Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Gooner Lou 
Date:Monday May 18 2009
Time: 10:41AM
UK time is: 17:20:56
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We Won the Academy League at White Hart Lane
Last week, we hailed the Arsenal Ladies man. It's now time to applaud the kids man. And not just him, but the whole Arsenal Academy staff.
After winning one of the two southern groups of 10 teams (which included the Under-18s of Premiership clubs West Ham, Portsmouth, Chelsea and Fulham) with 25 points clear, our boys marched on to the play-off stage. Having beaten Manchester City away in the semi-final, yesterday Arsenal legend Steve Bould took the youngsters to White Hart Lane to face our neighbours Tottenham Hotspur who had knocked out Sunderland in the other semi-final.
The Final was an exciting and fiery north London derby. After Rhys Murphy scored the first goal of the game in the second half, the players hung on to the advantage despite Luke Ayling's dismissal after 72 minutes and have been crowned the Premier Academy League champions. This is the first time our Under-18 boys have won the Youth League in its current format, our previous triumphs coming from seasons 2001-02 (Under-19s) and 1997-98 (Under-18s).
The Under-18s coach was naturally pleased with the result that rewards Arsenal's youth development effort: 'It's great for the kids. It's their reward for their efforts. We've surpassed the rewards I had aimed for this year so this just adds to it all. It's a great end to their season but they need to be professional and turn their minds to the next game like all good teams do.' He also praised the outstanding players like Emmanuel Frimpong who was 'great' but 'marching on the edge a bit' in the fiery NLD and Henri Lansbury who was 'fabulous in the second half.'
Now Steve Bould will take the boys to the Emirates Stadium to face Liverpool in the first leg of the FA Youth Cup Final this Friday. Gooners, get your tickets now if you want to support the kids in their pursuit of the Youth Double.
Take a bow, Mr Stephen Andrew Bould!
PS: There're only four kids in the starting line-up who weren't born in England.
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Your Comments
I couldn't watch the game. If you did, do tell us how the kids performed. How I wish I could go to the Youth Cup Final!
GoonerLou
We're really starting to clutch at straws now. Good on the kids but still, sigh.
Ozi Gooner
Nah, I'm truly proud of the boys!
GoonerLou
Well Done to the Steve Bould, Arsenal Academy, and all those staff involded. Great point about only 4 of those players involded not being born in England!! That will upset our critics!
hackneyval
I think we have come to a stage now where it matters not where you were born. 80 Percent of people in London are not British. The funniest thing was coming back from Villareal and the people at Borders control not being British yet looking at me closely like i was trying to smuggle my way in. After 45 seconds of screwing his face at me he let me passed.
paul_ownz
pass*
paul_ownz
Terrific - well done to all concerned.
norfolk dumpling
Note: - This is not a reponse to the article------We all like to trot out cliches like no one is bigger than the club and all that...but I'v been thinking about it and I think, Wenger is actually bigger than arsenal. The kind abuse he is getting, (and when you listen to phone ins etc, most arsenal fans are in full time whinge mode, its unbelievable,) he should be looking at options. Make no mistake if wenger wanted to, he could get any job in the world inlcuding liverpool man united and chelsea. If he wanted to upstick. And you know what even though i am a devout gooner, i would say fair play to him for leaving. I would understand the notion that fine, you dont like this **** this i'm off.......People are so delusional and incorrect about arsenal...They say that oh the old english back four wouldnt have performed like that etc and they were winners.....they won in 1998 but in 2002 they were at best squad players and no way near in the first team. To accredit winning in 2002 and 2004 (which was arguably the best period in the clubs history ever) to tony adams winterburn dixon and keown is just sllly and dishonest. And ofcourse they old notion, johnny foreigner not good enough to wear the proud arsenal shirt rears its ugly head.....
operationmindcrime
I'm not saying wenger should be questioned...sure he has made mistakes, but no way near the ones that other managers do. People say he;s not won anything for four years. Lets examine that closely ....2006 for me was one of the best years in the clubs history as we made the champs league final (i'd take that over a lousy milk cup any day) beating the likes of madrid and (the good) juventus....2007 was a bit of a damp squib but we had a dreadful injury record and we lost something like 4 games in a row and still finished level on points with liverpool. 2008 i thought we were great and a few decisions and injuried permitting we would have won the title and we were desperatlely unlucky not to make the semi final of the champs league....2009 was potentially the toughest season of the lot, because we had lost diarra gilberto flamini hleb (and eduardo and rosicky effectively) plus we had cesc adebayor gallas clichy out for long periods.......it is unbeleivable that we were able to fashion a 21 game unbeaten run seal 4th spot so quicky make the fa cup and the champs leaue semis,,where we met possibly the best side with half our squad injured.....ok we got found out in the end but i still think we rallied well and had a decent second half of the season.
operationmindcrime
Next season we will have rosicky and eduardo back plus nasri and arshavin will be completely bedded in and walccott..and i think there are signs that we will have a decent season (injuried permitting)
operationmindcrime
But if wenger does decide to leave or is forced out of the club as some fans quite clearly then i'm afraid we wont look at the champions league semi final defeat against manchester united as a low point but as the last high point as we contemplate losing to milwall in the league 1 playoff semi final......or perhaps we'll do a newcastle sacking the best manager they had and replacing them with some english wally who has no clue and then eventually get relegated....
operationmindcrime
I really hope the board dont bottle it and make sure wenger is tied up, Id throw an extra 5 to 10 million to keep him on board......the fans,,,,well i really dont know what to say..the title of worst spoilt and delusional in the premier league well and truly belongs to arsenal this year.....in fact I wont be surprised that they start chanting the pedophile song in the home game against stoke...........you know the kind of thing he is used to alll around england,, which is why i wont blame him if did decide to leave
operationmindcrime
OMC, I do agree with you by and large. We've got a thread on this very topic, this way please: http://www.arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=10698&posts=28
GoonerLou
Lou you have become like a hall monitor. Directing people where to be and not to be. Off topic etc etc
paul_ownz
I was just encouraging people to go to the best places for certain discussions. Moderator pretty much = hall monitor mate! :/
GoonerLou
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