The eighties and the nineties

George Graham taking over 

Times turned to better yet again once George Graham took the rudder in 1986. During the following eight years, Arsenal bagged six of the major trophies; A League Cup in 1987, the League Championship in 1989 finally back to Highbury after 18 years elsewhere when Liverpool bit the grass on one of the most thrilling finals of the league season ever seen in the history of English football. After that, another championship two years later.

In the first Premiership sason of 92-93, Arsenal made history again under Graham's firm control. Arsenal became the first football club ever to win the two domestic cups on one season. In both cases, the opponents were Sheffield Wednesday. The year after this, Arsenal began it's great European ambition with a win in the European Cup Winners Cup, that was in Denmark (Copenhagen). The team had a tough match against the star-laden Parma FC of Italy but finally got on top and came out as the champions with a 1-0.

Despite these remarkable successes, Arsenal was a team of high age in need of rejuvenation. The three years following were more ordinary and eventually there was the affair with Rune Hauge bung which saw Graham sacked in disgrace half way through the 1994-95 season. Under temporary leadership of Stewart Houston, our team mamaged for the 2nd year to make it into the Cup Winners Cup final but in the end they lost out to Real Zaragoza from Spain.
The years 95-97 were fairly turbulent and can be regarded as a transitional period in the team history. Bruce Rioch took place as manager starting in June 95 but was eventually sacked in 96 for reasons unknown, that was after taking Arsenal to the UEFA cup qualification and after reaching no 5 in the league and enrolling Dennis Bergkamp.

Enter the new manager - Arsene Wenger 

The next manager was Arsene Wenger, he joined at the end of September 1996 and quickly made his mark; Arsenal advanced to a third position in the league, qualified for the UEFA cup yet again before the end of that season. In the next season, 97-98, history was made again when Arsenal won the double for the second time in their history. The ream was rejuvenated by some new faces from abroad but it took some time to settle in the new players and there was a relatively bried down period.