WE ALL know Arsenal Football Club are one of the biggest clubs in England, with 13 league titles, a record 13 FA Cups and some of the greatest players to grace the Premier League.
They have had Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Ian Wright, for 22 years Arsene Wenger and, of course, The Invincibles.
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Many will know the club started off south of the River Thames and it was not until 1914 that they changed their name from Woolwich Arsenal.
But what about the lesser-known facts about the Gunners – and why is that their nickname?
1) Tea with the Queen
Arsenal are the only team to have afternoon tea with Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2006, the Queen was supposed to open the Emirates Stadium but pulled out with a back injury (sounds familiar, doesn’t it Mesut?), meaning the Duke of Edinburgh stepped in as a late replacement.
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To apologise and return the favour, Her Majesty invited the chairman, manager Wenger and players around to Buckingham Palace in February 2007 for some tea and biscuits – not too many of course.
A fresh-faced Cesc Fabregas – then only 19 – told Spanish radio afterwards: “It seems the Queen follows football and she told us she was an Arsenal fan.
“She appeared to definitely know who I was and we exchanged a few special words.”
2) SOLO STATION
Arsenal may not have been able to boast about silverware in recent years.
But they can lay claim to The Big One.
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That’s right, the Gunners are the only football club to have a London Underground station named directly after them.
Arsenal station is on the Piccadilly Line, between Manor House and Holloway Road.
3) MILAN MAGIC
November 25, 2003 – Inter Milan 1-5 Arsenal. March 4, 2008 – AC Milan 0-2 Arsenal.
Henry bagged twice in 2003 and then Fabregas and Emmanuel Abebayor struck late in 2008 to ensure Arsenal became the first British team to beat both Milan clubs at the San Siro.
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The Gunners went and got another one over the Rossoneri last year in their run to the Europa League semi-finals.
No one has matched the feat since.
4) NOT GUNNER KNOW THIS
The original meaning for arsenal is defined as “a collection of weapons and military equipment” and that explains the name of the club.
In October 1886, David Danskin and 15 other munitions workers set up the club and named it after the Royal Arsenal complex in South-East London.
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Danskin and his pals were cannon makers and that also helps to explain the club’s Gunners nickname and badge.
5) BROADCAST FAVOURITES
Despite what many may say, the broadcast world clearly has a soft spot for Arsenal.
Their home game against Sheffield United on January 22, 1927 was the first-ever English league match to be broadcast on the radio.
Ten years later, a clash between Arsenal’s first team and their reserves was the first football match to be televised live, on September 16, 1937.
And then on January 31, 2010, they faced Manchester United in the first match broadcast on television in 3D.
6) SIX OF ONE, HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER
The Gunners were involved in the highest-scoring draw under the stewardship of legendary manager Herbert Chapman.
A grand total of 27,241 piled into Filbert Street – the old home of Leicester City – to witness a thrilling 6-6 draw on April 21, 1930.
Three players, including Arsenal’s Cliff Bastin, grabbed a double but the day belonged to Dave Halliday who banged four past poor Joe Wright in the Foxes goal.
