This week on The Set Peace Podcast, we’re joined by a lifelong Arsenal supporter whose story shows how football can become part of someone’s identity, community and personal journey.
Growing up fascinated by Highbury while watching games on television, the iconic stands and the famous “greenhouse” dugouts caught his imagination from an early age. That curiosity eventually turned into a lifelong passion when a close friend who attended matches with his dad helped persuade his parents to let him experience Arsenal in person.

His first game came during the 1977/78 season, and from that moment the connection to the club was set. By 1990 he became a season ticket holder, something that has remained a constant throughout his life.
Despite being raised in Northumberland Park (N17), in a household where football wasn’t particularly followed, the game found its way into his life anyway. Like many supporters, he also played the game himself through his younger years, mainly as a centre-half, enjoying the grassroots side of football well into his twenties.

Though he jokes about the moment he knew it was time to hang up the boots marking Gary Charles’ younger brother in a game and getting laughed at every time he was beaten the love for football never left.
But this episode goes far beyond results and matchdays.

In the second half of the conversation, we talk openly about the role football can play in people’s mental health and personal struggles. Arsenal has been a constant thread throughout his life not just as a team he supports, but as something that shaped friendships, community and belonging. Many of his closest friends today came through supporting Arsenal together.
He also speaks candidly about difficult periods in his life, including struggles with addiction, and why he now believes that speaking openly about those experiences matters.

His perspective is simple, if sharing his story helps even one person who might be going through something similar, then it’s worth it.

This episode is a reminder that football is never just about the 90 minutes on the pitch it’s about connection, identity, and the people you share the journey with.

The set peace podcast is about more than football it’s about the people behind it.

Every 2 weeks, we sit down with guests across the game from pros to physios, coaches to players, these are the conversations we all need to hear, in football and in life.

With 45 minutes talking football and 45 minutes on mental health and well-being these conversations are for everyone whether you’re in football or not.

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