The Public Library

[vin de guerre]

Here is a link worth looking at:
http://www.football365.com/You_Say_We_s ... 9103.shtml

There are a number of interesting comments about our hallowed Marbled Halls. To Many to copynpaste

 

[JazzG]

http://www.football365.com/You_Say_We_s ... 8999.shtml

They are responding to that article, as much as I would like to disagree I can't

 

[Allyboy]

Its a catch 22 situation im afraid.

The Carling Cup games have had great atmospheres and there have been loads of first timers who are really into the game. For the other games though there are loads of season ticket holders who just want to sit on their hands and remain silent.

However, when these people are paying £800+ for their season ticket then surely they are entitled to do this!

 

[Thierrylikescats]

i blame it on that we are more sophisticated and civilised then other fans! :wink:

 

[lewdikris]

This letter sums it up for me:

'...Having read Stuart Carrington's damning indictment of Fans' Day at Arsenal, I would have to say that the whole day was a success. Citeh's famous support were thoroughly drowned out for noise, while the day really served as a reminder that we, as Arsenal fans should be more vocal.

This said, I feel we are a reflection of our environment and the way we play football. As a London-based club we draw many of our fans from the local urban environment, which is more middle-class and sophisticated than the Old Trafford or Merseyside areas. This population is much more reserved and less likely to sing.

The by-product of this is our multicultural and cosmopolitan fan base is rarely involved in any post-match fracas, the stadium is a great environment for families and racism has all but been eradicated.

I for one would hate to model myself on the great Newcastle fans who think a smart restaurant calls for the swanky new away kit to be worn, or Leeds and Everton fans whose race relations records are at a worrying level.

In addition to this, if you are a 'highlights' fan, you won't realise that much of Arsenal's game involves this very patient build-up play, popping the ball back and forward, probing for an opening. This style makes you watch the game in anticipation for an explosion of speed, power and all the other things our football is famous for. When the team speed up, the fans respond with noise and singing.

Liverpool don't have this build-up play. Every five seconds the ball is at one end or the other, no wonder the fans are always off their seats.

In short, I would rather been deemed as a Prawn Sarnie man with a stylish team than a thug-like oaf who doesn't read, thinks fine food comes from cans yet sings while his team of 11 skill-less wonders lump the ball up and down the park all afternoon.
Alex'

I will fully admit that the 'best' atmosphere i've ever experienced at Highbury was when i got lumped in the West Ham fans a few years back. They were rabid - and everything 'fans' are supposed to be. Noisy, committed etc etc - but it came with a cost: in the space of that match, I heard Kanu being called 'a ****ing black bastard', Vieira and Petit called 'French frog ****s', Wenger called a *, and saw a fight being quite blatantly organised by a large group for afterwards.

That's not the price you have to pay for highly vocal, passionate support, but the connection is there - and i'd rather Highbury be a safe place to go for families, women and members of ethnic minorities rather than just white blokes (like me) aged 18-40.

On the tube to the Boro match the other week I was in a carriage with an asian family, a group of 15 white and black teenagers and an old white couple pushing 70. All of them wearing the red and white. I'm proud of the fact that all of them felt safe and happy at Highbury.

Our club's tradition has been vital in seeing black players integrated into English football, and the second stage of that process has been generating a fanbase that cuts across all racial and social lines. Arsenal are well ahead in this area. If that means the stadium is slightly quieter, so be it.

 

[vin de guerre]

Thanks for a great article Lew

 

[Alexone234]

Hey, that great article was me I made a post here before reading the article by this carrington bloke and decided to post the dame thing to football365.

I always like to do my bit.

 

[vin de guerre]

Hey, that great article was me I made a post here before reading the article by this carrington bloke and decided to post the dame thing to football365.

I always like to do my bit.

Well that was an even better article than I first thought, Alexone234!

 

[Webdesignlab]

Our club's tradition has been vital in seeing black players integrated into English football, and the second stage of that process has been generating a fanbase that cuts across all racial and social lines. Arsenal are well ahead in this area. If that means the stadium is slightly quieter, so be it.

Too bloody right, when we get the new stadium a lot more Newbies will be there every week, these will make upthe noise level for all our 'sophistimacated' (as Homer would say) fanbase,

I totally agree that we are a very good example of a true multicultural fanbase. I know a lot of other teams have a big 'mix' of all races, but only at Arsenal have I ever seen fans truly mixing rather than just been in the same stands.

I was sat next to a Turkish guy and a Greek guy at Arsenal vKiev, well you can't gate more mixed than that as theGames24 will tell you. We all sang like kids and all was very cool. When cole scored there was no Cyprus, except a lovely island in the Med.

 

[lewdikris]

I had a suspicion it was you Alex!!!

 

[vin de guerre]

Talk about a cultural melting pot. I swear blind the last time I was at highbury I stood next to Osama bin Laden! :evil:

 

[Alexone234]

I hate it when we are criticised by other fans about the noise levels. We have a very healthy fan base, one which I am proud of. If the arrival of fans who are **** heads but sing alot puts that into jeopardy that I'd rather saty quiet.

 

[torgrim]

Talk about a cultural melting pot. I swear blind the last time I was at highbury I stood next to Osama bin Laden!

See...Arsenal bringing oppostites together.

I'd rather spend all life at a library than hearing the vocal dismay of some yob at the terraces. I really can't see the problem here, if noice is what people want, I'm sure there are tickets left for the Cradle of Filth concert in Hersham next week.

 

[AlexH]

Talk about a cultural melting pot. I swear blind the last time I was at highbury I stood next to Osama bin Laden! :evil:

Nah...we all know Osama is a ManU fan! :twisted:

 

[vin de guerre]

Talk about a cultural melting pot. I swear blind the last time I was at highbury I stood next to Osama bin Laden! :evil:

Nah...we all know Osama is a ManU fan! :twisted:

Osama is far too intelligent to be a manure fan!

 

[AFCG7]

as far as i know.. Bin Laden was a gooner in his younger days