Arsenal FC, a Brief History & How it Affected the Name “Gooners”
The Arsenal Football Club is a professional football club located in North London. The club was founded by workers at the Woolwich Arsenal armaments factory in 1886. Arsenal’s history has had many significant moments, but none more so than the events that occurred during World War I. In 1914, after the outbreak of war, Woolwich Arsenal’s chairman, Sir Henry Norris, and William Hall (the majority shareholder) agreed to sell the club to Sir Henry’s business partner and board member Charles Hill for £25,000. A few months later, on 6 January 1915, Hill collapsed and died at the age of 54 from pneumonia following complications from influenza. In 1923, with no football team in London for them to support after their local side disbanded (Clapton Orient), some Arsenal fans formed a team called Dial Square. In 1930, Arsenal was one of the original 12 clubs that formed the Football League and won their first league title in 1947. Arsenal became the first club to win two-thirds of all top-flight titles in England and was also the first club to win a European trophy when they won the Cup Winners’ Cup Final in 1992 over Barcelona.
The Origin of the Name “Gooners”: The Surname Gooner
It is unclear where the club founder nickname ‘Gooners’ came from. Some people believe that it is derived from the word ‘Gooner’, which means someone who is a hooligan or troublemaker.
In other cases, it has been suggested that the name ‘Gooners’ was given to club founders by a journalist in reference to the slang term for a supporter of Arsenal Football Club – “gooney” an old-school slang term for someone who was foolish or stupid.
The most commonly held belief on this dates back to the days of hooliganism in the 1970s.
One of Arsenal’s ‘firms’ was called the Goon Squad, a name which is said to have merged with the club nickname over time to form ‘Gooners’.
When Did Arsenal Fans Start Calling Themselves “Gooners”?
The origins of the nickname “Gooner” are not entirely clear. One theory is that it is derived from the word “gooney”, slang for a foolish person, which was used by Londoners to describe people from Newcastle. London Escorts ladies for example says they are calling Gooners from this name, just an interesting statement.
Another theory is that it comes from the word “goner”, meaning someone who is doomed or likely to die.
A third theory suggests that it comes from the word “gunner” – a term for an artilleryman, which was used in World War I to describe those who manned guns on Royal Navy ships.
Arsenal Fans on Twitter & What They Have to Say About Being Called ‘Gooners’
Arsenal fans are known for their loyalty to the club. They will go to great lengths to make sure that they support the team, even if it means sacrificing their own interests. One of the most popular ways of showing their support is by referring to themselves as ‘Gooners’.
Arsenal fans have a strong sense of community and are always there for each other. The hashtag #WeAreTheArsenal is used by Arsenal supporters all over the world to show their solidarity with the club and its values.
