As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
I'm all up for protesting. But for me it has to be a single agenda protest against something or someone. Specific.
Kick greed out of football doesn't do it for me I'm afraid. Its open to many interpretations. FFS Kronke, Gazidis Wenger will agree with you.
I will attand any protest directed at Wenger.
A Wenger OUT! protest - why have we not thought of that...........? .
armchair supporter wrote:I'm all up for protesting. But for me it has to be a single agenda protest against something or someone. Specific. Kick greed out of football doesn't do it for me I'm afraid. Its open to many interpretations. FFS Kronke, Gazidis Wenger will agree with you.
I will attand any protest directed at Wenger.
A Wenger OUT! protest - why have we not thought of that...........? .
Good point. If only someone hadn't made it four hours earlier!!
I Hate Hleb wrote:'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!!
There you go....... I found your one. Sorry for stealing your thunder.
I Hate Hleb wrote:'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!!
There you go....... I found your one. Sorry for stealing your thunder.
Mine is so obviously inferior.
That's alright mate and there's no need to be so hard on yourself. I was only joking anyway. Still, apology accepted.
Reg Niseth wrote:
At an AGM there is the usual business of the day i.e. voting on directors for the forthcoming year. It's a forgone conclusion as no-one can now out vote Wiggy. What has been suggested is that the shoreholders in attendance show their opposition by voting against. It won't change the outcome but it may show the board that people are unhappy. Unfortunately that's the problem we now have with a majority shareholder . . . something we've not had in the past. He could vote himself anything . . . dividends, lap-dancers at board meetings, huge salary, interest payments on the loan he took . . . or more than likely Management Consultancy Fees. . . and there's fuck all anyone can do but persuade him not too . . . by fair means or foul.
And that is exactly the point Reg. As an isolated minority shareholder you can agitate, make representations to the board etc and that's about it. We don't even own enough shares to call an EGM or propose a new director. So it is shouting into a void. That's why I would prefer Arsenal as a plc with a free float of shares carrying equal voting rights. But we are not in that situation. We are an investment vehicle for an already rich man to pillage the club, repay the debt and sell it to the highest bidder in 3 years time.
He is driven by investment return and nothing else. Only measures that damage that investment return will work. Nothing else
northbank123 wrote:Off on a tangent but IHH how much do you really hate Hleb?
Frustrated by rather than hated but then again 'I'm Frustrated by Hleb' doesn't quite have the same ring to it!!
A West Ham supporting mate repeatedly claims he was underrated and was a very good player, and highlighted his departure as a main reason in our continued slide. Interesting that's how other people perceive him, because I personally couldn't bear to watch another sideways run across the width of the pitch with no end product at all.
So many reasons were given for our decline since 2004 at that time but I was surprised that not many people at all I spoke to cited the fact that Ljungberg and Pires used to grab 20-25 league goals a season whereas Hleb and Rosicky could count their combined tally on one hand most of the time.
It's time for action
A recent BBC study on football ticket pricing was published and unsurprisingly, Arsenal were top of the list for the highest admission prices, with the cheapest season ticket some £255 more than anyone else’s.
Ironically £255 is also the amount of money that will actually buy you a season ticket outright at Wigan Athletic who offer the lowest prices in the top flight. £255 however, will not be enough for you to gain access to all five Grade A games at the Emirates Stadium; for that you’ll need a minimum of £315 just for the ‘cheap seats’. And finally, £255 x 8,432 is the amount of money that Ivan Gazidis coined in from Arsenal last year for his services as Managing Director.
After Saturday’s debacle against Norwich it transpires that the first team squad and backroom staff FLEW from Luton to Norwich for the match. A gruelling 14 (fourteen) minute flight. Yet our overpaid, over-pampered prima donnas couldn’t even be bothered to try when they took the field. How many thousands of pounds did it cost to fly the squad and management to and from a match which was easily and relatively quickly accessible by (luxury) coach? The Board don’t worry about things like that though. The team can fail to take the game seriously if they want; the fans can pick up the tab. There's nothing for the fans to complain about... or that’s what the Board would have you believe.
Make your voice heard
This Thursday morning, 25 October 2012, the club holds its Annual General Meeting at Emirates Stadium. Shareholders and the press will be there to hear the Board's latest round of spin about how well the club is run, how we’re self-sufficient, profit making, ambitious, challenging on the pitch, forward thinking blah blah blah.
We will also be there; both inside, at the meeting, and outside to greet the attendees. We will voice our concerns on how the club is being run by a complacent, stuffy Board which has completely lost focus. The Board cannot continue their dash for cash, their ‘profit over everything’ approach. We understand that it's a Thursday and that many of our members work for a living, making money to let them continue watching Arsenal, but we'd love it if you could be there with us.
The loyal matchgoing fans have had enough and it's time we kicked greed out of football. The Board must learn that actions speak louder than spin.
To make your voice heard, come and join us at Emirates Stadium on Thursday. We will be meeting at ‘Bear Roundabout’ outside The Armoury between 9.45am and 10.00am. We look forward to seeing you, and joining to tell the Board that it's time for change at our club.
There is no answer to these problems. We are in a hopeless situation. And it will remain hopeless because the people in charge have manipulated the situation to be that way. Our loathsome deceitful manager being the worst culprit
We cannot get to them now. They have too much power and they have succeeded in getting the majority to buy into their bullshit! Their work is done.
The club is set up so that it makes money while at the same time appearing as though they are not too far away from being successful again. Therefore the media and most of the fans hold back from any proper criticism because it looks over the top in the circumstances (after all most clubs would love be in our position blah blah).
It also appeals to many to be seen as being the ones who stuck with the club through the bad times or who didn’t suffer knee-jerk reactions to defeats. When success returns they can feel extra smug. Wenger and the club have even tricked people into believing we are successful. And that we have more morals and integrity than other clubs our size. The vile Wenger even manipulates people’s minds so that being critical is like being disloyal.
Wenger is still the sacred cow and genuine criticism of him is easily disregarded! The media love Wenger. The board love him. The players love him. Even fucking Arseblogger is on the make these days. The club offer the bloggers certain perks and sweeteners apparently. And they even gave out a smaller version of Arseblogs book as part of their membership pack. That one way of controlling what gets said outside of the club. Get them on the inside.
The whole thing reminds me of 911 and the truth movement. Telling the truth will always be dismissed when the people in authority are on the make from the lies. They refuse to listen as their self-interest takes precedence over everything else. Where the Bush administration manipulated how the public thought by suggesting anyone who doubts the official line is not a true patriot of the US; Wenger and the club have planted the idea that anyone who questions their policies, who isn’t prepared to be patient or who doesn’t believe in their team - is not a real fan. The brainwashed majority have bought it like the cult worshippers they surely are. Just like the majority have bought the hoax of a war on terror; most of the Arsenal fans have bought into the false hope of FFP , or the we cannot compete on our budget argument. And that Wenger is a miracle worker.
It is total and utter bollocks! Just like anywhere where a controlling elite have the power! The result is that to the masses, any protestors will only ever appear as a stroppy band of rebels who would believe in any old conspiracy or are just looking to cause trouble for the sake of it. Standing at Ground Zero with placards saying ‘’911 was an inside job’’ = standing outside the Diamond Club chanting ‘about the boards greed etc. Most people will roll their eyes and walk on by.
Don’t get me wrong, I genuinely admire those in the BSM for at least attempting to do something. I sincerely wish them success. But I fear that it will prove to be futile. By all means at least try but I think if anything was gonna change it would have already.
We all need hope as fans but for us there is none. A title winning Arsenal team or even just a competitive one is like the horse in front of you on the Carrousel. It looks within reach but you never catch it up because that is the way it is designed to be!
I think we’ve been done, its hopeless and its all over!
I agree with many of BSM's aims - but this email is 24carot BS
Wigan do not sell out their stadium
Wigan are in competition with half a dozen or more easily accessible, much bigger, clubs
Wigan is not in London where everybody is paid more and everything costs more
What is a fair comparison to Arsenal? Closest would be Sperz or Chelski
They do, normally, sell out their stadia. That said they frequently choose to advertise Prem and CL games.
Arsenal can sell out league cup games v lower div oppo, which those two cannot
but Sperz and Chelski are fairish comparisons
Our season tickets include CL games, theirs don't,
add on the included cup games and the season tickets cost the same amount
There might be an argument that Sperz, Chelski AND the Arsenal over-charge
or that some fans would prefer cup games not to be included (I personally prefer them included, have accidentally missed league cup games because they've sold out)
if somebody complained that a hotel room at the Ritz cost more than a Wigan Travelodge you would laugh in their face
thats what this email is trying to do
highburyJD wrote:I agree with many of BSM's aims - but this email is 24carot BS
Wigan do not sell out their stadium
Wigan are in competition with half a dozen or more easily accessible, much bigger, clubs
Wigan is not in London where everybody is paid more and everything costs more
What is a fair comparison to Arsenal? Closest would be Sperz or Chelski
They do, normally, sell out their stadia. That said they frequently choose to advertise Prem and CL games.
Arsenal can sell out league cup games v lower div oppo, which those two cannot
but Sperz and Chelski are fairish comparisons
Our season tickets include CL games, theirs don't,
add on the included cup games and the season tickets cost the same amount
There might be an argument that Sperz, Chelski AND the Arsenal over-charge
or that some fans would prefer cup games not to be included (I personally prefer them included, have accidentally missed league cup games because they've sold out)
if somebody complained that a hotel room at the Ritz cost more than a Wigan Travelodge you would laugh in their face
thats what this email is trying to do
I think you may have missed the point. It's not a comparison with Wigan it was an observation that the difference between our cheapest ST and the next clubs' ST (£255) would buy you a Wigan ST.
The BSM have suggested a ST 'Lite' for those that would prefer to pay for the cup matches on a game by game basis thereby making the initial outlay a lot cheaper. Especially as there is no longer a guarantee of a cup final ticket for ST holders as there used to be. No one can deny that since we increased the number of ST holders we have seen the benefits of paying up front diminish. Also, since our move and the introduction of a additional 19,000 ST holders we've regularly fielded weak teams in the FAC. So if the club will no longer take the competition seriously, shouldn't the fans be given that option also?
The League Cup shows that if the price is right we'll sell out no matter who the opposition are.
£255 would also buy you about 250 litres of strong white cider meaning that you could spend every matchday for 2 seasons pissed out of your mind, which is a far preferable alternative to going to watch Wigan play.
That said, I think that a gathering outside the ground on the AGM day is a good idea, especially if you can get some camera focus.
If only someone hadn't made it four hours earlier!! 
