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Stagione 7

The Hill Woods and the Bracewell-Smiths [Nov 2024]

In the latest history pod, Tim gives an oral history of Arsenal FC's stewardship from 1927, when Henry Norris is banned from football, to 2007 when KSE become involved. This is a story of two families, the Hill-Woods and the Bracewell-Smiths. Tim talks through their respective involvements in the club, how they used their connections from other industries and passed shareholdings and titles down their respective family trees and some of the key trigger points of their reigns.

Arsenal in the 80s [Dec 2024]

On this history episode of the Arsenal Vision Post Match Pod Podcast, Tim talks to author, football historian and Arsenal fan Jon Spurling about Arsenal in the 1980s. Tim and Jon talk through Arsenal’s trajectory from a club down on its luck struggling to hold onto key players at the beginning of the decade, to winning the title with an exciting young team by the end. Tim and Jon talk about some of the off pitch elements too such as hooliganism, the TV blackout and the arrival of David Dein in 1983 and how he changed Arsenal’s ambition, as well as the reigns of Terry Neill, Don Howe and George Graham.

The History of the Arsenal Programme [Jun 2025]

In this history pod, Tim gives an oral history of the Arsenal programme, from the first recorded programmes in 1890- which were poems produced by a fan- to the club's main and only corporate voice. How a programme editor went on to manage the club to multiple league titles, how a programme editor gave the club its 'Victoria Concordia Crescit' motto in the 1940s, the evolution of the purpose and voice of the match day programme, how it has adapted to the digital era and some of the more contentious messaging printed in its pages over the last 100 years or so.

1919 and All That: Arsenal Are Elected to the First Division [Jul 2025]

In this history pod, Tim is joined by Arsenal historian and author Andy Kelly to talk about the election to expand the First Division in 1919 when Arsenal were promoted and Tottenham demoted by the vote. Andy talks about the post First World War picture and why the top flight expanded, the preceding match fixing scandal between Liverpool and Manchester United and the politics behind the vote (aka, why teams voted for Arsenal and not Spurs). Andy also comprehensively debunks inaccuracies that have subsequently grown up about potential corruption in the vote which are totally contradicted by Andy’s research from contemporary sources. Tim and Andy also talk about where these inaccuracies originated from and how they took hold. [ Original Title: 1919 and all that: Arsenal are elected to the First Division. Tottenham are not. What’s not to love? ]

The Story of the 1970-71 Double [Jul 2025]

In this history pod, Tim talks about how Arsenal won the 1970-71 League and FA Cup double, becoming only the second team to achieve the double in the 20th century. Tim sets the context for Arsenal enduring over a decade of mediocrity in the mid-50s and 1960s, English football’s more competitive, egalitarian model, Arsenal’s struggles with status anxiety due to the shadow of those dominant teams of the 1930s. Then Tim moves on to Arsenal appointing their physio Bertie Mee as manager to instill discipline into a talented side, as well as key figures like Don Howe, Frank McLintock, Charlie George and how Arsenal were more than the sum of their parts. There is also the crucial context of losing League Cup Finals in 1968 and 1969 and winning the Fairs Cup in 1970 and how McLintock, Mee and Howe forged a steely team spirit that would become their biggest strength.

Arsenal During the Second World War [Jul 2025]

In this history episode, Tim talks about the situation for Arsenal during the Second World War from 1939 until 1945. Tim covers the beginning of the 1939-40 season which was quickly suspended as war was declared on Germany, Highbury being requisitioned for the war effort as an air raid shelter, how the Football League reorganised competitions during hostilities and some of the strange games that happened during that period when Arsenal used White Hart Lane as their home ground. Tim also focuses on the 42 members of staff that served in the war and the nine that died in service, the bombing of Islington in 1941 and how it destroyed much of Highbury and then the immediate ramifications for the club and the game as a whole as football emerged from the war in 1946-47.

George Eastham Sticks It To The Man [Jul 2025]

In this history pod, Tim talks about Arsenal player from 1960-66 and England World Cup winner George Eastham. Eastham’s transfer to Arsenal from Newcastle in 1960 was one of the most controversial in English football history as he went on strike for over a year to secure it. His contract at Newcastle had expired but this was during the ‘retain and transfer’ era when clubs owned player registrations indefinitely. Eastham went on strike and sold cork for a year to secure the move. Then he took Newcastle to court to end the ‘retain and transfer’ system which changed football transfers forever, giving players leverage and agency over their own futures. Eastham was also one of the first players to request a pay rise when the maximum wage was abolished in 1961. After his career, he moved to South Africa and defied apartheid to coach young Black children.

The North Bank Highbury [Jul 2025]

In this history episode Tim gives a history of the North Bank, Highbury, from its modest roots to its days as ‘The Laundry End’ the home of Arsenal’s local, working class support and how it began to reflect immigration into Islington after the Second World War, the baby boomers of the 1960s and the birth of stadium atmosphere and fashions, through into the hooligan era and the infamous game against West Ham in 1982 that convinced Arsenal to get rid of perimeter fencing. Then Tim talks through its reconstruction after the Taylor Report and pricing changing due to the bond scheme, as well as some of the famous moments in front of the stand courtesy of Jon Sammels, Ian Wright, Tony Adams and Thierry Henry.

George Allison [Sep 2025]

In this history pod, Tim talks about legendary Arsenal manager George Allison, who oversaw two league titles and an FA Cup and also provided a steady hand on the tiller for the club during the Second World War and took over shortly after the unexpected death of Herbert Chapman. Tim considers Allison's curious legacy given that his background and prominence was in journalism and he left the coaching of the team to Chapman's trusted lieutenants. Tim also considers his PR and media legacy for the club, some of the big transfers Allison oversaw as well as the famous 1939 film 'The Arsenal Stadium Mystery.'

1930: Do You Remember The First Time? [Oct 2025]

In this history episode, Tim tells the story of Arsenal's first ever major silverware in the shape of the 1930 FA Cup. The significance of the final pitting the all conquering Huddersfield team Herbert Chapman built against the all conquering Arsenal side he was building, the importance of signing Alex James and Cliff Bastin in the summer of 1929, how Chapman made Huddersfield the finest team in the country, the traditions the 1930 Final gave birth to, as well as an unexpected visitor at Wembley that afternoon... [ Original Title: Do You Remember The First Time? (The story of Arsenal's first ever major silverware in 1930) ]

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