Before the Manchester United match a few weeks ago, Danny Fiszman was on the pitch for a presentation ceremony of the ‘orphan’ share which the board agreed to donate to the Arsenal Supporters Trust at the 2006 AGM.

The share came into existence due to the calculations involved when new shares were created in the deal that saw ITV buy 9.9% of the club in 2000. It was spotted by an eagle-eyed Trust member and after subsequent campaigning of the board, they agreed to donate it to the Trust for safekeeping.

The presentation of the giant share certificate by Danny Fiszman on the pitch is the first time the director has been seen on the field on a matchday for several seasons, with the exception of the ‘Farewell Highbury’ ceremony. But it also points to the possibility that he is filling David Dein’s shoes as the man that represents the board to both the fans and the team, as Fiszman has begun to speak with the players before and after matches in the dressing room, in the way that Dein used to.

His willingness, after a long time, to meet with Trust representatives and relay the message of the importance of the custodianship of the club is a significant step. The new lockdown agreement is a good sign at a time when Arsenal are seen as an excellent investment for predators, but it is only set in stone for three years, by which time the club should be in an even healthier financial condition.

Doubtless there will be a lot of speculation until then about future ownership, but the role of the Trust in representing both shareholders and supporters will hopefully influence an outcome which benefits Arsenal the best. After a very busy few months, the Trust have re-launched their website and the most significant page to keep tabs on is this one, as it will be from here that the daily papers pick up some of their stories about the movements in the market and the Trust’s expert reaction to such developments.

Let’s all hope that the people who control the club for the years ahead share Danny Fiszman’s ethos – the owners of the club should be custodians of Arsenal, rather than profiteers.

Arsenal Supporters Trust membership is open to all Arsenal fans regardless of their being a shareholder or not. By becoming a member, you would automatically become a part owner of the club as the members jointly own the three shares that the Trust own. Membership is as cheap as £24 a year (£2 a month by standing order) and there are plans to issue annual limited edition collectable membership certificates. When those are launched we’ll bring them to your attention here at onlinegooner so that you don’t miss out.