On this day in 1893, Arsenal registered their first ever away win in the league.

The game was against Ardwick from Manchester and the Gunners, then known as Woolwich Arsenal, won 1-0. It was our seventh fixture on the road in the Football League. Until then, we’d lost every away match, except for a draw against Northwich Victoria. Oops.

Our striker, James Henderson, got the goal in front of a crowd of just 4,000 – a far cry from the crowds we see at Premier League games today.

Henderson scored 31 times in 47 appearances for the club. A tally most strikers would be more than a little proud of today!  He was a Scotish inside forward who signed for Arsenal in 1892, moving south from Rangers. He scored  his 31 goals over the course of three seasons before being released in 1895 when the goals dried up. He returned to Scotland where history seems to have lost him.

Arsenal went on to win away twice more in the season, including a 3-6 win at Middlesbrough Ironopolis.

30121893 ardwick 1 0
via AFC History

Ardwick, meanwhile, went on to become Manchester City the following year due to financial problems.