augie wrote:Tell me highbury jd, where is the morality in the club seeking to copyright the phrase "Gooner" ?
I also think you misread the signals from your fellow fans when you claim that they do not care. As far as I am concerned the club exists for the fans and our love of the club should be a constant regardless of the ownership. Some would have you believe that the board are fighting against a takeover here for the fans benefit but to me that is largely rubbish - they are fighting against this because(a) they do not want an usmanov character owning our club which is how we all feel (b) they do not want to see DD return to power at the club. This has turned into a silly personal vendetta between 2 men who used to be good friends and have now lead to this. As a fan who does care I am now at the point that I am just pissed off with the whole scenario and want it sorted one way or another and soon but I will still love and support the club no matter who is in charge be it phw,fiszman,usmanov or please god DD.
The board have done some crass and stupid things, the attempt to patent "Gooner" being one example, another being Hill-Wood's bizarre Little Englander reaction when Kroenke first came on the scene.
But I do still think the board is broadly genuine in talking about being custodians of the club. They could have taken dividends out of the club at any time but haven't. Hill-Wood aside (since his shareholding is very small), they could all do a Dein and cash in big time but so far they haven't. I know, I know, they could be playing a long game and waiting for an even bigger pay-out but there's no sign of that so far, they're even talking of a new 12-month lock-down agreement. I agree they don't want to sell to Usmanov partly because they don't like the look of him and partly because they don't want to allow Dein back in, but quite frankly I agree with them on both those things.
Gus is right that the board need to accept the possibility of change, and that coming to an arrangement with Kroenke may not be an entirely bad thing, at least for defeating Usmanov and Dein. Beyond that objective though, and even though it might one day be necessary to get a billionaire's funding, there's no immediate reason to change the ownership structure - that's clear from the club's revenue statements. As is clear from Usmanov's suggestion that dividends should be paid to shareholders, a change in ownership could just as easily see the club get poorer as richer.
Of course we'll all live the rest of our lives with "Arsenal" emblazoned on our hearts, that's the irrational mystery of being a true football fan. I (like many of you) supported the club when we were absolutely shit, watching Brady go off to his real career in Italy, playing in front of crowds for league games as low as 17,000, churning out the worst football imaginable and finishing nowhere in the league. And we'll carry on supporting Arsenal in the same way, whatever happens.
But if that utter *word censored* Usmanov and his henchman take over, I will fight the bastards anyway I can, perhaps even including giving up my season ticket. That won't be because I don't love the club, quite the reverse, it will be because I do love Arsenal.
As for ending the uncertainty, I agree it would be good if it happened soon, but I don't think it will. Unless (as I suggested previously but which of course won't happen) Wenger pulled the rug from under Usmanov and Dein and said he would leave if R&W took control.
and the bi yearly visit to the club shop 
