Dennis Dennis, I'm so in love with you

And so today we bid farewell to, in my opinion, the greatest player ever to don the red and white (and sometime redcurrant) colours of Arsenal Football Club. People speak of Chippy being the greatest, but all I have in my limited years are stories and a few television clips. Tony Adams was Mr Arsenal and was at the club for 20 years, but he simply didn't have the ability of a Bergkamp, plus his conduct since retiring, especially his opinions on Arsenal, have started to grate. Some say Thierry is already the greatest, and now that he has decided to stay he may well become so. But for me, it's Dennis.

There have been inumerable tributes to him throughout the footballing world, on television, in print, and all over the internet, saying thank you to a true footballing genius. A man of consumate professionalism, unrivalled vision and a ridiculously good first touch, who made anybody who played alongside him look like a better player. I mean I'd have probably looked half decent lining up next to Dennis.

Whilst others are listing their favourite Dennis moments (for me it will always be when he scored a great curler against Sunderland after being sent off in a cup game against them the week before and then turned around with his hand over his mouth, and THE ENTIRE TEAM ran up to him and did same) and top 3 Dennis Bergkamp goals (1. Newcastle United, 2. Leicester City, 3. Argentina if you were wondering), I want to talk about my first Dennis Bergkamp memories, considering I'm about to come face to face with my last.

I can still remember the exact feeling of excitement I experienced when I received my 95-96 home shirt with "Bergkamp 10" on the back. My two brothers had plumped for "Wright 8" and "Merson 9", but I had pinned my hopes on the Dutchman that we'd signed from Inter Milan for £7.5 million. As a thirteen year old who supported Arsenal because his dad did, who supported Arsenal cos his dad did, who supported Arsenal because his dad did, I knew little, at that time, about leagues outside of England. All I knew about Dennis Bergkamp was that my dad was very, very excited about him coming, and at that age that was enough for me.

I can remember the story about Ian Wright hearing we'd signed Dennis whilst he was at a petrol station in North London, and Wrighty refused to believe them. He was that sort of player, a player that Arsenal had never gone out and bought before, and a player who set the standard for every player who has joined since.

And of course, I remember his first goals for the club against Southampton at Highbury, a fantastic right-footed volley into the bottom left-hand corner, the feeling of everyone who had been holding their breath for him releasing it (after the hatchet job that all the papers did on him after going five games or so without scoring) as the entre crowd erupted and Dennis pumped the air with his fist in what was to become a common sight. Then of course we had his second in the same game, which was even better.

It will be a sad, sad moment when Dennis leaves the field this afternoon, for the final time. But we'll never forget that we had Dennis Bergkamp.