Arsenal have been known as ‘the Gunners’ since 1886 in tribute to the factory our founding fathers worked at in Woolwich, south east London.
Despite our move to north London in 1913, our nickname and our history remained part of our branding and has done so to this very day.
As a result of our club being called the Gunners, our fans and players are often referred to as ‘Gooners’. But where does the nickname come from? There are a number of theories.
IS HERBERT CHAPMAN THE REASON ARSENAL FANS ARE CALLED GOONERS?
One theory as to why our fans are called the Gooners is down to our legendary boss, Herbert Chapman.
The Yorkshire-born former inside forward in his playing days took charge of us in 1925 following success at Huddersfield Town.
Chapman led us to our first-ever silverware, winning the FA Cup in 1930 against his former employers, Huddersfield.
Success continued to follow under Chapman, winning the league title in 1931 and 1933 before his tragic death in January 1934 from pneumonia. We went on to win the league in 1934 in a fine tribute to our great manager.
Chapman’s eccentric character and love for a practical joke saw him being known as a ‘Gooner’, leading some to believe this to be the origin of the nickname.
Meanwhile, others have claimed the term is a simple pronunciation alteration, in a similar way to Newcastle fans modifying the word ‘town’ to become the ‘Toon Army.’
Discover more about Herbert Chapman
WHY IS THE PHRASE GOONER POPULAR?
The nickname was first used in an official matchday programme in 1966 and although the phrase had been used by some firms in the 1970s and 1980s, the nickname has been claimed by our supporters and players alike.
The phrase is also used by the popular independent fanzine The Gooner, which has been selling copies outside Highbury and the Emirates since 1987.
HOW BIG IS ARSENAL'S FANBASE?
Gooners can be found in every corner of the globe, watching us at all hours of the day in order to catch a glimpse of our side in action. From Bangladesh to Brazil, we have Supporter Clubs on all continents in the world.
Across social media, the club has more than 100 million followers on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, and more.
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