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Arsenal Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Holloway, London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups. Arsenal holds the record for the longest uninterrupted period in the English top flight and would be placed first in an aggregated league of the entire 20th century.[2] It is the second side to complete an English top flight season unbeaten (in the 2003–04 season), and the only one to do so across 38 matches. Arsenal was founded in 1886 in Woolwich and in 1893 became the first club from the south of England to join the Football League. In 1913, it moved north across the city to Arsenal Stadium in Highbury. In the 1930s the club won five League Championship titles and two FA Cups. Arsenal is the fourth most valuable association football club in the world as of 2013, valued at over $1.3 billion.

It is the second side to complete an English top flight season unbeaten (in the 2003–04 season), and the only one to do so across 38 matches.

Arsenal was founded in 1886 in the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final.

Arsenal Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Holloway, London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups. Arsenal holds the record for the longest uninterrupted period in the English top flight and would be placed first in an aggregated league of the entire 20th century. It is the second side to complete an English top flight season unbeaten (in the 2003–04 season), and the only one to do so across 38 matches. Arsenal was founded in 1886 in Woolwich and in 1893 became the first club from the south of England to join the Football League. In 1913, it moved north across the city to Arsenal Stadium in Highbury. In the 1930s the club won five League Championship titles and two FA Cups. After a lean period in the postwar years it won the League and FA Cup Double, in the 1970–71 season, and in the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century won two more Doubles and reached the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final. Arsenal has a long-standing rivalry with North London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur, with whom it contests the North London derby. Arsenal is the fourth most valuable association football club in the world as of 2013, valued at over $1.3 billion.

t h e record for the longest uninterrupted period in the English top flight and would be placed first in an aggregated league of the entire 20th century. It is the second side to complete an English top flight season unbeaten (in the 2003–04 season), and the only one to do so across 38 matches.

Arsenal Football Club started out as Dial Square in 1886 by workers at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, south-east London, and was renamed Royal Arsenal shortly afterwards. The club was re-

named again to Woolwich Arsenal after becoming a limited company in 1893. The club became the first southern member of the Football League in 1893, starting out in the Second Division, and won promotion to the First Division in 1904.

Inside The Stadium

Ashburton Grove, known for sponsorship reasons as the Emirates Stadium or simply The Emirates, is an association football stadium located in Islington, North London, England and the home of Arsenal. At a capacity of 60,361, the Emirates is the third-largest football stadium in England after Wembley and Old Trafford and fourth-largest in the United Kingdom. In 1997, Arsenal started exploring the possibility of relocating to a new stadium, having been denied planning permission by Islington Council to expand its then home ground of

Highbury. After considering various options, the club settled on purchasing an industrial and waste disposal estate in Ashburton Grove and submitted their planning brief to the public in 2000. In spite of opposition to the move by local residents and club shareholders, Arsenal succeeded in winning the council’s approval to which manager Arsène Wenger later described as being the “biggest decision in Arsenal’s history” since the board opted to bring Herbert Chapman to the club in 1925.[3] Estate relocation work began in August 2002 and commenced four months later.

Financing for the stadium proved difficult, resulting in the club delaying work until February 2004. Emirates Airline was later announced as the main sponsor for the stadium in October 2004 and work reached completion in July 2006 at a cost of £390 million.The stadium has undergone a process of “Arsenalisation” beginning in August 2009, with the aim of restoring the club’s heritage and history. The ground has frequently hosted music concerts and several international fixtures featuring the Brazil national football team.

In response to the Hillsborough disaster of April 1989, an inquiry led by Lord Taylor of Gosforth was launched into crowd safety at sports grounds. Finalised in January 1990, the Taylor Report recommended the capacity restriction of grounds by 15% with all terraces replaced by seating. [4] Many football clubs – now faced with the requirement of making their grounds all-seater by the start of the 1994–95 season sought ways of raising income for converting terraced areas to new seated stands.[5] Arsenal vice-chairman. David Dein at the end of the 1990–91 season introduced The Populous (then LOBB Partnership) designed North Bank Stand, the last area of Highbury to be refurbished, was opened in August 1993 at a cost of £20 million.[8] The stadium’s capacity, however, was reduced significantly, from 57,000 at the beginning of the decade to under 40,000.[9] With high ticket prices to serve the club’s existing debts and low attendance figures, Arsenal explored the possibility of building a larger stadium to attract an ever growing fanbase and compete financially with the biggest clubs in England.[10][9]

Through the persuasion of estate agent and club property adviser Anthony Spencer, Arsenal examined the feasibility of building a new stadium in Ashburton Grove in November 1999.[13] The land, 500 yards (460 m) from Highbury, comprised a rubbish processing plant and industrial estate, 80% owned by the Islington London Borough Council, Railtrack and Sainsbury’s.[17] The move therefore depended on the club buying out the existing occupants and financing for their relocation. After passing the first significant milestone at the council’s

In 1997, Arsenal started exploring the possibility of relocating to a new stadium, having been denied planning permission by Islington Council to expand its then home ground of Highbury. After considering various options, the club settled on purchasing an industrial and waste disposal estate in Ashburton Grove and submitted their planning brief to the public in 2000. In spite of opposition to the move by local residents and club shareholders.

Arsenal succeeded in winning the council’s approval to which manager Arsène Wenger later described as being the “biggest decision in Arsenal’s history” since the board opted to bring Herbert Chapman to the club in 1925. [3] Estate relocation work began in August 2002 and commenced four months later. Financing for the stadium proved difficult, resulting in the club delaying work until February 2004. Emirates Airline was later announced as the main sponsor for the stadium in October 2004 and work reached completion in July 2006 at a cost of £390 million.

Sportswear provider Nike signed a contract extension with Arsenal in August 2003 to remain as the club’s official kit supplier.[45] This was presented as a solution to the stadium financing; in addition to paying £55 million over seven years, Nike paid a minimum of £1 million each year as a royalty fee, dependant on sales.[46] On 23 February 2004, Arsenal Holdings plc – the club’s parent company announced that funding for the stadium was now secured with construction work being able to resume.[47] Wenger said of the announcement: “It has been a big target of mine to participate in pushing the club forward and relocating to a new stadium is a necessity as it will enable us to become of one the biggest clubs in the world.”[48] Interest on the £260 million debt was set at a commercial fixed rate over a 14-year period.[48] To refinance the cost, the club planned to convert the money into a 30-year bond financed by banks. [49] The proposed bond issue went ahead on 13 July 2006. Arsenal issued £210 million worth of 13.5year bonds with a spread of 52 basis points over government bonds and £50 million of 7.1-year bonds with a spread of 22 basis points over LIBOR.

Sportswear provider Nike signed a contract extension with Arsenal in August 2003 to remain as the club’s official kit supplier.[45] This was presented as a solution to the stadium financing; in addition to paying £55 million over seven years, Nike paid a minimum of £1 million each year as a royalty fee, dependant on sales.[46] On 23 February 2004, Arsenal Holdings plc – the club’s On 23 February 2004, Arsenal parent company announced that Holdings plc – the club’s parent funding for the stadium was now company announced that funding secured with construction work for the stadium was now secured being able to resume.[47] with construction work being able to resume.[47] Wenger said of the Wenger said of the announcement: announcement: “It has been a big target of mine to participate in pushing the club “It has been a big target of mine to forward and relocating to a new participate in pushing the club for- stadium is a necessity as it will enaward and relocating to a new stadi- ble us to become of one the biggest um is a necessity as it will enable us clubs in the world.”[48] Interest on to become of one the biggest clubs the £260 million debt was set at a in the world.”[48] Interest on the commercial fixed rate over a 14£260 million debt was set at a com- year period. mercial fixed rate over a 14-year period.[48] cost to approximately £20 million a year.

On 23 February 2004, Arsenal Holdings plc – the club’s parent company announced that funding for the stadium was now secured with construction work being able to resume.[47]

On 23 February 2004, Arsenal Holdings plc – the club’s parent company announced that funding for the stadium was now secured with construction work being able to resume.[47] Wenger said of the announcement: “It has been a big target of mine to participate in pushing the club forward and relocating to a new stadium is a necessity as it will enable us to become of one the biggest clubs in the world.”[48] Interest on the £260 million debt was set at a commercial fixed rate over a 14-year period.[48]

Wenger said of the announcement: “It has been a big target of mine to participate in pushing the club forward and relocating to a new stadium is a necessity as it will enable us to become of one the biggest clubs in the world.”[48] Interest on the £260 million debt was set at a commercial fixed rate over a 14year period.[48] To refinance the cost, the club planned to convert the money into a 30-year bond financed by banks.[49] The proposed bond issue went ahead on 13 July 2006.

To refinance the cost, the club planned to convert the money into a 30-year bond financed by banks. [49] The proposed bond issue went ahead on 13 July 2006. Arsenal issued £210 million worth of 13.5year bonds with a spread of 52 basis points over government bonds and £50 million of 7.1-year bonds with a spread

Interest on the £260 million debt was set at a commercial fixed rate over a 14-year period.[48] To refinance the cost, the club planned to convert the money into a 30-year bond financed by banks.[49] The proposed bond issue went ahead on 13 July 2006. Arsenal issued £210 million worth of 13.5-year bonds with a spread of 52 basis points over government bonds and £50 million of 7.1-year bonds with a spread of 22 basis points over LIBOR. It was the first publicly marketed, asset-backed bond issue by a European football club.[50] year.