Ten interesting Arsenal facts I’ve learned from Martin Keown’s autobiography## 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Martin Keown’s Time at Arsenal1. **Irish Roots:** Keown faced discrimination growing up in England due to his Irish heritage. This shaped his personality and instilled a fighting spirit in him.2. **Leaving Arsenal:** Keown regrets leaving Arsenal the first time, feeling he made an impulsive decision. He was offered more money at Aston Villa, but insists it wasn’t about the money.3. **George Graham:** Keown felt Graham’s managerial style was outdated and questioned the team’s culture. He felt the players were complacent and needed to adapt to modern methods.4. **Wenger’s Impact:** Keown credits Wenger for transforming his life and the club’s culture. He introduced healthier habits, improved training facilities, and instilled a winning mentality.5. **Tommy Coleman:** Keown felt abused by his youth coach, who made his life difficult after he moved out of his house. He accuses Coleman of sabotaging his career.6. **Bruce Rioch:** Keown believes Rioch failed at Arsenal due to the heavy burden of dealing with players’ personal issues. He felt Rioch was a good coach with innovative ideas, but the off-field problems were overwhelming.7. **Liverpool Speech:** Keown claims he motivated the team with a half-time speech during the famous 4-2 win over Liverpool in 2004. He felt the players needed reminding of the club’s culture and inspired Henry to complete his hat-trick.8. **Training Ground:** Keown highlights the poor state of Arsenal’s training facilities before Wenger arrived. He credits Wenger for demanding improvements and investing in a state-of-the-art facility.9. **Return as Coach:** Keown was one of the first ex-players invited back to coach under Wenger. He is credited for helping develop the back four that set a clean sheet record en route to the Champions League final.10. **Tony Adams:** Keown finally received validation from his former captain, Tony Adams, who acknowledged him as a great center-back. This came after years of feeling underappreciated and constantly compared to Adams.This article provides a glimpse into Martin Keown’s autobiography, highlighting lesser-known stories and insights from his time at Arsenal.
