Maria Petri celebrating our FA Cup final win over Chelsea with Ray Parlour
Maria Petri is one of the most recognisable Arsenal fans in the world and has watched the team regularly since the late 60s.
An avid fan of the men’s, women’s and U23s teams, she’s travelled all over Europe, Australia, China and Japan.
Maria is famed for her chants, songs and passionate supporting, rallying the crowd when things go quiet.
When did you start supporting Arsenal and why?
It was 1950 was when I first heard about Arsenal, when I was 11.
My parents were Cypriots who ran a restaurant and they were not fans at all and I was a good little Greek girl doing my Saturday chores, listening to the sport on the radio.
I remember so clearly scrubbing kitchen floor while my parents were working downstairs and hearing a lot about Arsenal. It was also the year we won the FA Cup.
After they’d won the FA Cup there was a reporter in Africa talking to a young African boy and he said how much he liked Arsenal and other person said the same.
I yelled at radio “Well I am not going to support Arsenal!” because I was a quiet rebel but but I’ve been a fan ever since!
What was your first Arsenal match?
I deliberately chose college out of London so I didn’t have to live at home and so I studied in Chichester.
One of the girls I was studying with said we were playing at Portsmouth and so we all went down to the south coast.
I don’t remember the score and I couldn’t see a thing because of standing but I really enjoyed it.
I was already hooked on Arsenal so I was just delighted to be there.
When I came home from studying, my parents still didn’t want me to go to games even though I was working.
The only reason I could go to games was because a family friend had kids who liked football so I persuaded their mum to let me take them to Highbury. My Mum couldn’t say know.
At home I have always been the quiet person of the family but at football I have been really vocal.
I received so much abuse when I started going to games because I was the wrong gender in the wrong place and people would tell me to get back to the kitchen!
I would always chant back “You’ll never keep me quiet!” and besides the boys hearing me, I like to entertain the crowd.
At Highbury, I always loved standing in the West Stand near the Clock End and I always made sure I got to the ground early.
That way, I could get down to the front, leaning on the railings, so I didn’t have people in front of me!
At the Emirates now, I’m in Club Level on the West side in front row near to the tunnel.
Who was your first Arsenal hero and why?
The first player that I really loved was Kenny Sansom.
He had springs in his heels and he was such a good player.
He wasn’t all that tall for a footballer and was one of many full-backs that was smaller than the opposition’s strikers.
He was also a wonderful player for England but he seems to have fallen on hard times because of gambling.
I’m so delighted that he had the chance to lift a trophy with the League Cup Final in 1987.
Who is your favourite ever Arsenal player and why?
I really liked Frank McLintock and I absolutely adored Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright, but I’ve loved all the players who have worn our shirt and I’m very reticent to have a favourite.
When Frank left us and went to QPR, a group of friends of mine and I went down to Loftus Road to watch him play
There are old Arsenal matches on SKY and BT so I watch some of the old games and those magical moments lift me up.
It’s jaw dropping to see the amazing games we had and over the years we have had so brilliant players.
I watch the U23s as well so I’ve seen the youngsters coming up through the ranks at Boreham Wood and Barnet FC.
What is your biggest Arsenal regret/disappointment?
A friend of mine and I found a special flight for the Europa League final in Baku (2019) even though some people found it really difficult to get there.
Baku is a beautiful place on the Caspian sea but it was horrible to see us lose to Chelsea, especially as our darling Olivier Giroud played against us and scored. He had been one of my favourites when he was at Arsenal.
I was staying at the players’ hotel and had a lovely time chatting to them but that defeat was upsetting.
What is your favourite Arsenal memory and why?
Last year was my platinum anniversary of supporting Arsenal - 70 years!
Before we won the FA Cup last year, I’d been notified that someone would come to interview me in my home.
They never said anything about the cup coming but when I opened the door it was Ray Parlour and he brought the FA Cup with him!
It’s really nice that they appreciate the effort that I put in to support the club.
I practically dropped through the garden patio sitting there with Ray, signing some of my songs to him.
He was a dream, so polite and so well spoken.
I have had so many wonderful moments with the team and it’s only the new boys who have arrived over the past year that I haven’t met.
The Women’s team players are lovely to me as well and also the U23s.
Emile Smith Rowe was one of the few members of the England U23s who won the World Cup who wasn’t talked about as much as other players so I made up a song for him
(To the tune of ‘There’s No Limit’ by 2Unlimited) “Emile, Emile, Emile, Emeil Emile, World Cup Winner!”
His parents came up to me and thanked me after hearing me sing that.
I speak six languages and I use anything as inspiration to make up a song to go with it, whether it’s a new tune or something like a Heineken advert.
I’ve made up some songs in foreign languages, so I made up a song for our German players when they won the World Cup and also for the Dutch girls who won the European Championships.
When I was 80, I was interviewed on the pitch when we played Manchester United.
My parting shot was “Come on boys win for me!” and they did win that day and we hadn’t beaten them for a while.
Arsenal has most definitely been a biggest part of my life - Arsenal are my family.
What is your favourite ever Arsenal match?
My favourite game was a European game, the second leg against Sampdoria (in 1994).
We led 3-2 from the game at Highbury and the only way it could go to penalties was if they beat us 3-2 which they did.
It went to penalties after extra time and David Seaman saved two penalties to see us through.
At the end of the game someone gave him a Union Jack flag and the team carried him shoulder high.
It was a magical night and we went on to win it.
I try to enjoy every game.
The first final I remember that I was at was the Ipswich game (1978) and even though we lost, I was full of the joys of being at the final.
As I was walking out, I was so happy and walked past some Ipswich fans who looked so downbeat.
I said “Cheer up you’ve just won the cup!” to them as I walked past.