I predict the lowest ever attandence at a first team fixture tomorrow night - maybe as low as the 4544 at Highbury in 1966 vs Leeds. I was just out of this picture on the right.

Hey Rog - how the hell are you?

Quite often recently, it's been quite difficult to get on here. I get this message:

Yeah - I saw that one too. I will look into it again over the weekend.
I have a funeral to go to now. A very close musician friend of 30 years passed away at only 62. ;-(

No chance DHD. I can see there being around ten times that as there's so much to play for.

You have to feel a bit sorry for Roy Pack, DHD. As a young local lad joining Arsenal in the early '60s, he must have dreamed of donning the shirt at Highbury for a couple of decades to come, before fifty or sixty thousand excited fans week in, week out. Instead, his one and only appearance for the club in 1966 was in front of a crowd that Enfield FC wouldn't have been thrilled about. And that was it. Weeks later, he was transferred to Portsmouth. A cruel sport.

Interesting picture.

You might find this interesting. I'm inclined to say that Gatting's innings shades it ... the SA attack at Kingmead was formidable but not nearly as fearsome at THAT Windies attack. I'd also put a couple of Lara innings above it. But its up there ...

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... nings-ever

We'll never know what tonight's crowd is. The attendance that's announced will include 40,000 season tickets but I'd guess that only 10% will actually be there.

Certainly was a stunning knock, not least for the way he farmed the bowling. I thought your guys missed a trick or two but that takes very little away from Perera.

Blimey - that's some shout, McQ. I don't recall Roy Pack at all. Stoke Newington boy as well. I must've seen him in the stiffs - I went to all those as well.

I have the Leeds programme somewhere - but I've no idea where.

And whatever happens in the rest of his career, Perera was a god-like for a couple of hours that day.

The number 11, Vishwa Fernando, who supported him so courageously, has picked up where he left off. He's bowling beautifully this morning and has already clean bowled Elgar and Amla. SA 33 for 3.

He was my fave player after Cesc, too bad he turned out to be a Judas. Oh what might have been had he stayed healthy...and if Wenger had made the team more competitive...

I'd never heard of Roy Pack either, DHD, but your post got me into research mode! Players who only started one league game for Arsenal - now there's an elite group.

I think in 2014 Roy won an Arsenal in the Community award for his voluntary work on the Imagine Your Goals programme.

We won't know for sure how many are in the ground but I think it'll be fairly obvious if there's around 55k empty seats. There would have been many fewer, I reckon, had we comfortably won the first leg to make tonights game academic. But I think there's now too much resting on it for somewhere around 9 out of every 10 seats to be empty..

I'm not sure many give a rat's arse about tonight's game, delicately poised though it may be. And a bloody 17:55 kick-off time? I count myself fortunate that I finally managed to give my tickets away - took a bit of trying, believe me.

I was in NYC at one of the early "soccer bars" in Manhattan during this game. Left a business meeting, risking trouble from my boss but I had to see it.

I never realized till looking at it now, how much Henry did for this goal. In the same category to the meandering runs he had vs, Liverpool in 2004 and vs Tottenham.

Thanks, Hoy, that's great. I love the idea of a one-game player from 1966 still being close to the club.

A few edits and that could be re-titled "Arsenal poor finishing 2010-11". Vela contriving to miss a sitter then tripping over his own feet is classic

After a little research myself I was surprised to discover that Andy Cole only made two substitute appearances for us. I was sure he'd made some starts!

My condolences, Rog.

I checked Andy Cole as well, brom! I was at the Charity Shield match against Tottenham in 1991, when he came on as a late sub. He hit a shot into the side netting, and among a few thousand others I thought it had gone in and briefly went mental. Of course, the game ended 0-0. Over the years I've occasionally wondered whether his career at Highbury might have gone a bit differently with a Wembley winner against Spurs on his CV.

I remember that moment too, now you've reminded me McQ. He's definitely one that got away.

No it wouldn’t have made the blindest bit of difference.

He was caught going through the players suit pockets at half time taking stuff during a league match shortly after this and folklore has it the club put it to a vote amongst the players wether he should be sacked or kept on and the players voted to get rid of him which seems a little harsh but understandable. He was then sold. Pretty much all arsenal fans know this story well and next Kevin Campbell came through and that was that.

I remember that night well, but wasn’t there.

Amazing to see the crowd scene. It looks like 100 years ago. Not many replica shirts there.

Seems an unusually early start tonight. Maybe I just didn't notice but usually these matches seem to start around quarter to 8 or so local time.

Clashed with Chelsea’s game. Hence the move. Apparently UEFA wanted us to start at 17:00 !

I think it's because UEFA rules preclude the possibility of two games kicking off at the same time in the same city. Tossers. Clearly never heard of (or don't care about) a normal Saturday's fixture list. I think that because Chelsea have more brownie points than us in UEFA's wanky order of merit, they get to choose the normal English evening kick-off time while we start at a time most people will still be at work. Noswocs.

Bloody hell! Özil is playing.

....he still has time to do a runny poo.

...or break a fingernail.

Yes but Lichsteiner though

I know. Glad it's a back 4 but would've preferred anyone but him at right back.

Plenty of empty seats but a few more than 4,544 in.

Early goal, perfect start.

Mooooossssstttaffffiii 2-0. I've always liked him

BATE are so poor, god knows how we managed to lose the first game.

We very nearly conceded this evening. We will need another goal.

Yes, until we get a 3rd it's a bit precarious.
Kos off, let's hope it's just a precaution and nothing that'll keep him out.

Hleb on. Good player he was.
And Sokratis is back 3-0

Agreed. Decent turnout considering.

Well that’s a win and as such, always welcome. But gauging the opposition, is anyone inspired?