Stephen Bignell

Published author - scorer Winchmore Hill CC. Arsenal fan - obsessive collector. Glass generally half empty but can be ultra-competitive if provoked

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

ARSENAL YOUTH TEAM 1984
Hayes, Adams, Keown, Thomas, Rocastle - spine of '89 title-winning team. Lots of dodgy haircuts!
Won the Southern Junior Floodlit cup and reached semi-final of FA Youth Cup.

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

FOOTBALL v CRICKET
Denis Compton (Arsenal) and Bill Edrich (Middlesex) toss up for the cricket match at Highbury August 1949 as part of Compton's Benefit season.

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

OLD FOOTBALL
Arsenal's Wally Barnes and Archie Macauley smoking in the dressing room after the 2-0 win over Bolton Sept 1947 - a not uncommon scene right up to the end of the 20th century.

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

OLD FOOTBALL
NLD January 1934 - Does my bum look big in this?
Spurs' Arthur Rowe and Charlie Jones of Arsenal toss up with ref Harry Hill. 68,828 see Spurs win 3-1 but the Gunners retained the title with Tottenham finishing 3rd despite losing 14 times.

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

DUAL SPORTSMEN
Leslie and Denis Compton - Arsenal, Middlesex & England - believed to be the only sportsmen to win the Cricket County Championship (1947) & 1st Division Football League (1947/8) in same calendar year - also CCC (1949) & FA Cup (1949/50)

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

CHANGING FACE OF FOOTBALL CROWDS
Manor Ground, Plumstead 1906 - almost exclusively young males (1 lone female) - cloth caps - jackets and ties. Highbury 1934 - still male but older - bare headed - overcoats

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

ARSENAL HISTORY
F A Youth Cup winners 1988 with the late Kevin Campbell announcing himself with 12 goals in 9 games

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

MASCOT WARS
Sign him up now!

[Ibraheem @Olalekan_ib]

Until Arteta get hold of this video and use it to motivatethe players. "He was our only mascot, about 7 to 8 year old, against a full team of Spurs mascots. He WON the duel against them. So guys, fight for the team and win every fogging duel" @Arsenal @m8arteta

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

NO CAPTION REQUIRED
Happy 74th birthday

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

ARSENAL HISTORY
May 8 1971 - Arsenal 2 Liverpool 1 - Charlie George scoring the winning goal in the Cup Final during extra time. The ball took a slight deflection off the Liverpool defender.

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

ARSENAL HISTORY
Highbury 28 April 1970 - George Graham leaving the field as fans celebrate victory over Anderlecht in the Euro Fairs Cup final, ending 17 years without a trophy.

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

I'VE GOT ONE OF THOSE!

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

CRICKET SCHEDULE
It's Bank Holiday Monday and there's no 1st class cricket on anywhere. I recall Middlesex always played Sussex @ Hove BH weekend. In fact no cricket again until Thursday. Height of summer - what's going on!

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

FOOTBALL/CRICKET HISTORY - Joe Hulme 1904-91
One of the great double sportsmen of the 1930s
333 games for Arsenal (107 goals) 9 for England (4 goals)
225 games for Middlesex (8103 runs, 89 wkts, 110 catches) became Spurs manager after WW2.

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

7 YEAR CONTRACTS V 9 YEAR CONTRACTS

[Shaun @LfcShaunjudge]

Chelsea team warming up...

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

CRICKET FASHION POLICE - 3
An assortment of tops, caps, flannel roll-ups and moustaches. All 11 players had scored a 1st-class century. Aus bowled out for 36 in their 1st innings but were saved by rain on the last day.

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

CRICKET FASHION POLICE - 2
Australia now upgraded to wearing pyjamas, inc. 6'6 16-stone George 'Hercules' Bonner. England won the only Test of 1880 (the first in England, played at The Oval) by 5 wkts after W.G.Grace scored 152.

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

CRICKET FASHION POLICE
Australia Jan 1879 looking, somewhat ironically, like a bunch of escaped convicts!
Billed as 'Gentlemen of England v Australian XI' but regarded as the 3rd-ever 'Test'. Aus won by 10 wkts. Spofforth took 13 wkts inc. first 'Ashes' hat-trick

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

ARSENAL 1960s
Centre forward Doug Baker 1963-6 (not to be confused with England international Joe) a prolific scorer for the Gunners juniors - 105 goals in 138 games, inc. 13 in the 1964/5 FA Youth Cup run, but never made the 1st team and his career subsequently fizzled out

[Stephen Bignell @BDOC48]

ARSENAL HISTORY 1960s
Junior team that won the SE Counties League and lost the FA Youth Cup to Everton in 1965 after extra time in the final 2nd leg, playing 10 games, inc. wins over W Ham, Spurs and Chelsea. The club would go on to win the cup the following season