Arsènal

In 1996, the year of Arsène Wenger’s arrival, Arsenal’s turnover was £21 million. In 2007, after his eleventh season, it was over £200 million. Of course football has changed dramatically in the intervening period. The Premier League, Sky Television, the money, the pace of the game, the fitness of the players, the foreign stars, the money, the stadia, the fans, the kit, the merchandising, the marketing, even the rules and . . . the money. However, at Arsenal there have been more changes than almost anywhere else. Changes that are largely the result of one man’s vision and philosophy. Arsènal recounts how the ‘Boring Boring Arsenal’ of yesteryear became the great entertainers and superclub of today.

The seeds were sown with the arrival of David Dein in the boardroom in 1983 and continued apace – wondrous deeds on the field being the catalyst for dramatic change off it – taking his (temporary?) demise in 2007 in its stride. Ever onwards and upwards.

The second season in a new 21st century stadium which enabled the club to play catch up on Manchester United and overtake practically everyone else in Europe en route seemed a convenient time to take stock of events. With a young team and financial restrictions, expectations were that Arsenal would mark time in 2007/08. But once again Arsène Wenger confounded the sceptics.

Having revolutionised Arsenal, there is still a triumphant ending to be written. But in the meantime here is the story of how a few dedicated men and one unique individual transformed a patrician institution into one of the world’s few genuine superclubs.