Sir Ray Davies is one of the few figures in the history of British rock, to have truly captured the grit and romance of the English soul with his music. Long before The Kinks were redefining the charts, young Ray was honing his craft on the uneven pitches of North London, dreaming less of the Marquee Club and more of the hallowed turf of Highbury.
For the man who penned Waterloo Sunset, the beautiful game isn’t just a hobby, it’s the foundational rhythm of his life. He belongs to the generation of supporters for whom football was a sensory experience: the smell of heavy wool jerseys, the clatter of studs on tunnel floor and the sight of players stubbing cigarettes out on the sole of their boot before they crossed the white line. (More of that below).
A lifelong Arsenal devotee, his loyalty has outlasted managers, stadiums, and musical trends. He has seen the Gunners transition from the "Boring, Boring" era to the liquid football of Arsene Wenger, observing it all with the same sharp, sociological eye he used to dissect the British class system.
Sir Ray could talk football all day, and probably all of the night.
What was the first game you ever watched live?
Ray Davies: That was Arsenal against Bolton Wanderers. This guy called Nat Lofthouse was up front for Bolton – he could head the ball further than most players could kick it!
Is it fair to say supporting Arsenal was destined thanks to your family?
RD: Arsenal was part of our background. Dad was a big supporter and would go regularly to matches. My brother Dave and I were taken to games as soon as we could walk and still went together when the Kinks formed. Dad passed on memories of players around before our time. My sister Gwen sometimes went as well, because she had a secret crush on goalkeeper Jack Kelsey.
What do you remember about the culture around Arsenal post-war?
RD: My dad would talk about those years in great detail, and football was always on the agenda. Before we got a TV, we’d gather around the Bush radio out in the kitchen when the Arsenal were playing. The result would always determine the mood around the house on a Saturday night. When the match didn’t go our way, Dad would even sometimes give the front room a miss and have a few drinks on his own in the pub. This would allow Dave and me to play the music of our generation, such as Buddy Holly.
What part of Highbury did you watch games from while growing up?
RD: I have many fond memories of being in the North Bank, but Dave and I found a special spot by the East Stand railings, away from the crush of the North Bank.
Did you have any matchday traditions?
RD: For big matches, Dave used to wear red pants and I had a lucky pair of gloves.
What did you enjoy most about going to watch matches at Highbury?
RD: Dave and I would get on the 212 bus at the top of Muswell Hill and ride it to Finsbury Park, get off and then walk to the ground. We would hear the crowds chanting in the distance, the excitement, and buzz, and feel that building sense of expectation for kick-off.
How do you think the Emirates compares to Highbury?
RD: Highbury was magical. The atmosphere was unrivalled, so it was a tough act to follow, but the Emirates is getting close, and the toilets smell better. When I’ve been to the Emirates, I sometimes go to the guest box and find myself sitting there next to ex-players, for example Liam Brady and Tony Adams.
Do you have a favourite memory from any other grounds you’ve visited?
RD: Dave was a closet Everton fan and, on a day off on tour, we went to see them at Goodison Park – a great atmosphere!
Do you and Dave still get together to watch any games?
RD: It’s been a while since we were at a match, as he lives in New Jersey now, although we did watch the final of the Euros on TV together recently.
Is it true you witnessed the Busby Babes’ last game in England?
RD: We bunked off school to watch Arsenal play against the Busby Babes and saw us beaten 5-4 by Roger Byrne, Duncan Edwards, Eddie Colman and the rest of that team, days before they were killed in the Munich Air Disaster.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen or heard at a game?
RD: I once saw an Arsenal player stub out his cigarette as he ran onto the field!
You attended secondary school with fellow musician and Celtic fan Rod Stewart. Do you have any memories of playing football with him?
RD: I remember ‘Rod the Mod’ as we used to call him, he was a formidable tackler. We didn’t play together as we were in different school houses, though we did play a game in Los Angeles later on.
Sunny Afternoon was no.1 during the early stages of the 1966 World Cup when you were on tour with the Kinks. Did you still get the chance to watch England beat Germany in the final?
RD: We were touring during the entire World Cup, but we managed to see the final on TV. The band all came to my house, we were supposed to leave and drive to Exeter for a gig, but the match went into extra-time, which made us late.
Did football remain a part of your life when the Kinks became a success?
RD: Of course, we even came back for a game when we had a few days off during a US tour, and managed to play in a match for the Showbiz XI before returning to America. In the early days of the Showbiz XI, it was televised live. I started playing in the late 1960s. It’s fair to say that most of the players were frustrated footballers, including myself. At one notable game, Dave was sent off for calling the ref “fatty”. I was captain for the day and protested to the ref, who promptly sent me off as well.
Which past Arsenal players would you like to bring back to the current side?
RD: I’d go with either Charlie George, he was a forward from the ’70s and ’80s, or Ted Drake, who scored over 100 goals for us in the ’30s and ’40s. But don’t ask me to pick my favourite Arsenal player ever – it’s impossible to choose just one!
Which current player do you admire?
RD: Declan Rice would have been one of my dad’s favourites. He has all the qualities that Dad would have appreciated – a hard-working and skilful player.
What Arsenal players and managers have you met over the years?
RD: Tommy Lawton springs to mind, he was from my dad’s era. When I was still a toddler, he signed a programme for me just before he retired. More recently, it would be Arsene Wenger.
Are there any players you enjoyed watching, even though they never played for Arsenal?
RD: Steven Gerrard and Rodney Marsh – both were great footballers, but for quite different reasons.
Which player you’ve seen had the most powerful shot?
RD: I saw Alan Shearer play for England at Wembley, he and Bobby Charlton gave it some real welly. Then there was Peter Lorimer, and if we’re talking Arsenal, there’s Charlie George, of course.
Where’s the best place you’ve ever watched a match?
RD: I wasn’t there live, but for the 1970 World Cup, I saw England play Brazil while at Madison Square Garden. A few years later, I went to Meadowlands to see the New York Cosmos play Santos for Pele’s farewell game, in October 1977. Franz Beckenbauer and Bobby Moore were both there.
What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the game over the years?
RD: Football has become multilingual and multinational. That’s a good thing.
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