Arsenal’s fans are worse than the team (8/3)

[gooner.ed]

usual thread starter... things do seem different at ashburton. mind you, i do remember a mass exodus against benfica in 1991, when they went 3-1 up in extra time. not such a good highbury memory that one.

[andy68gunner]

I am a red member and have got a few tickets lately but for this game I decided that over £60 for a ticket has gone over the line I would be willing to pay, despite attending since 1987. Is it a coincidence that with the costs of tickets being so high a different type of supporter is attending this game. People who leave before the final whistle are pathetic. Hopefully some of the later home games will go on sale to red members who will be more enthusiastic in supporting the team.

[donaldo]

The Liverpool fans v Barcelona put us to shame.Why do people go to a football match and not sing. For fuck sake if you are not going to sing stay at home. The thing is Arsenal supporters are not ashamed of this. Last night the team needed maximum support.As for the early leavers why dont you all fuck off to Stamford Bridge. I would take away there season tickets as they leave.Its time the club acted on late arrivals and early leavers. Bring in a rule everyone should be in the ground 10mins before kick off time.If you are late you miss the game like you would miss the show at the theatre. I know it is drastic but something drastic has to be done. And i would make all the early leaves swipe there season ticket cards as they leave and stop them renewing their season tickets the following season. The club make it too easy for fans to leave early.

[eitherormore]

It was terrible. Me and my mate have had season tickets in the 80s and 90s, and remember Highbury in some dark days pre-Littlewoods Cup 1987 and post Graham in the Rioch era. But still, we used to take pleasure from our time in the Clock End or East Lower...

But Emirates. Hmmm, what can I say? My first emotion in being there was "Wow, we have an amazing stadium", but now I'm not so sure. Yes, its very comfortable, and the lights are very bright, and the views are amazing. But soul? I'm not convinced, and having gone to my second game of the season (it's expensive!!!), I was even more upset...

So, me and my mate are in the section along the side, right next to the PSV fans. Ideal spot to show the PSV boys who we are. They were great, by the way...vocal, animated, passionate, unified. Us two people, stood there chanting, singing all game long. We'd look around, and NO-ONE would follow. More to the point, people would actually look at us in disgust! It's no wonder we got seriously heckled by the PSV fans. We were so impressed by them that we shook their hands after the game and wished them all the success.

Because on the pitch, the boys didnt deserve it. And amazingly, it was totally mirrored in the seats. Liverpool's performance the day before was one filled with passion and guts and determination....just like the amazing Anfield fans. I strongly believe that the passion of the fans is transmitted to the players. Its no wonder we've had such a lacklustre, inconsistent season filled with lapses in concentration and lack of gusto. How is it that a team so devoid of creativity and real quality (Liverpool) can be so dominant at home? One answer - the fans....

And to leave so early? That was just a nail in the coffin. As we left, the streets around Annette Road were filled with big BMWs and Porsches - the chauffeurs were getting ready to drive their clients back home to Hampstead Garden Suburbs or Hertfordshire.

We must do something about this people!!!!!!!

[stearmaster]

red member, always singing, been to over ten games including carling cup final, and got 2 more commin up, WHUFC, and MCFC and sing from start to finish even start some off in our area/my area, and will be singing till my dieing day, i even sing em at work, sad i know but there spuds and it winds em up.

neway bak to the topic as being a red member i didnt leave early, and never think of leaving early, last night was a disgrace, even at 1-1 wen we were heading out the cup i was singing , come on arsenal....and we love you arsenal we do, and was glad to hear more loyal fans around me joining in.......keep the faith, passion, and love for the team and support the lads throught thick and thin

[gunner67]

I seem to remember a lot of people leaving before the final whistle at Highbury. Quite often I would move nearer to the exit as seats were vacated - definately not a new phenomenom (if that's how you spell it!). Didn't happen so much on saturdays but definately mid week matches. I miss the atmosphere at Highbury, people said it was a library but it weren't that bad, especially in the North Bank. Yea, some of us sang last night, I was in the new clock end upper. Funnily enough first match at Emirates I remember complaining on a forum that the woman two along from me was complaining at two lads in front of us standing up. People were agreeing with her!
Is there a new breed of Supporter? I'm not sure. I left just before the final whistle last night. I used to leave after the players had applauded us. I'm not sure why I didn't stay last night, disappointment at the loss, lack of atmosphere? Who knows, but I'm going to Villa next week where I WILL stay to the end and sing my heart out, even with a longer journey home - maybe the atmosphere has got something to do with it? Our away support is definately a different crowd.

[proudtosaythatname]

Totally agree.

People leaving immediately PSV scored was disgraceful and from a sporting perspective unbelievable: two goals in 7 minutes is unlikely - but that's not the point. Imagine having left and Arsenal scoring the needed two! It is possible (think Blackburn 6-2, although Blackburn 0-0 was more like PSV). Surely these cretins realise their potential negative effect on the team?

OK, I knew immediately Alex's second goal went in we were done for - and said so - but I stayed to sing/chant/urge the boys on to the (very) bitter end and even PSV had left the field. Our boys didn't want to lose.

Something needs to be done as this is affecting morale of supporters as well as players. The swipe-on-way-out sounds the best idea but would probably be vetoed by the club on Health & Safety grounds and vigilante action is probably too extreme.

Maybe a free prawn-flavoured 2007-8 Season Ticket for a suggestion which gets adopted - assuming one could bear to sit in splendid isolation for long periods?

[Chunky The Gooner]

Im a red member and will go whenever I can get a ticket (money permitting of course!) Ive done very well out of the red membership this season and have been to much more games than I could have at Highbury. I was at the Reading game on Saturday and sat in the lower tier on the left hand side of the dugout and thank god I had an isle seat because it was like musical chairs where I was.
I understand that people are not all Islington residents (Im not either) but whats the point of leaving upto ten minutes before the end of the game? It would drive me mad walking up the road and hearing oooh and aahs not knowing what was going on and you would also leave a game thinking you had won only to find out that an equaliser had gone it or you missed a another Arsenal goal.
The other thing is the transport after games is shit anyway so you would probably be better off waiting . I can't get round this transport thing . Surely the whole point after the game was to get the masses away from the area but no . This road is shut that station is shut and you can't walk down this street you have to go around this way it's crazy but thats for a different thread altogether !
I always stay and cheer the team on at the end I know we get pissed off if the result doesnt always go our way but it still must be down heartening for the team to see people fleeing for the exits regardless of the result.

[HORSE]

I was one the late gold members ones, arriving dead on kick off time. This was due to BR terminating all trains at Reading at 5PM due to a fire at Burnham. I then had to get the train to London Waterloo and then across London on a packed underground , getting off at Caledonian Road then legging it to the ground. Every home game takes me 2 hours there and back as i come from Swindon.
When we beat the **** I missed the last train back to Swindon, i had to get a train to Reading then taxi home, cost an extra £65.I got home at 3am to get up at 5am for work.
Yes I left early weds because i didn’t want to miss my last train home .I might even had to endure the trip to waterloo again due to the earlier fire.
Weekend games i stay to the end and then have drinks in the Che Guevara or Holloway road for a couple of hours.
I been to a few away games this year including wba, Liverpool as well as Porto and PSV.Villa,Liverpool and pompey coming up.
Mid week games is a nightmare but my passion for the club means i travel 2 hours each way and leave a few minutes early which is better than not watching the game live and losing money on my ticket.
So let not tar every body with the same brush there are genuine supporters who love to stay to end at every game but circumstances dictate that they can't
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