Guest Blogger Bares It All - Dhanesh

I thought I have heard it all.. nicknames that is. People call me "DJ" because of the initials of my actual name - Dhanesh. Won't tell u what the J stands for.. Only when I wear my precious Gunners jersey, then the moniker "DJ1" comes to life!

And then, it had to happen. Mrs Blog was upset that I went to Paris with the (Go)Blog/Kevin and during one of the online interviews, she said "yeah loh, go to Paris with That Indian Man somemore"... and so that has been cast in stone.

This is your captain for today, That Indian Man (TIM) speaking. But hey, you can call me Al, oops I mean DJ1 too.

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Where do I start about myself? Well, I am not much into blogging... and honestly, the only blog that I read (almost) daily is Mr Blog himself.. Sometimes I ask myself Why? No choice, got choice, fresh choice.... haha :)

Since Kevin, Shai and I started out this whole "guest-blogging" fiasco... looks like I had to be the one to end it... Or so said TIM. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all the guest bloggers so far.. you guys have left me a very tough task to end it off.

Have been working for a bloody long time but more recently in a marketing role for past 5 years and the past 1 year in Biz Development. Currently attached to a beautiful girl whom I love dearly - you may have seen her by my side at some games, though Kev & I had this theory that whenever she attends, the Gunners either draw or lose... this ratio MUST change with the new season 07/08!!

Ok, enough of chit chat... now moving on to HARDcore stuff... (that would mean, the previous banter was just foreplay or SOFTporn)...

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I could not have asked for a greater baptism of fire. My 1st match that I ever watched (and actually paid full attention) was Man Utd v Arsenal, back in 1991... (how old was I then, you may be asking).. The match was the original "brawl"... none of that Cashley's pizza throwing and all that jazz.. All 22 players on the pitch practically had a go at each other.. probably with the exception of the keepers... David Seaman for Arsenal more importantly. We were docked 2 points for that, dammit! But Gunners still went on to clinch the Championship (that was what it was called in those days)!

And we won it in style, mind you. We were not always playing Le Boss' way in those days.. it was under the tutelage of a certain gaffer George Graham, previously an Arsenal player too. Yeah on most days, we won 1-0! But it was almost teutonic (read: German), meaning efficient way of playing and he mastered that art to a T.

Then I started going to the mamma shop to buy SHOOT mags and read up more on Arsenal. Where got Internet in those days? Everything I wanted to know was from the papers and mags... I was so football crazy that I even cut out all the pictures of the Arsenal players and compiled them into posters. Few years down the road, I even laminated them and painstakingly pasted them all over my room. My bro-in-law (who UNFORTUNATELY is a S**rs fan) even admired my work for it and claimed my sis would never allow him to do likewise in their new matrimonial home... hahaha.. SUCKER!

I remembered back then in 1991, players like David Seaman (numero Uno forever to me), Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Paul Davis, Anders Limpar, Alan Smith were somewhat heroes to me and I have never looked back ever since.

Watching the 1993 FA Cup and League Cup finals against the same team Sheffield Wednesday further strengthen my commitment in supporting the team that I have come to love and admire... PASSION is KING!

1994 followed and watching Arsenal clinching the UEFA Cup Final v Parma was another memorable highlight for me. No one gave us a chance and yet a solitary Alan Smith (for all you newbies, pls Google him) goal. Once again, 1-0 to the Arsenal! What more can I simply ask for?

Then Bruch Rioch came and left.. enuff said. The only good thing he did was signing a chap called Dennis Bergkamp! Enuff said.

Then in 1996, Arsene Who? Arsene Wenger!!!! And the rest as they say is history! We all now know the story and if you don't, then please dig up the archives - you can also purchase books from Borders! (I am not plugging them).

Back then, I didn't really had much friends who supported Arsenal... it was always Liverpool lah, Man U lah, Everton.. and even Derby County! So fast forward to 2004 and when I heard about the Elizabeth Pub, I wanted to go down and check it out, but work always kept me away.

Then I decided to take the plunge one fine day in August 2005 and went there with a colleague to catch the Charity Shield match. Lo and behold, my ultimate dream has come true... a place truly to truly call Home (again, not another National Day patriotic promo). And I met our good friend Mr Blog himself.. we lost touch for 5 years (we were uni-mates). And the relationship continued!

Read up on our trip to Paris last year for Champions League Final against Barcelona in his blog....

Passion is what drives me.. be it at work or with my girlfriend, and definitely supporting Arsenal! I have been with them for a good 16 years now and counting.. Nothing has ever made this flame diminish and nothing ever will! I have cried, cursed, walloped and sweated buckets watching my beloved Arsenal.

Truly, a Gunner for Life!