As the sun set on the last-ever matchday at Highbury, Thierry Henry was one of the last people to leave the pitch.
 
His love affair with the stadium began way back on August 7, 1999 when Henry was involved in the Frank Sinclair own goal which clinched victory against Leicester. More than six years later, Henry bid Highbury farewell with a delicate kiss of the turf after completing his hat-trick against Wigan.
 
“My celebration said it all,” said the ground’s most prolific striker. “I kissed the ground goodbye.”
 
Having reluctantly walked off the pitch long after most of his team-mates had gone home, Henry explained why the ground was a little more special to the more senior members of the squad.
 
“I think it's was a bit strange everyone left like that,” he said.
 
“But at the end of the day I think some of the players in the team are really young and haven't won a lot here, so maybe it was less special for them.
 
“But Dennis [Bergkamp] is still here, I'm still here, Ashley [Cole] was there. People who played a long time here were sitting there enjoying it. Me and Ashley were saying to ourselves ‘we don't want to leave’. Highbury is just a special place.”
 
But despite the overwhelming nostalgia of the day, Henry exhibited one of the qualities that have elevated him to such star status — his peerless professionalism.
 
“Party? No. I'm going to go home,  to chill  - and now I'm definitely starting to think about the Champions League Final,” he said.