Time to Stand Up? AGM and fan discontent

[flash gunner]

'Let's Kick Greed Out Of Football'? They'll probably only take that to mean you're in agreement with their policy in support of FFP!!

All joking aside youre probably right. Lets kick greed out of football is too ambiguous, it needs to be a message about kicking Kroenke/Gazidis/Wenger (or all of them) out of Arsenal

[I Hate Hleb]

It's likely that Kroenke will be there so the fans outside could nick the song the scousers sang when they were protesting about Gillette and Hicks and tweak the lyrics a little...

You don't care about football
You don't care about the fans
Arsenal Football Club
Is in the wrong hands!!

This could be taken to be a barb aimed at all the relevant parties, from Owner, to Board, to CEO and even the manager himself!!

[SteveO 35]

And what form is 'standing up' going to take ?

Last year's AGM was a joke - Hill Wood made himself look the outdated clown that he is, Ivan will continue to smarm his way through proceeding with his bullshit corporate marketing/PR spin, and Wenger will no doubt give some impassioned speech about this squad being the best he has worked with for 30 years and calling for patience of the fans and giving some first year economics student's overview of how football is about to crash and burn and how proud we are of our sustainable model

The reason why the 'sustainable model' works in their eyes is because supporters allow to. Worst recession in living memory - no problem we'll put the prices up 6.5% and still the stadium is sold out. So, why would they ever consider doing anything other than putting prices up once more.

Nice sentiment but until people actually take a proper stand and actually break the financial footing on which the greed culture is based then we are powerless to stop the club pillaging its loyal supporters

[SteveO 35]

Best thing we can do is every game we congregate outside Diamond Entrance like we did at the BSM march a couple of years back.

This way the wankers eating their dinners will see and also the board. Do this every home game

Yeah, and that's had a real impact hasn't it, because since then the board haven't put prices up have they? And we all know they've stopped selling our best players and have started re-investing the huge operating profits into buying better quality players too

Protest outside the entrance every single week. It'll make no difference whatsoever

Hugh's comments are spot on

[hugh jardon]

Agree with SteveO - to protest in the form of a march or similar but then still pay up and step into the stadium will be pointless.

A total boycott will hit them where ie hurts - in the pocket. A serious protest would mean not renewing memberships, not buying tickets and not buying any merchandise. How many people would be willing to do that? Not many I reckon.

If the stadium was half empty they might take notice but whilst it sells out pretty much every home game why are they gonna change anything?

Also agree that "Let's Kick Greed Out Of Football" is too generic - the logo needs to provide clarity on the objective - eg "Kronke Out", "Gazidis Out" etc

[SteveO 35]

Agree with SteveO - to protest in the form of a march or similar but then still pay up and step into the stadium will be pointless.

A total boycott will hit them where ie hurts - in the pocket. A serious protest would mean not renewing memberships, not buying tickets and not buying any merchandise. How many people would be willing to do that? Not many I reckon.

If the stadium was half empty they might take notice but whilst it sells out pretty much every home game why are they gonna change anything?

Also agree that "Let's Kick Greed Out Of Football" is too generic - the logo needs to provide clarity on the objective - eg "Kronke Out", "Gazidis Out" etc

Spot on fella, but you're wasting your breath here. Sit back and wait for the arguments about match day credits, I support Arsenal not the board, I was here before they were etc etc etc

Its probably less than 5% of people willing to make any sort of meaningful sacrifice. I bet Gazidis and the board are trembling at the prospect of another march or banner. I mean, he's just pocketed a £2.15m remuneration package at the expense of all of those just moaning and groaning - the more they keep flocking through the gates, the richer he becomes !

[flash gunner]

Gonna give up the silver membership then SteveO?

[SteveO 35]

Gonna give up the silver membership then SteveO?

Actually, if nothing's changed at the end of this season I will be yes.

I think my £36 contribution to the annual revenue of the club might be less felt than the £000's you season ticket boys throw at them every year mind

[flash gunner]

Gonna give up the silver membership then SteveO?

Actually, if nothing's changed at the end of this season I will be yes.

I think my £36 contribution to the annual revenue of the club might be less felt than the £000's you season ticket boys throw at them every year mind

Im a silver member too not a season ticket holder but to a 'company' like Arsenal who make millions year after year £36 and £1,000 are very little difference in the greater scheme of things especially when we're talking about standing up for something you believe in and making sacrifices

[highburyJD]

flash is right - its the total # of paying fans Stan and Ivan bank on

the fact we can basically sell out the stadium for Coventry gives a fair idea of how easily most season ticket holders would be replaced...

I agree with many of the black scarf type complaints
but see it as a football wide problem rather than a pure Arse issue

[SteveO 35]

Gonna give up the silver membership then SteveO?

Actually, if nothing's changed at the end of this season I will be yes.

I think my £36 contribution to the annual revenue of the club might be less felt than the £000's you season ticket boys throw at them every year mind

Im a silver member too not a season ticket holder but to a 'company' like Arsenal who make millions year after year £36 and £1,000 are very little difference in the greater scheme of things especially when we're talking about standing up for something you believe in and making sacrifices

Multiplied by a factor of 20,000-30,000 supporters, when paid annually in advance, I'd beg to differ. The cash flows of a football club are hugely weighted towards the influx of season ticket monies at the start of a season. You know it makes a huge difference - it represents the rump of the club's ticket money sales and gives them certainty for another 12 months. Without it, the model suffers a huge knock. They take it as a given - its probably the first line of the spreadsheet that gets completed. Investors don't like uncertainty - remove that line and see how quickly fans might be listened to

[donaldo]

Best thing we can do is every game we congregate outside Diamond Entrance like we did at the BSM march a couple of years back.

This way the wankers eating their dinners will see and also the board. Do this every home game

Yeah, and that's had a real impact hasn't it, because since then the board haven't put prices up have they? And we all know they've stopped selling our best players and have started re-investing the huge operating profits into buying better quality players too

Protest outside the entrance every single week. It'll make no difference whatsoever

Hugh's comments are spot on

You're right Stevo

The only time this board will listen is to have thousands of empty seats.What is the point of protesting outside the ground then giving them your money.We need to pick out a game and boycott it.

[flash gunner]

By giving up a season ticket or silver membership you're making your stand and sacrificing something that means something to you knowing that there are 1001 more mugs who will take your place but you are doing your bit for the cause (comrade ) What you've written is right and the same could be said if every silver member gave it up then its worth a lot of money to the club.

The reason i'm saying this is people calling for other people to boycott certain things is easy when it doesn't affect the things you've got. This is only aimed at you as you've brought it up but it goes for all of us, me included

[Reg Niseth]

Best thing we can do is every game we congregate outside Diamond Entrance like we did at the BSM march a couple of years back.

This way the wankers eating their dinners will see and also the board. Do this every home game

Yeah, and that's had a real impact hasn't it, because since then the board haven't put prices up have they? And we all know they've stopped selling our best players and have started re-investing the huge operating profits into buying better quality players too

Protest outside the entrance every single week. It'll make no difference whatsoever

Hugh's comments are spot on

Correct me if I'm wrong but I sense a feeling of hopelessness. There are many that have decided not to hand over any more money be it through not buying tickets, merchandise, food etc. but that has just the same effect as any march or banner so far . . . very little.

So what is to be done to change things? Or do we simply shrug our shoulders and say 'nothing's gonna change'? I ain't having a dig, just asking a question.

Me and others are prepared to do something, how we go about it may be open for ridicule or praise, but no-one can deny we want to see change that benefits all fans. I know that if nothing changes I can at least say 'I had a go'. But I wonder how many out there will continue to do nothing but complain from behind a keyboard.

I would certainly like to see you beside me having a go mate.

[northbank123]

Don't really agree with the use of the word "mugs", even if you might direct it at what you perceive to be blind Wenger-loving shop-going Meal Deal enthusiasts. From my point of view going to watch Arsenal always has been and always will be a highlight of my life, and although it might be fucking frustrating the way the club is being run and also often on-field performances, I'm not going to forego one of the most enjoyable and important activities to me because of two twats like Kroenke and Gazidis. Fair enough that people shouldn't be calling for a boycott if they're not willing to do it themselves, and if somebody wants to be a martyr and give it up for the greater good then fair enough but (and I'm not saying that you personally made this point Flash) moaning about anybody who buys a season ticket being selfish or a Gazidis-loving mug or whatever is wrong in my view.