Time to Stand Up? AGM and fan discontent

[mikeyb772001]

A boycott will never happen, as so many tourists want tickets

Ive said it before the best way is protest and to do it where they don’t need the exposure.

Outside the ground, by diamond entrance. Every game so the rich folk see us chanting while they eat their dinners. So the board see us. It will tarnish the corporate image of the club.

The police will find this very hard to stop as they did at the Villa protest 2 years ago.

[Its Up 4 Grabs Now]

I know next to sod all about agm's so possibly a stupid question but... hypothetically what would happen if a shareholder (or several) stood up on Thursday & just asked a question(s) that hadn't been pre-approved? Surely if the club attempted to take any punitive action against them they'd be risking negative press & drawing more public attention to the question itself in the process. No doubt Gazidis would worm out of actually answering any of them on a technicality but it might at least put him on the spot &/or highlight the fact that these things are something of a pr charade.

Alternatively, how possible would it be to collate the questions that have been submitted but denied approval and then publish them (either online or as an ad in say the Metro/Standard, even the Islington Gazette) similar to an open letter? Again, most likely the club wouldn't respond to any of them but it would possibly draw more public attention to the questions than if they had actually been approved for the agm in the first place. Turn their own tactics against them.

Not sure how possible any of that is or what those questions should be (so ignore if bollocks) but just an idea.

[flash gunner]

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.

Sorry mate didn't mean to insult you. The underlined part of your post is what i was referring to. If you're dissatisfied and you call for others to make a stand then you should give up something too, however small the monetary value may be

[A dallying Gus Caesar]

There is no hope at our club until Kroenke goes and takes Wenger with him.
But as that is not going to happen, we are stuck with this for years to come.

But the mugs keep turning up at HOME games paying these shocking prices and until this stops then there will be no change.

Sorry this will offend those that read this forum and go to games but I am not going to change my opinion, you are mugs and you are inadvertantly helping to keep the status quo as it is. It is not as if you cannot watch the team on the TV instead.

[mikeyb772001]

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.

Exactly right. You hear the same old moaning on twitter and forums from people that no longer go but like to dig out others that are trying to do something.

I can’t stop going as it’s in my blood and I don’t see what can change by not going. This just means more tourists will go and fund the pockets deeper.

So what if the BSM march 2 years didn’t have a huge (long term) impact. However it certainly did its job and that was impact there and then. It was loud as hell on TV and I am sure they had a panic when they looked out on us by the diamond entrance.

This was 1 game and it worked.

My only complaint Reg and I see it as a valid one, was that we didn’t continue with it. Since then we have missed some crucial opportunities to keep the momentum going. The club need to know it takes more than an invite and chat to shut us up

Anyone that thinks a boycott will work are mental. You really think 1000’s will not turn up. There is more chance of us winning the treble and signing messi

Be realistic and at least show the club we won’t be puppets that hang on there every word

[Reg Niseth]

I know next to sod all about agm's so possibly a stupid question but... hypothetically what would happen if a shareholder (or several) stood up on Thursday & just asked a question(s) that hadn't been pre-approved? Surely if the club attempted to take any punitive action against them they'd be risking negative press & drawing more public attention to the question itself in the process. No doubt Gazidis would worm out of actually answering any of them on a technicality but it might at least put him on the spot &/or highlight the fact that these things are something of a pr charade.

Alternatively, how possible would it be to collate the questions that have been submitted but denied approval and then publish them (either online or as an ad in say the Metro/Standard, even the Islington Gazette) similar to an open letter? Again, most likely the club wouldn't respond to any of them but it would possibly draw more public attention to the questions than if they had actually been approved for the agm in the first place. Turn their own tactics against them.

Not sure how possible any of that is or what those questions should be (so ignore if bollocks) but just an idea.

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.

As for teh questions. I don't think there's a way of knowing what questions were submitted but rejected but I do know when the AST had their annual Q&A with Gazadis they published teh questions that were not answered.

I believe teh board came under fire from various media last year for requesting pre-submitted questions so it'll probably happen again.

If this year's is as farcial as last, i.e. Wiggy not knowing why he was there and PHW re-enacting the famous Two Ronnies Mastermind sketch by answering the previous question . . . then it should prove interesting.

[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.

Sorry mate didn't mean to insult you. The underlined part of your post is what i was referring to. If you're dissatisfied and you call for others to make a stand then you should give up something too, however small the monetary value may be

That's orite, I wasn't insulted and as I said it wasn't really what you said but what has been posted on here before (albeit much of it by Babatunde). Although a sizeable number of people now who attend the games are idiots who love Feo and say the most unbelievable things that beggar belief for somebody that supposedly watches Arsenal regularly, I don't agree with branding anybody that goes to a game either a moron or a mug for lining Kroenke's pockets.

[augie]

I know and accept what steve o is saying but it is a dilemma for me - on one hand we would be making a real point if thousands refuse to renew but at the same time we know that there will be thousands of jcl's and tourists ready to fill the void so will the club really give a shit ? Of course the more old school fans that leave and are replaced by the jcl's and tourists the more it will kill any atmosphere inside the ground (and there is fcuk all to kill at this stage ) but again will the club give a fcuk about that either ? Also if fans decided to not renew their memberships and season tickets then doesnt that have to be done in some way that indicates that it is being done en masse as opposed to an individual decision ? I know that the club can and will try to spin any big drop in memberships on failing economy or whatever so word would have to go out to the media that this was an organised protest by thousands of fans singing off the one hymn sheet.

For me giving up my season ticket would be a last resort - I have waited so long to get season ticket and I know that once they are gone there will be no getting them back A large part of my reason for holding onto them these days is cos of my sons - I want to ensure that they will have access to tickets and remain Gooners for as long as they shall live and ensuring that isnt easy cos they are at an age now when they are starting to question why we are so shit. I am not against boycotting renewals but I would want to see other options explored first - protesting at the directors entrance, leaving thousands of seats empty for the first 10 minutes of a televised game or a protest during the game where the fans all turn their backs on the pitch to chant at our board members. I accept that these may not work but I would be a lot more confident that other fans would join in with these protests than I would be with a membership boycott which was see half the fans join in and the rest would renew as normal.

I will say that if wenger gets a new deal then all bets are off and I will be finished with the club

[highburyJD]

I would like to see Govt legislation along the Bundesliga model - all clubs to be at least 51% owned by fans

slightly off topic but its at least arguable that its actually the failure to replace the old guard with JCLs that has killed the atmosphere...
used to be a young mans game

[skipper]

I think I've read an article in Independent last week where it was stated that anyone in England paying for Premiership football matches is there only to provide ambience for worldwide web and TV users...apparently digital money is going to be next big source of income for many big clubs...food for a thought

[QuartzGooner]

A protest outside the AGM is a decent idea as Sky usually have their cameras there to interview some of the shareholders.

Something on the lines of "Groudhog Day" would be my take on it, about how we keep finishing outside the top two, yet keep making a profit.

I would also focus on the long term contracts given to under performing players, and ask for more performance weighted contracts.

To simply says "Sack Gazidis" or Sack Wenger" is unrealistic and doomed to fail; there has to be a positive alternative plan of action asked for by the protest.

[Have merged AGM, Protest and Time To Stand Up Threads].

[northbank123]

I know next to sod all about agm's so possibly a stupid question but... hypothetically what would happen if a shareholder (or several) stood up on Thursday & just asked a question(s) that hadn't been pre-approved? Surely if the club attempted to take any punitive action against them they'd be risking negative press & drawing more public attention to the question itself in the process. No doubt Gazidis would worm out of actually answering any of them on a technicality but it might at least put him on the spot &/or highlight the fact that these things are something of a pr charade.

Alternatively, how possible would it be to collate the questions that have been submitted but denied approval and then publish them (either online or as an ad in say the Metro/Standard, even the Islington Gazette) similar to an open letter? Again, most likely the club wouldn't respond to any of them but it would possibly draw more public attention to the questions than if they had actually been approved for the agm in the first place. Turn their own tactics against them.

Not sure how possible any of that is or what those questions should be (so ignore if bollocks) but just an idea.

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.

As for teh questions. I don't think there's a way of knowing what questions were submitted but rejected but I do know when the AST had their annual Q&A with Gazadis they published teh questions that were not answered.

I believe teh board came under fire from various media last year for requesting pre-submitted questions so it'll probably happen again.

If this year's is as farcial as last, i.e. Wiggy not knowing why he was there and PHW re-enacting the famous Two Ronnies Mastermind sketch by answering the previous question . . . then it should prove interesting.

Agree he has us by the balls but not sure all of that's entirely true. Things like declaring dividends on ordinary shares require a board resolution as far as I'm aware, which he can't pass through on his own, not to mention him having a legal responsibility as a director to act in the best interests of the club's shareholders (not just himself).

Don't think it's a bad idea to try and get as much publicity as possible regarding the AGM and in particular the rejected questions. Old-fashioned but the best way to drum up media interest is a gathering outside the stadium, if you're able to do that on the day of the AGM you're a sure thing to get on SSN.

[highburyJD]

makes more sense to me to act alongside the Football Supporters Federation http://www.fsf.org.uk/
who share lots of the same aims but for the game as a whole

[ElliotGooner]

The sad fact of the matter is that I and so many other loyal fans by boycotting are essentially showing that we are being forced out of the club we love. Negligent management, scandalous ticket prices and little want for success from the board highlight that we are supporting a declining club. The board and manager may be satisfied continually finishing 3 or 4th with no trophy and if we were being charged prices equialent to that of Everton/Newcastles who chase top 4 then I wouldnt complain. But by paying the most expensive club ticket prices in the world for mediocrity we are being our own worst enemy. An empty seat undermines the current regime but it pains me so much to leave it so.

[northbank123]

The problem with boycotting is that at the moment unless it's done on a huge scale the ground will still sell out and it will be full of people who are ambivalent to the current board regime. Booing the Ox/Arshavin substitution and singing "6 per cent, you're having a laugh" against Villa the year before might not have been huge protests but they were a mass expressing of discontent from the supporters, which is extremely rare.

Each to their own but I would have said if anything active protest would be more effective than boycotting. Look at how much publicity Blackburn got last year, and we're a far bigger club than them. Not saying I'd want to act like those idiots did at all, but get 100+ people outside the ground to complain at a high-profile event like the AGM and you'll get on SSN. It's a story then, and people will constantly refer to the 'protest'.