THE ARSENAL - 25/26 PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Well, well, well. What can I say? Not much as my throat is not in a good way after spending most of the evening at the Emirates last night. 

Arsenal Football Club are Premier League champions. 22 years we have waited to be back where we belong. I've been a fan pretty much since birth, where I was bestowed with an Arsenal baby grow as my first piece of proper clothing (which is still in my mum's loft, doesn't fit as well these days). 

Our first title win of my lifetime was in 1998, when I was 1 years old, so obviously I have fond memories of sinking pints in celebration. Pints of milk, that is. Then came 2002, probably getting into some of my first ever memories of supporting Arsenal as a child, but these are nothing more than a few screenshots of Henry and co. and I can't tell what's a memory and what is an image I've seen as an adult that I've confused with a memory. 

Our previous title win, you know, before our most recent one RIGHT NOW, was a special invincibles season in 2004. These are my first proper memories of supporting Arsenal, having pictures of Robert Pires in my bedroom etc. I could waltz into school proclaiming "Arsenal are the best" and nobody could argue. 

What followed from that momentous high was 22 long years of pain, suffering and tests of my support through the most trying of near-misses and nearly moments. I was there at Wembley for the 2011 League Cup defeat to Birmingham City, where I asked my mum why we couldn't just be good like Man City who were "going places" - what a silly little child I was, but little did I know (*cough* 115). 

I remember being at school going crazy with my mates looking at the Eduardo injury pictures when our 08/09 title charge collapsed. I remember the players who showed so much promise but injuries impeded their ability to get Arsenal over the line - Diaby, Wilshere, even Ramsey to an extent. 

The first trophy after a 9 year drought in the form of the FA Cup in 2014 brought me renewed hope that the dark days were behind us. I distinctly remember reading John Cross' Arsène Wenger book that followed the victory which ended on a note about whether a new era of success under Wenger was upon us. Whilst this was partly the case as we enjoyed two more FA Cup wins under our great manager in 2015 and 2017, our rise to the very top never could quite materialise and Wenger left the club on the cusp of a downwards spiral. 

Enter the really dark days. The Emery era. Players with poor attitudes like Guendouzi who had no idea what it meant to play for the badge on their chest. The end of season bottles to get Champions League football or that horrid night in Baku. The club was in disarray and tumbling down the Premier League table. Freddie Ljungberg got the sticky tape out to try and hold together what remnants he could of this great club, until the club took a bold decision on the next manager. 

Quite simply, Mikel Arteta has transformed this football club from a mess that was in danger of tailing off completely (Sp*rs fans know what I mean) into a powerhouse again - not just in England but in Europe too. His bold decisions to clear out the big egos after extracting one more FA Cup out of them to prove his credentials, revolutionise the culture of the club with changes like removing the tunnel that the players walk out of, introducing North London Forever before our games, even Win the dog, have proved masterstrokes to get this club back where it belongs. He has been laughed at, ridiculed and mocked for his press conferences, tactics, touchline antics, you name it. Banners at Anfield, bottles being swigged, he's had it all. Not once has he faltered, remaining resolute in the face of adversity. THREE second place finishes in a row. Now he is the top dog. 

I, like thousands of others took to the streets of Islington last night to celebrate with our Arsenal family. I've never seen anything like it and the atmosphere at the stadium was euphoric, electric and just amazing. Memories of hugging and dancing with friends, family and complete strangers outside our collective spiritual home will live with me until my last day. Yes I managed to log on for work, yes my voice is croaky, yes I am shattered, no I don't regret it at all. 

Special mention to those fans who couldn't be with us to see this through, I couldn't help but think of my granddad in particular, who is immortalised on the walls of the stadium as he rightly should be. I didn't manage to find his plaque last night as it was too chaotic, but I could feel his presence with me and his other grandchildren as we danced the night away. 

We deserve it, the players deserve it, this manager deserves it and this club deserves it. There will be plenty of time to analyse things properly, but I've kept you from your celebrations for too long already. 

Up the Arsenal and come on you gunners!

CHAMPIONES, CHAMPIONES OLE OLE OLE!!!