The story
If you’ve never heard of Norris, then ask your Tottenham supporting mate or visit any Spurs fan forum. You’re likely to hear and read many colourful references to him because this is the bloke who started it all.
He has been dead for more than 70 years, but his name still stirs emotion on both sides of the divide. Norris was the man who uprooted Arsenal from south London and planted them on Tottenham’s turf, which didn’t go down well with either set of supporters.
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Then there was the whole orchestrating Spurs’ relegation thing. Fans didn’t much appreciate that either.
Born in Kennington, south London in 1865, Norris made his fortune through property and by the time he took over at Woolwich Arsenal in 1910 – he was also chairman of Fulham at the time – he had a contacts book to rival Jim White’s. Basically, if you wore a top hat to work, donned plus fours on the weekend and had more than a tenner in your pocket, then you probably knew Norris.
His ‘friends’ ranged from political types, to members of the church and football’s big wigs and he was on a mission to turn the Gunners into a powerhouse. He was prepared to do it by any means necessary and to say he put a lot of noses out of joint along the way is an understatement.