A tube station and former football stadium in north Highbury, south of Finsbury Park. The football club, of course, is far from obscure but parts of its history are not widely known. In 1913 St John’s College of Divinity leased its sports ground at Highbury to Woolwich Arsenal football club, which had been founded in 1886 as the works team of the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. Tottenham Hotspur and Orient football clubs (the latter then playing at Clapton) objected to the relocation but were overruled. The club’s achievements were modest until Yorkshireman Herbert Chapman took over as manager in 1925. A strict disciplinarian and canny businessman, Chapman guided Arsenal to FA Cup victory in 1930 and then to three league championships. To honour the club’s successes, Gillespie Road station was renamed Arsenal in 1932. Highbury stadium was erected during the following few years, to the design of Archibald Leitch, who was responsible for most of the great British stadia of the interwar era. St John’s College was demolished after a fire in 1946 and the institution subsequently relocated to Northwood before settling in Bramcote, Nottinghamshire in 1969. St John’s has a website that makes absolutely no mention of the secular detail that north London’s premier football club owes its Islington existence to the college. Among Arsenal’s successes in the last decade have been three Premiership titles and four FA Cup wins, including a 2005 victory over Manchester United that was the first to be decided on penalties. The club has now moved to the newly built Emirates Stadium at Ashburton Grove in nearby Drayton Park (see image below).

Arsenal fans leaving Highbury stadium for the last time

Arsenal played their last competitive game at Highbury on 7th May 2006, beating Wigan Athletic 4-2 and in the process securing a place in the 2006–7 Champions League, at the expense of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Highbury’s art deco east and west stands are now being converted into apartments, the north and south stands will be replaced by light business units, apartments and a restaurant, and the pitch will become a commemorative area and community garden.