Thursday 9 January 2014

Meet the Gooner Family [Jonny Winter, Surfers Paradise]

Meet Jonny Winter, my host in Surfers Paradise, a beach resort one hours drive south of Brisbane. Jonny moved to Australia when he was just a little one, and follows Arsenal with a passion.

Grillmaster and Hangover Specialist Jonny Winter
Q. Why Arsenal?
Arsenal have always been something without being the glamour team. They're regal. Our players become superstars, where as other teams buy them. It's about supporting the best without having to jump on the bandwagon.

Q. Started Supporting Arsenal?
1980. Getting up to watch them in the FA Cup Final against West Ham. Even though we lost, that was the defining moment. My Dad was a QPR fan, my Grandfather was from St Pancras so he was an Arsenal fan and my Grandmother was from Shepherd's Bush so she was a Rangers fan.

Q. Favourite Player?
Unquestionably, it's Mr Arsenal. Tony Adams. It seemed like he'd rather die than lose. For him, it was all about winning, and it was all about winning with Arsenal. He captained us to victory in three different decades.

Q. Favourite current Player?
Koscielny. He's passionate, he's quick, and he can go at it with the world's best strikers. In a way I'd compare him to Tony Adams, but he's still got a long way to go.

Q. Favourite Arsenal moment?
It's Up For Grabs Now, 1989. No further comment necessary.

Q. Where do you watch Arsenal in Gold Coast?
The Avenue. We don't have a huge amount of supporters here, we probably get around ten Gooners on average at each matchday.

Q. Emirates or Highbury?
Highbury, when we could stand in the North Bank!

Q. League Prediction?
I would have to say, Arsenal will win the title but it'll be in the last round.

Q. Who will be Arsenal's player to watch for the second half of the season?
Kieran Gibbs, I just think he's getting better and better. He's dangerous going forward and has the pace to match the fastest Premier League wingers.


COYG