David Davies’s interview with Farhad Moshiri on BBC Radio 5Live’s Sportsweek programme (about a third of the way through following the Seb Coe interview) on Sunday was in fact a one-sided PR exercise for his friend and former business colleague, David Dein. Farhad Moshiri is Alisher Usmanov's partner in Red and White. Mr Usmanov is assiduously seeking to take control of Arsenal FC. David Dein sold his shares to Mr Usmanov and still seems to be involved in these shabby attempts to destabilise the existing Board.

In my opinion Arsenal is probably one of the most viable, financially sound and best run clubs in the Premiership. We all hope for the long awaited signing of players in areas where the team is noticeably under strength but, in business terms, the club is sound, despite the mewlings of some media folk with vested interests and obvious prejudices.

Farhad Moshiri, who has no direct connection with Arsenal, claimed that the club turned down an offer to pay off their debts. This is untrue: Mr Usmanov’s suggestion was for a rights issue, which was an attempt to dilute the control of the existing Board. Mr Moshiri was also allowed (or encouraged) to offer other opinions dressed up as facts.

The connection between David Davies and David Dein via the FA is well known; what is perhaps less well known is that when Mr Dein was selling his shares in the club to Mr Usmanov, the person looking after his media relations was David Davies. It was Mr Davies who organised the announcement of his sale to Red and White and who organised and attended subsequent events for Mr Dein. Consequently, Mr Davies almost certainly had some business relationship with Mr Moshiri and Mr Usmanov. (Ed’s note – this is conjecture on the part of the writer and we have no proof that this is indeed the case, so the idea should be read as the opinion of the writer and nothing more.) All these interests and connections were not relayed to listeners.

It seems likely, therefore, that Mr Davies has used his position at the BBC to insidiously promote an aggressive and unwanted takeover bid by people with whom he has or had a working relationship. (Ed’s note – It’s my belief that David Davies did the show on a freelance arrangement rather than as a BBC employee.) It will be another sad day for the BBC if this is not addressed. Ideally Mr Davies’s only future broadcast will be to apologise for using the BBC as a vehicle to promote his friends’ business interests.

Whilst I accept that some supporters may be so desperate as to welcome this predator into our hen house, it surely cannot be right for the BBC to be used in this way. I have registered a complaint with the BBC (my first ever) and I encourage other supporters to contact the BBC and demand an explanation and apology.

(Ed’s note – The opinions expressed in online exclusives are those of the contributor, but do not necessarily represent any policy or view of The Gooner, onlinegooner.com or the editor, unless it says ‘Online Ed’ (meaning editorial) at the top. It is our policy to present a range of views if that reflects what is submitted to us)