“ASK NOT WHAT YOUR “CLUB” CAN DO FOR YOU – ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR “CLUB” – AND VICE VERSA OF COURSE!! by Ken1945
Of course, I have inserted two different words into one of the most famous and inspiring speeches ever made from John F. Kennedy, as part of his inaugural address on 20th January 1961.
But, in the troubled times we face currently and wondered if or how this could apply to us, as fans, and The Arsenal as the club we all support.
So, these are four points that we can do and five points the club can do, in order to go forward:
THE SUPPORTERS:
1. While we continue to be divided with regards to ANY player, when they are wearing the shirt and/or seen as part of the club’s plans, we should be as one and get behind them and the team at every game we are lucky enough to attend.
2. Ensure our club maintains it’s excellent racism record by reporting any sign of racial abuse, no matter who it is and/or whom it is directed at.
3. Report any foul and/or abusive language to the nearest steward, again in order that the club’s image is preserved as a “family friendly” club.
4. With a waiting list of a reported 60,000 fans wanting season tickets, if those of us lucky enough to have one, cannot make a game, ensure that we either give/sell it to a fellow Gooner or alert the club in order that they can sell it on.
THE CLUB:
1. Look at the possibility of introducing an all standing area, with reduced season ticket prices, for those fans who want to stand throughout a game. I know it’s been mentioned, but why can’t we get this idea moving? This would also enable the club to increase it’s capacity and allow more fans inside the ground.
2. Monitor all season ticket holders who, on a regular basis, leave their seats empty – make said s/t holders aware of the situation – if they do not use the season ticket, take it away and offer it to one of the fans who desperately want one. This would make the club’s claim of 60,000 attendances realistic, rather than making us a laughing stock when it is quite obvious there is nowhere near a full capacity.
3. Re-introduce our own television channel, where we can question and discuss with the likes of MA, players and staff our queries and concerns, possibly twice a week.
4. Move the away supporters from the front of the clock end and up into a less prominent section, as our away fans have to endure at grounds such as Old Trafford and St. James park.
5. Ensure we have a tannoy system that reaches all parts of the ground in a clear and easy to hear way. Since we moved to The Emirates it has been impossible to hear all that is being said.
Now these are just my personal views and I haven’t introduced new signings or transfers out, as this is about things that both fans and the club could do together to improve relationships and a better match day experience what does anyone else think both sides could do in this respect?
ken1945
I think most fans would agree with you on the the points you raise.
The club website tries to be cool and give the impression that it cares about the fans
Fan care at the stadium does not seem so important. I wonder why.
My be it is another sign on the road to mediocrity that seems to be the game plan and destination for the club of the present leadership.
Arsene Wenger gave the club vision.
The dropping into a state of mediocrity is I believe the cause of the growing division at the club.
Ken made a positive statement in which the club and supporters alike can be a better force for good and all highly achievable
Mediocrity is not a standard Arsenal should be aiming for. I firmly believe that even though our owner doesn’t show much in the ambition stakes, Arteta is a steely character who has the ability to raise our current level – mediocrity- to a much better place.
SP- if you, or anyone else for that matter, have yet to watch the Ian Wright Podcast (BBC Football) where he interviews Mikel Arteta, then I suggest you take 10 minutes and see it. We have the making of an unbelievably gifted and passionate coach managing our club. Nobody will doubt this after watching this:
Dear Sue,
I write after just reading Ken’s article again. Ken writes about admin failings and stadium and as I thought no mention of matters on the pitch. I have replied to the subjects Ken and only those. There isn’t any mention of the subject of Arteta.
As you may know if you submit an article for the site to share they insist on giving your article their headline and not your own. So I don’t write I limit myself to comments.
Back in the days when the ‘yawning pundits’ and the boring Ferguson disciples screamed in unison ‘Arsene who?’ I knew the answer to that and was excited about the prospect of his arrival at Highbury. See my quiz on Arsene Wenger.
I thought that Emery’s appointment was a good one. It made good sense. However after a few weeks I began to wonder. We went on a winning streak and everything was honky dory – but.
The problem is we don’t see what is happening behind the scenes and yet we think we understand what is happening on the pitch in front of our very eyes- sadly we don’t. I wish we did.
I am not going to say what caused me to doubt the appointment because it is only my opinion gleaned from afar. Therefore it has no weight of authority.
As for Arteta. Wow yes!
The owner’s American clubs rarely rise above mid table of their respected leagues but they make money for K S enterprises so no concern about league position.
That Arteta defies the KS norm of mediocrity won’t bother KS one red cent. It won’t excite him if we win a trophy but the extra dollar the win brings in, will excite him
The trophy will excite us both.
I think because of the mediocrity off the pitch, Arteta has a harder task than Arsene.
Arteta brings us hope of pushing back KS’s inflicted mediocrity while he is in charge of the pitch.
Thanks for your reply Snowden
I enjoyed reading what you had to say
If only our world, let alone merely our club, were full of peole with KENS INTELLECT,STATURE AND DECENCY, what a splendid world we would have. The parapharase of JFK ‘s famous speech is precisely the sort of life attitud e we should ALL aspire to reach. What can WE do for others, not the other way round.
What we CAN do is ensure their safety by not playing games while hundreds are still dying daily and thousands still catching the virus.
MAKE SENSE? THAT MIGHT DEPEND ON YOUR INDIVIDUAL LIFE PHILOSOPHY, ASSUMING YOU HAVEONE.
I could add, petition the club to make the hand dryers in the gents loos work properly at long last. In this new situation we are all in you can bet that proper soap and washing and drying facilities will be insisted on when football returns. Under normal times its perhaps not that important but it is from now on. Hygiene will be top of peoples agenda, many for the first REAL time.
Indeed Jon, a VERY good point – no idea about the ladies loos (Sue???) but it seems there is always one dryer not working or playing up!!!
I also agree with you on cleanliness being on some peoples list for the first time Jon – it does seem though, that over the last twenty odd years, the male species has, at long last, taken on that cleanliness is next to godliness, we even have to queue for the hand dryer .
That’s enough personal details, the ladies will be turning green at the gills!!!!
Ken your ” male species has, at long last….. etc” reminds me of when we were young men and playing park football. I played at East Acton at Wormwood Scrubs pitches, where if we were lucky we has a horse trough to wash the mud off boots and perhaps hands and I travelled back on the TUBE to WOOD GREEN on route then by bus to Palmers Green, getting dirty looks at the state I and my kit were both in.
Did I care though? What do you think! Hygiene was for the female sex, as far as I was concerned back then. Disgraceful attitude, I admit!
A little bit of dirt never hurt anybody Jon, that was my motto back in my “playing days around the Wood Green, Bounds Green, Enfield and Hackney Marshes pitches.
I must have followed you home sometimes, but I always took the 221 from Wood Green, up Jolly Butchers Hill to Bounds Green,or the underground of course.
It was a badge of honour to look as dishevelled as possible, with football boots hanging round neck!!!
My mum used to despair when I hadn’t cleaned the bath properly and once my dad had given me a couple of clips round the ear for not cleaning it properly, I soon realized that cleanliness DID come before godliness!!!
Ladies loos all good, Ken ☺
Great suggestions 👍
Ken- a very good point re the Arsenal TV Channel. I’m at a loss as to why it was ended in the first place. Anyone else know?
Good article as well Ken. Do you and Jon remember the studs on football boots back in the day? I seem to recall they were NAILED into the sole. Those were the day eh?
From Wikipedia
On 23 June 2009, Setanta Sports entered administration and ceased broadcasting its core channels. Arsenal announced that Arsenal TV would continue broadcasting in the short term but that the club would evaluate its long-term viability.[8][9] On 22 July 2009, Setanta Sports administrators Deloitte announced that they would sell Setanta Sports’ Sky Digital EPG slots through Canis Media, including Arsenal TV’s slot on channel 435.[10]
On 31 July 2009, Arsenal announced that as a result of Setanta Sports going into administration, Arsenal TV would no longer be available on the Sky platform until further notice. Since Setanta ceased to broadcast, the club had explored alternative options regarding the future of Arsenal TV. However, for the short term, Arsenal TV was exclusively available online fully through the club’s online channel, Arsenal Player and partly upon Arsenal on YouTube as well.[1][2][11] All of Arsenal’s friendly matches prior to the 2009-10 season were shown exclusively on Arsenal TV Online apart from the Emirates Cup.[1]
On 4 August 2009, Arsenal TV was removed from Virgin Media channel 542 and replaced with an on-screen slate citing that Arsenal TV had ceased broadcasting. On 6 August 2009, Arsenal TV went blank on Sky channel 435, after carrying a similar on-screen closure message during the channel’s downtime since 4 August. It was then removed from the Sky EPG on 7 August 2009.
Thanks AdM- it disappeared and never knew why.
Exactly right Phil regarding the studs – if you banged the nail in to far, you would get a blood blister – then the dubbin to keep the boots “pliable”” and the laces that were so long you could wrap them round, over and back behind the boots so they wouldnt slip off.
What with that and the shin pads that had wood in them and a leather ball that weighed a ton in the mud, it’s a wonder any of us “old fogies” are still around – as you say “those were the days my friend” etc etc!!!
Honestly Ken I remember them to this day. They were like the old Rugby boots with what seemed like steel toecaps. How did they ever play with those on?
Sure do Phil! Dubbin too and footballs with bladders. Boots that were like Doc Martins, not carpet slippers like today. Dinosaurs we may be but dinosaurs stand for the true romance in the game which in many respects has, IMO, now gone from the game.
The main difference back then though was that players were not remote from fans, like today. Those damned headphones! If I were in charge, I ‘d ban them for ALL players anywhere near grounds and esp on match days. The message they send to watching fans is, “my music is far more important to me than talking or interacting wth you”.
Such things are of vital import but little forward thinking is ever given to things that matter to fans , only to pampered to death players, who wield FAR too much power, to the games detriment.
Martin, thanks for the info – I knew a little of the story behind the club going off air – the point I was making though, was why can’t the club re-introduce it?
If pool, chelsea and manure can afford it, why can’t we?
That’s what we should be asking the club in my opinion.
I just cannot understand it either Ken. If AFTV can do it ( and trust me, that guy is earning a fortune from it ) surely the Club could re-introduce it.
Fast forward a few years, not that many either, and all top clubs will be screening their own matches and own the rights to them. Sky, Bt Sport will desperately try to prevent this and for a while they will succeed, aided by this virus and its aftermath, when money will be short for sometime to come.
But in the end, it is inevitable that clubs will own their own rights – certainly ALL the top clubs – and whether Sky etc will be able to cobble together worthwhile packages from the much lower clubs to make them a good profit, is IMO very doubtful. Between games, clubs will give far more publicity than right now to the lives of players and all around the club.
Sadly, for civilised folk, the age of citizens pivacy is becoming ever and ever more remote. BIG BROTHER IS ALL AROUND US, FAR CLOSER , EVEN NOW , THAN MANY YET REALISE. Football cannot be exempt from this trend.