ArseWeb's Famous list of Celebrity Gooners

We think we have more celebrity fans than any other team going, but maybe thats because we remember the ones who follow the Gunners and heap contempt on followers of mere mortal sides! If anyone knows of pretenders to this list or genuine fans that have been left off, please submit their names.

Types of Gooners...

Music Actors & Actresses Other Media types Sport Religion Crime Royalty Government Science Other

and the rest...

MAYBE Gooners (can you confirm any from our list of suspected Gooners?) NOT Gooners (though you may have heard otherwise)

Music

Dido

Mentioned in several papers that she's a committed Gooner (and Frank McClintock fan), born and bred in Islington. See this fan site or this one. Arsenal are thanked in her album credits along with the usual family, friends, etc

Chris Lowe

(PSB)

John Lydon

(a.k.a. Johnny Rotten), seen here modelling the new Arsenal strip back in 1996. From Bill Wyman's review of Lydon's autobiography "Rotten", describing those who followed the Sex Pistols... "There were the trendies from Bromley, they were art-school poseurs. There were the football hooligans from Finsbury Park, the scruffy North London district where Rotten grew up. Rotten incidentally knew most of them personally, being a loyal Arsenal fan and veteran of a few terrace scraps himself."

Martin Ling

Singer with early 80's punk/ska band "Serious Drinking". Did several John Peel sessions & had strong football connections with songs such as "Love on the Terraces" "Bobby Moore is innocent" and a Euro96 thrash of "Back Home". Formed in Norwich and closely associated with the Higsons (led by Charlie Hiugson of Fast Show fame) and the Farmers Boys. Was widely assumed that they were Canaries but Ling has been a season ticket holder for ages. Check out Workers Playtime for their catalogue.

Martin Gore

Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode), has been rumoured to be a gooner, but the word from fellow band-member Martin Gore is that this is not the case. Martin, on the other hand, is most definitely a Gooner. He's been known to get score updates on stage when Depeche Mode and Arsenal have a fixture clash.

Roger Taylor

Queen drummer. In the VIP lounge in the build-up to the 2001 FA Cup final (spotted by Andrew McBrinn).

Sacha Distel

From German magazine "Der Spiegel": "I'm proud to be French and if someone asks me which is my favourite French football team, then I say Arsenal"

John Williams

The one from the band SKY, not the film music composer. John Lysaght writes, "I drive a taxi in Melbourne and picked [Williams] up last year..... we got chatting about England... and I mentioned I was an Arsenal fan from way back... and he confessed to being an Arsenal fan as well..... in fact I even had the season's fixture from the Arseweb site in my cab and gave it to him......his agent was a bit nonplussed, having no idea of anything Arsenal".

Dame Alicia Markova

Legendary ballet dancer. Born 1910 in Finsbury Park, watched Arsenal in her childhood.

Casino Steel (real name Stein Groven, aka Casino Ramone)

Jørn Smedslund writes from Oslo: "....a Norwegian musician who played with early punk band The Boys in the seventies, joined The Ramones (as Casino Ramone) for a few months around 1980, and later on made it big in Norway together with the English actor and singer Gary Holton. Steel was a season ticket holder at Highbury for 11 years (seventies and early eighties). I got this information from an interview with him in Norwegian newspaper 'Dagsavisen'."

Lisa L'Anson

Radio 1 DJ, (ex KISS to her credit) All round babe!

Tony Hadley

(Spandau Ballet)

The Kemps

(Gary and Martin) (also Spandau, plus The Krays and in Martin's case EastEnders).
According to his website, Martin was once invited to train at Arsenal and might have been heading for a career in the game were it not for a knee injury.
But he did make it as a footballer of sorts. Martin played for Melchester Rovers in the 1985/1986 season, but was disappointed not to make the Cup Final team.
And in this interview he talks of how he went about making sure that his son became an Arsenal fan.

John Keeble

Also Spandau

Marc Almond

An Arseweb reader found the following in Marc's autobiography... apparently he took in a lodger called Jamie around 1994, after Marc had come out of rehab: "Jamie... introduced me to the joys of dog racing and the Arsenal football club."

Roger Waters

(ex Floyd)

Andrew Ridgeley

(the other one from WHAM!).

Buster Bloodvessel

(Bad Manners). Has also dabbled with supporting Margate, we believe.

Michelle Gayle

Actress turned singer. Has been quite overtly Arsenal-supporting in TV appearances (eg Don't Forget Your Toothbrush)

Ray Davies

of the Kinks

Dave Davies

ditto

Angus Young

of ACDC

Roger Daltrey

The Who, plus acting appearances

Elvis

Hmmmm....

Tippa Irie

Reggae star

Shovel

percussionist with M People

Leroy Thornhill

of The Prodigy

Tony Cad Robinson

bassist with Aswad

Graham

of Blur.

Alex

also of Blur.

Skin

the sexy, scary lead singer from Skunk Anansie

Gavin Rossdale

lead singer with Bush

Crispian Mills

lead singer with Kula Shaker (anyone know if this is this a familial allegiance? He does seem to have inherited his mother's politics, unfortunately).

Blak Twang

aka Tony Rotton. Was the first UK act to win best hiphop act at the Mobo awards (in 1998). One of his videos is full of shots of him in a 2002 Arse home shirt (with the 2 doctored out so it just says O). Outed on Soccer AM December 2002

Clem Cattini

drummer from the Tornadoes (hit No.1 with "Telstar" in the 60s)

Corey

from Damage (on their album forever the first single has commentary of an Arsenal match)

Aled Jones

"Walking in the air" etc (err, what "etc"? ed) (and anyway, that wasn't really him either!)
on Songs of Praise 29/08/04 singing in homage to his "beloved Gunners" in a special sports song laden service from Highbury.

Pete Tong

top dj geezer.

Judge Jules

Another DJ

Jimmy Ray

pop star (Goonerdom heard on Malaysian radio)

Ultimate Kaos

According to MTV the lads are Arsenal fans one of their videos was shot near Highbury.

DJ Disciple

top US House DJ. (quoted in Loaded magazine as saying he really got into footy while he's been in the UK and he really loves Arsenal).

Matthew Good

Formerly of the Matthew Good Band (quite big in Canada, apparently). They've split up now and he's got a new band. The Matthew Good Band's logo was a modified Arsenal logo featuring their motto "Victory through sheer volume" and their website linked through to AFCi as does his new site (linked to above). His dad was from Islington.

Rachel Stevens of S Club 7

Has said in interviews that she's a gooner, and used to go to Highbury quite often before the group took off.

Bradley McIntosh

...also of S Club 7. See Arsenal movie & TV appearances for evidence of his goonerness. See also this fansite. We're not sure about the other 5, suspect one or more others might be Arsenal too.

Paul of S Club 7

Haven't heard it from his own mouth but we think this counts as confirmation. Mark writes...

"I took my daughters to see S Club 7 at Wembley Arena over the weekend and when they do their encore they all come out wearing sort of patchwork shirts. Those worn by Paul and Rachel include bits of Arsenal tops! Certainly the word "Dreamcast" and the oldbadge appear. (Alas Jon has a bit of a Vodafone top from that club based in Surrey!)."

Tina appears to also be Man Utd, and Hannah Cov. See this newsreel piece.

Sharleen Spiteri

Singer with Texas and mate of Thierry Henry's (who got in trouble for a goal-celebration which revealed a t-shirt congratulating her on the birth of her child. Bloody FA killjoys!)

Black Crowes' drummer

Seen wearing Dreamcast home shirt on Jools Holland's "Later", April 2001

Rollo of Faithless

(Dido's brother qv)

Mark Nevin

Of Fairground Attraction: wrote 'It's got to be perfect'

Nicole Appleton

Of All Saints. See also entries under "Maybe" and "Not" below

Neil Finn

Singer, ex Crowded House. This site says he called an album "One Nil", "...an apt title given his love for the Arsenal football team."

Tall Paul

Dance DJ. We're told that he appeared in a matchday programme as a fan, but had our doubts when we found that this BBC web page describes him as a "mad Chelsea fan". Turns out this is an outrageous slur. Tall Paul has been a West Stand season ticket holder for years and regularly follows the Arsenal in Europe (thanks to Greg for the info).

James 'Sterling' Moss

DJ. (thanks to Henry for the info)

Gilles Peterson

DJ on Worldwide on R1 and head of Talking Loud record label. See his FAQ (thanks to John Chapman for the URL) where he answers the question "If you could get away with murder who would you kill?" with "Tim Sherwood (for that tackle on Patrick Vieira)". See also Tim Sherwood !

Damien Harris (AKA Midfield General)

Club DJ. John Chapman writes: "Recording artist (as Midfield General) and head of Skint records (who used to sponsor Brighton, not sure they do now). His love of all things Arsenal has been in loads of dance mags. One of earlier tunes called Devil in sports casual had a picture of an Arsenal top on the cover. And on the B-side a track called Bergkamp, which originally had commentry of some the great man's goals but must not have been cleared cos they weren't on the released version."

Wookie

"Garage" star. Outed by London's free "Metro" paper, 19th June 2001

Midway Still

Dec wrote to tell us that these indie/alternative noise merchants of the early 90s, pioneers of grunge who were often compared to Nirvana, were all loyal Arsenal fans. Their debut album was even called "Dial Square"! Buy It from Amazon

Steve Earle

Country singer. Maria Kilcoyne sent us the following from a biography entitled 'Walking after Midnight' by Lauren St John (Picador, 2000. p155).
"He [Earle} gravitated towards underdogs and outsiders. Even the sportsmen he liked, the British football team Arsenal and the brilliant NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, were outsiders of sorts. When he first discovered Arsenal, they couldn't get arrested, and Gordon was a favourite whipping boy of the South..."

Chris Shiflett

Guitarist with the Foo Fighters. Seen wearing Guinness-style ("Pure Genius") Arsenal t-shirt at special recording for Channel 4, by John Delaney who was there. He also wears it in their video for "Times Like These".

Samantha Mumba

Irish R&B singer and movie star. A "reliable friend" of Phil Mitchell (not the Phil Mitchell, see "Not gooners" section) was sitting beside her in a pub in Dublin (the Ballinteer) watching the championship-clinching game 2001-2002. She was with her mum and had an Arsenal cap on, she went ballistic when when Wiltord scored.

Jason Perry

Lead singer of "a" (?). Michi Stingl went to see them in Vienna on the night of the same Man Utd match (see Samantha Mumba above), he introduced the last song with "this one goes out to the champions of England: Arsenal". Then during the song he shouted out the names of dennis, patrick and some other players. Michi went backstage afterwards to get his Arsenal shirt signed by Perry and he said he's been a supporter for 21 years.
On SoccerAM 21/09/2002 it turns out his brother Adam is a Gooner too. And they're from Leeds.

Eddie Grant

Dave Spagnol remembers, "Before returning to his native Guyana, didn't he mention that the only things he would miss about England were Arsenal and Spurs. In the football season he would not play too far from London on a Saturday as he considered it his duty to take his sons to which ever one was at home. Living on the Front Line a bit, there, Eddie. When pressed, apparently, he admitted to preferring Arsenal.

Actors & Actresses

Joan Collins

A bit schizophrenic in her Goonerdom we fear. On GMTV she did say that she supported Arsenal, but this could just have been to shut Eamonn Holmes up who was wittering on about Man Utd as usual. However, the following quote, from Joan's writing for the Daily Telegraph during the 1998 World Cup finals, puts a different slant on things...
"In France, 400,000 women will cheat on their husbands during World Cup month; in Italy a million women will do the same; but in England nothing changes because English women love their football almost as much as men do. Does that make us a nation of soccer slags? French women have got it right. They deplore the game, as I have since at 13 I was dragged to Arsenal every Saturday by my football fanatic father."
Deploring football, but hating Arsenal? Some people might say there's no contradiction.
See also sister Jackie Collins, below.

Alan Davies

comedian and actor (Jonathan Creek) (see mentions page, March 2000). See also this NewsReel piece

Colin Firth

(Mr D'Arcy, the Nick Hornby character in "Fever Pitch") Someone told us he was definitely a gooner then someone else said he was a Saints fan so we moved him to the "maybes" list.
Jenny Cann has now done some research and found a Swedish site which reproduces the text of various Colin Firth interviews. There's enough there to bring him back up here.
In one, from Elle magazine, he's quoted as saying he'd be embarrassed to claim to be a fully-fledged Gooner, but he is 'taking as much of an interest as possible' given the 'confines of his lifestyle'. No mention of Southampton.
Jenny also says, "Even better, there's a quote from a Time Out interview in 1997 where he talks about his first even match - Hull V Southampton (presumably this is where the Saints reference comes from), which was the only football match he'd been to before doing Fever Pitch. But since then he hardly ever misses an Arsenal home game when he's in London."
Nick Hornby writes to confirm that Colin's a definite gooner, "He was converted by the film. He doesn't go that often, but he's keen, and is now an Islington resident."

Mark Strong

Firth/Hornby's best mate in Fever Pitch (and also in the excellent Births Marriages & Deaths amongst other things). See this biog (thanks to Sina for the link).

Frazer Hines

Joe Sugden from Emmerdale and Jamie from Dr Who (one of Patrick Troughton's Doctor's sidekicks). Once wore an Arsenal shellsuit on Give Us A Clue.

Jane Horrocks

Multi-talented actress: Little Voice, Ab Fab, Life Is Sweet, the Tesco commercials...

Stephen Rea

Protestant republican from Belfast, star of The Crying Game, also in Fever Pitch, Michael Collins, The Company of Wolves.

Wil Wheaton

Wesley Crusher from Star Trek the Next Generation. Outed by Alastair Coleman.

Barbara Windsor

(Carry On & EastEnders, revealed Goonerdom on GMTV)

Tom Watt

ex Lofty from EastEnders, now radio presenter, football writer, etc

Suzanne Tully

ex Michelle from EastEnders

Leonard Fenton

ex Dr Legg from EastEnders

Mark Homer

ex Tony Hills (son of Travis from Blakes 7) from EastEnders

Patsy Palmer

ex Bianca from EastEnders

Tamzin Outhwaite

Mel from EastEnders. Revealed on Zoe Ball's "The Priory" TV show. Had to finish 3 terrace chants to win a signed Seaman shirt, but had to be prompted.

Jesse Wallace

Kat Slater from Eastenders. Seen at Highbury a few times.

Andrew Paul

'PC Dave Quinlan' from The Bill

Eric Richard

'Sergeant Cryer' from The Bill. Wore AFC tracksuit on Game for a Laugh, (qv Fraser Hines)

Patrick Robinson

(Ash from Casualty, but he is Wrightys cousin!)

John Alford

(Billy from Londons Burning)

Freddie Prinze Jnr

Hollywood film star and Buffy-hubby

Gary Webster

(Ray from Minder)

Bernard Bresslaw

of Carry On fame, "Fakir, off!" (see Cardew Robinson, below)

Cardew Robinson

Bit-part actor in lots of British comedies. He played the Fakir in Carry on up the Khyber (see Bernard Bresslaw, above). Thanks to Dominic Cassidy for pointing this out. Andy Horlock remembers seeing him appear on the pitch at Highbury, and having a shot at goal (I'm assuming Andy means at half-time or before the game!), around the time of the Fairs Cup win, he reckons.

Arthur Mullard

Lovable cockney character (or should that be "celebrity gurner"?)

Dame Anna Neagle

Top actress for decades

Jesse Birdsall

of Bugs

Gerard Horan

(TV roles include Leslie "Charisma" Appleby from Londons Burning, see link for other TV and film appearances. West Stand ST holder)

Nicholas Farrell

Sits with Gerard Horan (above). Films include Chariots of Fire & Plunkett & Maclaine (see Movies page).

Clive Swift

(Hyacinth Bucket's hubby in that sitcom)

Mark Burdis

"Stewpot" from Grange Hill (West Stand season ticket holder, apparently)

John Challis

(Boycie in "Only Fools & Horses")

Tina Hobley

(the sultry siren from Corrie St)

Lee Montague

(actor)

Michael Elphick

(actor: Boon, Private Schulz, etc)

Clemency Burton-Hill

(actress on Sky's footy soap Dream Team)

Sarah Vandenburgh

(Lauren from Neighbours)

Matthew Cottle

(Martin in Game On)

Emily Watson

actress: The Boxer.

Emily Lloyd

Wish You Were Here etc. reported in H&IE, Dec 2000

Gwyneth Strong

Cassandra in Only Fools and Horses. Converted to Goonerdom by her daughter (plays for the U11s). reported in H&IE, Dec 2000

David Harewood

Actor

David Soul

(see also the Ham & High article here)

Kim Taylforth

Operation Good Guys, London's Burning. sister of EastEnders' Gillian

Gillian Taylforth

...speak of the devil.

Gillian Anderson

Dana Scully from the X-Files. Alleged to be a committed Gooner by the Empire 1997 list of "top 100 sexiest movie stars"

Kevin Costner

revealed Goonerdom in Sky preview to 1998 FA Cup Final. Went to see Villa 0 Arsenal 2 on 18/01/04, after which he was quoted as saying, ""My first introduction to English football was in 1990 when I was over here making Robin Hood and I got invited to an Arsenal game. Having watched sports all my life in America, there was no comparison in terms of the emotion that was in the stadium that day. And I really never forgot it."

Kathy Burke

Waynetta Slob & other Harry Enfield characters, Love Honour & Obey, Nil by Mouth, etc

Ray Burdis

(Three Up Two Down)

Pauline Quirke

(Birds of a Feather etc. Mentioned it in an article about a Xmas 1999 TV thing she's in with Ray Winstone, which was written by and starred almost exclusively West Ham fans).

Linda Robson

the other bird of a feather.

Saffron Burrows

model-turned-actress (Deep Blue Sea). Interviews in Empire, Sept 2000, "...continues her dissection of the Hollywood animal. /From Letterman ("He keeps his audience cold, so they're alert to his every line. They have to turn up in gloves and blankets!"), to rapping ("Why not? Bill Macy was on the week before and played five instruments") on a show hosted by "a sort of American Ian Wright", she is consistently charming. Even if she is an Arsenal fan."

Jamie Bell

aka Billy Elliott (revealed on Letterman show, and he was seen in both home and away replica kits in 'The Billy Elliott story' docu, not bad for the Billingham area, as Tom O'Brien points out) Publicity for another moveie, Deathwatch, includes the following quote, "Unlike other young film stars of his age Bell has also remained pretty grounded with his spending habits too. 'I've not really spent much,' he says of his new-found wealth. 'I'd be happy wearing jeans and an Arsenal football shirt. Most people think I'm really scruffy. A lot of friends back in Billingham say 'you're dead scruffy. We thought you were a movie star.' I am not - I'm just a teenager,' he grins."

Peter McNamara

credits include London's Burning, Arrivederci Millwall, Shooting Fish, lots more...

Nick Moran

Lock Stock etc

Adrian Dunbar

Irish actor (Michael Collins, The Crying Game). Regularly attends matches with his son.

Pete Wingfield

Simon Pemberton from the Archers. Also various TV series including "Noah's Ark" (ITV). Little known in the UK but something of a cult figure over the pond following role in "Highlander" US TV spin-off (see fan club site, one of many).
Former goalkeeper in Arsenal's Ex-pro & Celebrity XI.

Felix Dexter

Award-winning comedy actor & comedian

Peter Ellis

The Bill (Inspector Brownlow)

Greg Donaldson

The Bill (DC Tom Proctor )

Robert Bathurst

"The posh one in Cold Feet", says Rob Cullen, who read in a local paper that he is an Arsenal fan.

Gary Lucy

From "Footballer Wives" on telly. Stephan Ottewill saw him say it on daytime TV and he was given an Arsenal shirt with his name on it as a prize for keeping a football up ten times.

Charlie Higson

Of the Fast Show and formerly with 80s band The Higsons (see Martin Ling's entry under "Music" above). Charlie occasionally goes to Arsenal matches as one of his sons is a fanatical Gooner. He has, apparently, never been a big football fan but a friend assures us that "if push came to shove he would probably align himself with Arsenal". That's good enough for us. We suspect that like Arsene Wenger, Charlie believes that football management is very much like making love to a beautiful woman.

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Buffy off the telly. Outed in Daily Star Sunday 21st Sept 2003

Other Media Types

Douglas Adams

Stuart Martin writes, "Aeons ago, when I first read the Hitch-Hikers' Guide to the Glaxy, I got all excited when I deduced that Douglas Adams was probably left- handed, from something he had Arthur Dent saying. I wrote to his publicist to ask about this, and also to ask if he was an Arsenal fan, and the answer given to both questions was "yes". "

Alan Parker

movie director. Once revealed in an interview that, as part of a deal with a studio, he got season tickets to Highbury.

Piers Morgan

editor of the Mirror newspaper.
The Observer reported that following Alex Ferguson's famous crap excuse for driving on the hard shoulder (if you don't know what we mean follow this link) Morgan sent him a packet of Immodium with a note saying "Arsenal fans always knew he was full of shit". See Football365 mediawatch.
And Piers revealed himself to be something of an ArseWeb fan in a Media Guardian column in January 2000 (see ArseWeb mentions page)
Also, when Arsène Wenger asked why he'd been put on the top table at an awards ceremony Morgan replied "Well that's quite easy Arsène, you are God's representative on Earth".

Billy Cotton

Band leader

Nick Hornby

Author of Fever Pitch etc (and contributor to this list)

Lewis Gilbert

Film director/producer. Shirley Valentine, Educating Rita, several Bond films, Alfie, Admirable Crichton, loads of stuff.

Michael Moore

Fabulous political/satyrical American truthsayer. Paul McNamara writes that Moore was... "at the Arsenal-Spurs game this season and has worked it into his routine for his show at the Camden Town Roundhouse. Obviously enjoyed it, singing the Vieira and Freddie songs and wearing an Arsenal baseball hat through the second half, and took his (standing) ovation last night waving an Arsenal scarf at the audience."
The Guardian magazine section on Saturday 04/10/2003 had a picture of MM wearing an Arsenal hat on the cover, and in the interview inside there was a line about him breaking into the Vieira song. See Guardian website.

Stephan Frears

Film director (My Beautiful Laundrette, Dangerous Liaisons, High |Fidelity, Dirty Pretty Things, etc).
On Desert Island Discs, one of his "record" selections was the recording of the Radio 5 commentary to the 2002 cup final.

Michael Winner

Film director (Deathwish)

David Hurst

Journo and author (of London gangster-novel "Rumour-fuelled society" allegedly to be filmed starring Dave Courtney (qv), Nick Cotton and Sada off Big Brother!). David has been a gooner since he was 4. The aforementioned novel includes some Tottenham-bashing.

Clive Anderson

England's answer to Clive James.

Spike Lee

Appeared on Newsnight (BBC2) wearing an Arsenal shirt. When questioned, he confirmed his allegiance.

David Frost

The 1960's answer to Clive Anderson. In April 2001, ex spin-doctor and well-known Tottenham fan Charlie Whelan was on his show, going on about Tottenham and laughing at Frost for supporting some other club. Frost said, "Actually, I'm Arsenal!". He could have been winding Charlie up but till we know better (like when someone tells us that he's definitely a Norwich fan and was only joking about the Arse), Frostie's in the list....
Further confirmation is provided by Robin Humphrey, who heard Frost say on Breakfast with Frost that one way he relaxes is to 'watch the Arsenal, when I can.'

Sue Mott

sports writer at the Telegraph.

Brian Glanville

(Though you'd never know from his reporting!)

Edmund Van Esbeck

(Rugby correspondant for the Irish Times)

Ruby Wax

...as told to ex Arsenal DJ Jay Hall. Took some penalties against Seaman at halftime during a pre-season friendly.

Doug Chapman

Arsenal email list member & US journalist, New England Hall of Fame member!!!

Melvyn Bragg

Interviewed on BBC R5 as a result of being on this very list! (see mentions page

Jackie Collins

See also sister Joan Collins, above.

Koo Stark

Model turned actress and one time Randy-Andy "consort", they say...

Eve Pollard

Journalist, newspaper editor

Sir Nicholas Lloyd

(hubby of Eve Pollard. Also LBC Presenter, and ex editor of the Express. Our first Celebrity Gooning couple !!)

Paula Yates

Tragic ex Tube presenter

Patrick Marber

(Actor, playwright, etc. The student in the Paul/ine Calf Video Diaries)

Jeremy Beadle

Seen at '93 FA Cup semi by Arsewbe reader Neil Corrigan

David Sullivan

(Owner of Birm City FC and the Sunday on Sport papers!!!)

Tony Parsons

of The Late Show and the Mirror

Rory McGrath

(regular contributor of pro-Arsenal and anti-Spurs gags on They Think It's All Over)

Pete Murray.

Old DJ

Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran

Creators of several successful sitcoms.

Sam Fox

Model

Brian Walden

Politician turned broadcaster

Paul Kaye (ex Dennis Pennis)

(when confronted with the prospect of doing his stuff to Ian Wright, Pennis turned to camera and said "sorry, but some people are just sacred". In Kaye's interview for AFCi he reveelade that one time, when working on graphic design at Tottenham, he managed to get Spurs stuff published with Arsenal images hidden in the background.
Sits in the West Stand.

Ric Blaxhill

(producer TOTP)

Eleanor Oldroyd

(Radio 5 Live presenter/reporter - brought this very list to the world at large, see mentions page)

Massimo Marianella

(Italian footy commentator with "Telepiu 2")

Pieruigi Pardo

(Italian sports writer/commentator)

Keith Best

(BBC TV weatherman from the 60s and 70s)

Bradley Walsh

(Comedian, game-show host, ex Pro footballer)

Denise Van Outen

ex Big Breakfast presenter, turned West End stage star.

Tony Holden

Royal Biographer, world-renowned poker player, and Daily Express columnist. Dedication in his book Charles, an autobiography reads "To Arsene Wenger a true prince among men & the 1997/8 Arsenal squad whose double kept me going through my treble"

Joanne Guest

(page 3 stunna)

George Dawes

(real name Matt Lucas) The baldy-baby "man with the scores" from Vic n Bob's Shooting Stars.

Frank Carson

(comedian)

George Hamilton

(Irish sports commentator)

John Leslie

Tall Scottish TV presenter (ex-Blue Peter) and all-round nice guy. Ahem.

Michael Rosen

(poet & author of children's books)

Steve Jackson

(Kiss FM DJ)

Richard Evans

the urbane and, obviously, intelligent Tennis Correspondent for BBC WS Radio.

George Kay

(choiceFM 96.9 drivetime DJ)

Gary Marshall

(comedian)

Stavros

Kebab-shop owner.

Ken Loach

director of Kes, etc.

Dale Winton

Supermarket Sweeper (see q.1 in BBC interview)

Torab Taj

Hollywood Wheeler-Dealer

Joe Swift

BBC2 gardening expert

Amy Lawrence

national broadsheet football writer, ex-fanzine contributor and IASA member

Ainsley Harriott

TV chef/buffoon.

Andy Harris

Soccer AM presenter (Sky Sports 2)

Paulo Coelho

Brasilian novelist (sold 20 million books worldwide, translated into 42 languages. Interviewed in Metro 22/09/99, he said he supports Vasco, but his English team is Arsenal.

Dermot Murnaghan

reads the news on ITV. Has been going since the mid 60s (he said in an interview in Radio Times)

Julia Summerville

broadcaster

Kay Burley

Sky newsreader

Dr David Bull

Watchdog Healthcheck doctor-presenter

Bernie Winters

comedian. Seen by Gooner Chris Nicholls at Arnos Grove after the 1979 cup final, Bernie was waving at Gooners from his Jag, with a massive grin on his face. It is of course possible that he's just one of the many millions who like to see Man Utd lose. Can anyone confirm who Mr Winters supports?
Nick Hornby (see above) writes, "I remember [Bernie] being introduced to the crowd at Highbury some time in the early seventies from the director's box, and have always been under the impression that he is a dedicated fan."
And Laura Nadir confirms, "Bernie Winters has been a Gooner for ever. He used to sit behind me in the West Stand in the 70's"

Lisa Rogers

Loaded's football columnist, Big Breakfast presenter.

Matthew Wright

ex Mirror gossip columnist turned TV presenter (well, trying to...)

Gary Wilmot

"Comedian & Entertainer"

Jerome Anderson

Agent to various sports stars

Pat Sharp

DJ & TV presenter

Jackie Levy

Sky Sports presenter

Dermot O'Leary

TV Presenter. Seen on telly wearing a 70s AFC shirt, talkign about the 2001 FA Cup semi. Well, with a name like "D. O'Leary"....

Ambrose Mendy

Boxing agent (Nigel Benn etc)

Penny Smith

GMTV presenter

Tim Cooper

Journalist for various papers including regular interviews and articles for the Evening Standard and Observer Magazine. Managed to get several gratuitous pro-Arsenal pieces into prominent positions in the Standard, including this one celebrating Man Utd's historic and stomach-churning 1999 treble victory in the Standard with a page dedicated to Arsenal's 1989 title victory at Anfield!

Neil Collins

Daily Mail sports reporter

Rupert Cornwall

Senior journo on the Independent. Alan Tipping recalls him confessing his goonerdom a few years back in a serious article about foreign affairs.

Davina McCall

TV presenter (Big Brother etc). revealed goonerdon in Sunday People magazine interview, 15/07/01.

Keith Arthur

Sky Sports and Talk Sport's angling pundit/presenter.

Clare Furlong

TalkSport correspondent

Renton Laidlaw

Golf channel commentator. Revealed goonerdon during commentary of golf event on Cup Final day (2002)

Rory Bremner

West Stand season-ticket, apparently (or is it just someone that looks like him?). Was engaged to Penny Smith (qv)

Robert Kilroy (Silk)

Politician turned daytime TV person. Marion Young writes, "Standing outside The Gunners before Sunday's match, a shiny black chauffeur driven Jag stops on Blackstock Road right outside the pub. Robert Kilroy Silk (tv presenter and ex-Labour MP) emerges with female companion. Being a nosey sod, I ask the chauffeur if he is an Arsenal fan, and chauffeur replies "yes"."

Debbie Spillane

ABC News Radio (Oz), was their first full-time female news reporter back in 1984. See here.

Sport

Charlie George

Former North Bank regular, FA Cup winner, and Highbury Museum bod

Thierry Henry

Maybe just sayign what he knows we want to hear, but in Dutch Sports Magazine "Sportsweek" he said, "when I grew up and started following English football, Arsenal were my favorite team"

Ronnie O'Sullivan

World Snooker Champion 2001, ????. Despite rumours we hadn't included him before the crucible 2002, because the rumours that he was Tottenham were just as strong. But during and in the run-up to his (first) World Champiosnship defence attempt, Ronnie has made it quite clear. Whereas before he's concentrated only on snooker in his interviews, this year he's been unable to hide his excitement at the potential double.

Audley Harrison

Olympic boxing gold medallist 2000

Lennart Johansson

UEFA President and FIFA presidential candidate.

Boom, boom, boom...

Vladimir Kramnik, Chess World Champion

Ok so I'm stretching the meaning of "Sport" a bit, but he is a world champion. Interviewed on TalkSport in July 2001, before a match against a computer opponent at Stamford Bridge, he was asked if he liked football. He said "yes", and that he followed the English Premier League. Asked if he was a Chelsea supporter he replied "No, I quite like Arsenal".

Henry Cooper

...apparently, we thought he was a Hammers fan. But we've got confirmation that his daughter at least is a Gooner. Alan Tipping informs us that the Italian Cafe she owns & runs in Euston contains Arsenal memorabilia (in amongst the 'Enry stuff). And Henry has been seen at Highbury on a number of occasions.

Ferenc Puskas

"I well remember as a boy growing up in Hungary that there was only one club for me - Arsenal"

Alf Inge Haaland

(Norway & Leeds, Man City, Forest). [in 1996-97 Haaland scored 2 late goals to beat us at the City Ground, then tried to make amends by conceding a bizarre penalty in return fixture]

Frankie Dettori

When asked about how he felt after his record-breaking 7 winners in one day, Frankie could only say how pleased he was with Arsenal's victory that day!

Harry Redknapp

Despite more recent allegiances, Harry was Arsenal as a kid. In Sky's build-up to the 2001 cup final, shorlty after he'd been sacked by West Ham, Redknapp said he always used to go to the North Bank with his father, and he loves AFC. Makes sense, we've heard that his son harboured an ambition to play for the Gunners.

Jan Molby

"Arsenal were, and still are, my team. I am an Arsenal fan and have been since I was a child in Denmark.... I loved Liam Brady... he was a genius." (Total Football magazine June 1999)

Henrik Larsen

No, not that Henrik Larssen! This one played with Johnny Jensen in the 1992 European Championship winning Denmark side.

Damon Hill

Formula One driver (was his dad a Gooner too?)

Tony McCoy

Champion Jump Jockey. On Alex Fersuson, "you know you are in trouble when you see him coming to cheer you up. I just told him Arsenal were definitely going to beat Manchester United in their next meeting and he went off in a huff". From Observer Sport, Sunday 24/03/02

Daley Thompson

Decathlon legend, plays in AFC charity celebs team

Kanu

Arsenal's Nigerian striker revealed that he had an Arsenal top as a kid.

Michael Watson

Boxer

Justin Edinburgh

(it must be hard to be so hated by other Gooners. Presumably Justin thought he was doing us a favour getting sent off in the 1997-98 Highbury derby. Shame it didn't turn out that way).

Rod Laver

One of the greatest tennis players ever

Greg Rusedski

(Canadian-English Tennis star)

Kelly Holmes.

Olympic heroine

Darren Ferguson

(yes, Alex's son).

Mark Ramprakash

Plays for the Arsenal ex-pro and celebrity team.

Stuart Barnes

England Rugby player

Johnny Herbert

Formula One driver

Mark Blundell

Formula One driver

Martin Offiah

Rugby League star, working for MUTV!? hmmmmm.....

Kit Symons

one-time attrctive transfer target

Warren Barton

(Thanks for waiting mate!)

Jimmy Carter

Ex-Arsenal winger, not US president. Credit him with something....

Lee Hodges

(Barnet forward)

Stuart Nethercott

(Yes, Tottenham's answer to Gus Caesar)

Andy Impey

(Why did he score against us twice then!)

Roland Butcher

of Middlesex.

Frank Warren

Boxing promoter

Karren Brady

MD at Birmingham.

Gary Mason

Boxer

Jim McDonnell

Boxer

Suzanne Dando

Olympian turned TV presenter

Trish Johnson

Lady Pro Golfer. Has a habit of getting in trouble with the LPGA for wearing Arsenal leisure-wear ("inappropriate clothing") while playing!

Jamie Spence

(PGA golfer)

Vinny Pazienza

Boxer

Jim Staples

Irish RU full-back

Neil Tovey

(captain of African Nations Cup winning SA soccer team)

Phil Tufnell

(Middx and England spinner, the Gazza of cricket world!)

Danny Granville

(footballer: Chelsea, Man City)

Tony Kay

(ex-Everton ?)

Matthew Fleming

(Kent cricketer)

Tony Kees

Head Coach, Arsenal SC, Elk Grove Village, Il.

Giuliano Grazioli

striker with Stevenage Borough (scorer in their famous draw with Newcastle), Swindon.

Nigel Payne

part owner Earth Summit (1998 Grand National winner)

Jason Euell, and Carl Cort

see newsreel, both at st that time.

Chris Armstrong

Tottenham "striker"

Jovo Bosancic

of

Francois Pienaar

SA Rugby Union star, captain of World Cup winning 1995 team. From The Independent 10/05/2000: "It is typical of Pienaar that he has thrown himself, lock, stock and two smoking barrels, into the English game. And, beyond, into the English way of life. He has become, for example, a committed Arsenal fan."

Gifton Noel Williams

Watford striker, outed himself on Soccer AM in October 2002.

Thomas Castaniede (sp?)

French Rugby star. Revealed Goonerdom in interview on Sky Sports.

Alfie Burden

snooker player. Was on Arsenal's books as a kid but had to switch sports after a broken leg. Was interviewed for the BBC at Highbury, and wearing an Arsenal top. I figure he wouldn't do that if he wasn't a fan.

Danny Cadamarteri

From soccernet's report on Everton 2 Arsenal 0, 18/11/00...
"Cadamarteri attempted to switch the spotlight away from Arsenal's failings by saying: 'I don't think it was a case of them taking it lightly as much as us working really hard and putting them under pressure from the outset. That seemed to unsettle them. After supporting Arsenal as a boy, it was always going to be a big game for me.'"

Tim Henman

Yes, we know he's an Oxford fan. But he's said in interviews that he also follows Arsenal.

Kevin Phillips

Sunderland striker.

John Regis

Olympic sprinter. Cousin of Cyrille, John once played for Arsenal reserves.

Chris Okoh

Cruiserweight boxer, commonwealth champ

Danny Williams

Heavyweight boxer

Adrian Dodson

Super Welterweight boxer

Takaloo

Iranian born boxer from Margate. Light middleweight champ.

Mickey Stewart

England cricket selector etc, father of inexplicably Chelsea-supporting Alex

Kevin Campbell

Former Arsenal striker. Speaking before the Arsenal-Everton match of 21/04/01: "I am still very much an Arsenal fan. I enjoy playing for Everton although I still get letters from Arsenal fans wishing me luck, except for this weekend. The staff at Arsenal and the people I played alongside helped me become the player I am and I will also never forget the fans. Arsenal Football Club is an institution and they are always setting the highest of standards."

Phillippe St Andre

French Rugby Star (& Gloucester coach). A big fan of Arsene Wenger.

Tim Sherwood

Formerly violent, over-rated Blackburn footballer. Achieved the impossible - making Arsenal fans hate him ever more - by moving to Tottenham.
Timmy's been up & down between the gooners list and the non-gooners list like a yo-yo.
At first he was here as a gooner, not sure why. Then we were delighted he decided to remove himself from it in an interview in the Sunday Times of April 8th 2001 (semi-final day!). "Everyone wants to play in matches like this, and I'm no exception. I've always been a Tottenham man, and I'm from north London originally, so I've got a lot of mates who are Arsenal or Tottenham fans, and I know how much this means to everybody.". He goes on to say, "For us, it's the only thing". He repeated his claim to be a Tottenham fan in a Soccer AM interview.
But now he's been outed by an old friend (Lee from Harrow), who grew up with Sherwood in Watford. Lee says, "He's a massive gooner!! big time! and he was always on the terraces during the Thomas, Rocky, era in the late 80's.... And he had an Arsenal polo shirt on when I saw him at his family barbecue 4 or 5 years ago in Bushey, Herts, during his Blackburn years."
Apparently Tim is actually a really nice guy (off the pitch) and his family are all Gooners too. We'd apologise for having treated him so harshly over the years but really, when an Arsenal fan pretends to be Tottenham, surely they deserve all they get. Come out of the closet Tim, and we'll take it all back.

Mike McFarlane OBE

Sprinter, Commonwealth games 1982 200m goal medal sharer

Filippo Inzaghi

Told Shovel he's an Arsenal fan in interview on BBC Choice.

Stephen Kabba

Young Crystal Palace striker. Said he's a gooner in South London Press.

Bjarte Engen Vik, Nordic skier

Helge Olsen writes...
"twice olympic champion, five times world champion in Nordic Combined (last time in 2001), now retired, is a devoted Arsenal-supporter. As he tells it in an interview with VG : "I got an Arsenal-kit when I was five. (...) If I had to choose between being a professional footballer for Arsenal or a Combined-skier, I would choose The Gunners."

Hakan Sukur

Turkish striker. Laura Nadir informs us that Sukur dresses his little girl in Arsenal strip when he can catch a game on telly from Milan

Ian Poulter

Professional golfer from the UK. Has the Arsenal crest (the old one!) imprinted on the outside of his golf shoes, together with his nickname ('Poultie').

Willie Ryan

Jockey. Wears Arsenal cannon on his silks.

David Felgate

Tennis coach (eg Henman qv) and ex Davis Cup player. Revealed Goonerdom in breakfast TV interview during Wimbledon.

Keith Brewer

Professional 8-ball pool player, the most successful of all time.

Religion

George Carey

(The Archbishop of Canterbury).

Jonathan Sacks

The Chief Rabbi

Crime

John Gotti

Head of the Gambinos (NY family). Receives the Arsenal magazine every month.

Ronnie Biggs

Great Train Robber

Mad Frankie Fraser

not completely mad, then

Reg Dudley

alleged "Torso murderer"

Dave Courtney

Former London gangster, said to be the man that Vinnie Jones's Guy Ritchie film characters were based on. Author of best-selling autobiography "Stop the ride, I want to get off", mentions his Goonerdom in new book "Raving Lunacy". See also interview And Flash official site.

Charlie Kray

....according to ex Arsenal DJ Jay Hall, who met him there.

Roger Levitt

Owner/chairman of the Levitt Group. Notorious fraudster, see eg this Frank Maloney page.

Robert Maxwell

I'm sure I remember reading (with some horror as I was living in Oxford at the time and thus all too aware of what it'd mean) that Maxwell's football ambition was always to get control of the club he supported: Arsenal. Not sure that one could really consider him to have supported anything or anyone. But hey, this is the scoundrels section.

Osama Bin Laden

See Newsreel revelation

Royalty

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother

a big fan of Denis Compton. Yes, really. Read our proof

King Olav V of Norway

sadly departed, devoted fan.

Prince Harry

(a regular in the East Stand).

Politics & Government

Michael Portillo

At least, he was a gooner when MP of Enfield Southgate. It's not inconceivable that he's "done a Hoey" and switched clubs since moving to his new constituency of Kensington & Chelsea.

Edward Heath

A bit confusing, this one. He was in the celebs list for long-forgotten reasons, until we came across this story in which he denies having heard of Arsène Wenger!
But in The Mirror of Thursday 15th July 1999 they say "Former PM Edward Heath told the Mirror, 'as a lifelong Arsenal supporter, I feel that top teams must all play their part in a competition as important as the FA Cup'"
It's all very confusing, but he's back in the list even if he doesn't know who our manager is!

Fidel Castro

We've had Castro on the list since it started, but how he came to be on the list had got lost and I was starting to wonder if I'd made it up all those years ago. Then Ed Hall emailed to say that Castro's Goonerdon was revealed during the 94/95 Cup-winners Cup campaign: "At the time of the away leg against Auxerre, Fidel was touring that part of France, and declared that if it wasn't for the inherent security risks involved, he would have given anything to watch in the flesh the team that he had followed passionately since the double season of 1970/1!! "

Aleksander Kwasniewski

(president of Poland, became a fan when working in London in 1974)

Brian Mawhinney

Former Tory Party chairman

Kate Hoey

debatable this one, tries to stitch Venables and Man Utd all the time though!
She claims to be a Gooner so we've left her here, but purists will want to read this newsreel item where we outed her as a bandwagon-jumper.

Chris Smith

Labour MP for Islington & Finsbury (Sec. of State, Dept of National Heritage).

Stephen Twigg

Labour MP for Enfield Southgate (the one who beat Portillo :-) We were at college together and I was once accused of rigging an election in his favour!

Councillor Steve Hitchins

Islington council leader, godson of Alex James (SH's father used to play golf with the Arsenal legend).

Councillor Joe Trotter

Mayor of Islington.

Councillor Rupert Perry

Former Mayor of Islington, season-ticket holder.

Iain Coleman

Labour MP for Fulham (was criticised by former assistant Dominic McElroy for putting Arsenal matches before his work)

Chou En-Lai (Zhou Enlai)

Chinese leader When he died in 1976 at the age of 78, the Mirror headline read "Arsenal lose a supporter". In the article on his life they reported that he had spent some years in London between the wars and used to follow Arsenal. (thanks to Dominic for the tip-off)

Jeremy Corbyn

MP for Islington, North. Both a Labour MP and a Socialist.

Olof Palme

Former Swedish prime minister. Assasinated in 1986.

John Greenaway MP

Shadow (Tory) Sports Minister. Allegiance confirmed when seen complaining about 2001 FA Cup semi final venue on telly

Chris Patten

Former Tory MP and Hong Kong Guvnor. Heard on Radio saying "I'll die an Arsenal fan".

John Bercow

Shadow Home Office minister, "rising star" of Tory party.

Science

Professor the Lord Robert Winston

pioneer of IVF treatment and other microsurgical infertitlity procedures

Other

Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge

Chairman of BA etc.

Tim Angel

of "Angels & Bermans" costumiers. Chairman of BAFTA.

Karen Millen

Fashion designer

Erling Kagge

Norwegian explorer, the first to make a solo and unsupported expedition to the South Pole. Thanks for info and link to Per Arne Flø, Vice-chairman of Arsenal Football Supporters Club - Scandinavian Branch

Nick Scheele

CEO of Ford Motors. Lives in Detroit but born in Essex.

Maybe Gooners

Chloe Sevigny

Actress (Kids, American Psycho). Pictured in Time Out (May 2001) wearing an Arsenal scarf. Hers or the photographer's?

Someone from the Shamen

The Shamen were at Highbury on 28th September 1992 (Arsenal 1 Man City 0, Ian Wright). It was a Monday night game, possibly our first on Sky, and certainly an early one when they were still trying to Americanise things with cheerleaders etc. The band played Ebeneezer Goode (number 1 at the time) at halftime, on a temporary stage in the centre circle, and were completely drowned out by booing and a rendition of "Who the f**king hell are you?" from the stands. Seems the gooners had heard that "Mr C" (lead singer) was a Tottenham fan. The Shamen did a strop and stormed off, possibly without finishing the song (but who could tell? no-one could hear it). Their career went downhill from that moment.
We've been told that at least one of them is actually a Gooner. Can anyone confirm? (so that we can apologise to him).

All Saints

The famous supporters page (see link below) claims that Melanie Blatt and both Appleton sisters are Arsenal fans. Can anyone confirm or deny this (with evidence)? We've had confirmation for Nicole but not the others. See "Not gooners" below for Shaznay Lewis.

Dani Behr

Also claimed by the Famous Football Supporters page. Seems unlikely, given her alleged predeliction for Man Utd and Tottenham players... Can anyone confirm or deny?

Nigel Benn, Mel Smith, Emma Noble, Benny Andersson

More from the FFS list. Once again, if you can confirm or deny any of these (preferably with evidence) please get in touch.

Michael Mansfield

QC. Spotted in the North Bank Stand a few times.

Delroy Lindo

Hollywood actor born in Eltham. Seen at a game.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Has said that she learnt some Arsenal chants to tease (Chelsea fan) Ralph Fiennes with during the filming of "Shakespeare in Love". Now she wants someone to take here to a match and we predict as soon as they do, she'll be a fan. See also this F365 gag

Norman Lovett

Holly mkI from Red Dwarf. Uttered the immortal lines "steaming pile of Hotspur" in his favourite episode "Queeg" (yes, we know he didn't write it, but there was something about the way he said it...)

One of the members of Canadian hip-hoppers "Len"

wears an Arsenal away shirt for most of the video of "Cryptik Souls Crew", their follow-up to "Steal My Sunshine" (the snowboarding bits)

Caprice

Not sure whether she's ever described herself as an Arsenal fan. She's certainly a Tony Adams fan (see also Joe Strummer, below)

Actors Kenneth Cranham, Lee Whitlock

Been seen at Highbury, are they gooners?

Chesney Hawkes

ArseWeb reader Glenn saw him sat next to Roger Daltrey (qv) at the 1993 FA Cup final. Could be he's a gooner himself, or could be he was just hanging out with a fellow rock legend (ahem) and acting colleague.

Wyclef Jean

From the Fugees. John Champman thinks he remembers Wyclef "warbling on about being a Gooner on T.V (can't even remember the programme) around about the time we won the Double."

God

(Including his various alias' if you feel that way inclined). Recently relegated from the "confirmed" section. Theologically minded gooners may wish to address the question of how an Arsenal-supporting deity could have allowed November 2000 to happen.

Dave Gilmour, Pink Floyd

According to the man himself (see this webchat), he's very much a fair weather football fan. But he does say he has a soft spot for Arsenal, and had a season ticket for "quite a few years" around the time we won the double (which double!?). He's included int he "maybe" section because, as far as we know, he could be following anyone these days. Liverpool probably, they won a few things last year.

Chris Ryan

SAS soldier turned author. Stuart Napper writes, "I've read 3 books of his and in each one an Arsenal win is mentioned and how he was pleased about it. Tentative I know but would he put us in every time if he wasn't?".
It was good enough for me, Stuart.
Not good enough for another reader though, who says a) Ryan is a Geordie and b) he has read all the books and none of them contains anything to support Gooner hypothesis. Anyone else care to add anything?

Chris Evans

Ginger DJ. Jacqui Adams reckons he might be a Gooner because he played for the Celebrity and ex-Professional XI, and used to go on about Arsenal on the Big Breakfast (apparently). I have a feeling he supports some northern club, if anyone, but probably just said whatever got him noticed and encouraged people like Gazza to invite him to their parties. Can anyone shed any light?

Jimmy Young and Pete Murray

Another couple whose potential goonerdom is evidenced mainly by their having been seen at the ground. In the company of Cardew Robinson (qv), as it happens. It was in the early 70s (writes Peter Kay), and they were both wearing Arsenal scarves and rosettes.

Sick Of It All

New York Hardcore/Punk band. Seen in concert in LA by Mo, on FA Cup final day 2002. They told the crowd they were glad Arsenal won and told the crowd to shout "Man Utd are motherf**kers", which they did. Only in "Maybe" section so far because we only actually know that they hate Man Utd.

Ryan Adams

Pop star. In the January 2003 issue of Q magazine he said, "I'd like someone to take me to an Arsenal game. Apparantly I'm supposed to like them, although I liked Manchester City, Oasis's team. I need to figure out who my team is." So if anyone knows if Ryan is a Gooner or not, please let us know, and let him know too! (thanks to Paul for spotting and sending the quote)

Not Gooners

Ashley Cole

Former Arsenal and England left-back. Was a gooner as a youngster and that's why we loved him so. Then he sold out, proved himself more an Ashley Cole fan than an Arsenal fan, and went to the cash mountain that is Abramovich's Chelsea. There's a thin line....

Stanley Kubrick

One of the great directors: Spartacus, Clockwork Orange, Dr Strangelove, etc, etc. Can't remember where we heard that he was a Gooner, but apparently it was a well-known myth about the man which must have got sent to us when he died. Brian Aldiss, who had been a friend, describes Kubrick's being a football fan and having "a particular affection for Arsenal" as a "myth", one of many "speculations about his work and also his passions". (See this obituary)
And Arseweb reader Antony Adler confirms, having talked to Kubrick's daughter Katerina about it. She emailed Antony saying,
"I do remember him liking the team that George Best played for---er, Manchester United was it? He was a big G. Best fan . But I don't think that he "supported" any team in particular. I think he watched a game on it's own merits, some are good entertainment and exciting and full of tension and some games are boring, and some teams have interesting players. K ".
So, the "myth" that he was a football fan was no myth, but it does appear that the Arsenal connection was probably just some hopeful Gooner's fantasy.

Simon Gallup

Bass player with The Cure. Moved from the Gooners list to the "maybe" section because we were a bit confused by his web page (click on his name). He definitely was an Arsenal fan, but now the page says he follows Reading, and says "Simon used to love Arsenal - but something happened...". There were pictures of 10 Arsenal players though. Was it a joke?
So, Inge Tesdal posted a question about it in an online Cure forum in Dec 2002, and got the following revealing replies...
"He's now supporting Reading because he lives there now! And he's also disgusted by the money which is leading football into a wrong way. That's what he told me last July."
"I met a couple of girls from Chicago after the Hyde Park show last summer and they had gotten to hang out with the band at the show and one of them was wearing an Arsenal shirt and Simon made her pin it to hide the Arsenal logo"
As Inge says, it seems that sadly Simon is a Gooner no longer. Burning of Cure records is at individual Gooner's discretion ;-)

Daniel Levy

ENIC chairman (Tottenham owners) rumoured to be a Gooner because he is be an Arsenal ST holder. But no, he's a Spurs fan who has season tickets at Arsenal because his son is an Arsenal fan.

Joe Cole

Comes from Islington and was once described as an Arsenal fan by Jimmy Neighbour of the West Ham backroom staff. But actually he's Chelsea.

Stephen Carr of Tottenham

Previously on the gooners list above because Trish McGarry, a neighbour from Dublin, wrote... "before playing for Tottenham he used to parade around very proudly in an Arsenal jersey". Carr himself has claimed (on Norwegian telly!) to have been a Man Utd fan. According to another correspondent Jimbo, this is in fact the truth. The probable reason for Carr showing off an Arsenal top is that he was in fact on Arsenal's books for a while before crossing to the dark side.

Joe Strummer

legendary Clash frontman, recorded a song with Tony Adams (see newsreel)
However it turns out that despite this he's no Gooner. From October 1999 edition of Q magazine: "I realised that I was a phoney. I realised that I didn't care about anything in the whole universe except for the fact: that Tony Adams should be captain for the England football team. I am a Chelsea fan, have been since about 1971 or so. But when I look at him there's something great about the man. When you're watching a team on the field they also represent your culture, your tribe. Also, not a lot of people know this: he plays the piano. A lot better than me for instance, although that wouldn't make much. What I am saying is that he's remarkable and shouldn't be taken for granted." Well said that man.
Nick Hornby writes to point out that on Strummer's forthcoming album there's a track titled Shaktar Donetsk. "What's going on?".

Shaznay T Lewis

of All Saints used to play for Arsenal Ladies, but contrary to previous reports she is a Tottenham supporter. See this article, where she "confesses sheepishly", and also admits that she knows nothing about football, never practiced, and played in only 3 matches.

Dave Gahan

(see music section above). Supports Chelsea (as does fellow band member Andy Fletcher).

Brian Moore

Oft-rumoured to be an Arsenal fan, perhaps because of his enthusiasm when commentating on our matches (eg Anfield 89). He actually supported (and was a director of) Gillingham. RIP Sept 2001.

Martin Tyler

Claims to be a Woking supporter despite having co-wrote a well-known book about Arsenal. Ok so that's no evidence, so how about his turning up to commentate on Chelsea vs Arsenal wearing an Arsenal tie? Still, he says he supports Woking....

Dennis Waterman

...actually Chelsea

Bob Mills

Comedian. Actually an Orient fan, but has married into a family of mad Gooners.

Prince William

Alleged to be a Gooner after being seen at Highbury, but must just have been accompanying his brother (see above). Actually Wills supports Villa (but he's not saying why).

Marina Sirtis

That Deanna Troi psychic type off Star Trek. Yep, she's from North London. She's a Tottenham fan and is included here because people could get confused by the fact that she used to be an Arsenal fan till corrupted by an early boyfriend. Allegedly.

Chris Perry of Tottenham, ex Wimbledon

We were told he's a gooner but apparently he's a lifelong Dons fans

Ally Begg

of Bad Boys Inc.(!) Not sure where the allegation of his goonerness came from but it seems to have been a mistake. He has said he's an Aberdeen fan, and if he was Arsenal would he do all that stuff on MUTV?

Steve McFadden

He's been seen at Highbury a few times but, unusually for an EastEnders actor (see above), McFadden's not a Gooner. The man who plays Phil Mitchell is in fact a Man Utd fan. But his living in Highbury has not been a complete waste of time... his son Matthew is an Arsenal fan.

Eric Thorstvedt !!!!

Used to pick the ball out of the net for Tottenham. He was a Gooner but...

Lennox Lewis

Was in above list after we were told he was an East Stand regular, actually he's a lifeling Irons fan, see this page from The Guardian.

Max

(Splodgenessabounds). Can't remember who told us he was a Gooner or why, but apparently he's a Charlton fan.

Paul Cook

drummer from Sex Pistols. Again, can't remember why he was in the Gooners list, but this interview makes it clear he's Chelsea.
Q - What do you think of Gianluca Vialli signing to Chelsea?
A - I think it's great. It seems we're going to have every player on the Chelsea team, their name will end with "O" or "I" so it is going to be great. Vialli Gianluca is a great name. I know. And we've signed another Italian called Roberto DiMatteo for six million pounds as well.
Q - Almost as much as The Sex Pistols are getting on this Filthy Lucre tour!
A - Much more. Much more. We couldn't even afford to buy him if we put all our resources together!
Also in this interview, Steve Jones mentions Cook and Chelsea. So I think that's pretty definitive. Let 'em have him, John Lydon is the Pistol we wanted!

Mick Mahoney

Playwright. Don't remember why he was in our Gooners list but it was clearly a mistake. A reader writes, "He's a Millwall fan. I grew up with him in Kentish Town we were all gooners but Mick would be down the Den on a saturday. He was actually a VERY naughty boy in his youth and his writing has drawn on many of those experiences. He may well be seen at Highbury from time to time as he's well connected in area but I'm sure he's still a lion at heart."