The wildest north London derby saw bricks launched at Arsenal stars on team bus
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Arsenal clinched the Premier League title at White Hart Lane in 2004
Arsenal’s team coach was pelted with bricks thrown by furious Tottenham supporters after the most iconic north London derby since the turn of the century. Back in 2004, the Gunners were crowned Premier League champions at the home of their arch rivals to spark wild scenes both on and off the pitch.
Arsenal went into the fixture knowing that a point would be enough to guarantee the Premier League trophy ending up in their hands. They made a flying start to the match, racing into a two-goal lead courtesy of Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires to set tongues wagging in the away end.
Tottenham went on to pull a goal back through Jamie Redknapp, who fired past Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann from well outside the box. A stoppage-time penalty from Robbie Keane ensured the spoils were shared but it was Arsenal who had the last laugh, with the result confirming them as Premier League champions.
Martin Keown, who played for Arsenal in defence, later recalled a scary incident that took place as the Gunners were leaving the stadium. A brick, which was launched at their bus by a Tottenham fan, smashed into a window just metres away from where Dennis Bergkamp was sitting.
“Although the game had finished, the action hadn’t as a Tottenham fan gave us a parting gift,” Keown told the Daily Mail. “As we pulled away in our team bus, a brick struck right where Bergkamp was sitting. With a cracked window, we drove back to Arsenal’s training ground with a smile on our faces and another trophy in the cabinet.”
Arsenal’s on-pitch celebrations did little to calm the baying home crowd, with the Gunners taking the opportunity to rub their success in the faces of their rivals. Before the match, they were asked not to celebrate by Arsene Wenger but decided against taking the Frenchman’s advice when their title dream became a reality.
Thierry Henry previously revealed that he was not planning on celebrating due to fears it could lead to chaotic scenes in the crowd. However, the former Arsenal striker had a change of heart when he saw Tottenham defender Mauricio Taricco jumping for joy after Keane’s late equaliser.
Henry recalled: “We were asked: ‘Please, if you win the league, do not celebrate there’. And to be fair, everybody said: ‘Okay, we understand, that’s going to create chaos’.
“I remember Mauricio Taricco jumping around, and he got a cramp out of it by the way, he was jumping around and celebrating a draw. That’s their standard. I looked at him and said: ‘Are you kidding me?’ He was jumping in front of me. I said: ‘Do you realise that we needed a point to be champions at your place?’
“He was talking and I told him to watch me after the game. That’s the way it is, the game. If you act strong, be strong at the end. I remember everyone was saying we were not to celebrate and I said: ‘What? I will celebrate and we will see how much it’s going to hurt them’.
“I had to celebrate, they were celebrating a draw and coming in front of me, jumping around like they won something. So I said: ‘Okay, we were not supposed to celebrate but I’m now going to celebrate with my fans’.”
Arsenal avoided defeat in the Premier League for the rest of the season to complete a famous ‘invincible’ campaign. They have not won England’s top flight since then but will maintain their hopes of breaking that duck with victory over Tottenham in today’s north London derby.
