Gunning for glory

Over the next few weeks uefa.com will be charting the history of all clubs through to next season's UEFA Champions League from the third qualifying round onwards. Here we look at English challengers Arsenal FC.

With a tradition of success that includes 12 league championships and nine FA Cups, Arsenal FC are one of English football's great names.

The Gunners
The club began life as Dial Square FC in 1886, the team of the Royal Arsenal factory in south London - hence the 'Gunners', but soon changed their name to Woolwich Arsenal FC. They turned professional in 1891, entered the Football League two years later, and won promotion to the First Division in 1904, though they were subsequently relegated.

Highbury home
In 1913/14, the club headed north of the river Thames to Highbury and became Arsenal FC. In 1919, they were elected back to the top flight where they have remained ever since, a record unmatched in England. Arguably their most important move, however, was the appointment of Herbert Chapman as manager in 1925, heralding the club's first era of success.

Chapman magic
Chapman had guided Huddersfield Town FC to three consecutive league championships and repeated the feat at Arsenal. After landing the FA Cup in 1930, and a first league title 12 months later, the Gunners then equalled Huddersfield's achievement and were champions three years running between 1933 and '35. As well as trophies, Chapman also brought tactical innovation to Highbury with the W-M formation.

Trophy haul
The great man's untimely death in 1934 left George Allison in charge, and with Ted Drake in attack, Arsenal won the cup again in 1936, and the league in 1938. Two more championships arrived after the war, in 1948 and '53 - the latter on goal average from Preston North End FC, along with the FA Cup in 1950.

Double winners
Yet barren years followed until Bertie Mee took the managerial reins in 1966. Mee led the Londoners to the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup of 1970, then a league and cup double in 1971. For the rest of the decade, though, an expensively assembled team missed out on honours until, in 1979, they overcame Manchester United FC in the FA Cup final.

Golden Graham
Arsenal then waited another eight seasons for silverware, as George Graham's side beat Liverpool FC to the League Cup. Liverpool would be defeated in more dramatic fashion when Michael Thomas's last-minute goal at Anfield secured the 2-0 win the Gunners needed to pip the Merseysiders to the 1989 league title. Graham's team were champions again in 1991; lifted both domestic cups in 1993, and in '94 the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

French connection
After Graham's departure, Arsène Wenger emerged as the man to lead Arsenal into the new century. The Frenchman brought compatriots Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry to Highbury, and was rewarded when Arsenal captured league and cup doubles in 1998 and 2002, and the FA Cup in 2003. However, European success has eluded his stylish team, who were UEFA Cup runners-up in 2000.