On May 3, 1998, we had the opportunity to win the Premier League title in front of our own supporters at Highbury if we could beat Everton.
The last time the Gunners had secured the league crown in N5 came in 1953, when a thrilling 3-2 victory against Burnley confirmed that Tom Whittaker’s side were First Division champions by the narrowest of margins – 0.099 of a goal. This time, the statistics were tilted fully in Arsenal’s favour.
Seven points ahead, they needed just three more from their remaining three games to hold off the challenge of Manchester United and be crowned champions of the new competition for the first time. On a beautiful afternoon, Arsene Wenger’s team completed the job in spectacular style at a jubilant Highbury. It was a perfect day in every sense of the word.
We had slipped effortlessly into scintillating form when spring arrived, with newcomers Emmanuel Petit and Nicolas Anelka developing into polished Premier League performers to help us embark on a 10-match winning streak.
Despite the Gallic influence, our English back four, comprising Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn, was still in place, and they had to be at their best during a tense and niggly 1-0 victory against Derby County just four days before the Everton match, with Petit thumping home a late winner.
Striker Christopher Wreh, who contributed some vital goals during the run-in, recalled during our 2004 interview: “In the dressing room before the game, Arsene talked about the fact that we were on the cusp of a great achievement, and how wonderful it would be to win the title at Highbury. The French guys – Manu and Patrick (Vieira) slapped hands before we ran out. Tony and Lee just nodded at one another. It was time to get it done.”
There was a carnival atmosphere in N5, with the expectant crowd basking in the sunshine and waving flags and banners. By half-time, we were already cruising. Slaven Bilic headed into his own net to put us 1-0 up, and Howard Kendall’s relegation-haunted team, who avoided the drop by just a single point, collapsed as Dutch winger Marc Overmars’ shot squirmed under the body of goalkeeper Thomas Myhre to put us two up.
The turbocharged Gunners went into overdrive in the second half. Overmars stormed through and slid home a third while the party atmosphere increased further when Ian Wright, who’d lost his place in the side to Anelka in the winter, entered the fray as a substitute on his Highbury farewell to ecstatic cheers.
Skipper Adams then rifled home a memorable fourth goal, after being put through by Steve Bould, who’d also come on as a substitute. “That sums it all up,” famously bellowed Martin Tyler on Sky Sports. “We shall not be moved,” chorused the Highbury crowd.
Gunners fan George Tyson recalled Adams’ celebration – walking towards the North Bank with arms outstretched – “as being almost religious. It still makes the hairs on my neck stand up when I think about it now.”
Thirteen days after securing their first Premier League title, we won the FA Cup final at Wembley to clinch the Double. It was a glorious and unforgettable time to be a Gunners supporter.
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