Josh Kroenke smiles at the mention of Max Dowman’s breakaway goal in Arsenal’s win over Everton in March. It ranks as one of the defining moments of a historic campaign — and it is remembered for another reason in their co-chair’s household.
“That was a fun one because we had just adopted a new puppy,” says Kroenke. “When Max went on his run, I scared the hell out of the puppy by jumping up. That dog peed on the floor right there next to me with what I was saying and yelling at the television.”
It is one of many anecdotes shared during a wide-ranging conversation with a group of journalists at Arsenal’s training ground, which shows that Kroenke — who runs the club alongside his father, Stan — lived the emotions of their title-winning season intensely.
He recalls watching the 2-2 draw with Wolves in February alone at his home in Denver, Colorado, as a particular low point. “That’s when you wish you were with someone else, at least to talk to.”
He also relives the pain of the defeat to Manchester United in January. “I still think it was a handball,” he says of Patrick Dorgu’s opening goal.
On the VAR check — all four minutes and 11 seconds of it — to overturn West Ham’s equaliser at the London Stadium, Kroenke said: “I was on my hands and knees in my living room. It was a moment where I think every Arsenal supporter worldwide held their breath.”
He describes his role in supporting manager Mikel Arteta during difficult periods. “That’s when it’s just a one-sentence text — ‘hang in there, we got this, you aren’t alone’ — or a couple of sentences or thoughts: ‘Stay the ground, stay focused, tune out the noise.’”
He singles out Declan Rice’s defiance following the loss to Manchester City in April. “I thought Declan’s mentality was spot-on. ‘It’s not done’. I was glad to hear the fans sing his name because in that moment, it wasn’t done. I think our group still believed, even if the rest of the world had started to move on.”
Kroenke was inside the away dressing room at the Etihad Stadium in the aftermath of that defeat. “The players all looked at each other and were like, ‘we can still do this.’”
It culminated in the celebrations at Selhurst Park, where Kroenke and his father carried the Premier League trophy across the pitch — “something I’ll never forget,” he says — having been drenched in champagne by jubilant players in the dressing room.
“That was probably one of the most hot and humid environments I’ve ever been part of,” he says with a smile. “You had so many people all in there. There was champagne everywhere.”
Source: Josh Kroenke on Arsenal’s title win: ‘We have the foundations to dominate’