• Arts & Entertainment
• Issue 1

8 May 1971. The venue: Wembley. FA Cup final day. Lying on his backside, arms in the air, Charlie George's celebration is still fondly remembered by football lovers around the world to this day.

His goal in the second-half of extra-time sealed a historic first double (First Division, FA Cup) for Arsenal and a place in the hearts of his North-London fans. "Everybody dreams of scoring the winning goal in the Cup final," says Charlie. "It's the biggest buzz you'll ever get. For 30 seconds, it was better than sex and I can't even remember what that was like." 

Thirty six years on, Charlie George still roams the corridors of Arsenal's glitzy new arena, as part of the club's ‘Legends Tour' at the new Emirates Stadium. The lad from Islington may have left Arsenal after a dispute with the club's management in 1975, but his heart never left N5. "I am an Arsenal fanatic," he admits. "They will always be my first club."

The 56-year-old enters one of the many marble halls in the new Emirates stadium to greet the group for a tour of the new stadium.

"Cheer up everybody," he shouts.  George leads the group on with the same swagger that skillfully brough him past lumbering defenders of the pre-Arsene Wenger age.

The Arsenal blazer gives him a pompous air, but there is nothing pretentious about the man. His enthusiasm is contagious. You can read the light in his eyes, the flame that has burnt for his passion for football ever since he attended matches on the North Bank at Highbury, Arsenal's old and venerated stadium, now ibeing developed into swanky flats.

He remembers joining Arsenal as an apprentice in 1966 as one of his proudest achievements. "It was an unbelievable feeling. The club used to pay my mum £15 a fortnight to look after me." 

As we sit in the Gunners' state-of-the-art changing room complete with physio room and spa, the modern footballer is the recipient of his wit. "Back in the Highbury days, we'd all go in the same bath with a cup of tea and a fag," he says. "A couple of months ago, the players complained that the benches were too hard so Mr Wenger got the club to install cushions for them," he adds, with a wry smile.

In the era of multi-millionaire superstars like David Beckham and Ronaldinho, Charlie thinks his fellow footballers of the seventies were underpaid."In 1971, the total earnings for our 16-man squad amounted to £425,000," he recalls. "Thierry Henry earns that in a month."

However, the man is not bitter. "As long as they are good enough, I have no qualms about players earning thousands a week. Good luck to them."

Never short of a few priceless remarks, he aims some choice words at Arsenal's bitter rivals, Tottenham Hotspur. "Did you see they actually beat us this season? (Arsenal have finished above Tottenham every year since the 1994-95 season). They won pitch of the season. They should have with all the shit they have on it."

Chelsea, two-time winners of the Premiership in the last three seasons, aren't spared any of George's witty insights. "Their history goes back four years. They are not a big club. If Roman Abramovich hadn't bought them, they would have gone into liquidation."
A very English cup of tea and biscuits follow the informal questions and answer session. One last question: "Who would you rather see join the club in the summer?" The answer is unequivocal: "Samuel Eto'o".
Once a striker, always a striker.