Arsenal Football Club is arguably the flagship football club in London. If one were to add up all the league titles won by all of London’s clubs, they wouldn’t even add up to even half of Arsenal’s League title count – Chelsea have won four, Tottenham Hotspur have won 2, while Arsenal have 13 to their name.
Added to this, there are many other favourable records to the north London club’s name, many of which are well-publicised and known.
They are also a club, if media reports are to be believed, in danger.
The relationships between fans and players, fans and the Board, and notably between fans themselves has marked a new ebb concerning the perceived turmoil surrounding the club.
And, as media reports suggest, there is an expected mass exodus of players, especially the club’s established stars – such as Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri, and even the likes of Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott voicing discontent at players leaving – instead of the deadweight squad members that the manager was intent on off-loading.
But it is perhaps the actions and decisions undertaken by the Board that are most concerning. The recent 6.5% price hike in season tickets sales has angered fans and understandably so. This was announced towards the end of a disastrous season where Arsenal were once again consigned to being ‘nearly men’, finishing fourth after being in a two-horse race for the title for the majority of the season and after their Carling Cup final heartbreak, after which this youthful, ‘spineless’ and leaderless side were to encounter a downward spiral of epic proportions in terms of ensuing results.
Of course, 2.5% of the price hike is in line with the increase in VAT, with the rest being as a result of the remaining inflationary increase which is a bitter pill to swallow for fans that pay amongst the highest prices in world football.
This has, as a result, priced a considerable amount of fans out of attending The Emirates regularly – a stadium noted for its lack of atmosphere and quietness, incidentally labelled as “The Library”, where the supposedly truer fans are excluded as they simply cannot afford the match-day experience, while the ‘prawn sandwich brigade’ – a coin termed by Roy Keane describing people who attend football games or claim to be fans of football games because it is fashionable rather than due to any genuine interest in the game – get the privilege to enjoy live football.
The Board has a track record of ignoring fans. If one were to cast one’s mind back to a February 2002 game at Highbury against Southampton, there was controversy surrounding the unveiling of the logo – the one which is associated with Arsenal today and that you are probably familiar with. Images of the new crest were paraded around the ground which was greeted by boos and nasty chants from the fans. This mirrors the scenes witnessed at Arsenal’s last home game against Aston Villa last season – throughout the match and at the team’s lap of honour at the game’s closure, which of course Arsenal lost 2-1.
To tell the truth, the way the club is run is perfect. Football fans in general are too thick to run their own lives never mind a football club. They NEED to be told what to do. Democracy is a stupid notion which only perpetuates the myth of selection and choice in all walks of life. At least the Arsenal board doesn’t pretend the plebians matter beyond paying for their tickets, and lets face it, given the current waiting list for tickets, the disgruntled spoilt bastard who keep moaning won’t be missed and are quite expendable.
Hmmm, very personal, defensive response. Arsenal board member by any chance?
“stars” and the names Clichy, Nasri and Walcott can’t be in the same sentence unless it is to say.
former potential “star” Clichy
or
developing “star” Nasri
or
future “star” Walcott
given your lack of forsight on this I could not read on as I see no point in reading another version of doom and gloom based on so called “media reports”…
have fun drowning in your misery ^^
Despite everything ugly been said against Arsenal by the Media and X pro’s currently, all this can change and blow over in an instant, by the Club using the transfer window very effectively.
Should Arsenal do some decent business in this current transfer market, the Club, Manager and new owner will earn themselves some respect and Brownie points + the other unsettled players will regain confidence in the leadership.
Wenger must set out clear goals for the coming season and make certain he has the personal to see this true.
So far The Bear has not seen anything to raise his confident. It is back to the Honey!
exodus? what exodus? you mean Clichy? and when and where did Van Persie and Walcott voiced their discontent? what a load of horsesh*t!
Im 64 years old now, and been an Arsenal fan since 1955 when my dad and uncle who lived in Birmingham took me to St Andrews to see The Blues play Arsenal . Though I live in and grew up in Oxford I used to travel to Highbury to watch the club I loved, in the days when you could roll up to the ground and buy a ticket at the gate. now these days are gone I can no longer afford to go, so I have to rely on Sky.So I feel for those who are struggling to afford their season tickets. I also can’t bear to see whats happening to a once proud club that players, thought it was an honour to play for. I was hoping the new owner was going to bring back David Dean, because it seems to me the clubs been on a downward spiral since he left, winning nothing and now one seeming able to tie up transfer deals, and renew players contracts before they run out.
NAM how can you say the club is being run perfectly??? We pay more for tickets than ANYBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD yet we are fed average players and a club with no ambition to win- only to get champions league qualification to make more money. The only thing that this board do perfectly is line their pockets. It’s disgraceful whats happened to our once great name.
another piece of silly crap, written by a glove puppet.
The Good name has already been spoilt by Wenger and the clueless board. I have never seen a group of football administrator’s that lack ambition. It is left for the fans to strike and let them understand who has the power. With out the fans, the club is no where. If the current trend is not checkmated, we fall in danger of slipping out of the top four, which appears by all intents and purposes to be Wenger’s ambition. Too bad for a once glorious club.
I was at the game when the new Arsenal Logo was unveiled and paraded around the ground. It was hilarious, everyone was screaming “what a load of rubbish!!”. But Wenger subtly explained on next weeks club programme, that it was in order to solidify the copyright of the logo as every scum bag del roy was selling the image for themselves in merchandise. The powers that be do look after the fans, they just have to use their business acumen to keep the ship afloat, even if it pisses off the fans. What grinds my gears, is that they cant get rid of the obvious worthless talent in the squad. you know who im talking about. Coaching staff Don’t.
Wrong.
With the unloading of foreign mercenaries (keep the one’s who want to wear the shirt) the good name of AFC will actually be restored.
If you could live with the likes of Adams, Parlour, Merson and other greats with poor off-field habits then you should welcome with open arms the likes of Barton, Samba and the like.
Men who play for the shirt with pride and defend its honor. Get rid of these crybabies and maybe we can get rid of the Moronic Bag of Shite so called fans who worship their every move.
We have wom F all with them. They have failed.
U guyz shuld try 2 make sence.wen we start winin we get praises wen we loose evry1 turns dier back.we shuld all b optimistic we will do well. it is wat we tink dat smtimes hapen 2 us.
Im more disgusted tha a Paul Devonshire supports arsenal ffs
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told used to be a enjoyment account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we keep in touch?