Arsenal boss odds on for a sure thing

MATT BARLOW’S article on Arsenal winning the title in 1989 (Mail) brought memories flooding back. I was a bookmaker with a very small business called Eurobet. I’d had a betting shop, but saw the potential for worldwide football betting using computers. Many years later, when I had nothing more to do with the business, Coral Eurobet went on to become Britain’s thirdbiggest bookmaker. I have lived in North London all my life and in my present home in Woodside Park for 45 years. Just a couple of miles up the hill in Totteridge, David Dein, the former vicechairman and driving force of Arsenal, lived with his family. My daughter and David’s son were teenage friends. I had to pick up my daughter from the Deins’ home on the evening Arsenal had lost points ahead of the Friday-night match against Liverpool at Anfield. Arsenal had all but blown their title ambitions. David was in despair. ‘We’ve thrown the title away,’ he told me. ‘David, you are going to go to Anfield and win 2-0, and I will give you the reasons,’ I said. ‘You know that I am a Spurs supporter and, as a bookmaker, I laid far too much on Arsenal to win the title. The only chance I have of cutting my losses is to have bet on them at 16/1 for a couple of grand to win 2-0, and you know what an expert I am on football!’ The second reason was that Liverpool, an attacking side, would not be sure how to play against the Gunners. The best thing was for Arsenal to score early and score late. Even at 1-0 down Liverpool were going to be caught between attacking or defending. That’s what happened! Since then I have seen David Dein only occasionally, but I did bump into him in a restaurant. He was having dinner with former manager of Arsenal Arsene Wenger, and when I went over to say hello, David said to Arsene: ‘Ask Barry what our chances are against Juventus in the Champions League — he is the expert.’ Arsenal had won the first leg and were odds on to get through. Arsene Wenger said he thought Arsenal were 50-50 to get through. I said: ‘You stick to being a great manager and let me make the odds.’ Arsenal won the tie.

Barry Bernstein, london N12.