Greetings Gooners!

The Legacy of the Number 14 Shirt
I was missing Arsenal these few days and decided to share my perspective about the iconic number 14.

The number 14 shirt at Arsenal is legendary, primarily due to Thierry Henry, the club’s all-time record scorer and my favourite player, who redefined the jersey during his eight seasons wearing it. Since then, it has been worn by several high-profile attackers, creating a clear legacy of goal-scoring and expectation.

Martin Keown, a defender, was number 14 and he won the double in 1998 before taking over the number 5 from Steve Bould. The number was handed to Thierry Henry during the 1999-2000 season. With it, he became Arsenal’s greatest number 14, who scored 174 goals making the shirt synonymous with attacking brilliance. Theo Walcott took over in 2008/2009 season. He held the number for almost a decade, acknowledging the pressure but also confidently stating Henry “isn’t getting it back.” He scored 61 league goals with it.

Next came Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 2017/2018 season. He “did the number 14 shirt proud” by scoring 92 goals for the club and leading the team to an FA Cup victory. Eddie Nketiah secured the number 14 in the 2021/2022 season and spoke of the number being “iconic” and a “nice feeling” to wear due to its deep connection with the club’s history.

This meant that the current owner, Viktor Gyökeres, is immediately measured against these icons for the 2025/2026 season. He is acutely aware of the shirt’s history but has consciously chosen to embrace the number while carving out his own identity. Upon his signing, he stated, “Of course I know about the history… It was an easy choice to take it.” However, he was quick to add, “It’s not really my intention to be compared with what he’s achieved in his career… I just want to do my own thing and show my own qualities”. He sees himself as a different kind of player. Manager Mikel Arteta supported the decision, noting he was impressed with Gyökeres’s conviction and the way he was talking about the club, the history… and what the shirt represented”.

Gyökeres joined Arsenal after a spectacular 54-goal season with Sporting CP. His start in the 2025/26 season can be described as average when held against the immense expectations, but showing signs of adaptation. In his first seven Premier League appearances, he has scored three goals. When compared to other notable Arsenal striker signings in their first seven games, this places him in the middle of the pack, better than Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck, but behind the starts of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, and Gabriel Jesus.

Initially, he was criticized for looking inept and struggling to influence games. The pace and physicality of the Premier League presented a greater challenge than the Portuguese league. However, as the season has progressed, there have been encouraging signs. He has grown fitter, and the value of his relentless off-the-ball runs and improved hold-up play has become more obvious.

It is far too early to deliver a final verdict on Gyökeres at Arsenal. The historical weight of the number 14 shirt ensures he will be under constant scrutiny, but his start provides a foundation to build upon. The pressure from the legacy is undeniable, but he is handling it by focusing on his own development and integration into Arteta’s system. His recent improvements in fitness and link-up play are positive indicators that he is overcoming the initial adaptation period. If this trajectory continues, his goal-scoring numbers are likely to improve.

Well, Henry didn’t score for Arsenal till the ninth game! And what a legend he became.

Fulham v Arsenal – Live screening at Molly Malones

Match Details:
Date: Sunday, 19^th October 2025, Kick-off: 12.30 AM

The fixture will see 14th-placed Fulham host league leaders Arsenal at Craven Cottage. Fulham’s lineup has a distinct Arsenal flavor, with former Gunners Emile Smith Rowe and Alex Iwobi now key players for them. Smith Rowe, in particular, is impressing in the number 10 role and will be highly motivated to perform against his old club. Arsenal has a fantastic overall record at Fulham’s ground, with five wins in their last six visits before that defeat on New Year’s Eve last season. Let’s hope for Arsenal to take the 3-point. 

Head to Molly Malones if it’s possible!

We will be posting photos of our members at the live screening every week via Instagram. The member will win Weston vouchers if the posting has the most likes. Vouchers will be given out during the mid-season and end of season.

Membership renewal
Two more weeks before we close new membership sign-ups and membership renewal for season 2025/26! There is still time.

The Link: https://members.arsenalsingapore.com/v2/membership

Any issues with payment, please email to payments@arsenalsingapore.com.

Partnership News
Unfortunately, Weston Corp is not able to provide any jersey promotion due to stocks issue. The successful Singapore Tour had unexpectedly depleted their stocks. The home kit for 2026/2027 season is likely to launch before the last match. We will arrange for bulk purchase along with the away and third kit. Details will be shared when we start taking orders.    

Look out for the latest updates via FB, IG, Arsenal Singapore WhatsApp Channel and WhatsApp Chatgroup. If you want to be added to the group chat, please email me your name, membership number and handphone number.

Please follow our new Instagram page via:   https://www.instagram.com/arsenal_singapore_official/

– Renewals/new sign-up issues: membership@arsenalsingapore.com.
– Match tickets application: dhanesh@arsenalsingapore.com.
– Membership benefits: lance@arsenalsingapore.com

COYG!

Shai
Arsenal Singapore