Some Arsenal fans have been saying for years that the only way to get the attention of the people in charge at Arsenal Football Club is to hit them where it hurts, namely the bank balance. We all know that Stan Kroenke is a businessman first and foremost so as long as the cask keeps pouring in he does not share the frustration of the fans at our lack of success.
It is only an opinion, but one that is held by an ever growing number of Arsenal fans, that the reason why Arsene Wenger seems to be impervious to the sort of sackings that we see in football all the time is because he runs the club on a sound financial footing.
So if we are to ever see the change in manager that a lot of us want, the board needs to realise that keeping Wenger is going to negatively affect the profits, which is why the recent spate of sparse attendances at home games may be doing the trick.
That is the opinion of club legend Ian Wright, Sky Sports has reported, with the former Gunners striker declaring his admiration for this show of defiance by the supporters.
When asked if he thought the empty seats would make any difference Wrighty said, “It should do and you hope that they will see that the fans have had enough.
“Arsenal fans get a lot of stick on social media and people laugh at them. They threaten to do stuff and it doesn’t quite happen but this is the first time I’ve seen a positive step from the fans.
“I’m quite pleased they’ve done it.
“I was there the other day and it’s not good to see but with the prices that they pay, they’ve had to listen to excuses, they’ve watched players leave, they’ve watched really incompetent performances and they’ve still gone in their droves.
“They should show that they are not happy. I’m pleased that they’ve done it and hopefully the board will be looking.
“The Arsenal fans had success in the past and they want success back.
“They’ve been very patient with what’s happened. They’ve seen great players leave, players that should be making a difference for the club and taking them to the level they want to be. A level they’ve been at and enjoyed being there.
“Now, they are looking at the club falling away and nothing being done.”
Will this clear show of dissent change anything do you think?
Bob.
RIP Ray Willkins. No connection with the Arsenal, but a true legend in football.
Amen to that. A true gent and sadly missed!
I think this way is better too. I hated the signs esp when we still had a vested interest on the results. And I didn’t like the way they announced that they’re gonna fly a plane over, or on certain minute people are gonna do ect. It gave the other side time to throw a spanner at it. I thought it was a distraction, we looked every bit a mess that the team looked. This way is best, it sends a clear message and there’s no shenanigans going on inside the ground other than the performance.
Staying away will hurt Kroenke on the bottom line. Even though empty seats have been paid for, less people in actual attendance hurt match day sales (beverages, food and merchandise etc.). Empty seats and a “flat” atmosphere will also make an Arsenal game a less attractive event for sponsors and corporate guests/ticketholders.
So it is a very effective way to force change. Please keep it up!
Stan understands only the language of money so i welcome this. Do hope that fans keep on showing their frustration like this.
Silent Stan seen those empty seats or seen the figures of tickets sold?
We all know our owner doesn’t pay attention to us outside of profit and that makes me concerned that the fact AFC received money for tickets… Will he only see the finances?
I have personally avoided any spending on AFC while we have been lacking, this has been for MANY years now and I was tempted when we started to spend larger amounts but I waited to see if it was a true change or PR… So I ended up sticking to my own personal avoid giving Silent Stan any money.
I have said to every Arsenal supporter I have met, hold back on opening your wallet/purse. Don’t buy the new kit… Vote with your money as that is what people listen to in this modern day.
So I think not turning up will not be enough by itself, we need to stop buying shirts, stop spending money on Arsenal merchandise until we show ambition and the team makes our chest swell with pride again.
Then… spend on AFC, reward them. Save the money each year and when you are happy with how we are being lead, spend that saved money on Arsenal.
Vote with wallet, not bums on seats only.
I have visited London on holidays in 2011, 2014 and 2016 during the season and have refused to go to the Emirates. However I proudly stood on the North Bank at Highbury in 1977.
I will attend again following “regime change.”
Wisdom writ LARGE!
get Julian Nagelsmann,he is the solution to our coaching problems.the next better upgraded version of guardiola!
We’ve had this debate before, it’s easy for people who don’t go to say give up the season ticket but I have a very good seat with five mates literally behind the television camera and if I give it up there is no way I can ever get it back again. Sure it’s easy to get a ticket if you really need one like joining the ticket scheme or buying off a tout, I know enough of them, but I don’t want to sit in the front row or pay through the nose. Anyway, hopefully we’ll get rid of Wenger and this debate will be irrelevant.
Kenny , take heart. Not “hopefully ” but “certainty” of Wengers demise, very soon now. Do please read my reply to Bob, who wrote the article, for the reasons of my “certainly”
Ken, no reasonable fan would expect a fellow gooner to give up their season ticket, given the difficulty (waiting list) of getting it back. Hopefully we only have to endure some short term pain before “regime change”.
Agreed Kenny.We are supporters and those like us fortunate to have season tickets would never give them up just for the sake of protest (although some have and that is their sacrifice for their beliefs).
The empty seats are a clear sign the fan base are not too pleased.We ARE a big Club.We sell out for every game (ish) so there is no hiding from the empty seats.They are there for all to see.Its embarrassing for the Club and it cannot be ignored any longer.It remains to be seen what happens of it continues but in my mind this is a clear sleight on Wenger AND The Board.
I prefer to see The Emirates full EVERY game and I hope this is the case until the season ends.A good protest is the final home game when the players will undoubtedly parade around the pitch after the match has ended.Imagine that happening to an empty Emirates.That would send the clearest signal to the Board Manager and Players that the fan base will not continue to accept mediocrity.Wouldnt it?
That’s quite a thought and bring it on. But I believe the decision to sack him has already been made, though notYET announced.
Oh Bob! If ONLY you possessed the wisdom to see further than the half full stadium and realise the inevitable consequences of that to a businessman like Kroenke. Don’t take up chess, dear Bob . because in that game(actually a sport now, it seems!) the top players ALWAYS look much further ahead than the next move. Regular empty seats mean fewer ATTENDING diehard fans. QED! So, (on to the next chess move), half empty stadiums are far less attractive to TV who pay vast money to broadcast. Can you see where this is going, Bob? Fewer broadcasts- seen around much of the world – attracts fewer foreign fans and far less merchandise , which in turn means less MONEY. EUREKA! A declining brand is quickly shunned by commercial companies – witness Steve Smith’s fate in cricket as evidence of this truth – and even if tourists replace these empty seats, not many are “diehard follow Arsenal to the end of the earth” fans AND continuing to take these noble fans for suckers is a suicidal move. Unlike you, I know that Kroenke as a multi billionaire , FULLY realises these “chess moves” and will act accordingly. I really don’t MEAN TO BE RUDE. BUT YOUR SIMPLISTC QUESTION(in your final sentence, which is what I pour scorn on) REALLY DOES INSULT THE INTELLIGENCE OF CLUED UP “CHESS PLAYERS.”
Spot on Jon. Needs nothing to add, just spot on.
Who said AFC didn’t listen to the fans? First, we got rid of the underperforming British players. Then we replaced the incompetent British scouts with Mislintat and Sallehi, removed the contract negotiator who make a mess of Sanchez and Ozil renewal with a new guy who is taking a hardline with Wilshere and Ramsey. Then we recruit a new German coach (Lehmann) and soon a new German Academy director (Mertersacker). What more does the fans want? A spendthrift coach like Mourinho and Pep who uses the club’s money to enhance their personal reputations?
The salient word you used is ” COACH”. After 21 years it would be great to have a manager who can and will coach! Which we very soon will!
Sorry sir, its typo error. Should be “MANAGER”.
A proper manager does coach. Wenger can’t or won’t. That is one of many reasons he is not fit to manage.
Agree Jon with your comments and analogy re Steve Smith; however he got 12 months from Cricket Australia, Faf Du Plessis got 1 match suspension from ICB and Mike Atherton got an OBE!
silent stan should do something abt wenger.we are a sinking titanic