Arsenal Football Club was formed by workers at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich and entered as professionals into the Football League in 1893 named as Woolwich Arsenal.
The Gunners were to start their winning habits in the 1930's after they introduced Herbert Chapman as manager. Chapman had already enjoyed great success with Huddersfield the mid 1920s, and his new ideas transformed the club. Arsenal went on to win the First Division five times and the FA Cup twice in the 30s.
After World War II, they won the league again in 1948 and 1953 and the FA Cup in 1950, but the team failed to live up to the great side of the 30s, and an unsuccessful period for Arsenal FC would command most of the 50's and 60's.
Arsenal's resurgence began in the late 1960's after Bertie Mee took over as manager. They won the Fairs Cup in 1970, after twice being beaten in the League cup final in 1968 and 69. This was the first taste of European success for the club
This was surpassed in 1971 when Arsenal players captained by Frank Maclintock led the club to their first League and FA Cup double in 1971. Three FA Cup Final defeats, a second place finish in the first Division in 1973, and a defeat in the European Cup Winners cup in 1980 surrounded Arsenal Football Clubs' FA Cup win over Manchester United in 1979.
Further glory would return under George Graham's leadership, and Arsenal won the League Cup in his first season (1987). The most dramatic end to a First Division season in history, in 1989, would see a last minute winner by Michael Thomas secure the title against second placed Liverpool.
The title returned to Highbury in 1991, when the Gooners only lost once in the league all season. There was a cup double of FA Cup and League Cup in 1993 and Arsenal's second European trophy, the Cup Winners' Cup, in 1994 before Graham departed under a cloud, shall we say.
Much of Arsenal's news and success since then can be attributed to their current manager Arsène Wenger, who was appointed in 1996. Wenger brought a huge change to the club with new tactics, training regime and the signing of several foreign players. Arsenal finished in either first or second place in the league in eight of the first nine seasons under his management.
The Gunners won Premier League and FA. Cup doubles in 1998 and in 2002 and also won the FA. Cup again 2003 and 2005. Perhaps Arsenal's most impressive acheivement came in 2004, when the Premier League title was theirs without losing a single match. Trophies have been thin on the ground since, but you can never rule them out of anything.
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