Farewell and happy retirement Peter Hill-Wood…..

Morning all…

Happy Retirement - but thank goodness we don't have to listen to you again.....
Happy Retirement – but thank goodness we won’t have to listen to you again…..

So there we have it, the one guy who could challenge Fergie for the ‘redist nose’ has finally stepped down.

Due to lack of positive news, I’ll make today a tribute to the last of a long list of ‘Hill-Woods’ who have been involved with Arsenal FC.

Peter Hill-Wood was born in Kensington, London. He has three children Julian, Charles and Sarah – the latter is married to Timothy Dana, an American! 

He is the third generation of his family to serve as Chairman of Arsenal. Staggering eh, yet it would seem that neither of his two sons have chosen to continue the family connection with the club.

His father, Denis Hill-Wood (in office 1962–1982), and his grandfather, Samuel Hill-Wood (1929–1936 and 1946–1949)  preceded his involvement with the club and Peter succeeded his father after the latter’s death in 1982.

Of late, he’d not been in charge of any day-to-day business at the club, thank goodness, that’s been left to CEO Ivan Gazidis but of course, as we all know, Arsène Wenger has had his nose poked into everything to do with the club!

Peter Hill-Wood was a colleague of Chips Keswick at Hambros in the early days and that connection saw him recruited to the Arsenal board. Funny enough, he is the man to replace our very own red nose.

Hill-Wood sold much of his family holdings in the club to former vice-chairman David Dein back in 80’s and 90’s.

The rest went to ‘We don’t want his sort’  Stan Kroenke.

So that’s him in a nutshell, now he’s gone, he’s finally left the building.

Anyone sad?

I strongly suspect that answer in most fans head will be ‘no’.

That’s what is sad. He is the last of his family to be involved in our club, yet no-one gives a toss….

In fact most will be glad to see the back of him – me personally, I’ll just be glad not to read his comments in The Daily Star which have all too often ended up being the total opposite of what finally happened.

I think Robin and his family are very happy in London and it’s unlikely that he will leave and I don’t think he is solely motivated by money as some players are.

Weeks later his was gone, sold and to one of our biggest rivals…..

Regardless of what we all think, he and his family over the years have done Arsenal proud. (Not latterly I know)

I truly hope that PHW has a long and happy retirement.

Thank goodness he has stepped down though…

In comes Sir Chips, there’s a whole new post for another day….

Have a good day all….

0 thoughts on “Farewell and happy retirement Peter Hill-Wood…..

  1. Wavy says:

    Morning all

    The image above……..it reminds me of someone……..the Verger in Dad’s Army.
    Any other offers?
    Not wishing to seem too churlish, although it would be quite easy really, I hope he has a new lease pf life, after his Arsenal tortures. I ,ean younare long time dead and nobody wants to die, do they?
    Good luck old fellow.

  2. malaga gooner says:

    hey fred,

    i just do not get the plan at the club.

    sir chips???

    it seems to me he has been appointed as stop gap.a chairman to hold the fort???

    are the rumours true about a take over??

    please let this be true

  3. frednerk says:

    Morning All,

    The Q & A the other day with Ivan Gazidis,someone mentioned,
    Deja vu..

    The Guardian, Friday 29 August 2008

    Arsenal’s second largest shareholder, Danny Fiszman, revealed last night that the club is ready to give Arsène Wenger £30m to spend on a single player before the close of the transfer window if the manager asks for the money.

    Fiszman dismissed suggestions that Wenger has settled for artistic merit over mounting a serious challenge to Manchester United and Chelsea and he insisted Arsenal were in rude financial health even before effectively balancing the books on their summer signings, with their only notable buys so far being Samir Nasri and Mikaël Silvestre.

    He said it would be “no problem” to finance a £30m signing. “If he said to us ‘I want this guy and he’s £30m, can I buy him?’ the answer is yes. Absolutely yes,” the director said. “We totally back him. It’s his decision.” Wenger is looking to buy another midfielder and Fiszman strongly rejected the idea that the manager prefers style to substance.

    “Absolutely not. We want to win and win badly but Arsène believes in creating teams the way he does. There’s a dual problem for him. If we were to buy names, you are talking about relatively mature players who need to be integrated into the way Arsène plays. They don’t know our style and it also impacts on the youngsters who’ve been brought through.”

    Fiszman dismissed talk of a crisis after last weekend’s defeat at Fulham, but accepted Arsenal need to capture their first trophy since 2005. “I think it is time we won something again but only one club can win the Champions League and one can win the Premiership. We were close as you possibly can be last year … We are optimistic this year.”

  4. malaga gooner says:

    the problem for me with dannys statement is you need experience to bring the beast out in the younger players..

    cesc career took of because he had players like paddy v,,gilberto and bergkamp around him..

    if i can see that surely the clubs directors and manager can see it

  5. S2S says:

    Happy weekends folks,

    Finally we’d get to see some footy this week. Spain Vs Mighty Hannibal’s warriors.

    Btw, last night I read profile of Mr. Chips and I told myself I’d die to work at the levels he has. His profile was very impressive. For some who haven’t read it, here it is
    Former Directorships:
    Anglo American PLC (1995 – 2001)
    Bank of England (1993 – 2001)
    The Edinburgh Investment Trust plc (1992 – 2001)
    IMI PLC (1994 – 2003)
    Investec Bank plc (2000 – 2010)
    Investec PLC (2002 – 2010)
    Persimmon PLC (1984 – 2006)
    E Oppenheimer & Sons (1993 – 2013)

    You can bet on one thing, there are going to be many more sponsorship and lots of money. We’re going to match Bayern in few years.

  6. frednerk says:

    Your right mg,we need to find a player like,
    Paddy to help our young lads.
    Rooney could be that player..I think

  7. malaga gooner says:

    they are in it together.

    if wenger did not agree with the clubs policy’s why did he not give the board an ultimatum.

    GIVE ME MONEY OR I’M OFF

    wenger is a board memeber

  8. Merlin96 says:

    Hi Rico, just pop in to say hello.

    1996/97 to 2012/13 … £415,927,600 revenues
    1996/97 to 2012/13 … £475,750,000 Expenditure
    1996/97 to 2012/13 … (£59,822,400) Loss in Player Transfer

    Season … Player Sales … … Purchase … … Net Transfer Cost
    12/13 … … 50,116,000 … … 46,640,000 … ….. 3,476,000
    11/12 … … 68,895,200 … … 57,618,000 … … 11,277,200
    10/11 … ….. 8,096,000 … … 20,240,000 … … (12,144,000)
    09/10 … … 41,976,000 … …10,560,000 … … 31,416,000
    08/09 … … 22,704,000 … … 35,332,000 … … (12,628,000)
    07/08 … … 50,248,000 … … 27,500,000 … … 22,748,000
    06/07 … … 14,102,000 … … 13,266,000 … … …. 836,000
    05/06 … … 22,000,000 … … 40,480,000 … … (18,480,000)
    04/05 … ….. 3,445,200 … … 10,560,000 … … (7,114,800)
    03/04 … ….. 1,056,000 … … 38,346,000 … … (37,290,000)
    02/03 … … 10,665,600 … ….. 9,438,000 … ….. 1,227,600
    01/02 … ….. 7,216,000 … … 28,762,800 … … (21,546,800)
    00/01 … … 55,418,000 … … 48,224,000 … ….. 7,194,000
    99/00 … … 35,948,000 … … 19,932,000 … … 16,016,000
    98/99 … ….. 1,276,000 … … 16,456,000 … … (15,180,000)
    97/98 … ….. 1,073,600 … … 19,382,000 … …(18,308,400)
    96/97 … … 12,865,600 … ….. 5,376,800 … ….. 7,488,800
    95/96 … ….. 1,936,000 … … 16,148,000 … … (14,212,000)

    …………………………………………

    94/95 … ….. 3,696,000 … ….. 6,318,400 … … (2,622,400)
    93/94 … … …. 334,400 … ….. 1,122,000 … ….. (787,600)
    92/93 … ….. 2,860,000 … ….. 4,048,000 … … (1,188,000)

    [www.transfermarkt.co.uk]

    Frednerk, there is a urban myth that Arsene Wenger will never spend on players. But he did and from 1996/97 to 2012/13, his playing spending has a deficit of (£59,822,400).

  9. malaga gooner says:

    wenger only buys prospects

    as soon as we have a prospect that becomes something we sell on for a profit.

    we became the ajax of the pl.

  10. Merlin96 says:

    Sir Chips is a member of the Keswick family which control Hong Kong company Jardine Matheson, founded by William Jardine.

    Read more: [www.dailymail.co.uk]
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

    It means that he is a scion of those 19th century opium traders that created two Opium Wars against Imperial China, including land grab at Kowloon island and Hong Kong Island.

    Expect his “old boys network” in Hong Kong and Mainland China to bring in more commercial deals and sponsorships from Hong Kong/China.

  11. malaga gooner says:

    merlin,

    90% of what wenger has bought in last 8 years has either jumped ship or been terrible.

    we have not improved as a team.

    the attractive football made us look better than what we really are.

    how long have we been waiting for a decent gk.

    how long have we been waiting for a replacement for gilberto.

    no 1 can tell me if wenger went to the board 5 years a go and said i want to buy player (x) he is going to cost 20mill the board would say no.

    wenger does not ask the board what players to buy,its his decision alone.

    7.5 mill a year for keeping the books straight.

    why did wenger not take a pay cut for 1 season instead of putting ST prices up over 6% last year.

  12. Micko says:

    Morning all,
    Yes, another sad day for AFC, thought PHW would never retire, feel that he has let us all down very badly.

    rico, enjoy the Queen’s Birthday Parade wont ya.

  13. allezkev says:

    A strange fact, despite what we may think of him, is that other than his Grandfather Sir Samuel Hill-Wood, that PHW has been Arsenal’s most successful Chairman in terms of League Championships…
    Not sure, but as far as total trophies are concerned, PHW has been the most successful in the clubs history…

  14. devilgunner says:

    Good Morning Lady and Gentlemen.

    Hiya habib. Strange but true…..PHW is the most successful chairman regarding trophies and also financial success.

    Merlin was here 🙂 good to see you mate.

  15. allezkev says:

    Interesting to read the opening salvo from Barcelona, concerning their rumoured interest in Laurent Koscielny…..

    They failed to unsettle Vermaelen, so now they’re switching targets…
    Maybe Kozzer was their target all along?

    What will Wenger/Arsenal/Gazides/Kroenke do if a large bid comes in for Kozzer?
    Will those greedy buggers sell our most accomplished defender?
    Has Kozzer been tapped up already? Hence his statement the other week casting doubts on AFC’s/Wenger’s ambition…

    Are we witnessing the beginning of another example of Arsenal’s growing reputation as a Feeder club???

  16. agirlagunner says:

    Booooo!! How is everybody??? Glad to see the back of PHW. Not to be ageist, but he’s a dinosaur. 😉

    Hiya, rico. 🙂 Where you off to now? AK, how’s London? Hello, Dev!!

  17. allezkev says:

    Hiya Agag…
    London is busy, with shoppers… 😀
    The weather is a right mix n match.
    Sunny this morning, now it’s raining… 🙁

  18. malaga gooner says:

    potter very interesting.

    any 1 think kroenke decided to put chips in to really get on usmanovs nerves.

  19. tsgh says:

    Afternoon all,

    Dev… you are right Mg is Gambon… 😉

    Very interesting Potter… with AU the proverbial rabbit hole runs very deeper if people choose to listen.

    Mg, so you honestly think PHW chose Mr Chips as his replacement?

  20. Wavy says:

    Fizman was in the diamond trade is there a link between Fiz and Chips? In a good way not in a vinegary way!
    Seriously, how long has Mr Chips been on the board? Anybody know?

  21. goonster says:

    hahahahahh i love this guy rico…….where have you been hiding all the while malaga gooner. i need a fellow brother here. HH is too serious sometimes you know. glad you re blogging with us now. hope you re staying for real. HH is a family. you ll love it here, take it from me.

  22. goonster says:

    heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey AK is here. whats going on big guy? gosh i ve missed ya. how is the missus?

  23. agirlagunner says:

    Sorry, Kev. I got sidetracked. 🙁 I think I will like London very much. 😛

    potter, I hope Chips isn’t as antiquated as PHW. Can’t be too hard. 😀

    Goonieeeee! How are you? I hope you’ve been on your best behavior. 😉 I hope Cassie is doing well. 🙂

  24. malaga gooner says:

    cheers goonster,,

    when the club is so bad the only thing you can do is laugh or cry.

    i choose to have a bit of fun when appropriate,

  25. goonster says:

    hahahahhhaah come on AGAG i ve been on my best behaviourfor months now. how are ya lil mama? miss me? lol

  26. agirlagunner says:

    Hello, malaga. What are you doing in Malaga? 🙂

    Goonie, that’s to make up for all the years preceding when you didn’t know how to behave. 😀 😀 We’ve all missed your crazy comments. 🙂

  27. agirlagunner says:

    AK, hahaha. Goonie with his “You heard it here, first.” Lol. And we bought none of those players.

  28. goonster says:

    rub it in AGAG but we all know i was spot on but for dickless law ruining my day in the sun. grrrrrrrrr.

  29. agirlagunner says:

    That’s halfway across the world from me, Malaga. 😀

    Sorry, goonie, couldn’t resist. Wait til Dev/WATH gets their hands on you. 😛

  30. malaga gooner says:

    with the clubs past and present directors involved in the diamond trade and usmanov getting his claws into it is as well is not surprising we have not signed any 1 from sierra leone.

    nudge,nudge,wink,wink

  31. goonster says:

    bah like i should be worried what that old drunk WATH thinks about me. he ll probably be so drunk he wont notice am online.

  32. allezkev says:

    Hiya Agag… You will be in shopping paradise in London, buddy…

    I gotta hit the shops next week.
    I’ll keep you up to speed… 😛

  33. goonster says:

    yes rico apparently me and malaga gooner are heading to africa to hunt for daimonds and chics.

  34. rico says:

    Hello Goonie, how are you and Mrs Goonie? Long time no see….

    Good Mg, just going to catch up on the day’s comments…

  35. Adam says:

    It was for services to the Glue Industry. My suggestion to boil down various scumbags for glue has received official approval.

  36. goonster says:

    hahahhahahahah i ve extended the lsit adam….can we add maureen ho to it. i hate that flea bitten potugee bastard.

  37. malaga gooner says:

    i was having a goosey gander at another site and some 1 has just posted that they work for a factory that makes party stuff.

    they have said they got an order for 2500 black curly wiggs??

    this is not me acting the fool

    would be nice if true but prob bs

  38. Adam says:

    Stan. If you saw the picture of him in Brazil recently, where he was apparently the victim of an attempted mugging, you wouldn’t need to ask that question.
    His crimes range from stealing oxygen to wearing disgusting shirts, being sickeningly anti-Arsenal and that indefinable quality of being universally repellent and suitable only for making glue from.

  39. goonster says:

    did i hear kozzer threatening to leave us if we dont win anything soon??? the nerve of these arsenal players. who was kozzer a few years ago? who knew that french fag?? Him and sir chesny conspired to lose us a trophy we should have won against birmingham. i dont blame him though…..i blame arsene.

  40. malaga gooner says:

    goonster sorry for getting involved with your chat with adam

    wenger should of been sacked after the birmingham game.

  41. goonster says:

    mg i dont think he should have been sacked but given an ultimatum. am sick to my stomach with the board.

  42. rico says:

    Not a scrap of Arsenal news around the world….

    Any more on this Umbongo guy Lee mentioned early this morning??

  43. devilgunner says:

    Good Evening Lady and Gentlemen.

    Have we signed Goonie yet???? For the ladies team of course. 😉

    Inbox Rico…..and double quick if you can. 😉

  44. malaga gooner says:

    mate if wenger was not part of the strategy why is he not managing another club.

    we keep being told he has been offered loads of jobs all around the world.

    so why is he still at arsenal??

    there 1 big happy family

  45. goonster says:

    hey dev, no hard feelings then amigo. you finally forgave me. am happy. missed you fella. how is the little prince?

  46. devilgunner says:

    Spain under 21 have beaten Norway 3-0 (who wacked England 3-1). I hate to think what the result would have been had England been the opponents.

    Norway were disciplined, but Spain were too much technical for the Norwegians.

  47. devilgunner says:

    the little prince is ok Goonie. growing taller by the minute. Above my shoulder and still 9 years old.

  48. rico says:

    Goonster, we are at the same stage again, IG has all the talk, now he needs to make sure AW backs it up….

  49. devilgunner says:

    Alcantara and Isco were superb. But there is one of the Spaniards I would like to see at AFC…..Marc Bartra. He is a ball playing centreback who can play also right back. Alcantara would be nice but we have OX who can play there.

  50. devilgunner says:

    In an hour’s time I will watch the Italy vs Holland under 21.

    Pity Insigne will not be playing.

  51. goonster says:

    are u seriously comparing thiago to AOC? no way. alcantara is heads and shoulder above the ox anyday anytime. no contest.

  52. devilgunner says:

    Alcantara does not have the body build that the OX has. He still is not the finished article at CAM but will be there in around two seasons time.

  53. goonster says:

    hey dev how credible is the news that we ve met the release clause in sideshow bob’s contract? can you confirm it?

  54. malaga gooner says:

    a website is reporting that we have signed fellaini and higuain for a combined 46 mill.

    dont know the site the forum im looking at wont advertise any 1 else.

    has any 1 else seen this?

  55. rico says:

    I’ll keep it for Monday Devil, weekends are usually quiet, unless there is some juicy gossip to add on – thank you 🙂

  56. agirlagunner says:

    Dev, sideshow bob is otherwise known as The Human Microphone. 😀

    Adam,my calendar looks like it’s not happening even remotely soon. 😥 And I haaaate having to apply for visas. 😕

  57. goonster says:

    MG i ll dance naked in the white house in front of michelle obama if we actually pull that off!

  58. rico says:

    Mg, if that happens, I get a fiver off of Ak, but it’s all bollox I suspect and I’m still busy saving to pay my debt… 😉

  59. devilgunner says:

    thanks Lady. I knew you would like it.

    Goonie and MG……….I never take what I read on the net seriously. I believe we have signed someone when I see him out on the pitch during the season itself.

    Fellaini and Higuain for 46 million??? AW would have a fit, diarrhoea and a bout of nausea at the mere mention of such a sum let alone parting with it.

  60. Adam says:

    Agag. A great shame but perhaps the next HHCC meeting should be in Manila? Balut all round? With chips of course.

  61. agirlagunner says:

    You’d love it, rico. 🙂 Very pretty.

    Hello back to Mrs Adam. 🙂 I hope to hear about her shopping, Adam. 😛

    Careful, goonie. You might be deported. 😉

    Bye, Dev and malaga who’s not from Malaga. 😀

    Good night, all!!

  62. devilgunner says:

    you can laugh your fucking ass off how much you want MG. we have been so much through it these last 8 summers that we are becoming sceptic about top players for top dollar at AFC.

  63. devilgunner says:

    Night Agag.

    Goonie deported??? his ass would need two tankers roped side by sides to fit in. 😉 😆

  64. agirlagunner says:

    Adam, there are NO decent curry houses here. 🙁 I’d be amazed if you could eat balut. Try tamilok (woodworm), too. Haha. You’d enjoy it.

  65. goonster says:

    nobody is deporting me DG… am too chiseled for that. i mean have you seen me? where is adam when you need him?

  66. devilgunner says:

    just before you go Agag…….once I saw a documentary where in old times people in the Philipinnes used to eat ants. Is it true that they saw them as a delicacy???

  67. malaga gooner says:

    devil you dont get me,,its got to stage where i laugh instead of crying.

    the bs from them lot is like water of a ducks.

    chill out or you will end up in the mental,i have been there its not nice

  68. stevepalmer1 says:

    Evening all, Nice one Rico.
    Not had a chance to read the comments yet, but i would assume that most Fans would be glad to see the back of the Hillwood’s. Personally i see it as an end to an era, The Hillwood’s have served Arsenal well for a very long time. Many times this last Hillwood has put his foot in it, but he is an old timer, losing his marbles, and his health. I see today a time to reflect on the Hillwood’s giving their time to chair the club i have always supported, only to see a foreigner come in and take over. I see this appointment as i have all the corner shops in the country, all being took over by foreign people Garages takeaways and everything else. Some may call me a racist but i don’t hate anybody but i am also an Englishman who used to love his country as i have always loved Arsenal. Peter was a prat no doubt about that but he was a succesfull prat a sad day indeed for me. The end of an Era,. Happy retirement.

  69. goonster says:

    hahahahahahahahahahahah dont start now adam……blonde adonis remember? jeez! nobody listens around here.

  70. rico says:

    Hi Sp, thanks but it was just going through the motions, glad to see the back of his ‘words’ – but I do hope his health improves and he has a long retirement….

  71. Lee says:

    Let me guess we’ve signed an embryo….or absolutely no one?!?! Ambition and intent, just a thought…..
    Come on down happy clappers!
    Rooney has been on the piss in Monty’s bar in Vale de Lobo, not outside the Emirates as reported.

  72. rico says:

    That’s what I thought too Lee, he’s celebrating his 5th Anny in LV, not in London…. Pfffff

  73. devilgunner says:

    Did you have a good day Rico???

    I am watching the Holland vs Italy game. not too much exciting really at the moment. Thanks God Insigne is playing. I would really like to see him in an AFC shirt.

  74. devilgunner says:

    De Jong is also good for Holland.

    So far Holland have taken 3 shots (all off target) while Italy have not even tried to pull the trigger. But we all know how the Italians play. They defend ad nauseam and then pull the trigger in the last minutes.

  75. devilgunner says:

    Wiynaldum is coming to life now. He is a typical dutch winger but who can also double up as a lateral striker. A sort of fast Theo but a superior technical baggage.

  76. devilgunner says:

    I enjoy it a lot with the in-laws…….especially when Mum in law puts the exquisite plates in front of me. Even at Ma I enjoy it when she puts the home made cheese cakes (pastizzi) in front of me. Tbh they spoil me to bits.

  77. devilgunner says:

    all they need is a bit of praise and a couple of compliments…..and literally they put the world at my feet. Or a plate in front of my mouth 😉

  78. devilgunner says:

    79th minute………..Italian counter attack and its 1-0. Italy in the final.

    as usual the Italians soaked up the pressure and in the end it paid off.

  79. devilgunner says:

    Good Morning Lady and Gentlemen.

    In our country today its Father’s Day. And I presume its the same in your countries as well. So HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to all of you who are dads and to your dads. To those who are still alive and to those who have gone to heaven. Even though we are grown ups now we will still remember this………….

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