What the Papers Say

Last updated : 08 May 2006 By Liam Cooper
Irrelevant of the result, Sunday was a time for Wigan fans to celebrate what has been a memorable first Premiership campaign. Sadly, Chimbonda showed a complete lack of loyalty and disrespect that soured the day greatly for all involved with Wigan Athletic.

Here is what the National press had to say about Arsenals' Highbury farewell and Chimbonda's shows of disrespect.

The Sun

Arsenal 4 Wigan 2

Thierry Henry ended his Highbury love affair with a hat-trick to help the Gunners claim the last Champions League place.

The Frenchman has still to decide whether he will follow his team-mates to their new home at the Emirates Stadium next season.

And if he does walk away this emotional-filled final game at Highbury was a magnificent way to sign off.

The Times

Henry Leaves his Mark


Wigan Athletic more than played their part in a thoroughly entertaining game, replying to Pires's opener with goals from Paul Scharner and David Thompson to take the lead briefly, and Paul Jewell insisted that they should have been given the opportunity to go farther ahead from the penalty spot after Sol Campbell appeared to pull back Jason Roberts. The visiting team's manager was also angered by the dismissal of Andreas Johansson just seconds after he came on as a substitute, for a foul on Fredrik Ljungberg, with Henry converting the subsequent penalty to seal the game.

“We don't get penalties here,” Jewell said. “We had two certain ones in the League Cup but Uriah Rennie likes to make history so things are bound to happen. The sending-off was a nonsense. When you look back, Uriah Rennie's name will be in the history books and he will like that.”

Jewell's disappointing day was compounded by Pascal Chimbonda's decision to hand in a written transfer request while still wearing his kit immediately after the game, with Dave Whelan, the chairman, insisting that the French defender will rot in the reserves unless he receives a bid of £6 million. West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be interested.

The Mirror

King Henry is No.1 in the World


Arsene Wengerlauded Thierry Henry as the greatest attacking player on the planet after the French skipper brought down the Highbury curtain with a hat-trick that saw the Gunners leapfrog Spurs to take the £10million final Champions League spot.

Henry's seventh Arsenal hat-trick in his seven years at the club took his Golden Boot tally to 33 goals this season to end the 93-year Highbury era on a massive high

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan was left stunned last night as French defender Pascal Chimbonda marched up to him to hand in a written transfer request before he had even taken off his boots.

A shocked Whelan said he would only grant the transfer if another club paid £6million for the defender.