Arsenal in the 1930s were English football’s most successful team. Under the coaching of Herbert Chapman – who joined the Gunners in 1925 from the then mighty Huddersfield Town – the Gunners secured their first trophy in 1930, with a win over Huddersfield in the FA Cup Final. That was the catharsis. Arsenal won the title in 1930-31. They would repeat the glory in 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, and 1937–38. In 1936, they won the FA Cup for a second time.
Arsenal were the richest and most successful club in the world. Their fans loved it, of course:
An Arsenal fan performs a one handed handstand at Euston Station to entertain his fellow supporters on their way to Birmingham for the F A Cup replay, 29th January 1930. (Photo by S. R. Gaiger/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
22nd March 1930: A Hull supporter the crowd before the start of an English semi-final Cup-Tie at Leeds between Arsenal and Hull City. (Photo by S. R. Gaiger/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
Arsenal fans, holding their duck mascot, leaving London to travel to Reading for the FA Cup tie, 16th February 1935 (Photo by J. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
2nd April 1938: Huge crowds turn out for the Arsenal game against Charlton at Highbury, London. (Photo by David Savill/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
16th January 1937: Arsenal football supporters cheering for their team at St Pancras Station, London, as they make their way to Chesterfield. (Photo by E. Dean/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
19th November 1932: Arsenal football supporters cheering from the train carriage window as they leave Euston Station, London, on their way to Birmingham for their team’s match against Aston Villa which they lost 3 – 5. (Photo by Douglas Miller/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
23rd March 1936: The Arsenal Football Club office staff sort through the huge quantity of post from supporters requesting tickets for the FA Cup Final match between Arsenal and Sheffield Unitied at Wembley Stadium. The club has sold out of its allotted 10,000, so all these applications will be refused. (Photo by J. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
27th December 1938: Football fans making their way through the slush of melted snow on their way to watch Charlton Athletic play Arsenal. (Photo by H. F. Davis/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
22nd January 1938: An Arsenal football club supporter declares his allegiance with a large sign during a match against Wolverhampton Wanderers. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
31st January 1934: Ambulance men attending to some of the spectators who fainted in the crush at Arsenal FC ground at Highbury when a huge crowd turned up for the Arsenal versus Tottenham Hotspur match. (Photo by A. Hudson/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
Arsenal fans wearing team colours leave Euston Station, London, on the way to see their team play Wolverhampton Wanderers in the F A Cup, 22nd January 1938. Arsenal lost the tie 3-1. (Photo by E. Dean/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
Arsenal fans at Waterloo Station on their way to an F A Cup tie at against Portsmouth at Fratton Park, 13th February 1932. (Photo by S. R. Gaiger/Topical Press/Getty Images)
Arsenal fans at King’s Cross to catch the special trains to Huddersfield for the F A Cup semi final against Grimbsy, 21st March 1936. Arsenal won 1-0. (Photo by E. Dean/Topical Press/Getty Images)
Arsenal F C supporters on the train at Euston Station on their way to support their team in an FA Cup tie against Burnley, 20th February 1937. (Photo by E. Dean/Topical Press/Getty Images)
Fans arriving at Arsenal’s Highbury stadium to see their team play Aston Villa in the league, 17th November 1934. (Photo by J. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
An Arsenal fan performs a one handed handstand at Euston Station to entertain his fellow supporters on their way to Birmingham for the F A Cup replay, 29th January 1930. (Photo by S. R. Gaiger/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
Arsenal fans getting warm from a stove while queuing at the Highbury stadium for tickets to see the match against Chelsea and the ceremony to open the new covered stands which will be attended by the Prince of Wales, 16th December 1932. (Photo by H. F. Davis/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
Large crowds of fans waiting to get into Arsenal’s Highbury Stadium for the game against Aston Villa, 8th November 1930. The match winners will go top of the First Division. (Photo by S. R. Gaiger/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
Football supporters wearing newspaper hats to shelter from the sun at Highbury during Arsenal vs Everton, the opening game of the season, 29th August 1936. (Photo by J. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
Supporters queuing at the Arsenal Stadium in Highbury for the 3rd round F A Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers, 8th January 1938. (Photo by E. Dean/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
April 1930: Crowds mob the victorious Arsenal football team as they arrive for a civic reception at Islington Town Hall given by the Mayor and Corporation of Islington. Arsenal defeated Huddersfield 2-0 In the FA Cup Final. (Photo by Miller/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
March 1936: A section of the enormous crowd of football spectators leaving the stadium , after the FA Cup semi-final match between Arsenal and Grimsby Town. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
March 1930: The crowd at the FA Cup semi-final between Arsenal and Hull City at Elland Road. (Photo by J. A. Hampton/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
8th January 1938: A little Arsenal FC Supporter at Highbury, London, waiting for the gates to open for the 3rd FA Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers FC. Arsenal won 3-1. (Photo by E. Dean/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
Precarious spectators watching Arsenal’s opening game of the season against Portsmouth at the North London club’s Highbury Stadium, 27th August 1938 (Photo by H. F. Davis/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
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