PATRICK VIEIRA STRIPPED down to a pair of black pants, bearing a tribal tattoo across the width of his midriff, and danced his way towards the delirious Arsenal supporters in the away section at White Hart Lane.
Behind him, a barefoot Kolo Toure was described in the Times of London as doing somersaults in celebration all the way from the centre circle.
Brazilian Gilberto Silva, usually a bastion of rigid sensibility, also whipped off his jersey and began twirling it above his head alongside midfield partner Vieira.
Thierry Henry and Robert Pires danced around an inflatable Premier League trophy. So too Ashley Cole, while Sol Campbell was draped in a ‘CHAMPIONS’ flag for the second time in three seasons having defected from Spurs in 2001.
Henry Winter, the Daily Telegraph football correspondent of the day, wrote:”In homage to the team’s myriad French influence, the players enacted a Can-Can. Allez Les Rouges… Once again, Arsenal borrowed their neighbours’ house for a party.”
Then the riot police were forced to intervene.
Some of the few remaining Tottenham Hotspur fans began scuffling to force their way onto the pitch and halt the celebrations.
It’s 20 years ago this week – 25 April, 2004 – since Arsene Wenger’s side were crowned champions of England for a third time in eight seasons at the home of their fiercest local rivals.
They did so without losing a match and a 2-2 draw was enough to seal it – although had goalkeeper Jens Lehmann not thrown Robbie Keane to the ground inside the penalty box in the final moments it might have been an even sweeter 2-1 win.
Regardless, Arsenal would end the season as The Invincibles.
Two decades on it is a record that still stands, and today the Class of 2024 prepare for another North London Derby on the redeveloped grounds of White Hart Lane that will be hugely significant in deciding the destiny of the Premier League trophy.
They are one point clear of Manchester City, who play Nottingham Forest later this afternoon and also have a game in hand, while Liverpool are two points adrift having played a game more.
A win is essential for Mikel Arteta’s side today if they are to stand any chance of ending a 20-year title drought that nobody could have imagined as the Arsenal players danced their jigs of delight.
“No champagne, just water,” Wenger said, beaming when it was finally secured but also admitting to feeling drained.
“So much tension builds up during the season that when you do win it feels like a relief. I didn’t jump up at the end because I knew the championship was won before the game.”
And yet the build up to that White Hart Lane showdown seemed oddly restrained.
Chelsea were Arsenal’s nearest rivals at the top but they were preparing to usher in a new era once manager Claudio Ranieri departed and new Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich could install his own man at the end of his first season.
“Liverpool deny Mourinho link as Houllier pressure builds,” read the main headline in the Irish Examiner ahead of the game.
The FC Porto boss, described as “one of the brightest coaching talents to emerge in Europe in recent times” was apparently wanted at Anfield and Stamford Bridge, and Mourinho was on record as to his preferred destination.
“Liverpool are a team that interests everyone…. Chelsea does not interest me so much because it is a new project with lots of money invested in it,” the Portuguese said.
Liverpool CEO Rick Parry was emphatic, “the story is not true”, and it seemed to be an afterthought in the story below that Arsenal were on the brink of a third title under Wenger.
In the pages of the Irish Independent, too, there was a slightly bigger news story as the Republic of Ireland prepared to welcome back Roy Keane for the first time since the fallout from Saipan at the 2002 World Cup.
Not that Meath and District League secretary Gerry Gorman was impressed by new manager Brian Kerr’s actions, writing in to decry the latest “FAI fiasco”… “The FAI not only facilitated his return, but endorsed and welcomed him to inflict the latest version of his faltering ego… for an association gifted in scoring own goals, this latest fiasco is a grave insult…”
In Times of London, Wenger was, quite rightly, being lauded on the eve of his latest achievement while Spurs looked over their shoulder anxiously at the relegation zone on just 38 points.
“The gulf between the teams is immeasurable,” it read.
There was an even bigger one to Man City, whose boss Kevin Keegan was accepting responsibility for their battle to avoid the drop along with Everton, Leicester City, Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
“I had the money, I spent the money and I am the one who hasn’t got the players playing,” Keegan said.
Arsenal ended the season with 90 points – unbeaten albeit with one less point than when Manchester United won the title in 2001/02 – and a new era of dominance was understanbly predicted by the Times of London.
“Retaining the crown for the first time is now the task for Wenger… Worryingly for Chelsea and United, Wenger believes the best is yet to come from this youthful, admirable and special team.”
Instead, Mourinho chose Chelsea and the landscape of English football began to change dramatically.
It’s part of the reason Arsenal’s champagne has been kept on ice for 20 years.
