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The Ken Friar story.
On a regular day back in 1946, a 12-year-old Ken Friar mis-kicked a ball under the car of Arsenal's manager George Allison. The Boss was impressed by Friar's enthusiasm and decided to offer him the job of messenger on matchdays.
And that was the starting of a man's journey who went to be known as Mr.Arsenal and when you're spending more than 85% of his life and counting at an institution, you deserve it.
Listen from the man himself as to how his journey of being Arsenal's greatest ever servant began.
Listen from the man himself as to how his journey of being Arsenal's greatest ever servant began.
“I was 12 years old and because I was smallest I had to retrieve it,” Friar said.
“All I remember was a voice saying ‘boy, what are you doing?’ He told, me to come back the next morning at nine o’clock.
“All I remember was a voice saying ‘boy, what are you doing?’ He told, me to come back the next morning at nine o’clock.
Why I went back I don’t know. I ended up getting a job on the front door, running messages. I used to get 12 and half pence a week.”
He went to get a get a job at a stockbroker's office at a decent pay, however, when Arsenal offered him a permanent job in the match-day ticket...
He went to get a get a job at a stockbroker's office at a decent pay, however, when Arsenal offered him a permanent job in the match-day ticket...
office, he didn't resisted even though he was being paid half of what he would earn at the stockbroker's office.
He never looked back and he was set on the path of a meteoric rise to the peak of Arsenal's glory.
He never looked back and he was set on the path of a meteoric rise to the peak of Arsenal's glory.
He went to become the assistant secretary in year 1965 and got promoted to become the secretary in 1973.
His tenure as assistant secretary saw him oversee one of Arsenal's most glorified season of 1971 when they won the double at Tottenham's homeground.
His tenure as assistant secretary saw him oversee one of Arsenal's most glorified season of 1971 when they won the double at Tottenham's homeground.
“Winning the league at Tottenham, you can imagine,” he said. “The place had gone absolutely mad. Thousands were on the pitch and the goalposts had been broken.
"We were in the dressing room with champagne flying everywhere.
"We were in the dressing room with champagne flying everywhere.
An official came in and told [manager] Bertie Mee his presence was requested outside.
"I warned him not to go but he insisted it was his duty. Off he went. Then 10 minutes later he struggled back in, his tie’s gone, his shirts torn. ‘They’re mad,’ he said.”
"I warned him not to go but he insisted it was his duty. Off he went. Then 10 minutes later he struggled back in, his tie’s gone, his shirts torn. ‘They’re mad,’ he said.”
He then went on to become the managing director in the year 1983 and he continued in the role till the year 2000. He played key roles in bringing players and managers through the door and was especially involved in the contract negotiations talks.
He was also involved in the formation of the Premier League and played a key role in bringing Arsene Wenger to Arsenal.
He then took up the responsibility to leading the project for our new stadium along with Danny Fiszman, a fellow director.
He then took up the responsibility to leading the project for our new stadium along with Danny Fiszman, a fellow director.
Arsenal successfully completed the move to the Emirates stadium and Friar was one of those who were credited but Highbury remained a special place to him.
“I miss those days, of course I do. I was at Highbury from 1946 to 2006. It’s a special place.
“I miss those days, of course I do. I was at Highbury from 1946 to 2006. It’s a special place.
When you spend 60 years somewhere, of course you are going to miss it."
“But tradition doesn’t pay the bills and the club had to move on. I think the stadium we have now justifies why we moved.”
“But tradition doesn’t pay the bills and the club had to move on. I think the stadium we have now justifies why we moved.”
Frair again became the acting Managing Director in 2008 after Keith Edelman resigned from the post and was thus succeeded by a certain Ivan Gazidis, who's impact at the club, good or bad, can be still felt at the club even after his departure.
Now 86, Ken Frair is ready to setup down from the board to become Arsenal's lifelong President.
His office at Highbury is now a museum of Arsenal. A historical place which has folded in itself the glorious past of this gigantic club.
His office at Highbury is now a museum of Arsenal. A historical place which has folded in itself the glorious past of this gigantic club.
A past which the present has failed to match and the future is pushing to outdo.
One of my favourite quotes of Frair will always be when he was asked if he would retire.
“It will happen one day, but it’s not something I like to think about. It’s not a job! I still get a tingle when I get into work in the morning.”
“It will happen one day, but it’s not something I like to think about. It’s not a job! I still get a tingle when I get into work in the morning.”
"I have always felt that people like me are custodians of the heritage. I really believe that it has to be protected. It has taken 125 years to build what we have got but, if you mishandle it, you can ruin it in 10 minutes.
"This club is like your health: you don’t appreciate it until you’ve lost it. Nine out of 10 people who leave want to come back. You just have to talk to Thierry Henry or Robert Pirès.”
For all the Ivan Gazidis and Raul Sanllehis that walk into this club, there will always be only one true custodian, Ken Friar.
