No Emirates Cup protest
4 July 2011
We have been receiving a huge amount of correspondence from Arsenal fans, voicing their concern over the apparent lack of transfer activity from the club in what is probably Arsenal's most important transfer window in a long time - certainly since Arsene Wenger joined us.
While we share deep concern at the lack of positive transfer activity at the club since the end of last season, we appreciate that efforts may be under way and that - finally - deficiencies in squad strength will be addressed with the purchase of top quality players and the release of those unsuitable. We are consistently assured that funds are available to help achieve this, and with 6.5% increases in season ticket prices, 50% increases in the price of Red and Silver memberships, plus the withdrawal of birthday gift vouchers for Junior Gunners (not to mention any further income from player sales this summer) we believe there should be even more money available for our manager to spend.
Regarding outgoing players, of course, as supporters of Arsenal we don't want to see our best players leave. However, if they try and hold the club to ransom with extortionate wage demands or if they don't want to play for the club, we should let them leave - as long as the club is suitably remunerated. No player is bigger than the club and as much as they may have kissed the badge in the past, they will never have as much affinity for The Arsenal as we do. So thanks for your service but if you don't want to be here, good luck elsewhere.
Following the demonstrable success of our walk before the final home game of last season against Aston Villa, we're constantly being asked "what's next?" and whether another walk/march is to be held.
As fans we are having to put up with constant press stories about key players leaving, we're back in pre-season training and no established quality has been brought in to bolster the squad, and there's still complete silence from the club's new majority shareholder with no comment regarding his intentions for the club. All these factors are making fans feel very concerned for our prospects in the coming season, and given the large price hikes, morale is (in our opinion) the lowest it's been for around twenty years.
However, we can confirm that we will not be holding a walk/march or any form of protest at the forthcoming Emirates Cup tournament.
We're as frustrated as the next fan when it comes to the current state of our club. But we will wait and see what action is taken to remedy the current shortcomings in the squad, and we'll see come the start of the season before making any judgement. We are not being roped into the corny 'keep the faith' line because for too many loyal, long-term fans, that faith has been consistently thrown back in our faces. We're just saying watch this space...
We have been receiving a huge amount of correspondence from Arsenal fans, voicing their concern over the apparent lack of transfer activity from the club in what is probably Arsenal's most important transfer window in a long time - certainly since Arsene Wenger joined us.
While we share deep concern at the lack of positive transfer activity at the club since the end of last season, we appreciate that efforts may be under way and that - finally - deficiencies in squad strength will be addressed with the purchase of top quality players and the release of those unsuitable. We are consistently assured that funds are available to help achieve this, and with 6.5% increases in season ticket prices, 50% increases in the price of Red and Silver memberships, plus the withdrawal of birthday gift vouchers for Junior Gunners (not to mention any further income from player sales this summer) we believe there should be even more money available for our manager to spend.
Regarding outgoing players, of course, as supporters of Arsenal we don't want to see our best players leave. However, if they try and hold the club to ransom with extortionate wage demands or if they don't want to play for the club, we should let them leave - as long as the club is suitably remunerated. No player is bigger than the club and as much as they may have kissed the badge in the past, they will never have as much affinity for The Arsenal as we do. So thanks for your service but if you don't want to be here, good luck elsewhere.
Following the demonstrable success of our walk before the final home game of last season against Aston Villa, we're constantly being asked "what's next?" and whether another walk/march is to be held.
As fans we are having to put up with constant press stories about key players leaving, we're back in pre-season training and no established quality has been brought in to bolster the squad, and there's still complete silence from the club's new majority shareholder with no comment regarding his intentions for the club. All these factors are making fans feel very concerned for our prospects in the coming season, and given the large price hikes, morale is (in our opinion) the lowest it's been for around twenty years.
However, we can confirm that we will not be holding a walk/march or any form of protest at the forthcoming Emirates Cup tournament.
We're as frustrated as the next fan when it comes to the current state of our club. But we will wait and see what action is taken to remedy the current shortcomings in the squad, and we'll see come the start of the season before making any judgement. We are not being roped into the corny 'keep the faith' line because for too many loyal, long-term fans, that faith has been consistently thrown back in our faces. We're just saying watch this space...