KIT DESIGN

In 1895, two years before the club became professional, a small group of Nottingham Forest players, Fred Beardsley, Bill Parr, Charlie Bates, joined Arsenal FC and brought their old red kit along with them. Working to a tight budget, the club decided the most inexpensive way of acquiring a strip was to kit out the team in the same colour as the ex-Forest players. The original kit was a dark red, with long sleeves, a collar and three buttons down the front. The shirt was worn with white knee length shorts and heavy woollen socks with blue and white hoops. The goalkeeper wore the same attire apart from the shirt, which was a hand knitted cream woollen polo neck jumper. It was this dark red kit that the team wore during thire first season at Highbury in 1913/14.

In 1950's, a second kit was developed to combat a clash of colours with opposing home teams with similar kits. And in 1960's, the club moved away from the woven rugby shirts style to a new knitted cotton jersey in around 1960. The clubs famous cannon graphic appeared on the shirt for the first time in the early 1970's. It was this shirt that Arsenal won their first famous double, both the League Championship and the FA Cup in the 1970/71 season. In the late 1970's, the shirt featured a kit manufacturer's logo for the first time, in this case 'UMBRO'. And in 1982 'JVC' became the clubs first shirt sponsor, which in turn made way for 'SEGA' in 1999. Three yeras later and 'O2' replaced the games company before themselves making way for, from the start of the 2006/07 season,'FLY EMIRATES'. This particular deal will last eight years.

For season 2007/08, the first at Emirates Stadium, a welcome return to the famous red and white of Arsenal was made. For season 2007/08 Arsenal will wear a new away kit with a design that celebrates the pioneering spirit of legendary Arsenal manager Herbert Chapman. The new kit embraces design features that highlight Chapman's influence over the game to this day, and sees a return to the white away shirts worn throughout the clubs's history.

THE ARSENAL MUSEUM

The spectacular Arsenal Museum at Emirates Stadium is now open in the Northen Triangle Building. Arsenal supporters can still expect their favourite exihibition, including Michael Thomas boots from Anfield 89 and Charlie Geaorges FA Final Cup shirts from 1971, along with a whole array of newly donated memorabilia. These includes the shirts worn by goal scorers Jon Sammels and Alan Smith in the 1970 Fairs Cup Final and 1994 European Cup Winners Cup victories, medals, shirts and caps belonging to David O'leary, Lee Dixon, Brian Marwood and many others. There is also a customised trophy on display that was presented to the club by the FA Premier League for remaining unbeaten throughout the 2003/2004 season.

The museum offers a chance to take in many exihibits kindly donated by former players who hold a special place in Arsenal's history. The facilities also feutures and impressive Legends Theatre and more than a dozen fully interactive sections based on Arsenal's proud history such as Championship winning managers, The Invincibles, The Arsenal spirit and Highbury Stadium.



PRICES
Museum tickets can be bought in the Arsenal Box Office window at Drayton Park. $6 for adults and $3 for childrens.



MUSEUM OPENING TIMES
Monday-Saturday: 10.00am-6.00pm (last admitance 5.00pm)
Sunday: 10.00am-5.00pm (last admitance 4.00pm)
Match Days: 10.00am untill half an hour before kick off. The museum will not be open after
the match.

THE ARSENAL CLOCK

The Arsenal clock famously graced Highbury for over 70 years. First erected in the 1930/31 season, it was one of the many feutures of Highbury instigated 'the great innovator' Herbert Chapman. Originally the clock provided supporters with a 45 minute count down, but the football association believes this undermined the match of officials and the club soon changed the clock to a conventional timepiece.

For the past decade, clock makers and maintainers Smith of Derby have been charged with the upkeep of the gunner's clock, ensuiring it remains in good condition and of course keeps time accurately. Smith of Derby have continued their tradisional links with the club by building a superb replica of our famous clock which takes pride of placed in Emirates Stadium's 'Diomond club'. The clock is a half size replica of the original, measuring 1.3m in diameter as opposed to the original's 2.6 meters. The original clock from the Clock End stand at Highbury has been installed

at Emirates Stadium and now sits high up on the outsite of the stadium appropriately facing the Clock End Bridge as a symbolic remainder of the club's time at Highbury.

Ken Friar, long standing Arsenal director, commented; " Throughout the move to the Emirates Stadium, the club always felt that it was important to supporters and everyone involved with the club". Supporters will enjoy seeing the famous clock when they visit the stadium. The clock , which was taken down from Highbury on july 27th, 2006 was lifted into placeby a 25 tonne crane and took four people, nine hour's to install.