I’m a huge Arsenal fan, and a season ticket holder (for my sins), and there was nothing I used to enjoy more in the close season than reading Arsenal-related books to keep me going before my next football fix. It has to be said in the last few, somewhat frustrating, years for the club I have been less inclined to do so. However, I have enjoyed past indulgences – particularly books examining the recent history of the club under Arsene Wenger’s reign. My favourite two are Arsene Wenger: The Biography by Xavier Rivoire and Arsenal: The making of a modern super club by Alex Fynn and Kevin Whitcher.

They tell the fascinating stories of how Arsenal came to have such a visionary manager at its helm, and how the club has tried to continue to compete with far richer clubs through the move to the new stadium. 

Arsene is a fascinating man and an unusual intellectual in the world of football. He has changed so much for English football as a whole, taking on a team who had a far less serious approach to training, food and alcohol and transforming them into some of the greatest sides we’ve seen in recent years – particularly The Invincibles who didn’t lose a league game in the 2003-04 season. I will never forget watching the beautiful football played by Thierry Henry, Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires, or more recently Cesc Fabregas and Robin Van Persie.

The story of the move to Arsenal’s new stadium is a testament to the vision, tenancity and dedication of the team who made it happen. It still amazes me how they squeezed the stadium in between two railway lines and got permission to transform the area. 

Both my grandfathers went to Highbury to see Arsenal play in the 1930s. My grandfather who is now aged 95 can still recite most of the Arsenal teams of that decade (and famously did so a few years back when he and I were stuck in A&E at 3am after he had a kidney scare). So, Arsenal is clearly in my blood. When I get over my current irritation with the disloyalty of overpaid modern footballers, I shall no doubt seek out the latest Arsenal book.