Nick Callow (@StrollerNick) has covered Arsenal for almost three decades and celebrated with the Gunners after the memorable title win at Anfield in 1989..
Based in North London, he has worked closely with the club through Hayters sports news agency, which he co-owns.
When did you start supporting Arsenal and why?
I started supporting Arsenal from the moment I was born. Not supporting Arsenal was not an option. That was all down to my Grandad, who had loyally followed the club Since the 1920s. He, along with my Uncle, educated me well from a very early age.
What was your first Arsenal match?
I have no idea. My Uncle tells me I was 'a babe in arms'.
That roughly narrows it down to a home match In 1966.
My first memories of going are from the 1970s when we rarely missed a home match.
Who was your first Arsenal hero and why?
Charlie George was the ultimate Highbury Hero.
I grew up on the stories of the ‘71 Double-team and for me Charlie was the best.
He scored the winner in the FA Cup Final against Liverpool and did that brilliant celebration when he lay down on his back.
I loved his long hair and copied it to the extent I was sometimes mistaken for a girl!
When I had the opportunity to interview him decades later he told me that he was just time wasting but I'm not sure if I believe him.
He said he was a fan who climbed onto the pitch from the North Bank, played for a few years and then climbed back into the terraces to be a fan for the rest of his life.
Who is your favourite ever Arsenal player and why?
That is a horrible question. After Charlie George, who I was too young to appreciate at the time, came my personal king of Highbury – Liam Brady.
There has never been a player quite like him since. He played the game with so much spirit and flair.
There has never been a better left foot at Arsenal. It is possible to argue the club has never replaced him
And it took until the arrival of Dennis Bergkamp to see an arguably better player.
Favourite players do not have to be the best players but Brady was both.
A true Arsenal man as well.
What is your biggest Arsenal regret/disappointment?
Where do you start? Disappointment is all part of being a fan.
An early one, for me, was the 1981 cup winners cup final when we lost to Valencia on penalties (in 1980).
Maybe it did not hurt too much as I was not at the match. They are forgiven but not forgotten.
I realise this is not possible for everyone to get to all these matches but I'm sure they hurt a lot more when you are there.
I remember losing a match 5-0 at White Hart Lane. That still hurts and I have never seen television replays of the ‘91 FA Cup semi-final defeat by them.
Even the League Cup Final of 1988 when we lost to Luton remains unwatched after getting home from Wembley.
Paris 2006 was ultimately a nightmare, but not as bad a drive home as the 1995 Cup Winners Cup Final.
More recently, selling Emi Martinez is something I really struggle to get over.
What is your favourite Arsenal memory and why?
To try and cut a long story short, I was fortunate enough to be behind the goal when Mickey Thomas scored at Anfield in 1989 and a good few hours later was celebrating with him in a club in Southgate.
A mate on our coach was the co-owner of a bar called Winners and he had promised to keep it open for the players if we won the match.
I thought he was making it up when he mentioned it on the way up to Liverpool, but there we were with the players and the trophy until about 7 o'clock in the morning.
I never thought I would see Arsenal win the league let alone be at a party with the players celebrating it.
It was almost matched by the party after the premiere of the '89 film as there were even more players there that night and even the referee, who told me he was a Gooner too!
What is your favourite ever Arsenal match?
Again, you had to be there.
Covering the 2020 FA Cup Final was surreal and beautiful but I was working so it was a wholly different experience!
The real contenders are quite a few wins at White Hart Lane – most notably the League Cup semi-final of 87 and winning the league in 2004.
Copenhagen in 1994 was ridiculous, but nothing can top Anfield 89.
We went in hope rather than expectation.
I could talk about it for hours but safe to say It was the greatest day of my life (I don't care if my wife and daughter read this - they know).