Subject(s): Ken Friar Sport: Football Location: Arsenal FC, Emirates Stadium, London Unveiled: 28/2/2014 Sculptor: MDM Ltd. Material: Bronze Status: In Situ Inscription(s): Inscribed on backdrop 1: THE KEN FRIAR BRIDGE. DIRECTOR . FAN . PIONEER. [Club badge]. THIS BRIDGE IS DEDICATED TO KEN FRIAR OBE, IN RECOGNITION OF HIS IMMENSE CONTRIBUTION TO ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB AND THE MOVE TO OUR NEW STADIUM. 14TH APRIL 2011. Inscribed on backdrop 2: KEN FRIAR OBE. ONE DAY IN 1945, A YOUNG KEN FRIAR WAS PLAYING FOOTBALL WITH FRIENDS IN FRONT OF ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB’S HIGHBURY STADIUM. A MISKICK SAW THE BALL DISAPPEAR UNDERNEATH A PARKED CAR. AS KEN FRIAR HESITANTLY WENT TO RETRIEVE THE BALL, THE CAR’S OWNER APPEARED FROM THE FAMOUS HIGHBURY MARBLE HALLS, IT WAS NONE OTHER THAN THE MANAGER OF ARSENAL, GEORGE ALLISON. ALLISON WAS IMPRESSED WITH YOUNG FRIAR’S ENTHUSIASM AND TOLD HIM TO MAKE HIMSELF USEFUL BY REPORTING TO HIS OFFICE THE NEXT DAY, WHEREUPON THE 12 YEAR-OLD WAS OFFERED A JOB AS A MESSENGER AT THE STADIUM ON MATCHDAYS. FROM THAT DAY ON KEN FRIAR BECAME A LOYAL SERVANT TO ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB. IN 1950, MR FRIAR STARTED WORKING FULL-TIME IN THE MATCHDAY TICKET OFFICE. THROUGH HIS HARDWORK AND DEDICATION, HE WAS CLUB SECRETARY, xxx DIRECTOR, AND ALSO A LEADER IN ARSENAL’S MOVE FROM HIGHBURY TO THE NEW STADIUM. AT THE FOREFRONT IN DRIVING ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB TO SUCCESS FOR OVER 60 YEARS. FOR THAT LIFETIME OF DEDICATION WE SALUTE YOU MR FRIAR. [Note that bridge and statue backdrop was erected prior to the statue]. Links: Sculptor