Arsene Wenger and Thierry Henry early contenders for optimist of the year awards
Last updated 1/10/2012 1:16:35 PM
Arsene Wenger and Thierry Henry early contenders for optimist of the year awards
You simply couldn't make it up! The Gunners legend Thierry Henry returned to the Arsenal side four and a half years after quitting and scored the winning goal to knock old rivals Leeds United out of the FA Cup.
Submit a story like that to a publisher and it would end up in a wastepaper basket faster than an empty chocolate wrapper.
But it was the perfect ending to a remarkable cameo which enchanted a near 60,000 crowd at the Emirates.
There was no doubt who the fans, apart from the 5,000 sell out section of Leeds supporters, came to see.
He was featured on the front of the programme, the fans cheered when his name was called out as a substitute, roared when he warmed up and gave him a standing ovation when he finally replaced the unimpressive Marouane Chamakh with 22 minutes of a forgettable third round cup tie remaining.
Ten minutes in the 34 year old Frenchman, who is immortalised by a statue in front of the ground, brought the roof off with a typical , perfect finish to take his goals total for the club to 227 goals in 370 appearances.
Henry, of course, is only on loan from his parent club Red Bulls of New York, but there is no doubt where his loyalties lie and his joy at scoring such an important goal was only matched by that of his manager Arsene Wenger and those delirious Gooners in the stands.
Henry himself was like a child as he raced round the touchline to hug his number one supporter and manager Wenger before disappearing beneath his hyperventilating team mates.
It was pure Hans Christian Anderson, a fairy tale in glorious technicolour and it finished that way with Leeds failing to convert an opportunity to equalise and no Arsenal player likely to score to diminish the moment.
The only worry among the fans was whether Henry's appearance at his advanced age would diminish his own legend. Far from it, it was hugely enhanced and his brief stay will be saluted with every minute he spends on the pitch before returning for the new American season.
"He's still world class" purred Wenger afterwards while Leeds boss Simon Grayson quietly moaned: "It was written in the stars. I always feared the worst when I saw him coming on."
Maybe it was written in the stars for the killer goal came with 12 minutes remaining, Henry scored his 12th goal against Leeds in 12 appearances while wearing the number 12 shirt in 2012
Henry showed his class with his composed 78th-minute strike and the Gunners manager said: "He was already a legend here but he added just a little bit more to the whole story with that goal.
"It was a little bit like a dream. It was a story you would tell young kids if you want to tell them a story about football.
"Unfortunately it doesn't often happen like that in our game, but it did tonight."
Henry has signed for an initial six-and-a-half-week period which can be extended to eight weeks - but Wenger said no plans had yet been made to extend the stay.
The Arsenal boss added: "He still feels some pressure so he was so pleased to score. He is a proud guy - he doesn't want to disappoint people. It is a kind of a comeback and you want that to be a success when you are a player."
The veteran striker himself spoke of his delight at returning to the club he supports and scoring his side's decisive goal.
"I came back from holiday 15 days ago. I never thought I was going to play for Arsenal again or score a winner," Henry said.
"I don't know what to say. I love the club and I hope I can do more.
"I hope it won't be the last one. The feeling I had when I scored was amazing.
"I rejoined the club as a fan; [when I joined first time] I wasn't.
"With one opportunity, it's very important, you don't know if you'll have a second. You have to make sure you take it. I took it well."