November 5 – Mind the Gap
IF you had to pin down Arsenal’s current position at the sharp end of football to just two men, one would have the be Arsene Wenger. The other, without a doubt would be Herbert Chapman.
Chapman was even more revolutionary in his day than Wenger has been in his, and Herb took what modern management guru’s would term ‘a global approach’ to running the club.
One of the early game’s great innovators, Chapman’s management extended far beyond the pitch or training ground to every facet of the club and he is the man behind many of the practices in the game today.
Numbers on the back of players’ shirts and night games played under floodlights were both Chapman initiatives in the wider game, and his legacy at Arsenal is far-reaching.
He was personally involved in the design of Highbury stadium, including the famous clock and he gave the Gunners their white sleeves and hooped socks, as well as having a hand in the design of the club crest.
It is one thing influencing things in your own club, but it was on this day in 1932 that Chapman went one better when he persuaded London Electric Railway to rename Gillespie Road Underground Station in honour of the club.
The station became Arsenal (Highbury Hill) in 1932, with the Highbury Hill suffix dropped in 1960 and the original name of Gillespie Road still adorns the internal tunnels of the station.
Although the Gunners have now moved home, Arsenal station is still used by many fans as The Emirates stadium is only 500 yards away.
The station is on the Piccadilly Line and is the only one in the network to be named after a football club.
Here is a a little look at some of Herb Chapman’s achievements and come back tomorrow to see which manager was starting a new job at a rather big club back in the eighties.
No related posts.
Loading ...3 Comments
December 14 - Villa 1 Drake 7 | On This Football Day on December 14th, 2008
[...] Drake was one of his era’s superstars. He began his career at Winchester City, where he supplemented his Saturday afternoons with work as a gas-meter reader. After missing a trial match for Spurs with an injury he signed for Southampton and in less than two seasons he scored 48 goals for Saints, before copping an admiring glance from innovative Arsenal boss Herbert Chapman. [...]
February 11 - JFK | On This Football Day on February 11th, 2009
[...] ended up with Kinnear – he seemed so out of touch it’s a wonder he didn’t enquire about Herbert Chapman or Walter [...]
October 17 - Cash in the Attic | On This Football Day on October 17th, 2008
[...] financial problems which required the chairman to bail the club out, Herbert Chapman was hired to manage the club. He had spent five years managing Northampton Town, and immediately [...]