Sell Up or Front Up Now, Stan!

Sell up or front up!

As the football world tries to come to terms with the implications of this week’s failed football coup – Gunner Town’s Dave Seager adds his thoughts on what how Arsenal fans can address the obvious issues with its current ownership. (Note – this post was written before the Fans Forum meeting with Josh Kroenke last night.)

I tend to write about Arsenal from the heart, always have done to be honest, but equally I endeavour to stay realistic. It seems sensible to balance what you want, with what is likely or possible. Therefore, when it comes to the events of the past few days, from Arsenal announcing their intention to join a new European Super League, to last night’s weak apology and withdrawal, where do you start?

I feel that firstly, you need to separate Arsenal FC, the institution, its values and traditions and – crucially, the people who work there – from the ownership. Attacking Arsenal’s social media, run by honest, hardworking employees, who probably share your sentiments and anger is futile. The initial decision was undeniably made by KSE and I would not be surprised if even senior board members were not even in the loop. Certainly, the coaching staff and players will have been as surprised and perturbed as the rest of us when the shock announcement came. 

Regardless of how we now look upon the club’s America ownership, it is the employees in every department, along with the coaching staff and those who pull on the shirt, who represent us and the class we still hope the club has. They have not let us down on this issue (inconsistency on the pitch to one side for a second,) it is KSE that have done so.

KSE, along with other greedy, impetuous owners who simply do not understand football in this country, have seriously misjudged the situation and how deeply our league and our clubs are embedded in the supporter’s psyche. Professional football in England – and, I would suggest, most of the world – is a sport and will always be so. Yes, the money in the game and new ownerships have often given one team or teams an advantage over others in the modern era but at the core, it is still 11 v 11, with skills, endeavour, tactics, and desire making the outcome on any given day, or season, uncertain. And ultimately there will always be winners and losers and those rewarded and promoted and those relegated, that is what makes a sport, and a sport we love.

Many feel that Stan Kroenke and KSE’s actions, their lack of effort to connect with the supporters and their greed, mean they have crossed a final line. I agree with the majority here and hope the backlash will swiftly make him reconsider his position. Arsenal is an English institution with traditions and values built up over time, and it is part of a London community and now a global community, that have taken them to their hearts.  As such how ever big the club has been, is or will be, it is always part of something bigger. It is not a franchise to be bought and sold, an entertainment commodity or just a means of generating income, Stan, and it never will be.

My sincere hope is that by peaceful but vocal campaigning, adding to the obvious and real bloody nose he has taken on this, we can make him swiftly take stock and consider his position. The fans of Arsenal want the team to be able to compete and again strive for the dizzy heights attained in the 1990s and early noughties, but we want to do it in our league and by improving in the traditional away – producing talent, coaching, astute signings, and clever tactics.

KSE have borrowed massively, as I understand it, to buy Usmanov’s remaining Red and White shares and pressure and bad sentiment towards Kroenke and his mismanagement of Arsenal might see his creditors consider their loans. The British Government is certainly likely to call in the monies loaned in 2020 and there are worrying rumours that some sponsors are considering their positions. Whilst the latter is concerning, it is not surprising, as we are not as attractive a proposition to market products as we should be.

The truth is Arsenal need, and the supporters deserve, ownership that comprehends the history and nature of football in England and we need it quickly. If KSE will not sell, or if they cannot find a buyer then the absolute minimum is that they install a properly qualified management to run the club for them and commit to allowing them to do so. Do that and give that management team resources and time and they might find they get where they want to via the old fashioned, competitive sporting route. 

Lastly I would suggest before Friday’s match and the planned protests, which I wholly support, the very least Stan or Josh must do is front up to the fans themselves and not hide behind a cowardly, glib meaningless club statement.

Dave Seager

Passionate fifty-something Arsenal supporter who has been making the journey to N5 regularly since the early 1980s – although his first game was in 1976. Always passionate when talking about The Arsenal, Dave decided to send a guest blog to Gunnersphere in the summer of 2011 and has not stopped writing about the Gunners since.

He set up his own site – 1 Nil Down 2 One Up – in February 2012, which he moved on in 2016 to concentrate on freelance writing and building Gunners Town, which he launched with Paul in 2014.

The objective of GT was to be new and fresh and to give a platform for likeminded passionate Arsenal fans wishing to write about their team. Dave still of course, writes for the site himself and advises the ever-changing writing crew.