The cleanest long distance transport are trains.

So you would think that with Sky’s moral compass of “Sky Ocean” and “Sky Zero”, they would ensure every game they show on TV would be scheduled so away fans would not have to drive hundreds of miles.

Considering the outbursts by Gary Neville et al following the European Super League announcement – when Sky Sports anointed themselves as the fans protector of the game – you would think they would put match going fans first.

And considering their commentators have mentioned countless times since crowds returned to football stadiums that match going fans make a huge difference, you think they would ensure games are on at reasonable times.

But we all know Sky TV – and whoever the other TV companies are that have shared the rights over the decades – do not care about match going fans.

And this has been shown once more with the scheduling of Arsenal’s games this season.

One advantage of not playing in Europe (I hoped) was more 3pm Saturday away trips. This follows hardly any in the last 10 years.

And then Sky do what they do best and ruin it for everyone.

Liverpool – No trains back
Man U – No trains back
Everton – No trains back
Leeds – Probably no trains back
Norwich – No trains there or back

It’s a disgrace!

— John Williamson (@willow1886) October 18, 2021

5 away games. And only a slim chance of one having a train home.

The Leeds United is that slim chance – the last train leaves Leeds station at 20:16. That will give fans 45 minutes to make the 40 minute walk into Leeds town centre to catch it.

It’s just bollocks.

I’m feed up with it all.

Next time a Pundit talks about the environment or how they are the custodians of the game, I hope everyone reminds them of what their employers choose to do.

Fuck Sky.

Keenos

Morning all.

Football returns this weekend following the 2nd international break of the season. The 3rd international break is in about 4 weeks time. I am getting to the point where I would not care if they scrapped itnernational football completely.

So whilst football returns, Arsenal do not actually play until Monday.

We face Crystal Palace at home on monday night; the worst kick off time of them all.

I have never liked the Monday night kick off time. No match going fan enjoys it – whether you are home or away.

If you are at home, which we are lucky enough to be, it means strolling into work onthe tuesday with a hangover (que all the drips who say “just do not drink”) and little sleep. You then have 4 days to get through as your body tries to catch up.

If you are away it is even worse as it can often mean two days off work.

Two days off work for a Monday night game to Liverpool or Hull City for a football game. Usually with no trains home after the game.

Let’s remember the TV companies showed their disgust when the Super League was announced.

Gary Neville et al tried to position themselves as the voice of the fans. Yet they remain silent when it comes to awful kick off times with no trains home. they are hypocrites.

We then play again Friday night; and again that shows how hypocritical those TV companies were over the Super League.

Luckily we are at home, but why on earth have we been scheduled to play on a Monday and a Friday?

Taking away that it does not make for fair competition between teams; it is also not fair for fans.

Fella that sits near me in the ground relocated to Dorset 5 years ago. A sort of semi-retirement. He travels up for every game by train. Into Waterloo then onto Arsenal.

Back to back Monday and Friday games means he can not go to either. Or if he chooses too he will have to spend hundreds on a London hotel and travel home the day after.

One Monday or Friday game on occasion can be “coped with”. But two in the same week? It just shows that TV companies do not care about match going fans. But we already knew that didn’t we.

Yesterday it was announced that their would be a documentary film on Arsene Wenger and his Invincible side hitting the ciniemas on 11th November.

I was suprised by how bitter some people were over this.

The Invincible side was not just a huge part of Arsenal’s history, but a huge part of footballing history. Sir Alex Ferguson, when interviewed for the film, said “the achievement stands above everything else.”

Yet there is a small section of Arsenal fans still hugn up on how it ended with Wenger and seem to refuse to let themselves enjoy the Invincible achievement – or the Double Double.

These sort of fans really are bitter. It probably eats them up from the inside on a daily basis.

In football you take the good days with the bad. The highs and the lows.

Luckily for Arsenal fans there have been more highs throughout the last 35 years than lows. Under George Graham, then Arsene Wenger.

I am always shocked when people say “going invincible was the worst thign that happened to Arsenal”.

imagine hating the greatest achievement in our clubs – nay English football – history because of the way it ended.

I imagine these people that moan are probably still strung up on their misses that left them after 20 years. Only remembering the last 5 years when it was a bit shit rather than the 15 years of great times before that. Still blaming her for everything that is currently wrong in their lives.

Anyway, enjoy a football free weekend and we will see you in Islington on Monday.

Keenos

We have a dozen Arsenal bottle openers available on the site. All based on our popular Arsenal beer mats. Which one is your favourite?#Arsenal #ArsenalFC #AFC #BHAARShttps://t.co/Y2pzuicG1N pic.twitter.com/0MRNLMkklG

— Kick Off Merchants (@KOMerchants) October 2, 2021