that led to Chapman eventually becoming Arsenal’s manager.

3 October 1917: Eddie Carr born. At 17 he signed as an amateur for Arsenal, going first to the Margate nursery club, and turning professional in time for the start of the 1936/7 season.

3 October 1925: Arsenal lost 0-7 to Newcastle.  0-6 down at half time Chapman changed tactics – but the introduction of WM did not happen at this point as Buchan suggested in his autobiog.  This was the third 0-7 defeat for Arsenal in the first division – and certainly the one with the most implications.  Buchan’s 1st signing   Transforming WM.

3 October 1931: Arsenal lost to Grimsby 3-1 – one of the shocks of the season – it was only the second time 1st division Grimsby had ever beaten Arsenal. Lambert got Arsenal’s goal and 17,840 turned up to witness the event.  The only relief for Arsenal fans was that Tottenham lost 4-2 to Chesterfield.

3 October 1936: 79th and final league appearance of Pat Beasley v Man Utd. He was signed by Chapman but missed out on honours.  However he played in the cup final of 1938 for Huddersfield, and guested for Arsenal during the war.  See also here.

3 October 1958: Jackie Henderson signed from Wolverhampton for £17,500.  Wolverhampton hardly used him as they became champions and soon sold him on at a profit.

3 October 1958: John Snedden joined as an amateur from Bonnyvale Star Juniors.   Turning pro a few months after joining he started his career on 16 January 1960 in a game away to Tottenham, his only game of that season.

3 October 1970: On the way to the double Kennedy scored his first hattrick as Arsenal beat Nottm Forest 4-0 in match 11 of the first Double season.  The start of a 14 match unbeaten run.

3 October 1972: John Roberts’ final game, in the league cup v Rotherham. He later featured for Wrexham and Hull City and finally for non-league Oswestry Town.   He subsequently went on to work as a stationery salesman and as a driving instructor.

3 October 1979: Arsenal drew 0-0 away to Fenerbahce.  Thousands spent the night shouting abuse in front of Arsenal’s hotel, Fans also ambushed Arsenal’s coach to stop Arsenal training on the pitch, armed troops faced the crowd, riot police protected the dug out during the game.  Arsenal played it cool despite pitch invasions and everyone got out alive.

3 October 1989: Arsenal beat Plymouth 6-1 away in the League Cup in front of 17,360.  Thomas (3), Smith, Groves and OG.   Having beaten Plymouth 2-0 at Highbury, Arsenal went on to beat Liverpool before losing to Oldham.

3 October 1995: At this time league cup second round matches were played over two legs to help maximise income for lower league teams.  Having beaten Harlepool 0-3 away Arsenal on this day beat them again 5-0.  Wright got three, Bergkamp got two.

3 October 1999: The run of three victories through September was disrupted by an away defeat to WHU.  Vieira confronted Ruddock and was subsequently charged, banned for six matches and fined a record £45,000 by the FA.  He apologised in a very personal commentary about his family and his brother.

3 October 2012: Arsenal beat Olympiakos in the champions league 3-1.

10 Years Ago Today

3 October 2014: Brian Mcdermott returned to Arsenal after being sacked by Leeds as manager and joined the scouting team, as assistant to the chief scout.   He later re-joined Reading as manager, and it is noted that shortly after being sacked as Reading manager in 2013, McDermott was filmed performing an acoustic version of Bob Dylan song Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door at a karaoke pub.  He remained in the role as chief scout at Arsenal until the club announced a round of redundancies in August 2020.

3 October 2019: Having beaten Eintracht Frankfurt 0-3 away in the first game in the Europa league, Arsenal now went one better and beat Standard Liege 4-0 with goals from Martinelli (2), Ceballos, and Willock.

One year ago today

3 October 2023: Arsenal suffered the first defeat of the season, 2–1 away to Lens in the Champions League after being late arriving due to a flight delay of over five hours due to bad weather.

The 1919 Affair:  How Arsenal were promoted to the first division – the only complete and detailed history of Arsenal’s election.

Henry Norris at the Arsenal: There is a full index to the series here correcting 100 years of rumour and false allegations.

Arsenal in the 1930s:The most comprehensive series on the decade ever

Arsenal in the 1970s:Every match and every intrigue reviewed in detail.