On a wet and windy night on the north-west coast of England, a League Two side sensationally knocked the Premier League champions out of the Carabao Cup. But this is not just a fairytale story of giant-slaying: Fleetwood Town and Arsenal have an unlikely history that stretches back long before Tuesday night’s game. Arsenal played at their iconic Highbury stadium until 2006, and Fleetwood’s ground has the same title, being named after Highbury Avenue, the adjoining street.
Fleetwood also play in red shirts with white sleeves in the style of the classic Arsenal kit. Nobody is exactly sure why, but according to Ray Curtis, a barman in the town’s King’s Arms: “Fleetwood’s first ever kit, the home kit, was given to them by Arsenal.” And in the 2000s, not long after Patrick Vieira captained Arsenal, Fleetwood boasted a namesake star: a Brazilian striker called Magno Vieira. At the 5,300-capacity Highbury on Wednesday morning, the floodlights that Fleetwood had hired for the occasion were being packed away.
On Tuesday, the excitement and anticipation started early. And then obviously, we went 1-0 up and everyone was kind of looking at each other, like this isn’t supposed to be happening.” She said it was back to reality when Arsenal equalised except that “the clock kept on going and the score didn’t change”. Wright said everyone was on the pitch after the dramatic penalty shootout that saw the Premier League champions and Champions League finalists ousted from the competition.
The next stop for players, fans and management was the stadium bar. It was brilliant, amazing.” “The atmosphere was crazy,” said Chris Newman, 33, who was at the match with his son. He returned to the club shop on Wednesday to pick up two souvenir programmes.
One buyer with a London accent said: “I’m a Spurs fan, it’s brilliant.” Wright said the town was abuzz the morning after: “Bars, pubs that are struggling, they were open till God knows what time yesterday. We just hope it can continue throughout the season, just hope that attendances start to pick up, and get consistency back again through the gates.” The club’s nicknames – the Cod Army, the Fishermen, the Cods and the Trawlermen – all derive from the Lancashire town’s fishing industry. Sharon Brooks, who was visiting a fishmonger by the harbour, said: “We thought it’d be three, four or five nil, but they did so well to get a draw and then win on penalties, and five brilliant penalties.
It’s nice for a town like Fleetwood, and [against the] Premier League winners last season, they just surprised you didn’t they?” Her 12-year-old son, Ryan, who is an Arsenal fan, said: “Even though I wanted [Arsenal] to win it, I’m pleased for them.” In the King’s Arms, everyone was eagerly awaiting Wednesday night’s draw, which will decide who Fleetwood plays next. Donald Maclean, who missed the game because he was on duty at a nursing home, said: “I saw the goals this morning and I was delighted, over the moon, imagine Fleetwood taking down the Gunners! Never been heard of before, so yes, we’re all delighted about it.
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