Tara Rushton on what makes the Arsenal so special, and why she can’t wait for July 2017.
The walk down Holloway Road from Highbury & Islington Station, through throngs of Arsenal supporters who don their Gunners jerseys and scarfs underneath winter jackets, is never a lonely one. It’s the perfect precursor to a game.
MEMBERS’ PRE-SALE STARTS FRIDAY 14 JULY
There is a real anticipation, excitement and often nervousness in the air: a raw energy that surrounds every path that leads to the Emirates.
It’s an energy that exists in any pub in North London on game-day from the Twelve Pins to the Tollington or the aptly named ‘Gunners Pub’ and, it’s an energy that we can look forward to feeling here in Australia when Arsenal touch-down in 12 months’ time to play back-to-back blockbusters against Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers.
What an occasion to earmark in the diary: Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Petr Čech – just to name a few – will be here on our shores! And of course they’ll be led by their long-serving manager, Arsene Wenger, who has guided one of the most successful clubs in English football for the past 19 years.
It’s been a long time between drinks – 40 years in fact – since Arsenal last made it down-under when John Kosmina took to the pitch as a twenty-year-old Socceroo when the national team beat Arsenal 3-1.
July 2017 marks a historical month, an opportunity to watch a football powerhouse take on our own homegrown talent, and a chance to experience that raw energy and anticipation of game-day. It’s an experience not to be missed – not just for the Gunners and Wanderers tragics – but for any sports fan.
Tara Rushton is a presenter and host for Fox Sports coverage of the Hyundai A-League.
Wanderers Members are able to purchase tickets to the Arsenal match from 10am on Friday 15 July 2015. Details will be in your email inbox. Arsenal and Wanderers fans can win tickets here.
