Book description
Highbury - citadel for Arsenal Football Club for over 90 years and
home to the memories of over 10,000 matches. In this informative book,
Bruce Smith exhaustively chronicles the life and times of the Gunners'
home ground in north London, from the site's humble beginnings as
college playing fields to its present status as one of the most
recognisable pieces of football real estate in the world.
The book highlights how pioneering architects such as Archibald
Leitch, Claude Waterlow Ferrier and William Binnie played a vital role
in shaping Highbury and how other personalities, including Sir Henry
Norris, A. G. Kearney, Herbert Chapman and David Dein, have influenced
its development.
Highbury documents the important role and influence of the
Football League, Premiership, FA Cup and European competitions in the
ground's colourful history and, in addition, details the England
internationals, representative encounters, FA Cup semi-finals and
European play-offs which have taken place there, as well as the
legendary Cooper v. Clay World Championship bout of 1966.
Featuring many personal photographs by the author and others from
the archives, Highbury is a timely tribute to an iconic
structure that was part of the fabric of sporting history for almost a century.
Bruce Smith is an award-winning journalist, stadium consultant and
businessman. He has written over 100 books, including statistical
histories and sports yearbooks, and has worked for BBC Radio, BBC
Television and Channel 4.
