It’s up for grabs now!!

By Aashish Siwan

The “It’s up for grabs now podcast” is an Arsenal podcast hosted by famous comedian and fellow Gooner Alan Davies. Alan is joined by co-hosts Tayo Popoola, Keith Dover and Ian Stone in producing this magnificent weekly show, which airs all throughout the season. The cast gather to put together a right laugh. The show has a strong following on Facebook too. If I was to sum it up in a few words, this podcast is like being at the matches, amongst the crowd, amongst the Gunners on the field and right in the atmosphere in the stands. It’s good therapy too if the weeks result(s) don’t quite go our way.

A bit of Arsenal history if I may. The title for this podcast comes from the famous commentary by Brian Moore during the 1989 league title deciding match where Arsenal took on Liverpool at the Kop. The First Division, which is now known as the Premier League, title race was run very close by Arsenal and Liverpool. As it happened, the two clubs met on the last day of the season and the match took place on the 26^th on May 1989. Due to the Hillsborough tragedy, which happened six weeks earlier, this was the only match that was left to be played on the final day of the season.

Arsenal had led the table from Boxing Day, but collected only one point from the final two home games, and Liverpool who were on a 24-match unbeaten run, had relentlessly closed a 19-point gap on the Gunners. Already FA Cup winners, the Reds had won their penultimate game and were now three points ahead of Arsenal. To turn it all around, the Gunners would have needed to win by a 2 goal margin, not an easy task for the then manager, George Graham, as Arsenal had not won at Anfield for the last 15 seasons. Liverpool were odds on favorites to add to their F.A. Cup. Regardless, Arsenal took the lead in the 52^nd minute when Alan Smith scored from a Nigel Winterburn free kick. The magic second goal came well into injury time with a surging run from Michael Thomas, which left Brian Moore screaming “Thomas, charging through the midfield… it’s up for grabs now! Thomas! Right at the end!” and leaving the 4000 odd Gooners delirious in celebration.      

So, if you need a laugh, a bit of a Arsenal history lesson, and feel that just watching the Gunners on TV doesn’t do it and really want to get into the atmosphere, check out the It’s up for grabs now podcast!! The Arsenal podcast hosted by Alan Davies.

Click here for a link to the podcast.

The show will be back on air from the 16th of August, right in time for the new season opener, which is at Anfield as well.