From Dial Square To Arsenal: The Humble Beginnings Of The Gunners

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·12 juin 2026

From Dial Square To Arsenal: The Humble Beginnings Of The Gunners

After Arsenal recently secured their 14th league title under Mikel Arteta, many supporters have been reflecting on the club’s remarkable history and how far it has come.

From its humble beginnings in South East London to becoming one of the most successful football clubs in England, Arsenal’s journey is a fascinating one. Many fans around the world know the club as “The Gunners”, but fewer know the story behind that famous nickname.

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From Dial Square To Royal Arsenal

Modern-day Arsenal was born in October 1886 in Woolwich, at the exact location where the Dial Arch pub stands today.

Originally, the club was called Dial Square FC. The original 15 players worked at the local Royal Arsenal armament factory and named the team after the sundial that stood above the factory entrance.

Just two months later, the foundations of one of football’s greatest institutions were firmly in place.

In December 1886, Dial Square FC played their first-ever match, defeating Eastern Wanderers 6-0 on the Isle of Dogs.

On Christmas Day that same year, the club’s founders gathered at the Royal Oak pub and made the decision to officially rename the team Royal Arsenal.

By 1891, Royal Arsenal had become the first professional football club in the South of England.

Two years later, in 1893, the club joined the Football League Second Division as Woolwich Arsenal, playing its home matches at the Manor Ground in Plumstead.

Visiting Arsenal’s Roots Today

Today, supporters can still visit the birthplace of Arsenal within the Royal Arsenal Riverside area of Greenwich.

The historic building that once served as the factory workshop now operates as the Dial Arch pub, overlooking the site where the club was formed.

A short walk from the pub stands a commemorative plaque marking the birthplace of The Gunners, complete with a silver plinth featuring a sculpture of a traditional leather football.

It serves as a reminder of how one of the world’s biggest football clubs emerged from modest beginnings among a group of workers with a shared passion for the game.

Since those early days in 1886, Arsenal have gone on to win 49 major honours:

14 League Titles
14 FA Cups
17 Community Shields
2 League Cups
1 European Cup Winners’ Cup
1 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

From a factory team in Woolwich to Premier League champions under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s rise remains one of the great stories in English football.

Have you ever visited the birthplace of Arsenal in Woolwich, Gooners? Let us know your memories and thoughts in the comments below.

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