Unfortunately, as fans we are like a blind man who stands in the street. He can feel the type of ground he is standing on. He knows what the weather is like. He is able to tell if the street is busy or quiet with people and road traffic, but he doesn’t know, and without his sight will never know the detail of his general impression of what is around him.
If there were five blind people in the street and you asked them what they knew of the street, I would think there replies would be more or less the same but each one would have his or her opinion as to what was really happening and each would be different.
As a blind fan this is my general understanding of how Arsenal has functioned and now functions.
Starting at the top like many clubs ‘The Board’ who in the past had little football knowledge. This shows when it comes to choosing a manager. Most clubs had this situation. Arsenal were a touch lucky because in its Chairman Sir Henry Norris, weary of the worst and losing money hand over fist, went out one day and came back with the best in the land, Herbert Chapman, and in doing so gave birth to a long, long held policy of the club. The Board appoint a manager and they leave the manager to manage.
All works well when success sweeps around the ground. The Board, like the fans, can sup their pints of happiness. But if the Board doesn’t know its football better than the fans when losing becomes the play of the game, the club is in trouble.
Back in the fifties this is exactly what happened to Arsenal. The was no Sir Henry Norris to bring home ‘the winner’. just a board hoping ‘Luck’ would find the right man.
In desperation they turned to the Physio who became what we know today as ‘Director of Football’ Two coaches came, and we reached the ‘heights’. Unfortunately, the second coach like the first one left and Bertie Mee (the Director of Football) couldn’t find a third of the same ability.
The Board were back in the centre of attention and ‘Hands on’ instead of their preferred ‘hands off’. For Bertie Mee it was third time unlucky, for the Board third time lucky for they opened their bedroom (sorry boardroom) door one morning and there was the answer to their dream. The man who gave us ‘One nil, to the Arsenal’
By this time the name ‘David Dein’ had been attached to the club and was attempting to drive Arsenal forward. He did.
How he came to the club is more or less for all to see the true details as to why he left is beyond our sight.
The Board (by this time an ageing Board) it would seem had no descendants to pass on their ownership of the Arsenal fame. What to do? Strange as it may seem there weren’t that many about willing to spend a pound or two and buy the club.
So, it was a choice of Rouble or Dollar?
They chose the man who promised to keep to the Arsenal Tradition of never ever interfering with the football side of the club.
So, he doesn’t.
For all we blind fans know, he wasn’t asked to promise that Arsenal were always fighting to be the best.
So, he doesn’t.
Did he promise the Board not to line his many pockets with Arsenal money? We don’t know!
So he does, or maybe so he doesn’t take money from the club? But if so, how much?
Like a blind person in the street we have some idea of what is happening at the club but we can’t see the detail and that is my frustration.
Snowden