The Arsenal - A lifetime of waiting

What these Arsenal players have now – officially – achieved in the Premier League this season, is now lifetime-defining. Literally. 22 years.

There are tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of Arsenal fans that have never seen their team win the Premier League in their lives.

The feeling is special. The feeling is amazing. We have Mikel Arteta, his staff, the players and everyone associated with Arsenal to thank for this. The process has been trusted. The process has been delivered.

I too have lived another lifetime since Arsenal last won the Premier League. I was one year into my relationship with my wife at the time. I have been married nearly 14 years. I have a six-year-old cat (he is terrified when The Arsenal are on TV). I have moved house twice. I've had eight jobs. There's been two redundancies. I've been at Wembley and experienced multiple joys and sorrows – all since I last saw Arsenal win the Premier League.

That is why this is so special for every Arsenal fan right now. We have waited for so long to taste one of the 'top' prizes (with all respect in the world to the beautiful FA Cup that we love so much at The Arsenal). And now we have it. Nine months of hard work from those Arsenal players and the manager have come to fruition.

The celebrations can now be extended, rather than the anticipated agony prolonged. We all thought we would have to endure that agony going into the last game at Crystal Palace.

Arsenal are Premier League Champions. I can say it out loud. In print. Online. It is real. Champions League? We couldn't. Could we?

Find more from Chris Howard at Suburban Gooners, external and the Same Old Arsenal Podcast, external