An Ode to a Great Gooner who passed away: GoonerN5/ GN5

TotalArsenal

Dear Bergkampesquers and all those who knew this fine gentleman-Gooner from other blogs,

On 13 May Cyril, better known as GunnerN5 (GN5), sadly passed away.

Cyril had been posting on the blog for many years and his contributions have been immense. He was a prolific Arsenal-researcher and writer, and we have issued many of his posts here on Bergkampesque over the years. GN5 did a number of series of Arsenal posts, many of them also issued on the fine blog ArsenalArsenal. The highlight for me was without any doubt the series about the Arsenal 100-goal scorers posts (20 in total). These were well researched, full of facts and interesting bits, and the passion for Arsenal and football in general shone through in them. Cyril also promoted and then coordinated the football prediction competition over the last few years, and what a lot of fun and banter this has brought to the regulars on Bergkampesque!

GN5 was always keen to help and contribute to the blog, and there was no calculation or self-promotion in any of it. From the start, I wanted this blog to function as a digital pub where likeminded Gooners from the UK and around the world could meet and discuss anything Arsenal, football and anything else enriching our lives. A digital pub only works if it’s cosy with a good atmosphere of respect, banter and support for each other. Cyril for me was the wise, calm and warm older guy at the centre of the pub, always there to greet and crack a joke, always willing to contribute and support others, and with that fiery passion for the Arsenal right till the end. I don’t know anybody who supported Arsenal longer and had more knowledge of the club’s history and achievement than Cyril. Yet, what I truly loved about him was his humbleness and willingness to learn right till the end. He was forever curious and willing to listen to new opinions. Erasmus of Rotterdam once wrote: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, study as if you were to live forever”; for me, Cyril epitomised this. He knew how to enjoy life and not grumble and he was always keen to learn more, allowing a healthy amount of doubt and humility to accompany him right till the end. He was also a family man, speaking warmly about his dear wife, daughter and son whenever he could.

In short, he was a great human being and Gooner and I will miss him dearly. Cyril loved a good wine, so let’s all raise a glass of red to him today.

TotalArsenal.

The post below has been published before, but in one of Cyril’s last emails he asked me to republish it. It is a great post about a great man by a great man.

Denis Bergkamp: 1995-2006.

Denis appeared in 423 games over an 11 year period and scored 120 goals.

Born in Amsterdam, Denis was the fourth of four sons. He was brought up in a working-class suburb; his father who was an electrician played amateur footballer in the lower leagues. He was named in honour of Scottish striker Denis Law but in order to comply with Dutch given name customs, an extra “n” was inserted into his first name, by his father, after it was not accepted by the registrar.

He was spotted by Ajax and was brought up through their famous youth system, joining the club at age 11 and making his professional debut on 14 December 1986. He scored his first senior goal for the club against HFC Haarlem on 22 February 1987 in a match Ajax won 6–0. He went on to make 23 appearances in the 1986–87 season, including a European debut against Malmö FF in the 1986–87 European Cup Winners’ Cup, Ajax won the competition, beating Lokomotive Leipzig 1–0. In later seasons he established himself as a first-team player for Ajax. This culminated in a period of success for the club, which won the Eredivisie title in the 1989–90 season for the first time in five years. Denis scored 29 goals in 36 games the following season and became the joint top goal scorer in the league. Ajax won the 1992 UEFA Cup Final, beating Torino through the away goals ruling. He was the top scorer in the Eredivisie from 1991 to 1993, and was voted Dutch Footballer of the Year in 1992 and 1993. In total, he scored 122 goals in 239 games for his hometown club.

Denis attracted the attention of several European clubs as a result of his performances for Ajax. He was insistent on playing in Italy. as he considered Serie A “the biggest league at the time” and preferred a move to either Juventus or Internazionale, on 16 February 1993, he agreed a £7.1 million move to Internazionale and made his debut against Reggiana on 29 August 1993.  In his first two seasons at Internazionale, the club changed managers twice and Denis had a difficult time, troubled with stress injuries and fatigue from the 1994 World Cup, he only scored five goals in 26 appearances. Off the field, his relationship with the Italian press and fans became uncomfortable. His shy persona and his propensity to go home after matches was interpreted as apathy. Because of his poor performance on the pitch, one Italian publication renamed their award given to the worst performance of the week, L’asino della settimana (Donkey of the Week) to Bergkamp della settimana.

Denis left Internazionale and signed with Arsenal in June 1995 for a transfer fee estimated at £7.5 million. He became manager Bruce Rioch’s first signing at Arsenal and broke the club’s transfer fee record of £2.5 million. On the opening day of the 1995–96 league season, he made his full debut against Middlesbrough. He struggled to adapt to the English game and failed to score in the club’s next six league matches, prompting ridicule by the national press, he ended his first season with 33 appearances and a goal tally of 11.

The appointment of Arsène Wenger as Arsenal manager in September 1996 marked a turning point in his career. Wenger, who had moderate success coaching in France and Japan, recognised his talent and wanted to use him as a fulcrum of the team’s forward play. Both were advocates of a continental style of attacking football, and Denis was happy with Arsene’s decision to impose a strict fitness and health regime. Despite making fewer appearances in the 1996–97 season, he was more influential in the first team, creating 13 assists. The following season he was instrumental in helping Arsenal complete a domestic league and cup double. He became the club’s top scorer with 22 goals and recorded a strike rate of 0.57.  In 1997/8 he was the recipient of the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, becoming only the second foreign player to be recognised by his fellow professionals as the outstanding performer in English football.

After 3 seasons of finishing second more success finally came in the 2001–02 season. Arsenal regained the league, beating Manchester United at Old Trafford in the penultimate game of the season to complete the club’s second double under Wenger; Arsenal defeated Chelsea 2–0 to win the FA Cup four days prior. Denis played in 33 league matches, setting up 15 goals. After a 3 game red card suspension he made his return against Newcastle United on 3 March 2002. Early in the match, Arsenal midfielder Robert Pirès played a low pass from the left flank to Denis in the edge of the opponent area with his back to goal. Under pressure from his marker Nikos Dabizas, he controlled the ball with one flick and went around the other side before placing the ball precisely into the bottom right-hand corner to score. Arsene described the goal as “unbelievable”, adding “It was not only a magnificent goal but a very important one – I enjoyed it a lot”

Denis reached a personal landmark during the 2002–03 season, scoring his 100th goal for Arsenal against Oxford United in a FA Cup third-round tie. On 20 July 2003, he signed a one-year extension at the club. The 2003–04 season ended on a high point as Arsenal reclaimed the league title, becoming the first English team in more than a century to go through the entire domestic league season unbeaten Champions League over two legs. He committed himself to Arsenal at the end of the season, signing a further extension to his contract.

The team finished fourth in the league in his final season at Arsenal. After much campaigning from Arsenal supporters, the club designated one of its Highbury match day themes, organised to commemorate the stadium’s final season as home of Arsenal, to Dennis Bergkamp. “Bergkamp Day” took place on 15 April 2006 It celebrated his contribution to Arsenal; fans were given commemorative orange ‘DB10’ T-shirts – the colour of his national team, his initials and his squad number. Denis came on as a second-half substitute and set up the winning Pirès goal moments after Nigel Quashie had levelled the score. Fittingly, his 89th-minute goal proved to be his last for Arsenal in competitive football.

He was the focus of the first match at Arsenal’s new ground, the Emirates Stadium. On 22 July 2006, a testimonial was played in his honour at the new stadium as Arsenal played his old club Ajax.

Denis made his international debut for the Netherlands national team against Italy on 26 September 1990. He was selected for Euro 1992, where his national team were the defending champions. Although he impressed, scoring three goals in the tournament, the team lost on penalties to eventual champions Denmark. In the qualification for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, hep scored five goals and was selected for the finals, staged in the United States. He featured in every game for the national team, getting goals against Morocco in the group stages and the Republic of Ireland in the round of 16.

Against Wales in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification on 9 November 1996, he scored his first hat-trick for the national team. The Netherlands finished first in their group and qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, held in France. Denis scored three times in the competition, including a memorable winning goal in the final minute of the quarterfinal against Argentina. He took one touch to control a long 60-yard aerial pass from Frank de Boer, brought the ball down through Argentine defender Roberto Ayala’s legs, and finally finished by firing a volley with the outside of his right foot, past the keeper at a tight angle from the right, he described the goal as his personal favourite in his career.  His international career ended with 37 goals in 77 appearances.

In April of 2007, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame by viewers of BBC’s Football Focus. A year later, he was voted second by Arsenal fans behind Thierry Henry in a list of the 50 Gunners Greatest Players.

This is a summary of his achievements in chronological order:

Dutch Football Talent of the Year (1): 1990

Dutch Footballer of the Year (2): 1991, 1992

Eredivisie Top Scorer (3): 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93

UEFA European Football Championship Top Scorer (1): 1992

UEFA European Football Championship Team of the Tournament (1): 1992

World’s Top Goal Scorer of the Year (1): 1992

UEFA Cup Top Scorer (1): 1994

Premier League Player of the Month (4): August 1997, September 1997, March 2002, February 2004

PFA Team of the Year (1): 1997–98

FWA Footballer of the Year (1): 1997–98

PFA Players’ Player of the Year (1): 1997–98

Premier League Goal of the Season (2): 1997–98, 2001–02

FIFA World Cup All-Star Team (1): 1998

FIFA 100

English Football Hall of Fame

His statue now stands outside Emirates Stadium honouring him as one of Arsenal’s legends.

GunnerN5

32 thoughts on “An Ode to a Great Gooner who passed away: GoonerN5/ GN5”

  • A beautiful farewell from Cyril with a beautiful post by Cyril.

    As the Premier League became a more lenten place after the departure of Dennis, so will this blog be without GN5.

    May his memory be a blessing.

  • Frank, that was a truly befitting tribute to Cyril; nice touch too to publish that post about Denis.

    Cyril did take his love for Arsenal a notch higher than most, with his documented stories about the club, espousing his love for everything Arsenal and the game of football. His previews of games, which were preceded by historical aspects of Arsenal’s opponents were always refreshing and helped give perspective to the opponent, setting up the mood for games. I always toyed with the thought of visiting whenever I got into Toronto, but procrastinated because I knew it would involve reaching TA as go-between to make contact; now, I wish I had asked. Nevertheless, it felt like I knew him already, anyway.

    He will be missed. Rest on, Cyril – GunnerN5

  • Thanks Total. a fine send off for our Cyril. This being a “digital pub” let’s erect a statue of GN5 over in the corner. Or, at least a photo on the wall. One image from his writing will always stay with me, that of him as a boy scoring in a makeshift goal chalked onto the gate doors of the North Bank turnstiles. Would we have a time machine, I’d go back to that moment. Eris, I’d take you with me to make up for those missed opportunities.

    PB, I don’t think that I have seen the word, “lenten” more aptly used in a sentence. Thanks, mate.

    Kev, from previous posts, I remember you as a fellow Dylan fan. I only came across “Masked and anonymous” last night and wondered if you’d seen it? Somewhat bizarre but I loved it, mostly for the scenes of him playing with the band.

  • A very touching and thoughtful tribute Frank, bravo.

    Not aware of that one Stu, I’ll check it out on YouTube.

    Been very busy at work so won’t be popping by very often for awhile.

    Take care everyone

  • Fine tribute Total.

    Big Raddy from Arsenal Arsenal here.

    I recall that GN5 was a regular darts player, so perhaps a GN5 dartboard in the pub would be fitting

  • Terrible news about Kevin Campbell

    I’ll always remember him as the hero of what may have been my most bizarre trip to Highbury

    In April 1994, we knocked PSG out in the semi-finals of the Cup winners’ cup, which we were to win in May. I had missed the first leg in Paris, and there was no way I’d miss the second, so that I got a ticket from the PSG store – meaning I’d be among rabid PSG fans in Highbury.

    Kevin scored the winner that day (1-0 to the Arsenal times), an early goal, which I still don’t know to this day how I refrained myself from celebrating (actually, I do know: clearly, my courage has limits) … if you watch highlights of the game, my POV was roughly, the one of the camera which allows us to enjoy what peach of a delivery Dicko’s cross-assist was

    This will remain one of my dearest Highbury memories. Thank you Kevin, RIP

  • Yeah, LeGall. Such a sad one to wake up to, and for one still so young. Thoughts go out to his family and friends. RIP, Kevin Campbell. A true gentleman

  • Stu, I’m watching … rugby tonight

    semi-final of the “Bouclier de Brennus”

    HT Toulouse 15 La Rochelle 20 if you can tune in for the 2nd half, you’ll be in for a treat

    I’ll watch Oranje – Bleus replay … the Euro starts with the round of 16 anyway doesn’t it?

    Come on Le Stade, yoiu can make it!!

  • Some observations and opinions from the Euro 2024.

    Many of the favourite teams play in an awfully defensive manner. Maybe if they win the trophy they will be forgiven, and we can go with clichés that attackers win a game but defenders win the tournament, but so far it is painful to watch England and France. Belgium is also disappointing, but at least they try.

    Scotland has a really great supporter base. If they had Tierney I don’t think they would have lost the game against Hungary.

    I always cheer for the Netherlands in every tournament (by the way, what’s the name of this blog?), and this is no exception. However I think Koeman has to go. Which is not a bad thing, if his successor will be a tactically savvy guy who retires the old guard (Blind, Wijnaldum, de Vrij, van Dijk, Weghorst, Depay, Aké, Dumfries) and gives confidence and experience to the new generation (Timber, Simmons, Gravenberch, Maatsen). The World Cup is due in 2026 and the following 3-5-1-1 could aim for a medal (albeit I may be biased):

    ––––––––––––––––––––Verbruggen––––––––––––––––––––

    ––––––––Timber–––––––de Ligt–––––––van de Ven––––––

    Frimpong–Veerman–Gravenberch–Koopmeiners–Maatsen

    –––––––––––––––––––––Simmons–––––––––––––––––––––

    –––––––––––––––––––––––Gakpo–––––––––––––––––––––

    (And on the bench they may have Bijlow, Hato, Botman, Geertruida, Teze, Schouten, Wieffer, the other Timber twin, maybe a rejuvenated Frenkie de Jong, Bergwijn – who could start at LM against teams that doesn’t require 5 defenders – Stengs, Lang, Zirkzee, and whoever else will be introduced in the next couple of years.)

    As you could see, I’m not a big fan of Malen or Brobbey; but despite a 3-5-1-1 might seem awfully defensive for a Dutch team this midfield is full of creativity and are packing a lot of heat. Nevertheless if the coach sacrifices one of the engine trio for a striker (Zirkzee?) a 3-4-1-2 could be as efficient as Real Madrid’s 4-3-1-2.

    Perhaps by 2026 we’ll have the other Timber twin and Bijlow, maybe even Hato in Arsenal. But if I could sign only one – apart from Simmons, who is obviously not interested in the project – I would go for Veerman (or Koopmeiners), who could add quality, depth and rotation to our midfield.

  • I like Veerman a lot, P. – and he can score, too.

    Let’s hold our horses, though, rumour (“l’équipe”) has it he’s on … PSG(!!)’s radars

    Stu, are you there? Toulouse-Bordeaux tonight, Toulouse 7 (Dupont (try), Ramos (conversion)) Bordeaux 0 after 5 minutes

  • Toulouse 15 Bordeaux 3 – Ramos made a mess of his second conversion

    So far, it’s been one of these nights when Le Stade’s rugby looks like “4th of July on steroids” (Josh Brolin in Villeneuve’s “Sicario”), what a sport rugby is when played this way

  • 3rd try (Dupont) a thing of beauty if ever there was one

    Stu, promise me you’ll watch the highlights, at least

  • What a flanker Jack Willis is, so eerily reminiscent of Le Stade’s legend Jean-Claude Skrela

  • They’re excellent players, these Slovaks – always were, always will be, I guess.
    Probably because “Greater” Rouen used to be a stronghold of communism in France, “TPTB” here used to be in touch with their counterparts beyond the Iron Curtain, so much so that many of the foreign players were brought from such countries. There are two”Bohemians” I remember in particular, Tomáš Pospíchal who was Rouen’s playmaker when we faced Arsenal in the 1969-70 Fairs’Cup, and Karel Jarolím, because he was a technically faultless player, and also because my best buddy in the team I played for at the end of the 1980s was his spitting image (still is, now that both have got older). Contrary to preconceptions about players from the Eastern Bloc, you could always feel the artist in them – the very best of them all was a Polish player, Bronisław Bula, who had been the great “Ruch Chorzów” playmaker before coming over here …
    Of course we Arsenal fans will never forget Wolfgang Amadeus Rosicky … anyway, you always underestimate them at their own peril, and end up paying the price for it. I think our 2 Gooners were the best “3 Lions” players, but saying I’m biased would be an understatement. I just can’t get the reason why Southgate keeps refusing:
    A. to drop Bellingham by Declan’s side
    B. to bring on Palmer, at least the lad can invent something, he’s unafraid too and has proven there are goals in him
    C. to take you-know-off, and bring Watkins on, but I think nobody interested in football in England, and I mean not a single such soul, can understand that one
    An interesting half it’s bound to be …

  • Great stuff LG. Forgive my tardy reply. I have been off grid for the last month in Southern Moravia, catching up with old friends and revisiting old haunts. No rugby over there, mate. The Czechs wouldn’t know a rugby ball from a boomerang. Their national sport is Ice Hockey and they won the World Cup the day before we arrived, so their were a lot of headaches and little beer left in the pubs…

    I’d take Boniek, Lato and Deyna over Bula, and Tomas ‘Mozart’ Rosicky over the lot of them. I loved the Serb, Vladimir Petrovic who was with us in the early 80’s and rued the lack of trust the Arsenal management of the time showed him. And Davor Suker inspired me in red and white, perhaps mostly because my maternal grandfather was a Croatian.

    Watching your lot against the Belgians, bit of a chess match so far.

    All Blacks v England this weekend.

  • Shame to see Doku go home, such a bold and exciting talent. But France got that little bit of luck. Interesting to see our Will play for his national team. To me he looks much more comfortable with Big Gabe and Benny Blanco on either side of him.

    Is that Lillian’s boy up top, LG? L.T. was one of the finest fullbacks I’ve seen in my 63 years on the planet.

    I like the look of your future Dutch side, PB.

  • He is, Stu. His younger brother – Khephren – is an excellent player too, much more talented than Marcus imo, but not half as consistent, unfortunately. I’ve often thought that if he could improve on that front, he’d be the perfect partner for Declan in midfield …

    Deschamps’s France is boring, boring France, but – just as GG’s Arsenal – a successful France too; I am used to setting my friends’ teeth on edge when I tell them how much I miss ’82 France and its Giresse-Platini-Tigana-Genghini midfield. Give me a heartbreaking “Night of Seville” any time, rather than the winning anti-football we saw today!

  • And the beautiful winger, Dominique Rocheteau lit up that game, as did his counterpart Littbarski for the Germans. What a match, but, even better, one of my all time favourite World Cup games was the magnificent 1-1 draw between France and Brazil in ’86. France winning the shoot out.

    The magnificence of that French team helped ease the memory of July 10th 1985.

  • A half of enjoyable football, at last

    Koeman picked an all-attacking XI, and it’s paid off so far – let’s just hope the Oranje won’t have to rue Simons’s and deVrij’s missed chances …

    These Transylvanians’ tackles do go for the jugular, don’t they? … and (sorry to say but) the White Fart Lane lad is very good at it, too

    I’d love Depay to score. He’s such a free agent, this boy. He was loved even by Lyon fans, who are notoriously harsh, ruthless on … everyone (players, managers, board …)

  • Romania were so easy on the eye in that first 30 minutes. Agreed, LG, some glaring misses, some stunning tackles and blocks, and a couple of piercing through balls that Vlad the Impaler would have been proud of…

  • Gakpo’s game. Some pretty impressive centre backs on display with the pick of them being Dragusin. Holland have a plethora: Van Dyke, Van de Ven, Ake and de Ligt.

    Total, are you still on the road with the band?

  • PB, good to see you commenting on the Dutch side. Ake and Van Dijk are class so I think they will stay. Frenkie de Jong will get his stage and I hope it will be the world cup. He moves and thinks like Cruyff. Having said that, I thought Reijnders – not in your squad I noticed – had a sublime, Xhakaesque game yesterday. I would not give up on Brobbey either.

  • legall, agreed on Depay. There is a bit of Van Gogh in this guy, a maverick with an eye for beauty and cheekiness. He is a quiet leader by example, and never gives up in his creative way.

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