Arsenal reunion: Seven green Gunners recreate famous photograph
Famous @ciara_oleary7 Photograph Reenact Arsenal's Gunners Twitter: Green
Arsenal may languish a little behind Manchester United and Liverpool in the size of their Irish support base. Though those stats are probably skewed a little among the demographic that can recall the late seventies.
That was, of course, when Arsenal were almost fielding a de facto United Ireland side.
Famously, as well as the manager Terry Neill from Belfast in the dugout, six Irish players from north and south started for Arsenal in the 1979 FA Cup final — Republic of Ireland internationals Liam Brady, Frank Stapleton and David O'Leary alongside Pat Rice, Sammy Nelson and Pat Jennings from the north.
Stapleton scored Arsenal's second goal, while Brady played a key role in setting up the late winner for Alan Sunderland, after Manchester United had come from two goals down to level.
The following year the Gunners were back in the final for the third year in a row, with the Irish contingent swelled further, Dubliner John Devine taking Nelson's place in the starting line-up, though Nelson replaced him after an hour.
Before that final, when Arsenal were shocked by West Ham, a famous picture was taken of all the magnificent seven green Gunners together, in suitably jaunty poses.
And this week the band got back together for a special reunion and recreated the photograph, with all seven looking like they could still do a job.
Sadly they were without their manager - Terry Neill died last July.
The picture was shared by David O'Leary's daughter Ciara, triggering a wave of nostalgia from misty-eyed, middle-aged Gunners.
At @Arsenal today, great photo but all have a little more grey hair now 🤪 pic.twitter.com/RUMqvIWCGE
— Ciara O'Leary (@Ciara_OLeary7) November 15, 2022
"When Arsenal was Irish," said Phil Murphy from Bandon in Cork. "What a time that was to be an Irish Arsenal supporter."
"That's the reason we became Arsenal fans," added Patrick O'Carroll. "Because of the boys in the photo. I was in primary school 4th class."
"These guys are the reason that I love Arsenal. Absolutely delighted to see all looking so well," said Tom Flavin.
Graham Roe: "Love these photos! When I started supporting Arsenal as a 7yr old in 1978 - these were the players you’d always hope would be on the posters in Shoot or Match magazine for your bedroom wall!"
Jim Devlin: "The Irish contingent and the reason I supported them. Not forgetting Terry Neill leading them too."
Liam from Washington posted: "Brilliant pic. These lads are the reason I still have Arsenal in my heart. What great times!! The 3 FA cup finals from 78-80 were devastating & great Craic all at the same time!"
Speaking to Liam Mackey for the Irish Examiner, Liam Brady attributed the 70s influx of Irish talent to Highbury to Dublin scout Bill Darby.
“Just look back at all the good players in Dublin who had been going to Manchester United at the time,” Brady said.
"The United scout here, Billy Behan, had been big around the schoolboy scene for many years. If Billy Behan was at the match everybody kind of knew it.
"And Bill looked at that and thought, ‘well, hang on a minute there should be other clubs interested in Irish players.’ And one club in particular.
“He was a smashing man. He knew how to approach parents, he knew how to get on with the schoolboy clubs, he was welcome wherever he went."
All four early 70s exports to North London achieved senior international honours with Ireland while a fifth, Johnny Murphy, returned home to be capped by his country as a rugby full-back.