Chelsea (N) | FA CUP FINAL | Sat 27 May 2017 | 17:30

[bunch]

I think this will be my last game as an Arsenal fan. I will be at Wembley, wear my red and white, cheer the team on to hoped for victory but then it will be over. Season ticket in the bin, scarf put away.

Fits that 46 years after I watched, on our family's new colour TV, a team in yellow and blue beat a team in red that my last game will be anoher FA Cup final.

Will I come back if the manager and owner (who are the reason I can no longer honestly support Arsenal) changes? Maybe, but I am getting older. So I'll probably take my football as Sky intended.

A lament for our club. Based on another lament well known to Irish fans like myself: The Fields of Athenry

Low lie the fields of Highbury
Where once we watched our team win the league
We had Radford and Charlie
Adams, Bergkamp and Rocky
Now the club just makes money for the yanks

[SteveO 35]

I think this will be my last game as an Arsenal fan. I will be at Wembley, wear my red and white, cheer the team on to hoped for victory but then it will be over. Season ticket in the bin, scarf put away.

Fits that 46 years after I watched, on our family's new colour TV, a team in yellow and blue beat a team in red that my last game will be anoher FA Cup final.

Will I come back if the manager and owner (who are the reason I can no longer honestly support Arsenal) changes? Maybe, but I am getting older. So I'll probably take my football as Sky intended.

A lament for our club. Based on another lament well known to Irish fans like myself: The Fields of Athenry

Low lie the fields of Highbury
Where once we watched our team win the league
We had Radford and Charlie
Adams, Bergkamp and Rocky
Now the club just makes money for the yanks

Its a sad day mate - I feel for you. I've been keeping in touch through the odd free ticket here and there, but emotionally detached myself from the pain a few years ago now when it was apparent that this owner and manager were only in it for themselves, and it stopped actually being fun going to games. Home games are like being at a morgue anyway, so next year I'll try and pop to the odd away game.

If someone had told me it would be this way when Arsenal occupied such a massive part of my life and weekends from when I was little lad in the 70s I would never have believed it. I use to live for the matches at the weekend, trips to Highbury, and it would ruin my weekend and the days that followed until the next match came to put it right. Now, I merely shrug shoulders at defeat after woeful defeat because I know that my opinion counts for nothing and my support is not valued and certainly not missed, in an age where BT/Sky deals, commercial property and marketing rights, mean that my £62 is a pittance.

I work my nuts off all week and 99% of my working life is spent talking about financial performance, value generation, marketing etc........the bit at the weekends was supposed to be the fun bit, where talk of marketing deals and broadcasting rights were forgotten and where what mattered first was what happened on the pitch. Sadly, in the Be All and End All era, what happens on the pitch hardly matters, and in Kroenke's case it barely registers that a football club runs alongside the property franchise

As you say, who knows what a change of owner/manager will bring but my love for the club needs some serious resurrecting if I'm going to start parting with my dosh on a regular basis

[rich31]

I think this will be my last game as an Arsenal fan. I will be at Wembley, wear my red and white, cheer the team on to hoped for victory but then it will be over. Season ticket in the bin, scarf put away.

Fits that 46 years after I watched, on our family's new colour TV, a team in yellow and blue beat a team in red that my last game will be anoher FA Cup final.

Will I come back if the manager and owner (who are the reason I can no longer honestly support Arsenal) changes? Maybe, but I am getting older. So I'll probably take my football as Sky intended.

A lament for our club. Based on another lament well known to Irish fans like myself: The Fields of Athenry

Low lie the fields of Highbury
Where once we watched our team win the league
We had Radford and Charlie
Adams, Bergkamp and Rocky
Now the club just makes money for the yanks

Thats a sad post mate...my first game supporting The Arsenal was the same 71 cup final on my familys new colour telly too (wow we felt posh lol).Unfortunately with 3 children and all the other financial commitments alot of us have ,along with the clubs successful attempts of getting rid of people like me i was priced out of going regularly quite some time ago ,however my support didnt die until more recently.I just find it so hard to care when the guardians of our club clearly fucking dont .All 3 of my children (20,18 and 10) are gooners and i feel pride and guilt in equal measures these days for that!!
At least we were there and have the memories .

[Dutch10Gooner]

Mertesacker winning goal incoming (got to keep the faith! )

[Redarmy]

I think this will be my last game as an Arsenal fan. I will be at Wembley, wear my red and white, cheer the team on to hoped for victory but then it will be over. Season ticket in the bin, scarf put away.

Fits that 46 years after I watched, on our family's new colour TV, a team in yellow and blue beat a team in red that my last game will be anoher FA Cup final.

Will I come back if the manager and owner (who are the reason I can no longer honestly support Arsenal) changes? Maybe, but I am getting older. So I'll probably take my football as Sky intended.

A lament for our club. Based on another lament well known to Irish fans like myself: The Fields of Athenry

Low lie the fields of Highbury
Where once we watched our team win the league
We had Radford and Charlie
Adams, Bergkamp and Rocky
Now the club just makes money for the yanks

Thats a sad post mate...my first game supporting The Arsenal was the same 71 cup final on my familys new colour telly too (wow we felt posh lol).Unfortunately with 3 children and all the other financial commitments alot of us have ,along with the clubs successful attempts of getting rid of people like me i was priced out of going regularly quite some time ago ,however my support didnt die until more recently.I just find it so hard to care when the guardians of our club clearly fucking dont .All 3 of my children (20,18 and 10) are gooners and i feel pride and guilt in equal measures these days for that!!
At least we were there and have the memories .

Was at 1971 final, only 9 me and a good mate got up there at 9:00 in the morning no tickets, scouse robbed us of badges and scarfs
main mob of Arsenal arrived around 12:30 massive long procession, a thousand or so strong, chased Scouse all the way across the air park like an invading army
Just paid at the turnstile, folded the note like a ticket.....absolutely packed that day at Wembley, really hot day.....start of a life long obsession which is now dying

[Midz]

what an interesting page all the above posts.

The first FA Cup final I remember watching was the 1970 Chelsea vs Leeds one that ended in a 2-2 draw. Chelsea won the replay at OT 2-1.
Like you guys I was just a boy.
I became an Arsenal fan around that time and thought winning the FA Cup against Liverpool the following year was the best thing ever!

I was just sitting here and reflecting on how different football was back then.

[Sidney]

.

[wibble]

A lament for our club. Based on another lament well known to Irish fans like myself: The Fields of Athenry

Low lie the fields of Highbury
Where once we watched our team win the league
We had Radford and Charlie
Adams, Bergkamp and Rocky
Now the club just makes money for the yanks

Doesn't scan

[Clash]

I wonder how many Arsenal fans bought their first colour telly for either the 1970 world cup or the 1971 cup final . It was before my time but I know my grandad hired a colour TV from Radio Rentals for the '71 final.

Sad to see the posts above but I fully understand and feel the same way.

It sickens me when Wenger says nobody can question his love for the club while people who DO genuinely love the club and have done for their entire lives are walking away ... because of what he and others have done

[markyp]

it was the 79 cup final for me,watching liam brady as a 6 year old made up my mind who my team was going to be,sadly like so many I feel a massive dis connect from the club,its almost as if the club wants to flush us out for the to make room for the 'super supporters'.wtf has happened to The Arsenal

[bunch]

Nice to hear from fans of my generation with similar experiences and feelings about the current state of Arsenal and the current state of football.

It is worth reflecting on how the relationship betwen fans and the club has changed over the years. The financial impact of the TV deals have shrunk the importance of the income from atttendance. Football is now for the TV audience not the fan in the stands.

The logical response is to treat football like any other entertainment because that's how football treats us.

[bunch]

A lament for our club. Based on another lament well known to Irish fans like myself: The Fields of Athenry

Low lie the fields of Highbury
Where once we watched our team win the league
We had Radford and Charlie
Adams, Bergkamp and Rocky
Now the club just makes money for the yanks

Doesn't scan

Yeah . But its better than that abortion of Achy Breaky Heart that we and others sing. Miley Cyrus's dad is surely more shocked by that than seeing his daughter's lady parts all over the internet.

How about this. Matches the original more but the meaning is more obscure

Low lie the Fields of Highbury
Where once we watched our team win the league
Armstrong was on the wing
"One nil" you'd hear us sing
Why did we leave the Fields of Highbury

[Allgunsblazin]

Years ago football was supported and financed predominantly by the fans, one main income stream
Now football is supported by companies sponsors merchandising a complete turnaround with several income streams.
Arsenal PLC introduced another tier of support in Club Level being above Golds ie Season ticket holders.
Football has been snatched from your average supporter and I still cannot comprehend how ST holders stump up large amounts of cash season in season out!
The price of loyalty has no limit, the price set by Arsenal PLC has always been met, and then we moan at ticket prices!
This is a cash cow and Kroenke knows full well at this moment in time if a few supporters are unhappy they will be replaced instantly.
I wish WHL was ready for this season, just to see competition for TOURIST support in North London which this club heavily relies on!
He might then realise that he does not have the monopoly in sales especially as Tottenham are definitely on an upward spiral and we are on a downward one....

[DB10GOONER]

So is Mustafi really likely to miss the Cup Final? Nearly two weeks out with concussion? Must have been some bang on the bonce!

Sounds excessive. I have had the joy of 3 concussions in my 30+ year playing career (cue augieslop with the broken body jokes ) and was back training and playing within 5 days. Ok 10 days on one of them - but I also had been knocked clean spark out unconscious and had 20 stitches in my head. But you get my point. Fucks sake most coaches (and a few doctors ) didn't even believe in concussion in those days!

How fucking precious are these fucking modern players?

[Redarmy]

I think this will be my last game as an Arsenal fan. I will be at Wembley, wear my red and white, cheer the team on to hoped for victory but then it will be over. Season ticket in the bin, scarf put away.

Fits that 46 years after I watched, on our family's new colour TV, a team in yellow and blue beat a team in red that my last game will be anoher FA Cup final.

Will I come back if the manager and owner (who are the reason I can no longer honestly support Arsenal) changes? Maybe, but I am getting older. So I'll probably take my football as Sky intended.

A lament for our club. Based on another lament well known to Irish fans like myself: The Fields of Athenry

Low lie the fields of Highbury
Where once we watched our team win the league
We had Radford and Charlie
Adams, Bergkamp and Rocky
Now the club just makes money for the yanks

Thats a sad post mate...my first game supporting The Arsenal was the same 71 cup final on my familys new colour telly too (wow we felt posh lol).Unfortunately with 3 children and all the other financial commitments alot of us have ,along with the clubs successful attempts of getting rid of people like me i was priced out of going regularly quite some time ago ,however my support didnt die until more recently.I just find it so hard to care when the guardians of our club clearly fucking dont .All 3 of my children (20,18 and 10) are gooners and i feel pride and guilt in equal measures these days for that!!
At least we were there and have the memories .

Was at 1971 final, only 9 me and a good mate got up there at 9:00 in the morning no tickets, scouse robbed us of badges and scarfs
main mob of Arsenal arrived around 12:30 massive long procession, a thousand or so strong, chased Scouse all the way across the air park like an invading army
Just paid at the turnstile, folded the note like a ticket.....absolutely packed that day at Wembley, really hot day.....start of a life long obsession which is now dying

The first Arsenal game I saw was the 1971 final on TV and I have been with them ever since but like others my enthusiasm has gone. It may be an age thing and other commitments but most of it is because of Wenger. Up until last Sunday I was a season ticket holder for 25+ years and I was going to all the home games plus some aways for many years before that but I have decided to take a step back until things change. For the cup final we applied as a small group for tickets and I was successful so I let my ticket go to someone who wasn't. I’ve been to nine FA Cup finals and seen seven wins so I will end it there although my first final was 1978 when we lost to Ipswich. I was totally gutted afterwards and it was the first thing I thought about when I woke up the next day. If we lose on Saturday I definitely won’t feel the same as I did after Ipswich.

Yeah, been fanatical ever since really...tried to get to Tottenham for the Title game, but after 2 hours stuck in traffic police blocked the roads, said there could be anything up to 250,000 people around the stadium.....still feel the same just cannot take Wenger, Kronke and Co any more