Fever Pitch Chapter Summary & Analysis - Smoking, Arsenal v. Liverpool, 25.10.89; Seven Goals and a Punch-Up, Arsenal v. Norwich, 4.11.89; Saddam Hussein and Warren Barton, Arsenal v. Everton, 19.1.91; Typical Arsenal, Arsenal v. Manchester United, 6.5.91; Playing, Friends v. Other Friends, ever Summary

Smoking, Arsenal v. Liverpool, 25.10.89; Seven Goals and a Punch-Up, Arsenal v. Norwich, 4.11.89; Saddam Hussein and Warren Barton, Arsenal v. Everton, 19.1.91; Typical Arsenal, Arsenal v. Manchester United, 6.5.91; Playing, Friends v. Other Friends, every Wednesday night; and A Sixties Revival, Arsenal v. Aston Villa, 11.1.92 Summary and Analysis

A late 1989 game against Liverpool is the first time Nick Hornby sits through a game without any nicotine in his bloodstream. He has tried to quit before but can't because of the looming pressures of difficult work, fights with his girlfriend, and Arsenal. (Seven Goals and a Punch-Up, Arsenal v. Norwich, 4.11.89) Nick thinks that for a match to be thrilling, it needs to have the following: goals; bad referee decisions because indignation is a crucial part of the experience; rain; the opposition missing a penalty; a member of the opposition receiving a red card and getting kicked off, and some kind of incident, be in nonsensical or disgraceful, such as a fight. (Saddam Hussein and Warren Barton, Arsenal v. Everton, 19.1.91) Football fans knew before anyone else that the Gulf War had started, since it was first broadcast just before midnight while fans were waiting to see...
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