Title: Parlour The Legend
Ach - September 21, 2009 10:32 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE |
| THE last time Ray Parlour walked along Highbury's marble halls the price of a Penthouse was just a few quid. And that was from the newsagents down the road. Now, though, as he returned to his old stomping ground, he was stunned to learn he could not pick one up for under a million. Admittedly, we were talking top-drawer maison, not top-shelf magazine. But it highlighted the changes that have taken place at Arsenal's old ground in the three years since they left for The Emirates. The place the Gunners called home for 93 years has been transformed into more than 650 luxury apartments, ranging in price from £250,000 to £1.1million. The development, Highbury Square, will be officially opened by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger on Thursday. But SunSport managed to get the first look at the Gunners' old ground with former midfield ace Parlour. The listed structures of the old East and West Stands remain, as does the marbled entrance hall, complete with original bronze bust of Herbert Chapman and art deco staircase. The passage to the communal gardens is the old tunnel, where Patrick Vieira and Manchester United's Roy Keane famously clashed. Parlour, who played more than 400 Gunners games from 1992-2004 after joining as a schoolboy, said: "I missed that one, but I was there when it went off against Coventry. "As we came off at half-time, someone said something and it all kicked off in the tunnel. I remember the likes of Ian Wright, John Hartson, Martin Keown, Liam Daish and Gary McAllister wading in. "It was broken up pretty quickly, but the manager George Graham had to give his half-time team talk as the police were going round the dressing room taking our names. "It was forgotten about afterwards and we all had a drink in the bar." With the likes of Tony Adams and Paul Merson alongside Parlour, the Gunners were almost as famous for their boozing as their 1-0 wins. Parlour recalled: "Every Tuesday, if we didn't have a game, we would train at Highbury. It was a real hard session so afterwards we'd go out. "The Tuesday Club was an important part of our success. It gave the lads a chance to bond and let off steam. George could never understand why we turned up for training on Tuesdays all suited and booted and scruffy the rest of the week." Parlour revealed Adams put an end to the Highbury drinking sessions when he began his own muchpublicised battle with the bottle. He said: "We used to have cans of lager in the bath after games before going over to the players' lounge for a few more pints. "But it all changed quite quickly. Tony had his problems so he stopped all the drinking in the players' lounge after matches. "All the players went mad and all the families as well, because it was a free bar and they used to get well tanked up. My brothers were gutted. "But all the lads abided by it for Tony. It just meant if any of us fancied a pint after matches we had to go to one of the pubs down the road. "I often had a few pints with the fans. I can't imagine that happening now. Players are untouchable, aren't they? We used to have to walk through the fans to get to the car park. It took ages. There'd be fans wanting a chat or an autograph. "I thought it was a privilege, especially as a young player. In fact I used to get the hump if nobody asked for mine." As he looked towards the site of the old North Bank, Parlour chuckled: "Do you remember the mural they painted there when they were redeveloping the stand? My shots used to hit the same bloke every week!" Parlour, 36, recalled the last game of the season against Leicester with Arsenal's unbeaten Invincibles in 2004. He was on the bench with Keown, who needed one more appearance to get a title medal. Parlour told Keown to warm up on the touchline to drop a hint - then sprinted past him to make out HE was going on. The Romford-born joker then said to his pal he would have a word with Wenger, went back to the dugout... and took off his sweatshirt as if he was poised to play. He laughed: "As I did that, Martin sprinted back to the dugout, grabbed Wenger by the throat and said 'You can't put him on!' It was hilarious. "After the game the gaffer asked me 'What did you say to Martin? He threatened to kill me!'" Parlour also had a giggle at Keown's expense with former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein. He once said to Dein: "Martin Keown was sent off last week and we have to appeal his ban if we are to have any chance of winning the title. We have to get it increased from three matches to six... !" |
Parlour :bow:
Highbury still looks a better playing surface than Wembley
Marc Overmars - September 21, 2009 11:54 PM (GMT)
Love to own a flat there, looks great.
Ach - September 22, 2009 12:08 AM (GMT)
CKs house in Bengali Drive is better tbh
Grebbo - September 22, 2009 08:50 AM (GMT)
Parlour
:bow:
:bow:
| QUOTE |
| As he looked towards the site of the old North Bank, Parlour chuckled: "Do you remember the mural they painted there when they were redeveloping the stand? My shots used to hit the same bloke every week!" |
:haha:
Little Miss Gooner - September 22, 2009 12:32 PM (GMT)
Proper arsenal man :good:
RVP Left Foot - September 23, 2009 02:50 PM (GMT)
Ooh Aah Ray Parlour
Legend :scarf:
Legend :scarf:
Whatever - September 23, 2009 04:27 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Marc Overmars @ Sep 21 2009, 11:54 PM) |
| Love to own a flat there, looks great. |
really?...I think it looks terrible
To buy a flat there it really takes a goona for live
hymppi - September 23, 2009 05:13 PM (GMT)
loved that bit about keown going apeshit and grabbing AW... :haha:
Robin Your Persie - September 23, 2009 06:58 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Whatever @ Sep 23 2009, 05:27 PM) | ||
really?...I think it looks terrible To buy a flat there it really takes a goona for live |
Agreed. It looks awful, with walls just staring out at your neighbours...a nice place for peeping Toms and exhibitionists. :flash: :titsup:
Get Bendtner - September 23, 2009 07:02 PM (GMT)
No wonder they are having problems. Recession aside, who in their right mind would want to live in one of those things?
Milla - September 23, 2009 08:23 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (hymppi @ Sep 23 2009, 06:13 PM) |
| loved that bit about keown going apeshit and grabbing AW... :haha: |
:haha:
The Wengerbabies - September 23, 2009 08:52 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (hymppi @ Sep 23 2009, 06:13 PM) |
| loved that bit about keown going apeshit and grabbing AW... :haha: |
:haha: :haha:
Jack Will Score - September 24, 2009 04:37 AM (GMT)
:lol:
one of a dying breed sadly - players who are also fans and deeply care about the club. :(
one of a dying breed sadly - players who are also fans and deeply care about the club. :(
XsNrG - September 24, 2009 08:00 AM (GMT)
Looks like a nasty council estate. Could have done better imo.
RVP Left Foot - September 24, 2009 08:57 AM (GMT)
The Emirates Gallastico - September 24, 2009 09:04 AM (GMT)
| QUOTE (hymppi @ Sep 23 2009, 10:43 PM) |
| loved that bit about keown going apeshit and grabbing AW... :haha: |
:haha: :haha: :haha:
Parlour :bow: :bow:
One of my favourite Arsenal players.
21_GOONER_SALUTE - September 24, 2009 09:25 AM (GMT)
| QUOTE |
Parlour also had a giggle at Keown's expense with former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein. He once said to Dein: "Martin Keown was sent off last week and we have to appeal his ban if we are to have any chance of winning the title. We have to get it increased from three matches to six... !" |
:haha: :haha: :haha:
King-Thierry - September 25, 2009 12:09 AM (GMT)
:haha: