The Gooner
What is happening around the club right now is something nobody that loves Arsenal is enjoying. Looking at the many polls conducted, it seems there is no question that the majority of supporters wish for change at the club. That needs to start with a change in the dugout, as the performances in this calendar year have confirmed that Arsene no longer has what it takes to get the team past the last 16 in the Champions League nor mount a season-long title challenge. This season, on current form and with a far from easy run-in, even the taken for granted top four place is in doubt. What worries most is the apparent lack of desire on the pitch, as the players no longer seem to be responding to the challenge in front of them. An FA Cup semi-final slot has been secured thanks to facing two non-league teams in the previous two rounds. The club had to go down to red members to sell out their Wembley semi-final ticket allocation of 32,000 tickets.
Many supporters that want change are uncomfortable with demonstrations and chanting against Arsene Wenger. They consider it disrespectful. For people who actually wish to influence the manager’s decision over whether or not he himself wishes to continue, a proposal. The Gooner is inviting you to write a personal letter to Arsene, expressing your appreciation for the good times he has given you over the years, but explaining why you, as a supporter, would prefer it if he stepped down. You can put your own name and address on it if you think he might personally reply. We will ensure that he has the opportunity to read your letters, as they will not go through a club employee that filters such things. We have a way of getting them to him directly (although what we cannot rule out he will pass them on, once read, to someone at the club to send out a standard pat reply).
Letters can either be emailed to us [email protected] (put ‘Letter for Arsene’ in the subject line) or sent by post to The Gooner, BCM Box 7499, London WC1N 3XX. The content will be read before it reaches Arsene, as we will only deliver respectful letters that do not contain any abuse. Please post or email any letters to us by the end of Tuesday next week (18th April) and we will ensure they reach Arsene. We cannot rule out he may only read the first few lines of your letter, but he will certainly see it. We would be inclined to advise you to keep the content on one page and limit it to around a maximum of 700 words rather than write lengthy essays, as that will lessen the chances of him reading the whole thing.
So, an opportunity for those that want change, but are a bit too polite to make a noise about it, to try and influence matters in a respectful manner.
We appreciate there are also a good number of people that realize the importance of the need for change remaining on the media agenda. In this light, the #NoNewContract / #Wenger Out protest group that organized such things as the plane at West Brom, the mobile billboard at the Man City home match and the reception committee at the pre-West Ham game training ground press conference have launched a fresh JustGiving appeal. Funds are needed for them to continue with a variety of planned activities, although after the club organized friends of the chairman’s family in Hong Kong to counter the West Brom plane, the element of surprise is their key tactic going forward.
So if you wish for the pressure they are exerting through the media coverage of their activities to continue, please chip in. Significantly, an anonymous benefactor has offered to match whatever the new page can raise as the group attempt to raise an extra £2,500. So any contribution you make is actually worth double.
The original Justgiving page was closed once it had reached its target of £4,000 because funds are only released once the appeal page is closed and the group had outstanding bills to pay for stuff already done and orders made in advance for future activities. So a new one has been set up. You can get news of their latest plans on their Twitter account @NoNewContract, which also includes ways you can get involved.
So there you have it. Whether you think change can be achieved respectfully or that protest is needed, you have your opportunity to do your bit.
