Arsenal vs Rangers history

[djaxster]

I was speaking to an older work collegue who is a gooner, about this weekends game against Rangers a few weeks back and he told me that he was surpised that Arsenal agreed to let Rangers in the Emirates Cup.
He explained that back in the day 80's that Rangers were playing us at Highbury, he couldn't remember if it was a friendly or a european game, and that they trashed Highbury really bad causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Now i cannot remember that but i know we have a strong and friendly link with Celtic so did this happen because of that?
Can Se13 or other older gooners let me know if this did happen and why have we then invited them to this years Tourney?

[absolutely_fabregas]

id hazard a guess that the gers fans were not from glasgow...

[cescpistol]

there is a good chance that after the emirates cup this weekend that rangers may be banned from playing in england again. you honestly can't take rangers fans (as a group) anywhere and that includes scotland.

[djaxster]

Don;t know anything about it Abs. I know that Rangers share a link with Chelksi and Spurts so maybe they all got together and tried to run us.. But did it happen?

[absolutely_fabregas]

there is a good chance that after the emirates cup this weekend that rangers may be banned from playing in england again. you honestly can't take rangers fans (as a group) anywhere and that includes scotland.

bullshit.

[absolutely_fabregas]

rangers have been in europe for as long as arsenal and have never been banned as far as i know

[Goose]

Yeah I read a while back that Rangers were banned by Arsenal from Highbury due to violence and vandalism

[Libertine]

He explained that back in the day 80's that Rangers were playing us at Highbury, he couldn't remember if it was a friendly or a european game, and that they trashed Highbury really bad causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Now i cannot remember that but i know we have a strong and friendly link with Celtic so did this happen because of that?

The game your mate is on about was Jack Kelsey's testimonial in 1963.
Arsenal and Rangers fans had running battles in the North Bank.
Dennis Hill-Wood (Peter's dad) said after the game that he wouldn't be inviting Rangers to play at Highbury again.

Sammy Nelson had his testimonial in 1980. He wanted Rangers as the opposition but was told he couldn't, so he chose Celtic instead.
Celtic fans burnt a Union flag, sang anti-English songs and it kicked off in the Clockend.
Dennis Hill-Wood then announced that Celtic would no longer be welcome at Highbury.

Celtic were allowed back for David O'Leary's testimonial in 1986 (due to his brother Pierce being the Celtic captain) and there was no bother in the ground, although their was a huge fight between the fans out by the Highbury Barn.

Paul Davis had Celtic down for his testimonial in 1991, Nigel Winterburn had Rangers as his opponents in 1999 and Tony Adams chose Celtic for his second testimonial in 2002.
Rangers have been invited down this year as it's their turn.

As Dennis Hill-Wood once said: "We like to invite them alternately, it keeps them on their toes."
We have no stronger link to one team or the other.

I hope that clears things up........

[Libertine]

there is a good chance that after the emirates cup this weekend that rangers may be banned from playing in england again. you honestly can't take rangers fans (as a group) anywhere and that includes scotland.

bullshit.

I agree with Ab-Fab.
Rangers record of violence in Europe is no worse than Arsenal's.

[djaxster]

He explained that back in the day 80's that Rangers were playing us at Highbury, he couldn't remember if it was a friendly or a european game, and that they trashed Highbury really bad causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Now i cannot remember that but i know we have a strong and friendly link with Celtic so did this happen because of that?

The game your mate is on about was Jack Kelsey's testimonial in 1963.
Arsenal and Rangers fans had running battles in the North Bank.
Dennis Hill-Wood (Peter's dad) said after the game that he wouldn't be inviting Rangers to play at Highbury again.

Sammy Nelson had his testimonial in 1980. He wanted Rangers as the opposition but was told he couldn't, so he chose Celtic instead.
Celtic fans burnt a Union flag, sang anti-English songs and it kicked off in the Clockend.
Dennis Hill-Wood then announced that Celtic would no longer be welcome at Highbury.

Celtic were allowed back for David O'Leary's testimonial in 1986 (due to his brother Pierce being the Celtic captain) and there was no bother in the ground, although their was a huge fight between the fans out by the Highbury Barn.

Paul Davis had Celtic down for his testimonial in 1991, Nigel Winterburn had Rangers as his opponents in 1999 and Tony Adams chose Celtic for his second testimonial in 2002.
Rangers have been invited down this year as it's their turn.

As Dennis Hill-Wood once said: "We like to invite them alternately, it keeps them on their toes."
We have no stronger link to one team or the other.

I hope that clears things up........

Thanks Libs great piece. Sammy Nelson was one of my first Arse idols when i started to support them. That Paul Davis one i remember working as a shoe repairer at charing x underground and me and my boss were going to go but the celtic fans were kicking off on the streets so he decided not to go.
I always thought we were linked to Celtic as i have an arsenal/celtic hat from the 80's

[She_Gunner_Wales]

Thanks for that Libs, great account, something i wasnt aware of.
As they say learn something new everyday.

[SE13]

The game your mate is on about was Jack Kelsey's testimonial in 1963.

So pleased you can remember it, personally I wasn't alive then........

[Libertine]

The game your mate is on about was Jack Kelsey's testimonial in 1963.

So pleased you can remember it, personally I wasn't alive then........

Nor me you cheeky git!

[Libertine]

I always thought we were linked to Celtic as i have an arsenal/celtic hat from the 80's

Them hats were all the rage in the mid 80's.
One of my mates still has 4 of them in his loft (Arsenal/Rangers, Arsenal/Celtic, Arsenal/Aberdeen and Arsenal/Hearts).

[SE13]

The game your mate is on about was Jack Kelsey's testimonial in 1963.

So pleased you can remember it, personally I wasn't alive then........

Nor me you cheeky git!

He says as I glance at quote of the month at the top of the forum.....

Them hats were all the rage in the mid 80's.
One of my mates still has 4 of them in his loft (Arsenal/Rangers, Arsenal/Celtic, Arsenal/Aberdeen and Arsenal/Hearts).

I had an Arsenal/Dundee United one. It's probably still among my memorabilia collection in my parents loft.