Arsenal players wear black armbands against Lille in the Champions League to mark the death of Ken Friar, the club’s life president, aged 92. The tributes come shortly before Arsenal host Everton in the Premier League, with further remembrance planned for the match.
Across outlets, Friar’s long association with the club is highlighted. Sources say he joined Arsenal as an 11-year-old messenger in 1945 after a chance meeting with then-manager George Allison, later working through senior roles including club secretary (1973) and managing director (1983). Friar is also widely credited with helping drive Arsenal’s move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium.
Different outlets emphasize different parts of his career, but all place him as a central behind-the-scenes figure over decades. His honours include an OBE for services to football in 2000 and the Freedom of the Borough of Islington in 2004. Arsenal describe him in terms of his influence and service to the club, with the decision to observe a minute of remembrance reflected in the armband gesture for the European fixture.
