During the FA Cup tie yesterday, once we were 4-1 up and cruising through to a Wembley Semi Final, I started to think about when we last won a trophy. 2005 was that date, the same competition. It has been well documented in the press that it has been 9 years for Arsenal without a trophy. 9 long years. 9 years of suffering. But then I looked at who we were playing . Everton.

The last time Everton won a trophy was in 1995. With no chance of a trophy this year, that will make it 19 years without a trophy. But where are the headlines? Where are the big stories? There are none. Now Everton are a big side. They have won the league 9 times and the FA Cup 5 times. Before Arsene Wenger took over at Arsenal, Everton had only won 1 League title and 1 FA Cup less than Arsenal.

Everton are by no means a small club. They are 6th on the all time list of England’s most successful clubs. That position was 5th before Chelsea won the lottery. So why no headlines? 19 years is a lot longer than Arsenal’s 9. Remember, before Arsene Wenger, Arsenal & Everton were similar sized clubs (honours, stadium size, fan base, success, time in top division, etc).

This got me thinking further. So much is made of 9 years without a trophy for Arsenal, but if the press are hushed up on Everton’s 19 years, how long has it been for other clubs?

Team Last Trophy Total Trophies Manchester City 2014 16 Manchester United 2013 62 Swansea City 2013 1 Wigan Athletic 2013 1 Chelsea 2013 26 Liverpool 2012 60 Birmingham City 2011 2 Tottenham Hotspur 2008 24 Portsmouth 2008 5 Arsenal 2005 39 Middlesbrough 2004 1 Blackburn Rovers 2002 12 Fulham 2002 1 Leicester City 2000 4 Aston Villa 1996 23 Everton 1995 24 Leeds United 1992 9 Sheffield Wednesday 1991 9 Crystal Palace 1991 1 Nottingham Forest 1990 13 Luton Town 1988 1 Reading 1988 1 Wimbledon 1988 1 Coventry City 1987 1 Oxford United 1986 1 Norwich City 1985 2 Ipswich Town 1981 3 Wolves 1980 13 West Ham United 1980 6 Southampton 1976 1 Derby County 1975 4 Sunderland 1973 9 Stoke City 1972 1 Swindon Town 1969 1 Newcastle United 1969 13 QPR 1967 1 Burnley 1960 5 Bolton Wanderers 1958 5 Blackpool 1953 1 Charlton Athletic 1947 1 Preston North End 1938 4 Cardiff City 1927 2 Huddersfid Town 1926 5 Sheffield United 1925 5 Barnsley 1912 1 Bradford City 1911 1 Bury 1903 2 Notts County 1894 1 Blackburn Olympic 1883 1 Old Etonians 1882 2 Old Carthusians 1881 1 Clapham Rovers 1880 1 Wanderers 1878 5 Royal Engineers 1875 1 Oxford University 1874 1

When I see big sides such as Aston Villa and Everton having not won a trophy in nearly 2 decades, when Nottingham Forest, winners of 2 European Cups, have been trophyless since 1990, Wolves since 1980, and that ‘massive club’ Newcastle since 1969, I wonder, why the continual fuss over Arsenal?

Yes, 9 years is a long time for Arsenal, but only 9 clubs have won a trophy since Arsenal’s last win, and 5 of those clubs won just won trophy. The table above brings a lot into perspective.

We have a chance of winning the FA Cup this season. If we do win it, maybe the press can stop talking about Arsenal and start talking about Everton’s last 19 years, or Spurs not winning a league title since 1961.