Mike Power’s recent article on early leavers who have to travel home after evening matches to the depths of Warwickshire all rings very true. And in essence this is the reason I’m unable to attend midweek away matches, so I do sympathise. However I refuse to believe that the vast majority of early leavers do so purely for reasons of problematical transport.

Take our recent match against West Ham. It was as you may recall one of those rare 3.00 pm Saturday afternoon matches. So it involved no late night travel, no problems regarding work the next morning, no depriving children of their beloved homework and no schools to attend the following day. There were no major rail or underground disruptions, no local station closures, no striking rail or bus workers and no nationwide power cuts. No manic reports by a demented stadium announcer screaming over the sound system about problems on the Piccadilly Line. The weather was also fine so there were no anticipated delays due to snow, black ice, sleet, hail, icebergs, leaves on the line, melting roads or buckling railway tracks. I also have it on good authority that there were no threats of earthquakes, flooding, tempests, hurricanes, raining cats and dogs or the onset of the Apocalypse. In short there was no excuse to leave early whatsoever unless you are a part-time supporter.

This match was perceived as a must win game where our cavalry charge in the closing minutes might have proved essential for a place in the Champions League. With fifteen minutes to go the team’s momentum was accelerating as they attempted to throw in the kitchen sink and every Arsenal fan should have been on the edge of their seat giving it all they’d got in support of the team. Never mind about the pointlessness of retaining four players at the back or all the usual stuff about barn doors and banjos or the three passes too many. The team needed our support and the majority were giving it large.

So what happened? Loads of part-time supporters deserted the team like demented lemmings. With ten minutes to go plus added time many miserable apologists for supporters started to block the exits as a dribble of very early leavers became a flood. The team surely cannot fail to notice this mass desertion. Just when the team really needed their support the most these sad individuals buggered off. This not only disrupts the pleasure of the viewing public far more than anyone standing up in their seats during a game, but it is also a total insult to a group of players doing their best to win a game, however ineptly they may have been going about it.

So let’s not hear any more excuses from early leavers. Just don’t turn up at all next time, that way the real fans can get on and enjoy or endure the game until the final whistle. And do so without interruption from those who are not fit to wear the replica shirt.