Arsenal’s Forgotten Stadium Before Highbury. Arsenal are known all over the world today. Fans talk about Highbury with love and the Emirates with pride. But Arsenal’s story did not start in north London. Long before that, the club played in south-east London. Few people know this part of Arsenal’s past. Even fewer know that parts of Arsenal’s first real stadium still exist. The ruins of that ground are still standing today — quietly hidden in a normal family back garden.
Arsenal’s Early Stadium Moves and Club Roots
Many Premier League clubs have changed stadiums. Everton moved in 2025/26. Tottenham left White Hart Lane in 2017. Arsenal moved from Highbury to the Emirates in 2006.
But Gunners were changing homes long before modern football. The club was founded south of the River Thames. This is why Tottenham fans often say Arsenal are not a true north London club.
In their early years, Arsenal played matches on open fields. Plumstead Common was their first home. The Manor Ground came next, but it was muddy and poor. Crowds were growing fast, and Arsenal needed a better place to play.
Arsenal and the Invicta Ground: The Club’s First Real Stadium
Arsenal was founded in December 1886 as Dial Square Football Club. The name came from a workshop at the Royal Arsenal. Soon after, the club became Royal Arsenal.
In 1890, Arsenal moved to the Invicta Ground in Plumstead. This was a huge moment for the club. The Invicta Ground was Arsenal’s first proper stadium. It had a stand, terracing, and changing rooms.
Fans began to come in large numbers. Most matches attracted between 7,000 and 8,000 people. In March 1891, Arsenal played Heart of Midlothian in front of more than 10,000 fans. Another match against Millwall brought in around 12,000 supporters.
These big crowds helped Arsenal turn professional. The club changed its name to Woolwich Arsenal and joined the Football League in 1893.
Sadly, Arsenal’s time at the Invicta Ground did not last long. The owner raised the rent; Arsenal could not afford it. After only three years, the club face pressure to leave.
Fans React to the ‘Sacred’ Stadium Ruins
Today, the Invicta Ground no longer hosts football. Houses now stand where the stadium once was. Streets like Hector Street and Mineral Street cover the old site.
Yet something remains parts of the concrete terracing still survive in back gardens. Photos of these steps recently appeared online.
Arsenal fans are glad Many called the ruins “sacred”. Author and Arsenal supporter Michael Rosen shared his shock and joy. Fans loved the idea that Arsenal’s history still lives on in such a quiet and unexpected place.
Why Hidden Stadium History Still Matters
The Invicta Ground shows where Arsenal truly began. Before trophies and famous players, the club fought to survive.
This forgotten stadium reminds fans of Arsenal’s working-class roots. It also adds meaning to the rivalry with Tottenham. Arsenal’s journey from Plumstead to Highbury, and then to the Emirates, shows how far the club has come. Even today, those old steps tell a powerful story.
Arsenal’s Long Journey From Invicta to the Emirates
In conclusion, Arsenal may now be a global club, but their past is still close to the ground. In one quiet garden, Arsenal’s story still stands — simple, strong, and sacred. Other clubs have treated their old stadium history in a similar way. At Manchester United, parts of the original Old Trafford tunnel were carefully restored after World War II damage. Liverpool also kept strong links to Anfield’s past by restoring the Main Stand while protecting its classic design.
These examples show that football history does not always need to be replaced. Sometimes it should be protected. That is why the survival of Arsenal’s Invicta Ground ruins feels special. Even without official plaques or tours, the steps still stand. Quietly. Proudly. Like a reminder that Arsenal’s story started long before modern stadiums and big money.
As featured on GoonerNews.com