CHAPMAN, BUCHAN INNOVATORS.

On this day Arsenal FC was busy winning 7-1 against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Herbert Chapman, was The Gunners manager. He "is" a very famous football manager and any football fan, worth his sort, should know that, at least he was insistant in getting a London Tube station named after his football club! He reckoned that "Gillespie Road" station, next door to the Ground", should be renamed as Highbury. The station, obviously, was next door to his club, Arsenal, so on November 5th, 1932, the station which was only very busy on match days, with the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton lines passing through. Chapman, seeing a marketing moment, persuaded those responsible to christen the station after the football ground. Millions would see the name, Arsenal, daily!! 

With his club, FA Cup winners in 1930 and League winners in 1931, Chapman raised the issue with the London Electric Company in 1932 and after considering the costs of printing new maps and posters, The Company agreed to rename the station, Arsenal (Highbury Hill), in early November. The suffix, a sop to compromise by Chapman, as the LER had only offered to rename it Highbury Hill-was dropped in 1960.

Chapman (19 Jan 1878- 6 Jan 1934) was an innovator, being a prime mover to have numbered match shirts, he installed a huge clock at one end of the Highbury ground, above the terrace but the FA told him to take it down for fear of creating arguements with the referees, so he installed a standard one hour time piece, which graced the "Clock End" until Highbury's demolition!! He championed the use of floodlights for midweek fixtures, as matches kicked off during working hours and he introduced the "white football", increasing visibility. His greatest innovation was the "Stopper", a defender whose sole purpose was to stay in the middle of the defence and deal with headers from "long balls". Some reports argue that Charles Buchan, a well known club captain at the time, had suggested this concept to Chapman. Chapman also brought these to the game: 

The WM formation tactic (know what that is?), employing a centre-forward, floodlighting, training and fitness programmes, kit innovation especially for away matches, the "false nine" tactic (know what that is?), weekly schedules, the club managers involvement in club technicalities and of course he played for Spurs!!, prior to joining The Gunners!! An inspiration, clearly!!!

(Born 19 Jan 1878 Kiveton Park- Died 6 Jan 1934 aged 55 at Hendon). Buried at St Mary's, Hendon.