​Arsenal finally ended their long wait for Premier League glory by lifting the title last season, and for many supporters the achievement still feels almost surreal. After years of near misses and heartbreak, Liam Harding admits the reality of seeing the Gunners crowned champions hasn’t fully sunk in yet. After Arsenal clinched the league in May, the first time in a generation, the victory felt dreamlike, but personally it hasn’t completely registered.
For three consecutive seasons we fell short of the ultimate prize, a disappointment that weighed heavily, and we also finished as runners-up twice during the 2010s. Last season, however, the Gunners finally lifted the Premier League trophy, and even writing those words still feels strange. When we dropped crucial points against Manchester City and AFC Bournemouth—losing 2-1 on both occasions near the end of the 2025/26 campaign—it genuinely seemed like the title had slipped away once again. Watching that progression unfold was almost soul-crushing. At times I found myself wondering whether we would ever win the league again. Yet history proved me wrong.
Every supporter dreams of seeing their club crowned champions, but not every club gets that chance. Since the Football League began in 1888, only 24 clubs have won England’s top flight, and Arsenal has done so 14 times. As a 24-year-old, I was alive to witness the Invincibles season in 2003/04, but I was less than two years old at the time and have no conscious memory of it. The same goes for the 2005 FA Cup triumph. Personally, I only started fully supporting Arsenal when I was 10 after a spontaneous interest in football took hold. Ironically, one of my earliest memories is watching Arsène Wenger’s side lose 3-1 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League Round of 16, yet that moment somehow strengthened my connection with the club.
From day one, I dreamed of seeing Arsenal win the Premier League. While taking part in the club’s Togetherness Project during the Emirates Stadium redesign of banners in 2022/23, I recall discussions about celebrating Arsenal’s record 14 FA Cup triumphs on one of the displays. One person, however, suggested to some of the club’s senior officials that Arsenal should instead focus on winning the league—a sentiment I completely agreed with. I also proposed celebrating Arsenal’s remarkable league hat-trick from the 1930s on one of the banners. I was told it was “a good idea,” though it didn’t make the final design.
Fast forward a few years, and around 200,000 supporters gathered outside the Emirates to celebrate Arsenal’s first league title in 22 years. Looking back now, that moment feels far more special than any banner ever could. It would be fantastic if Arsenal could retain the title next season and continue to build on this achievement. The sense of progression, the shared joy, and the collective pride among the fans are what make it so meaningful.