In It's an Honour, featured first in the official matchday programme, we're looking back at the seasons that have brought silverware to north London. We re-live the 1935 Division One winning campaign.
Arsenal became only the second team to win the League championship three years in succession, with Ted Drake grabbing 42 league goals in his first full season at Arsenal.
Drake was George Allison’s first signing as manager, and he had a record better than a goal a game to finish as the top flight’s leading scorer.
His tally remains an Arsenal record for most league goals in a season. On four occasions he grabbed four goals in a league match, and also hit a further three league hat-tricks as the Gunners dealt out many heavy defeats during the campaign.
There were two 8-0 home wins as well as an 8-1 home victory over Liverpool. Wolves were seen off 7-0 and the Gunners also thrashed Spurs 6-0 at White Hart Lane.
Highbury was certainly the place to be that season as Arsenal smashed in 74 goals from the 21 home fixtures.
The 1934/35 squad photo
The Gunners scored so many goals that season even goalkeeper Frank Moss got on the scoresheet. Injured against Everton on March 16, he was moved to the wing (this was before the days of substitutes) and he netted in a 2-0 win.
Still the only time a 'keeper has scored for the club. That season also saw a club record 73,295 pack into Highbury for the 0-0 draw with Sunderland on March 9, 1935.
Arsenal were drawn away in all four matches in the FA Cup, eventually bowing out to eventual winners Sheffield Wednesday with a 2-1 defeat in the quarter-final.
But in the league Arsenal were dominant. They led the table from January and wrapped up the title with two games to spare when they won 1-0 at Middlesbrough on April 22, 1935 – courtesy of another Drake goal.
Liverpool and Manchester United have since emulated the feat of three successive titles, yet no club has ever won the championship four years on the spin.
Ted Drake
Division one appearances: Drake 41, Male 39, Crayston 37, Roberts 36, Bastin 36, Hapgood 34, Moss 33, Copping 31, James 30, Bowden 24, Beasley 20, Hulme 16, Hill 15, Davidson 11, John 9, Wilson 9, Dougall 8, Kirchen 7, Sidey 6, L Compton 5, Rogers 5, Marshall 4, Birkett 4, Dunne 1, Trim 1.
Division one goals: Drake 42, Bastin 20, Bowden 14, Hulme 8, Beasley 6, James 4, Crayston 3, Hill 3, Birkett 2, Davidson 2, Kirchen 2, Rogers 2, L Compton 1, Hapgood 1, Moss 1, Dougall 1, own goals 3.
1935 Division one:
1 Arsenal P42 W23 D12 L7 F115 A46 PTS 58
2 Sunderland P42 W19 D16 L7 F90 A51 PTS 54
3 Sheffield Wednesday P42 W18 D13 L11 F70 A64 PTS 49
FA Cup final: Sheffield Wednesday 4, West Bromwich Albion 2
Division one top goalscorer
Ted Drake (Arsenal) 42
Way back then...
England fielded a record seven Gunners in the ‘Battle of Highbury’ international with Italy on November 14, 1934. England won the bad- tempered match 3-2. The seven were Frank Moss, George Male, Ray Bowden Eddie Hapgood, Wilf Copping, Ted Drake and Cliff Bastin.
And… In June 1935 Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in America.
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