Wenger passes Gunners milestone

Arsene Wenger becomes the longest-serving manager in Arsenal’s history on Thursday.

The Frenchman took charge of the Gunners on September 28, 1996 and has since gone on to win three Premier League titles and four FA Cups during his 4,749 days at the helm.

Wenger also led Arsenal to the Champions League final in 2006 but his hopes of European glory were crushed after Barcelona secured a 2-1 win in Paris.

The former Monaco chief has now surpassed George Allison, who was in charge of the north London outfit between 1934 and 1947, as the Gunners longest-serving manager and he has been backed by his current squad.

Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal’s current captain, was signed by Wenger as a 16-year-old from Barcelona’s youth team and he has now gone on to be one of the most valuable players in world football during his time at the Emirates Stadium.

“He has been the most important influence in my short career,” Fabregas declared.

“He took me here, made me train with the first-team when I was 16 years old – I was training alongside Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira so I was lucky to learn from the big players.

“For me it was a very big step forward. The manager took the risk to put me in the team. I have to thank him for that and now I have to pay him back for what he has done for me.”

Gael Clichy is the last remaining member of Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ side of the 2003-04 season who won the Premier League by going through the whole campaign unbeaten and he feels the 59-year-old’s reign at Arsenal has been incredible.

“Yes it is incredible he has been here for so long. It shows the class of the manager. We know it is important for the club to keep Arsene Wenger. In 13 years he has had a lot of success,” the full-back told the Daily Mirror.

“In football you always want to be the best and win trophies. So when you don’t have the results everyone wants, people start to talk. But we have to realise Arsenal is Arsenal because of him.

“He has always kept faith in the young players and of course in the last few years we haven’t won anything so people talk badly about him. But I believe we have to think about what he has done for the club.

“He has been here for 13 years and Arsenal today is one of the best clubs in Europe. A big part of that comes from the boss and we have to give him credit.”