Denton Gets a good farewell. [Archive]

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DogsBollocks

19 Oct 2007, 06:32 PM

I thought you lads might want to read this.

He was a top man.
http://www.thecnj.co.uk/islington/2007/101907/inews101907_00.html

bostonf4lyf

19 Oct 2007, 06:53 PM

i found a video of the march on youtube. pretty powerful stuff that a guy could create such a following. very sad that he had to go so young.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35C1f2JRzHo&mode=related&search=

Lanesra

19 Oct 2007, 07:00 PM

Wasn't involved in the march,but was at the funeral today.

A fantastic send off.

This will tell you a bit about the man

Originally posted on the Jakarta casuals site

Denton and respect

It was a story that began on the streets and terraces of North London far from the glare of publicity. How fitting that it should end that way, right under the noses of a media blissfully unaware of the events unfolding under their very eyes. Today’s football is the football of celebrity and the celebrity is the player and manager. While the press pack munched on their complimentary snacks before taking their complimentary seats outside they missed the human story of the week.

Grown men gathered dressed in black to say farewell to one of their own. Their leader. The Bear. For 25 years or so these lads grew up together, laughed together and fought outsiders for the Arsenal. Whatever the arguments about hooliganism, when the media have always been quick to stereotype yet slow to get factual, the fact remains for people of a certain generation, mine included, Denton was a legend. For those gathered on the concourse surrounded by wreaths and teddy bears he was a mate.

While the media gathered and wondered who they could next eulogize or destroy with their keyboard outside hundreds marched round North London visiting sites heavy with nostalgia. There were tears, there were beers, there were cheers. And there was respect. Anybody watching would have been surprised at the march held in the honour of their mate. There was young and old, friend and foe. There was a police escort but this was different. For lads used to being escorted by police round the country for various reasons this escort was respectful, responsive. There were Sunderland fans, Chelsea, Stoke showing respect. Outside the stadium there was even a bear from a Tottenham foe.

The next time a player is tragically taken from us be sure the media will generate interest in the story. They will help manufacture grief for someone very few people really knew beyond a shirt every weekend. This was different. This show of respect round Arsenal was organized by e mail, text message and forums from people intimately associated with a lad who was larger than life. Word spread round the streets and people responded because they wanted to, because they cared. Because they felt Denton represented a part of their life, their club, their character. It will be a long while before we ever see anything like this again.

A few weeks back there was a story coming from the club that they wanted to trademark the terms The Gooners. Without Denton there would be no Gooners.

The funeral was attended by over 2,000 people including ex players & celebrities

TheImposter

19 Oct 2007, 08:48 PM

Thanks for filling in a little more Arsenal history for me. Those videos are really powerful.

bostonf4lyf

19 Oct 2007, 10:18 PM

can someone explain to me what EIE stands for?

Lanesra

20 Oct 2007, 05:16 AM

can someone explain to me what EIE stands for?

It's a long story

Guy Fawkes

20 Oct 2007, 10:15 AM

Ian Wright and Lee Dixon were there, from what I understand. Great to hear that ex-players revered a supporter like that.

antifan

20 Oct 2007, 02:50 PM

Another article about Denton from the Islington Tribune.

http://www.thecnj.co.uk/islington/2007/101207/news101207_01.html

TheImposter

20 Oct 2007, 06:33 PM

It's a long story
I got time.

afcsd88

20 Oct 2007, 09:04 PM

repped...this thread needed starting.

RIP big D

Lanesra

20 Oct 2007, 09:16 PM

I got time.

Not enough. when we meet

TheImposter

20 Oct 2007, 10:37 PM

Not enough. when we meet

I eagerly await that day, sir.

bostonf4lyf

20 Oct 2007, 11:43 PM

i found this posted on another forum, not sure about it's accuracy, maybe someone can confirm this.

bolton away early 80,s . we went on the train about 150 of us, got out at manchester piccadilly and as we came down the ramp outside a mob about 200 strong came at us, we were straight at them a few stood but the rest just run, a couple of them that got caught said they were man city waiting for leeds and they wanted no trouble from arsenal. we marched through the city centre to manchester victoria station and man city tried to give it to us the whole way.one of the wembley boys was detained by ob,so 30 of us waited for him on victoria platform while the others went on to bolton. 15 mins later the lad turned up so of we went to bolton. when we got there we did not see any of the others and as the idea was for every one to go into the bolton side, in we went. we could not find the others inside so we stood level with the halfway line about 10 steps back. after about 20 mins boltons mob were on us and it kicked off with them throwing a milk crate at us, we steamed straight into them and backed them off about 20 yards. the ob had to come onto the terracing and made us leave, marching us round the pitch into the arsenal end. after the game about 300 of us went around to the bolton end and we bumped straight into them, the inevitable happened and as per usual the mouthy fat northern doughnuts run. back to manchester and a few scuffles with city, and just as we got back to piccadilly a mob of city about 30 handed came up behind us, the big pub landlord (from wembley) turned and shouted with a mouthful of food. . here they are. . but as he had a mouthful no one knew what he said, he promptly run them on his own and we all got on the train. once on the train all the normal pisstaking started and they was soon on the pub landlord as too what he said, he replied here they are, to which someone said it sounded like e.i.e . we all had a laugh at this and it soon went from being a pisstake to being one of the most famous battlecries in the country and only gooners knew what it meant

Lanesra

21 Oct 2007, 08:13 AM

i found this posted on another forum, not sure about it's accuracy, maybe someone can confirm this.

That's it,too much to type

Skizz

21 Oct 2007, 09:18 AM

RIP Denton, loved in death as he was in life. Sad loss to the club.

TheImposter

21 Oct 2007, 10:04 AM

i found this posted on another forum, not sure about it's accuracy, maybe someone can confirm this.
Thanks, and repped.

casual

22 Oct 2007, 07:51 AM

shame the club did sweet fa (http://jakartacasual.blogspot.com/2007/10/denton-edelman-and-wagon-wheels.html)

Miles Brasher

22 Oct 2007, 01:24 PM

shame the club did sweet fa (http://jakartacasual.blogspot.com/2007/10/denton-edelman-and-wagon-wheels.html)

whilst I kinda agree with it, you cannot expect any club to publically come out and show any support for someone with a history of hooliganism. It's a shame I know, but it's never going to happen. The media would jump on it like it was the foetus of Diana and Dodi, and they'd spend the next 10 years finding ways of blaming AFC for every fight witin 10 miles of any football ground.

Lets just hope that in private Edelman wished he could have come out and said something...

PsychedelicCeltic

22 Oct 2007, 02:28 PM

I agree with Miles. The club has left the tributes to him around the cannon in front of the ground for quite a while - they were there a few days ago - when they could have binned them. It's the most they could do without risking negative PR.

I only had the vaguest idea of Denton, but it's sad to see such a dedicated supporter die so tragically, leaving children behind. I regret I didn't hear about this earlier - I'd have turned up for the march.

By the way, sorry I didn't turn up at the Tavern Saturday. Got a txt from the missus asking me where I was. I wasn't in a mood to pick a battle that night!

Lanesra

23 Oct 2007, 05:00 AM