A month ago a meeting was held in a Pub on Holloway road, representatives from all the fans groups, some bloggers and some people who have been active in fans rights attended, getting everyone in the same room was a mission in itself. The idea of this meeting was to see if we could all come together for the greater good and to try and speak with one voice, Together Stronger ! We all agreed to a man and a women that the way the club is being run right now both on and off the pitch is not what’s expected of The Arsenal.

A month of talks has since taken place, compromise was made by all still involved and a lot of hard work has gone into it thus far. The statement below has been sent to the club ahead of the next fans meeting later on this month. Answers and a clear idea on the future will be expected or future actions will be put in place . This is hopefully just the start of us all working together. The message to Stan is clear #WeCareDoYou.

Gav + Keenos

Statement –

As Arsenal fans we have watched with frustration as the team’s football performances have
declined over the past decade. When Stan Kroenke began buying Arsenal shares the club
had just competed in a first Champions League final. Twelve years on, Arsenal are about to
play in the Europa League for the third year running.

Off the pitch, fans have never felt more marginalised, less listened to or valued. This was nsadly illustrated when Stan Kroenke forcibly bought out the last remaining supporter-shareholders without even a word of appreciation for their custodianship role in the club.

It feels as though Arsenal is at a crossroads. Things need to change.

What all of us as signatories to this statement want to see is meaningful action by Stan
Kroenke to reinvigorate our football club.

This requires work to strengthen the club’s board and football executive and to once again
make Arsenal a place where fans have a real sense of belonging.

Change needs to start with better leadership. In his takeover document Stan Kroenke said:
‘KSE’s ambitions for the club are to see it competing consistently to win the Premier League
and the Champions League.’

We see little evidence of how this is to be achieved. Instead our club feels like an
investment vehicle, personified by the owner’s statement that he didn’t buy Arsenal to win
trophies.

It is sad that an institution like Arsenal FC has such passive ownership. All of us want to
see a clear sense of purpose and direction. KSE should start by being more open and
accountable and explain how they intend to achieve the goal of winning the game’s major
trophies.

If Stan Kroenke is going to be absent from London he needs to make sure the board he
delegates to is fit for purpose.

There is a desperate need for some new and dynamic appointments. The addition of
independently-minded directors can act as a genuine check and balance on the owner.
Ideal candidates would have football and commercial expertise relevant to the needs of a
football club in 2019, and ideally some ‘Arsenal DNA’.

Arsenal have invested money in recent years, but their approach to both buying players and
paying wages looks uncoordinated and appears to lack strategy. There has also been a lot
of turnover in the senior football personnel. A strong board would be proactively managing
this.

On a matchday the Emirates Stadium can be a soulless place. The atmosphere is poor and
there are thousands of empty seats blighting almost every game. If Arsenal really cared
they would make sure seats weren’t left empty by investing in an improved ticketing system
and actively supporting initiatives like safe standing. The club uses the strapline ‘Always
ahead of the game’. It would be good to see action to demonstrate this.

Finally, the very fabric of football in England and across Europe is at threat from proposals
for a European Super League.

These moves are driven by the greed of a few so-called elite clubs who want guaranteed
entry into top-level European competition every year. Why care if you finish fifth or lower if
automatic qualification is guaranteed? Arsenal and the other clubs involved should
understand that fans do not want more meaningless group stage fixtures designed only to
rake in more broadcast and ticketing revenue. You could call it the ‘franchisation’ of
European Football. Arsenal should immediately clarify they will have no part in this.

As Arsenal Supporters, we care deeply. We would like to hear from our club and see
actions that demonstrate that they do too. The first opportunity comes when the Managing
Director and Head of Football speak to invited supporters on July 25th.

We urge them to
address the issues raised here. We will watch with interest.

Signatories:
Arseblog
Arsenal Armed Forces Supporters Club
Arsenal Supporters’ Trust (AST)
Black Scarf Movement (BSM)
Highbury Library
Highbury Squad
Hugh Wizzy
Gooner Fanzine
Goonerholic
Gunners Town
Gunnerblog
Le Grove
REDACTION
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
You Are My Arsenal Blog
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