Class and Heritage 0-2 Corrupt Russian Oil Money [George & Dragon, Seattle]

My time in the 'Rainy City' has come to an end. 

One of the first things you notice about Seattle is that it's on a pretty steep hill along the coast of the Puget Sound body of water. There doesn't appear to be a lot of fat people in this place, and with those hills in mind you can understand why. Normally, when you see cities on TV shows and movies, you don't really get any sense of perspective, you don't think about the vertical dimensions that make up the landform where a city stands. So when you see it in person for the first time and realise you need to get from 'down here' to 'up there', it makes getting places that little bit more challenging.

Photo taken from my paddle-board. Honest.

Seattle's a great place to come for arts and culture, and the sports scene here is very respectable too; the city is represented by the Seahawks NFL team, the Mariners MLB team and of course the Sounders MLS football team, currently captained by Tottenham reject Clint Dempsey.

I managed to score a free box ticket to the impressive CenturyLink field to watch the Sounders beat Stan Kroenke's Colorado Rapids and progress to the next round of the MLS Playoffs. The game itself, when compared to watching the mighty Arsenal, was less entertaining than watching algae grow, but thankfully the atmosphere made up for it. This is the 5^th MLS stadium I have been to see this year and like all the other teams – with the exception of the NY Red Bulls – there is something innovative that could be taken back to Premier League football. The crowd interaction is great, you can see that the people responsible for this are creating an experience that incentivises the fans to get behind their team as the 'twelfth man', including national anthems, fireworks and songs to inspire chants. It's all very American, but it seems to do the trick.

Impressive stadium. Football is questionable (as in, 'are they actually playing football?')

The thing is, when you don't have that level of atmosphere at your home stadium and the majority of your fans are sleeping at their seats, you never feel like you get that twelfth man advantage, and that's exactly what it's like for Arsenal. Chelsea knocked us out of the prestigious Capital One Cup, the third team to beat us at home this season (it's only November), and I think one contributing factor here is the complete lack of chanting and crowd interaction. We are unbeaten on the road and, not wanting to take anything away from the outstanding team performances we've had on this run, our away fans get behind the players in a way that our home fans don't. As a team on the bleeding edge of technology and setting standards across the globe, I think Arsenal Football Club is well-placed to introduce new ways of improving supporter participation at The Emirates and making the stadium a fortress that opposing teams fear to come to.

The George & Dragon pub, owned by John (middle) who is a Gooner.

The George & Dragon Pub is the spot to go to watch Arsenal in Seattle. The game on Tuesday was about 60% Gooners and 40% clueless Chelsea fans. This made it the least enjoyable atmosphere to date of all the pubs I've visited, but I'm sure that has something to do with the scoreline. We were outclassed, outpaced and out-everything-elsed and you could see the difference a billionaire sugar-daddy can make to the depth of a football squad.

My next stop on the itinerary is Portland in Oregon, known to have the best beer in all of the US. Oh dear.

Remember, you can donate to the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation HERE, if you are enjoying reading the blog please spare what you can, and please, don't make the mistake of waiting for the 'next person' to do it.

COYG

Meet the Gooner Family [Par, Vancouver, Canada]

Meet Par and Daisy, my hosts for the Vancouver segment of the Gooner On The Road mission. I was particularly looking forward to meeting these people because I had previously met them at the Blind Pig in New York back in May - it was around the time when I had initially conceived the idea of Gooner On The Road and they were really supportive. Essentially they were the first Gooners to offer me somewhere to stay. All I had to do was get over to the West coast of Canada!

What makes this particular encounter with the Gooner Family more special is that they are expecting a baby Gooner, 'Henry', in December, and had asked me to pick up a baby onesie kit from the Armoury. Photos to follow!

Selfie attempt no.47. The Gooner 'bump' not visible

Par Esegbona

Q. Why Arsenal?

The history, I loved going to Highbury despite the days of standing up in the pissing rain. I Especially enjoyed going with my mates who were all Gooners. Even then it didn't matter if we won or lost it was just a great day out.

Q. Started Supporting Arsenal?

In my mid-teens, more than three decades ago (showing my age). I was a late convert to football. I guess I didn't like it because my brothers started playing football before I did. My older brother Clement played for Brentford Colts but they were both Arsenal fans. In the beginning I went to watch Arsenal because my mates were fans, I only went because it was the best opportunity to hang out with my mates but all I remember is the weather being consistently terrible and not enjoying standing up getting wet, cold and pushed around. One day we went up to Watford to watch Arsenal away and the sun was actually out, and we won. That was the turning point for me.

Q. Favourite Player?

Thierry Henry is my favourite player on the pitch; even when he left the club he did it with dignity and he has the same middle name as me and my unborn son (Henry). But, in terms of staff, my favourite personnel is Arsene Wenger because his mentorship and talent-spotting ability is second-to-none and he sets a very good example with his financial acumen . He's also stubborn and he's 'le professuer' for the right reasons.

Q. Favourite current Player?

Santi Cazorla. I think he came into the Premiership last year and made an immediate name for himself. He makes Wenger laughs when he talks about him, which is really funny. Cazorla makes me smile when he plays well.

Q. Favourite Arsenal moment?

1989. I was in a pub in Skegness surrounded by Leeds fans that didn't really want to have it on the TV screen. There were no Arsenal fans in Skegness whatsoever, I was the only one there. When Thomas scored that winner I was ecstatic but of course I was the only Gunner there, surrounded by all those Leeds fans. I didn't care...

Q.Where do you watch Arsenal in Vancouver?

In the comfort of my cinema room (in my decrepit attic) when I'm not at the Phat Bar. The only reason why I don't go to the pub to watch it is because I always feel like I've spent loads of cash and come away with a defeat – I think I jinx the team when I don't watch the game at home!

Q. Emirates or Highbury?

I've actually never been to the Emirates so it has to be Highbury for me. Being in the Clock End, the pitch was so small, being close to the players. I remember us standing at Highbury as well, and that was fantastic. Of course you can't do that in England any more.

Q. League Prediction?

The heart says 1^st, the head says 2^nd. But I do feel like we'll get some silverware this season.

Q. Who will be Arsenal's player to watch this season?

I think this is Ramsey's year. He's shown character coming back from injury, he's showing loads of confidence and has grown as a player after being played out of position last season.

So, a quick stop in Canada before heading back across the border to Seattle, to watch us take on Chelsea's Oil Boys in the Capital One Cup

COYG

Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal [Par's house, Vancouver, Canada]

I'm back in Canada eh! Another quite brilliant city in North America, Vancouver is a haven for outdoor lovers. It's one of the only places in the world where you can ski, sail, bike and run all within the city limits, and all on the same day. Of course I spent the majority of my time eating and drinking and not partaking in any of those activities. But, if I had more time, I certainly would.

Vancouver skyline viewed from Stanley Park

The photo opportunities in Vancouver and the surrounding area are unbelievable, with the mountains providing an un-rivalled backdrop to the glass and concrete mecca of the downtown skyline. It's a city like no other. It's also extremely expensive, with the exception of Sushi, believe it or not, where you can get some of the best the world has to offer for very little outlay. It was a welcomed alternative to the usual deep-fried gastronomic delights I have subjected myself to in the United States over the past few months.

VancouverArse. 

The Vancouver Gunners (known locally as VancouverArse) follow the team passionately and usually watch matches at Phat Bar, located in one of the city's many upscale districts, Yale Town (sounds expensive doesn't it?).

However, I was thrown into the deep-end in terms of adjusting to life as a Gunner on the West-Coast. The first match on this side of the continent was of course Crystal Palace, a 12:45pm kickoff. When you consider that Vancouver is 8 hours behind, well...you can do the math; it's a 4:45am start, understandably too early for Phat Bar to open. And as the challenge is 'to watch every Arsenal game with another Gooner' I had no choice but to get up at stupid O'clock with my host, Par, and watch the game from home. And I might also add, once we had watched us beat Palace 2-0, we immediately headed over to the bar to watch it again, 'as live', both of us trying our damnedest to act like we didn't know what the outcome of the game was. We deserve Oscars.

So, the GOTR unbeaten run continues. Next stop is Seattle, back in the United States. Keep an eye out for the 'Meet The Gooner Family' feature on my Vancouver hosts.

COYG

Meet The Gooner Family [Jeremy & Janean, Salt Lake City]

Meet Jeremy Matthews and his partner, Janean. These lovely people, along with their many cats, were my hosts in Salt Lake City, and did a fine job of showing me around the sights in the short time that I had there. 

No cats in this picture

Q. Why Arsenal?

Ultimately the glory of Arsenal is that we tried to do everything with class and whater issues people have with Arsene Wenger they can see he is a man that not only wants to win, but wants to win in the right way. He doesn't want to go to the excesses that other teams might go down.

Q. Started Supporting Arsenal?

My sister and I were in Europe during the Euro Cup in 2000 and unfortunately we decided to follow England (and didn't know any better), the favourite part of the matches was watching David Seaman, we enjoyed his play but we especially appreciated the way he shouted at his teammates after every defensive mishap, of which there were many. At the time we didn't know of Arsenal but we enjoyed his personality on and off the pitch. At our house we didn't have the cable channels that were shown in the Premier League, so a few years later we got the Fox Soccer Channel, we watched a few games. We watched the games post-Invincebles. I remember the Champions League Group game against CSKA in November 2006 and I really fell in love with Arsenal at that point because despite it being a goalless draw, we had so many chances and I just remember the despair in never seeing a goal (but still finishing top of the group and qualifying for the next round).

Q. Favourite Player?

Thierry Henry is a personal favourite. During the period I was watching, he was always just a pleasure to watch, he finished like no other and made it look so easy. He was the first legend I saw, in the making.

Q. Favourite current Player?

I love Rosicky and I'd like to see him win something with the club, his work-rate is fantastic and he takes our game to a different level when he's on the pitch.

Q. Favourite Arsenal moment?

The Champions League match against Barcelona where Arshavin scored the winner. I think the reason why it's such a fond memory is because everybody that was around me was elated. People in the pub were saying they could go back to work and get fired but it would still be a great day for them.

Q.Where do you watch Arsenal in Salt Lake City?

Fiddlers Elbow, which is a 5 minute drive or a 10-15 minute bike ride. I make pretty much every game at the Weekend unless it's very early, where the pub doesn't open, in which case I'll watch it at home. I travel on occasion and will like to see the local Arsenal pub wherever I may be, the Fox and Hounds in Los Angeles being a good example.

Q. Emirates or Highbury?

I love the history of Highbury but I have a personal connection to The Emirates as I've been there for a few games, so the The Emirates has to top it for me, but I will always acknowledge that Highbury was an amazing stadium with some great stories.

Q. League Prediction?

We're going to win the league! Looking at the squad and looking at how our talented players are taking it to the next level this season, we have a great future. Ramsey, Giroud, Ozil, Cazorla, Wilshere. This is a trophy-winning team.

Q. Who will be Arsenal's player to watch this season?

There are multiple people that could be Arsenal's Player Of The Season this year, I would tend to lean towards Giroud because of his team-play, he scores goals but he assists and provides fantastic link-up play, and I think that's why Wenger bought him – not just because he's a goal scorer but because he creates goals too.

So that's it for Utah. Next stop is Vancouver, Canada, for a 4:45am kickoff. Uh-oh!

COYG

Arsenal 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (Fiddler's Elbow, Salt Lake City)

I'm in Salt Lake City, Utah the land of the Mormons and the latest city on my quest.

My 'unbeaten' run has come to an end, or at least that's the case for the Champions League. Thankfully, that #KeepGoonerOnTheRoad hashtag still applies to the Premier League, where we haven't lost a game whilst I've been out of the country.

Although my time in SLC was short, I managed to make the most of it by visiting the Mormon Temple and seeing some of the wonderful scenery on offer. For the first time, I had a rental car at my disposal so I took a drive into the mountains to see what Mother Nature had done to this continent when she was at her most creative. I wasn't disappointed, this was the first real opportunity I had to get away from all the concrete jungles I had stopped off at previously and, on the way it made me feel emotionally, it's been the highlight of my trip on the road so far.

Beautiful, and just a stones throw from Salt Lake City

The Gooners in Salt Lake City are few and far between in comparison to other supporters clubs, but there is no loss of passion. Unfortunately, I didn't get to witness this group at their most passionate because we lost to Dortmund and, as you can see by the picture below, we were all a bit down. They are all blaming it on the fact that, for the first time on the road, I was drinking an orange juice rather than a beer. They told me to get out of Utah...

Not exactly a happy bunch of Gooners after the Dortmund loss

The match itself was actually a good one for the neutral to watch. In the end we were subject to a few bad decisions and, despite Giroud demonstrating once again his determination levels, we succumbed to our first Champions League defeat of the season. We missed Flamini, whilst Özil had his quietest game so far in an Arsenal shirt. Still, it is what it is, we're still top of the group, still top of the league and we don't have to worry about playing a team called 'Sheriff' on Thursdays. And of course, we know what we're capable of doing to German opposition on their own turf.

COYG

Meet the Gooner Family [Sick Boy, Kansas City]

Meet David Colgan, aka 'Sick Boy', my host in Kansas City.

A rare selfie: Sick-boy and I

Just a little background about David so you can get an idea of who he is and how hectic his lifestyle is at the moment. David's originally from Ireland and works as a Sales Manager at Kansas City's leading kraft brewery, the Boulevard Brewing Company. Yes, it's an enviable job, moreso if you're from the Emerald Isles. This particular kraft brewery is actually the Mid-West's largest and is symbolic to the city. However, a few days ago it was announced that they were being acquired by the world-famous Duvel Moortgat Brewery (as in Duvel, the 'champagne' of beer's). To cut a long story short, there is a feeling of uncertainty as a historical part of the city's culture is in question, and David has been rushing around the city convincing punters and landlords that everything is fine and it's not the hop-and-barley equivalent of the armageddon.

David is also family guy and had to juggle that along with a bout of pharyngitis, so the last thing he needed was a clueless Brit to act tour-guide to. Regardless, he pulled it off and, in typical 'Gooner Family' style, made me feel right at home with his slightly-more-than-nutty family.

David Colgan

Q. Why Arsenal?

I don't want to get to deep, but I guess they've mirrored my life. I've seen Arsenal through some very bad times and being so mediocre it was hard to watch, then into the George Graham times, Bruce Rioch was over in the blink of an eye but he still signed Dennis Bergkamp, and then on to 'who is this Wenger guy?', to going 8 years without a trophy, to now (where we are having our best season at The Emirates so far). It's a story and I'm glad to be a part of it.

Q. Started Supporting Arsenal?

I was 4 years old. My Mother went into town back home in Dublen and saw football T-shirts on sale. There was a Man United shirt, a Leeds shirt and an Arsenal. She thought I'd like the gun on the chest and so she bought the Arsenal shirt. I have a lot to thank my mother about in life, this moment is one of them.

Q. Favourite Player?

Out of my top 5 (Brady, Adams, Bergkamp, Wright, Nicholas), Ian Wright is my favourite, he was full of character and did the unthinkable at times. He had attitude and flair that was hard to match back then.

Q. Favourite current Player?

Aaron Ramsey, he's had such a hard time, but he's playing so well right now. It used to be Van Persie, but understandably he's now my villain.

Q. Favourite Arsenal moment?

1989 Anfield. Nothing else to say

Q.Where do you watch Arsenal in Kansas.

Johnny's Tavern when I can, don't like watching Man United/Chelsea play in public as I get too caught up emotionally and don't want people to see me get carried away.

Q. Emirates or Highbury?

Highbury. We haven't won anything at the Emirates have we?!

Q. League Prediction?

I think we're going to win it, I really do! Now is the perfect opportunity, if we don't win it, it will go to Chelsea. But, they don't have Drogba now, so I say it's ours for the taking.

Q. Who will be Arsenal's player to watch this season?

Flamini is going to have a great year, he is no.1 on the team sheet as far as I'm concerned, he is the one guy I want to be playing every game. 

So that's it for Kansas City and my time with Sick Boy. Next stop, Salt Lake City, land of the Mormons. Eeeek! Remember, if you're enjoying the blog, please donate to the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation here.

COYG

Arsenal 4-1 Norwich - [Johnny's Tavern, Kansas City]

Before telling you all about Kansas City and my time there, let me tell you that I will always remember Kansas City as the location where I witnessed Jack Wilshere score the goal of the season millennium. I can't remember the last time I watched an Arsenal goal over and over again (I've actually just watched it again, as I type this). 

More concrete

I'll also remember this particular leg well because it was the game where some of the guys from Madison in Wisconsin made a (quite considerable) road-trip to personally deliver $1100 for the fundraiser. Considering I didn't even go to Madison WI, you have to say it was an unbelievable thing to do. Hats off to the guys up there, especially to Andrew Schmidt who orchestrated it all - unfortunately he couldn't make it down to KC because, to cut a long story very short, he can't fart at the moment. The guys in Madison know what I mean.

Interestingly, whilst in Kansas City I had my first trip to an American hospital, thankfully nothing to do with me but more about accompanying my host, David, who came down with a nasty bout of pharyngitis, which is basically inflamed tonsils. It's similar to tonsillitis, but I don't know if it's the same thing or not (you know these Americans and their way with words). If anybody can be bothered to explain the difference between the two, feel free to let me know so I can fall asleep. The hospital trip was particularly entertaining as there was a chap in his 40's in the waiting room, bucket in between knees, legs trembling on what appeared to be an acid-trip of a lifetime. The fact that he was the only person in the waiting room other than David and I made it a particularly memorable moment. I can still hear his only words: "This can't be f***ng happening man!". I felt sorry for him but I'm sure it was all his own fault and I hope he learned his lesson. And it was still a priceless experience. 

I also managed to indulge in a spot of MLS 'Soccer' whilst in the city, the second match in my time in the U.S. The first one being in NYC where I saw the Red Bulls play FC Dallas. The only reason I went to that game was to see The King himself, but he was definitely having an off-day and the match itself was like watching paint dry. Sporting Kansas City, on the other hand, was great. The atmosphere was a blast and the fans just loved giving stick to Bill Hamid, the DC United goalkeeper who also happens to be fourth in line for the American Men's Team spot. Judging by his performance I don't think that line is going to get any shorter for him.

The KC Gooners

I didn't get to see much of Kansas City itself as David had the bubonic plague and was originally going to be my tour guide, and he lived quite far from town, but regardless I still had a great time with some great people, and it was nice to relax without having to rush around taking pictures of everything. The highlight for me, and an experience that is probably symbolic with Kansas City, was grabbing some fodder at Oklahoma Joe's BBQ, which serves arguably the best barbecued ribs and brisket in the Mid-west. And it's in a full-service petrol station, I kid you not.

Kansas City BBQ with Gunners from Madison and Kansas (and I can't forget Ireland, too)

Of course the main reason for being in Kansas was to catch an Arsenal match at Johnny's Tavern, home to the KC Gooners. The atmosphere there was probably not what they would have hoped for as I came through town, and mostly this was due to the half-marathon taking place in the early morning. A few runners actually finished after the Arsenal match had begun but still made it to the pub to catch the remainder of the game, most notably of course was Boyce, who helped organise a fundraiser that will see the TNBC Foundation net 20% of the pub's bar tab. Still waiting for final numbers on that one but you'll all know soon enough.

As you can see from the video above, the KC boys were happy with Jack's wonder goal, and in the end we yet again stay top of the league. It also means my 'on the road' unbeaten run continues. Look out for the #KeepGoonerOnTheRoad hashtag on Twitter, understandably nobody wants me to return home!

Until next time.