Whittington Hospital matron Niamh Murphy (4th left) and Intensive Care Unit sister Kathleen Conneally (2nd right) and their families on the steps of the stadium [© Catherine Etoe]

FROM the aptly named “Pink Street” and the equally colourful fan park in the picturesque Praca de Comercio, Lisbon was awash with a sea of red and white on Saturday as Gooners came out in their droves to support their team in the biggest club match there is, the Champions League final.

More than 5,000 made the trip, some enduring convoluted journeys by plane, train and coach to make it affordable, others swallowing the cost just to be there.

All were rewarded on an evening that will go down as one of the greatest “Where were you?” moments in the club’s history.

“We’re massive Arsenal fans and we had to come”, season ticket holder and Highbury resident Lumi Lehmuskallio told the Tribune as she and her friends soaked up the atmosphere in the hours before Arsenal faced Barcelona.

They were not alone. Whittington Hospital Matron, Niamh Murphy, a member of the Arsenal Women’s Supporters Club committee, was determined to be there with her 13-year-old daughter Ellie and husband James, a men’s season ticket holder.

Season ticket holders (l-r) Zoe, Katherine, Lumi and Amy enjoy the fan park ahead of the final [© Catherine Etoe]

She told the Tribune. “It cost us a fortune – but we thought we’re not missing it!”

Her colleague, Intensive Care Unit Sister, Kathleen Conneally, was glad she had taken the plunge – even if Arsenal put their fans through the wringer on the way to their 1-0 victory, courtesy of Stina Blackstenius’s 74th minute goal.

“When she scored I couldn’t believe it,” Kathleen told us later.

“It was absolute jubilation, but then the nerves kicked in. I had my head in my hands when the referee called seven minutes of extra time.”

But Arsenal stayed firm until the end and the players and those dedicated fans could let go of all their pent up emotions, coming together to celebrate in the sunniest corner of the green-framed, mural-flecked Estadio Jose Alvalade.

“I did shed a tear,” Kathleen admitted. “You know when you’ve been a lifelong Arsenal supporter – my dad used to take me when I was a kid because I grew up around Highbury – it feels like a culmination of many years of going to Highbury and the Emirates and Borehamwood.”

These fans had made it all the way from Paris to support Arsenal

Lucky enough to get front row seats, Kathleen and her family made the best of them too, her 16-year-old son Ronan balling up their London Irish Gooners flag and throwing it towards defender and Republic of Ireland skipper Katie McCabe, who promptly draped it around her shoulders during the on pitch celebrations.

As for the result, well Niamh is still getting her head around that one.

“It hasn’t sunk in,” she said.

“I want to watch the game again, I still can’t believe we’ve won. It was spectacular and it felt like they did it for us as well, they really wanted to win it for the fans. They’re so grateful for the support and we know that.”

It was true.

Speaking to the press after the match, attacker Chloe Kelly, currently at Arsenal on loan but who started out as a 12-year-old in the club’s Academy, told the Tribune just what the fans’ support meant to her.

“Whether at the Emirates, here in Lisbon, Villa Park when things weren’t going to plan, they know exactly what we want and they’re on that journey with us,” she said.

“They’re the best fans that I’ve ever played in front of, whether I was playing against them or for them, they are the best fans.”