On This Day – 2nd May

It was on this day in 1992 that Arsenal played their last game in front of their famous North Bank terrace.
The game was also the last game for both club in the old First Division before the new Premier League would begin in the August.

Southampton were the visitors to Highbury that afternoon and Arsenal’s Ian Wright was chasing the Golden Boot in his first season at Arsenal.
Wright had scored 26 goals in the First Division going into this final game. His England team-mate had scored 27 for arch-rivals Tottenham, who were away to Manchester United at the same time as Arsenal vs Southampton.

Ian Wright scored in the first half but it was ruled out for offside. That goal would have put Wright level with Lineker but it wasn’t to be.
Arsenal took the lead early in the second half, thanks to a header from Kevin Campbell. They were now attacking towards the old North Bank for the last time.
Glenn Cockerill then equalised for Southampton before Ian Wright took centre stage.

Paul Merson was brought down by Southampton’s Francis Benali and Arsenal were awarded a penalty. Their regular penalty-taker Lee Dixon gave Ian Wright the opportunity to take the kick and he scored with ease.

Alan Smith scored with a bullet header to make the score 3-1 before news came through at Highbury that Gary Lineker had scored for Spurs at Old Trafford. Ian Wright would need to score to level the race for the Golden Boot, or score two to win the award outright.

The clock ticked into stoppage-time as David Seaman managed to just about keep a Southampton free-kick in play. He spotted Ian Wright deep in his own half and threw it out to him.
Wright received the ball, turned and ran full-pelt towards the Southampton goal. He shrugged off Terry Hurlock before turning a defender one way, then another and blasting the ball past Tim Flowers.

There was time for one final attack. Paul Merson and Kevin Campbell both went for the ball at the edge of the box but it squirmed away from them.
It rolled kindly across the box towards Ian Wright and hit a bobble before reaching him. Wright had swung out at the ball and it hit his shin, flew over the diving Tim Flowers and into the opposite corner of the net!

Ian Wright won the Golden Boot and Arsenal had waved off the North Bank in style.

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Chris Amy

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