Tom Canton is one of the leading Arsenal journalists covering the Gunners home and away.
The Arsenal reporter for Football_LDN and Mirror Football, he is also the host and owner of The Gooner Talk TV.
A former teacher, Tom moved into journalism in 2020 and his status on the Arsenal beat has seen him given the opportunity to interview some of the biggest characters at the Club as well as asking the difficult questions that fans often want to ask the manager.
When did you start supporting Arsenal and why?
I was born in 1994 and I grew up without the channels to watch the Premiership (as it was called) – with the family priced out of it. Considering how expensive it was I couldn’t blame them, but I always watched Match of the Day.
Arsenal were glorious to watch in the late 90s and early 00s and when my late Nan told me that her husband, my grandad who had passed away before I was born, had a liking for The Gunners, that was that.
What was your first Arsenal match?
As you can tell from the first answer, I grew up without the access to games on the telly that my mates would have had, or in person.
Nor was I able to convince my Dad, a devout Gillingham supporter, to take me to a game. It wasn’t until I was 17 I finally got to the Emirates (a regret being I was never able to go to Highbury) and watched Arsenal win 6-1 against Coventry City, in the match Oliver Giroud would score his first goal for the club in the League Cup.
Who was your first Arsenal hero and why?
Differentiating first Arsenal hero and favourite Arsenal player (the next question) is quite clever. It made me really think about what that means to me.
I think Arsene Wenger is the name that I warm to the most but it definitely crystallised after meeting him for the first time after starting life as a journalist. It was one of his first times returning to the club for a pre-season match with Monaco after he’d departed as manager.
He entered the mixed zone after the game, spotted the group of journalists, came over without being asked and shook all of our hands and stood to chat briefly. Probably the most star struck I’ve ever been. He’s a hero, no question.
Who is your favourite ever Arsenal player and why?
My first Arsenal shirt had Thierry Henry on the back, the 2005/06 away kit with the “Gunner Galatico” christening it.
But while I grew up in this golden era, my true love of football developed far more as I approached my adult years and Santi Cazorla no doubt was the player who I just adored to watch.
The two-footed nature he had, the goals he was involved in, including my all-time favourite, Jack Wilshere vs Norwich City, the corner taking with either foot, the low centre of gravity and his general smiley demeanour. What a player. What a guy.
What’s your biggest Arsenal regret/disappointment?
That’s easy, the 2026 Champions League final. I was there, working, in Budapest at the game. To be there and not to see us win it hurts. I’ve still not watched any of it back and don’t think I will.
I think Paris 2006 is that for so many other people. But the difference is this time, there’s such a sense that Arsenal will be back there again and they will win it, finally!
What is your favourite ever Arsenal match?
“After review. West Ham number 19, commits foul on the goalkeeper…”
I could easily pick some stunning big wins, Derby routs or amazing goals but, I was 9 when Arsenal last won the league.
This was the game when I knew we were going to do it, and to be in that stadium, when Trossard scored to when the VAR overturned the Wilson goal, I’ve never experienced emotions like it… and I had to stay composed and write all about it on the fly!
It has to be that game. What a moment! We’re actually going to do it!!! And we did.
What is your favourite Arsenal memory (away from the pitch) and why?
Being a fan who is also a reporter covering Arsenal is really challenging. It’s a privilege and I never underestimate how lucky I am to do what I do.
Keeping it professional is always my aim, even though the mask can often slip… maybe quite often.
I have to pick two.
The first was hosting The Gooner Talk LIVE the day after we were confirmed champions. Being in a room with close to 100 Arsenal fans who’d come to see me and my team celebrate was a best-day-ever type scenario.
The other came the next day at the first press conference after the title win and UEFA Champions League final media day where Arteta and the players have to go through rounds of interviews.
After the presser, with so many media in attendance the marquee they’d set up outside to host it was just that little too far from the main block so WiFi was not exactly working and my hotspot wasn’t good enough to upload my pieces.
So I wandered over to the main building to try and connect. While doing so, Mikel walked past on his way to another interview, as he clocked me working, he diverted to come over for a quick hand shake and I got the opportunity to personally congratulate him on the job he’d done and, selfishly, how happy he’d made this Arsenal supporter too.
I question him every week, often more than once. Sometimes you get good answers, sometimes he can bite back if you’ve needed to ask a tough one, and sometimes you get nothing at all. It’s all part of it and it’s never personal, it’s just the job.
But that was a moment where I could say “well done” for making Arsenal champions again.
I’ll remember that for a very long time.