Since 1913, Arsenal have been found in north London, whether that be at Highbury or at our current home, Emirates Stadium.
In over 110 years of history in the borough of Islington, we have won all of our major honours and created ever-lasting memories. This is how we made our home here.
WHY ARE ARSENAL BASED IN ISLINGTON?
The club was formed in 1886 as Dial Square began life playing in Woolwich in south-east London. By the end of the 1912/13 season, our finances were in a perilous state. Henry Norris, who had recently taken charge, concluded that if we were to become a powerhouse in English football, we would have to move.
Norris and club director William Hall considered open spaces in Battersea and Harringay before settling on Highbury, with its proximity to London Underground station Gillespie Road being a key factor.
Despite staunch opposition from nearby clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Clapton Orient, who played in Homerton at the time, we paid £20,000 for a 21-year lease in Highbury, Islington and had our move approved by the League Management Committee.
Our final game at the old Manor Ground in Plumstead was a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough on April 26, 1913. Four months later, the pitch was levelled in north London, a new grandstand was partly built, terracing and turnstiles were installed and Woolwich Arsenal were now The Arsenal.
Learn more about our early years in Woolwich
HOW LONG DID WE PLAY AT HIGHBURY?
Arsenal Stadium, known almost universally by its original name of Highbury, was OUR home from 1913 until 2006.
Our first game there came on September 6, 1913, with a 2-1 win over Leicester Fosse. In front of 20,000 people, Andy Devine scored the winner after George Jobey had netted our first-ever goal at the ground.
That victory would set the tone for a history of success at the venue that would span 73 years. Our maiden league title at the ground came in 1931, the first of four First Division crowns in the decade under the great Herbert Chapman, Joe Shaw & George Allison
We would go on to win a further five First Division titles before the rebranding of the competition and formation of the Premier League in 1992. Six years after the league’s creation, and under the guidance of Arsene Wenger, we clinched a famous Premier League title in 1997/98.
We would win the league once again in 2001/02 before notching up our most famous Premier League title in 2003/04. A remarkable campaign saw us become the first team in English football history to go the whole season unbeaten in a 38-game league campaign.
In May 2006, we played our final game at Highbury where a Thierry Henry hat-trick helped us see off Wigan Athletic and secure Champions League football for another campaign. In total, we played 2010 competitive matches at Highbury, winning 1,196 and scoring 4,038 goals in the process.
Discover more about our time at Highbury
WHEN DID ARSENAL MOVE TO EMIRATES STADIUM?
Plans were in place to leave Highbury from November 1999 with a move to nearby Ashburton Grove the target. In October 2004, it was confirmed the new stadium would be called Emirates Stadium following a sponsorship deal with Emirates Airlines.
The imposing North and South Bridges were in place within six months. The Topping-Out ceremony took place in August 2005 and, a year later, the stadium opened for business.
Its first game was Dennis Bergkamp's testimonial on July 22, 2006, while our first competitive fixture came against Aston Villa in August 2006, Gilberto Silva scoring our first-ever goal at the stadium in a 1-1 draw. In May 2018, the ground played host to Arsene Wenger’s final home game in charge of the club after 22 years in north London, a 5-0 victory over Burnley.
Mikel Arteta’s first home game in charge of Arsenal came in December 2019 in a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea. In the 2023/24 campaign, Arsenal won 15 Premier League matches at the Emirates, a joint high at the stadium, matching the 2017/18 and 2009/10 seasons.
WHAT IS THE NEAREST TUBE STATION FOR ARSENAL GAMES?
There are three stations situated in the vicinity of Emirates Stadium - Arsenal, Finsbury Park and Highbury & Islington.
Arsenal (Piccadilly Line) is the nearest tube station, around three minutes’ walk from the ground. There is no step-free access leading from the station platforms to the station exit.
Finsbury Park (Victoria, Piccadilly Lines and Great Northern Rail) is around a 10-minute walk, which means it should be slightly less crowded. The station is wheelchair accessible and is likely to be the least congested route to the stadium for wheelchair access.
Highbury & Islington (Victoria Line, North London Line and Great Northern Rail) is also around a 10-minute walk. It is also wheelchair accessible
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