Natalie visits Copenhagen in tribute to grandad, a lifelong Arsenal fan

Parken Stadium means a lot to many football fans, and not only those in Copenhagen and Denmark.

Recently, F.C. Copenhagen had the pleasure to welcome Natalie Burnett from London, who travelled to Copenhagen only to visit the place where Arsenal won their first European trophy in 1994 - and lost another European final to Galatasaray in 2000 after a penalty shoot-out.

In fact, Arsenal also played their very first European game here in 1963 against Stævnet (Copenhagen XI), when Parken was named Københavns Idrætspark (Copenhagen Sports Center).

Natalie’s trip was part of an amazing tribute to her grandad, Alan Kite, who was a lifelong Arsenal fan, but unfortunately did not live long enough to see the result of her efforts.

He was in a hospice, suffering with lung cancer and COPD, when she began her planning of the trip, but sadly passed away before Christmas, only a few days after Natalie visited him and told him about her plan.

But she fulfilled the plan anyway. In doing so Natalie has been raising money for the Mountbatten hospice on the Isle of Wight, which looked after Alan until the day he passed.

The plan not only included the visit to Copenhagen, but – in just 24 hours – trips to several places in England of importance to Arsenal’s history:

•    Woolwich Arsenal, where the club first started out
•    Loughborough, where Arsenal enjoyed their biggest ever victory and their biggest ever defeat in a match
•    Wembley, where Arsenal won the FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield across 30 occasions
•    White Hart Lane, where Arsenal won the league in 2003/04 and became the Invincibles
•    Highbury and the Emirates, Arsenal’s former and current home grounds

And finally, the trip to Copenhagen, where we showed Natalie the old player’s tunnel and dressing rooms from the two European finals - and the two official plaques, that Parken received for hosting the games. They remain the only two European cup finals ever staged in Denmark.

We are glad we could help Natalie, herself a dedicated Crystal Palace fan, with this beautiful tribute to her grandad.

FACTS
Arsenal have played 22 matches in Københavns Idrætspark and Parken – and only drawn two and lost once, against Galatasaray after a penalty shootout.

Danish clubs have only played once at Highbury/Emirates: In the return leg of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1963, Stævnet won 3-2 after being 2-0 down, thanks to a hattrick from Arne Dyrmose from A.B.