A Lost Opportunity on the Piccadilly Line

Fri, 19 May 2006 13:08:26 GMT

Arsenal, Highbury, Henry...

This is not, repeat, not another tribute to the north London football club, the empty hulk of its now-idle stadium, or its superstar striker. In fact, there's really no reason to mention Thierry Henry in this post. But can any one of us actually say or write "Arsenal" without Henry's image coming to mind? I didn't think so. And I'm no Arsenal fan. I was, however, very disappointed that they couldn't hold on to that 1-0 lead against Barcelona.

I have been inside the bowels of Highbury. I, an American woman, admirer and supporter of Manchester United, had the good luck to learn that free tours of the fabled pitch were available on Fridays during the off-season. All I had to do was show up outside its doors and conceal my allegiances for an hour or so one cool and damp London afternoon a few years back.

I would be dishonest if I said I found Highbury to be beautiful or awe-inspiring. I did appreciate the somber gray look of the houses that lined the streets just across from its tall red walls. In that way it was much like Fenway or Wrigley in that it had obviously been constructed before automobile-related logistics mattered to anyone. I also remember being annoyed that someone had chosen to display, in a sort of pictorial history of the team, a large photo of Ryan Giggs being knocked to the ground. (I suppose I shouldn't blame them for not using a photo of Giggs after he had scored the winning goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final replay from the previous season). But I digress.

My very favorite memory of our afternoon excursion has to do with something that wasn't even inside the stadium. To get to Highbury, we had taken the tube to the stop called "Arsenal" on the Piccadilly line. As you leave the station, there were two signs above the turnstiles that caught my eye. One said "Home Supporters" and had an arrow pointing travelers in the proper direction. Another sign said "Away Supporters" and, you guessed it, it directed these people in the opposite direction.

I just loved that.

I probably shouldn't smile at that memory. Why were those signs posted? Well, the short answer is "hooliganism," though I don't think that Arsenal fans are known for this more than other European sides. And of course there's nothing quaint and quirky about the prospect of violence. I just enjoyed those signs because they reminded me that I was indeed an alien visitor to a very foreign land, one where the spectators cared deeply and passionately about the outcome of the match. My guess is that both the home & away fans at Highbury matches didn't get up every five minutes to check out the concession stands. (One time at Fenway there was a family seated in front of us who bought treats for the kids just about every inning. I think they spent more time figuring out what to eat next than sweating over whether the Red Sox would hold on to their lead. That must have been one expensive afternoon for them. I don't mean to malign Red Sox fans in general because their passion for their team and the game is well-known).

I was too lazy and foolish to have taken a picture of that sign in the Arsenal tube stop. And now I'll never get the chance.

Soccer Orb: Travel

A Lost Opportunity on the Piccadilly Line