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Arsenal - We're Still Drawing The Fans

Following the League Cup victory over Shrewsbury a little over a week ago there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth from the press regarding the empty seats at Ashburton Grove.

Completely ignoring the fact that this was a League Cup tie against lower league opposition (and that Manchester United often have attendances of 55,000 for these types of matches, or Spurs and Man City`s inability to sell out Champions League matches), they claimed the end was nigh and that Wenger`s incompetence had led to all Arsenal fans completely abandoning the club.

Truth be told, 44,000+ is a good crowd for a match of this magnitude, and despite our poor form and lack of success recently, we still do draw the crowds and bring in new fans.

I had a nice timely reminder of this fact this morning.

As the sun is shining brilliantly for the third day running, shorts and Arsenal shirt were donned to take my little Gooner to school. Still knackered from Daddy letting him stay up for the first half.

Usually getting on to school grounds you see a plethora of Manchester United, City and Chelsea bags/hats/coats, and today was no different.

What was different however was the small group of boys, who upon noticing the tubby father in his resplendent red and white, ran over to start chanting "come on Arsenal", and asking questions about the best Arsenal player.

It was a simple, every day occurrence I guess that happens in playgrounds all over the country, but it was one that brought a smile to my face.

Not only due to the fact that I was in the company of small Gooners when I live hundreds of miles away from N5, but also because these boys were around 6 years old.

Now I`m not sure you`ve been told (this morning), but I hear on the grape vine that it`s 6 years since Arsenal last won a trophy. Now I did hear this from all the red tops, so I better check the fact, but if this is true, these young lads, so happy to see an Arsenal shirt, have never seen the mighty Gunners win a trophy, but their enthusiasm was as unmatched as one could imagine.

Whether the influence for becoming Arsenal fans was through their dads (or mums), older brothers, or just sheer rebellion, I don`t know, but this simple encounter left me feeling positive about our clubs future.

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Writer: Rocky7

Date:Thursday September 29 2011

Time: 9:23AM

Your Comments

at my school we had a 'special' class just for them.

yidinchina

You mean the "special" class where the kids learn to read and write and learn that stealing and setting fire to thinks is wrong?

Rocky7

As you are in China I gather you weren't one of the spuddy supporting scumbags that kicked off the riots then? Gather that probably means our fans actually went to school where as yours just look forwards to their first welfare cheque.

LondonGooner

Tut Tut London gooner, Rocky like you I wear my shirt with pride No 23 and Its Lilywhite mate, true North London. I wish you well in Europe but come Sunday I predict a massacre. Spurs double figures - Woolwich as5esna1 zip. Give your kid a break man show him the future. Its THFC, can't see you being relegated but damn close. COYS

hotspur58

hotspur58, enough with the dutch courage. Put down the bottle.

Deltaforce

lol I think the title should have read 'A rare sighting'... Kids wearing Le Ars shirts could be subject to horrible abuse these days! There is no need to joke about the matter yidinchina... Just a quick question Rocky 7 are u sure it was a bunch of kids and not some of your 1st team players???

Mix26

hotspur - I'm hoping my boy won't be a pensioner the first time he gets to see Arsenal win the league. Unlike most of your fans. still counting though eh!

Rocky7

Why do the spuds always fall into the same trap and write Arsenal off? You would have thought that they'd learned my now....

Armory

Armory is that a trick question?

Mix26

hotspur58 - tut, tut? What is that supposed to mean, are you a kangaroo? Just because your clubs deprived s***hole of an area decided to kick it all off because some lowlife got perforated doesn't mean it cannot be talked about? We have a nice thread starting and then some spud supporting c*** decides to be a prize idiot and what do you know, it must be something in the air because even more arrive. How predictable and dull can you all get? is it because you are all bored on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings now?

LondonGooner

23 The number of Double winning, 2 time premiership winner, Mr Invincible Sol Campbell. Good choice of number H58

iceman10

No Mix26. Why? To many words in the question or where they to big for you?

Armory

Not at all Armory but Im glad u think Spurs fans are learned individual...

Mix26

s...

Mix26

s...Mix26 HA! Oh the delicious irony!

LondonGooner

I still see a fair share of people wearing the red and white up here too,even after the 8-2 i guess most Utd fans only stay for the weekend ;)

ajwb

lololol ajwb! Top Post!

Mix26

Spurs had 96 thousand applications for their last cl game, plus we have a 25 thousand waiting list for season tickets. On top of the 36000 we get every week. not sure why your bringing our attendances into this as a sly dig, I'd think there was a NLD round the corner

HuddersfieldYiddo

"last cl game" - and that's exactly what it is, and always will be.

damiano_tommassi

actually i revise my opinion. taking kids to watch arsenal play would be perfect for school. teach them how to be quiet in class.

yidinchina

what it is, then, what it will always be. top of the class!

yidinchina

oh, and finally. 'the red and white is ******* dynamite' tagline must be the stupidest thing on 'Vital'.

yidinchina

yidinchina - As opposed to a chicken standing on a basketball?

LondonGooner

LMAO- Re LondonGooner last post.QUALITY!!!!

GHGooner

Yes for the LAST game HY, against Real Madrid .... easy to sell tickets for that game, how about the group stages?

Rocky7

Which begs the question what came first? The chicken or the ball?

nikolaijns

You think last year was bad, sp*rs have really struggled to sell CL tickets this season.

nikolaijns

Fantastic, Niko!

y**inchina - don't think you understood what I posted earlier... I was saying that your last champions league game will always be your last game, because you're not getting into the competition again. Read it again, see if you can follow the syntax. Maybe get a teacher to explain it to you.

damiano_tommassi

If you really want some fun come over to Vital Spurs. its a bit more lively and intelligent too. Sol Cambell, yep he made way for the KING, we saw his best days anyhow, so no hard fellings. I reckon Ade might just net a couple more on Sunday, then a nice little dance to cellebrate should keep you lot quiet. Has the power shifted back across the Seven Sisters Rd? Silly question really. COYS

hotspur58

Of course it's a silly question, one league cup in however many barren years does not constitute a power shift, neither does one solitary year in the champions league, we've had our worst start to a season since the circus livefowl last troubled the league title yet there you are only 2 pts above us, nothing whatsoever anywhere to signify any power shift, and if you lot are so intelligent how come you don't know how to spell celebrate? Not that you ever have any need for the word I s'pose.

nikolaijns

Why did the chicken cross the rd btw?

nikolaijns

Because some retard kept trying to superglue it to a basketball.

nikolaijns

nikolaijns, you better keep holding onto the past with both hands, because there won't be a whole lot of joy for you in the present and near future. Gonna have to start dusting off the old DVD's to remember THOSE days...

asherthesmasher

DVDs that nonetheless signify cup/title wins, what does your club DVD collection consist of? The time you came back from 4-0 down against a shoite over the hill Italian mob? All your DVDs contain the warning 'caution this product contains nothing of sp*rs actually winning anything'

nikolaijns

Reminds me of that Dennis Pennis question to Demi Moore regarding her inability to do a film without stripping. So Sp*rs if it was tastefully done and not exploitative in any way, are there any circumstances where you'd consider NOT releasing a DVD after a game?

nikolaijns

Some of my DVD's go back to before i was born:). Nonetheless, the past is the past. Good luck Sunday, hehe:).

asherthesmasher

I will re-phrase that because i know you are the type to pick up on bad grammar. "I have DVD's with moments on them that go back to times before i was born:).

asherthesmasher

You mean ALL of your dvds go back to before you were born.You've won nothing of note in 20 years.

Rocky7

Well they'd probably have to if it was the team actually winning something ;)

nikolaijns

Thanks guys (even the Spuds on this site) for giving me a very good laugh having been tied up in so much work today. Great posts too, Londongooner, Niko (as always), Rocky, Damiano, et al. It is obvious the spuds are suckers for punishment and just keep coming back for more. Give me that whip....

Naijagunner

Well sure Rocky, if i was 19, if you are implying that i might be that age or younger:). Anyway, i predict an easy win on Sunday. I will be back to gloat about it:).

asherthesmasher

You just cant help yourself can you Rocky! Spurs sold out all their CL games. Fact there for you dude. UEFA directives allowed us to only sell about 33,000 tickets per game. Arsenal had the same problem when they were at Highbury, selling 35000 in a 38000 seater stadium. Trust me i tried hard and failed to get tickets for every home game. Next please

HuddersfieldYiddo

But believe it if you want, i guess you need something to give banter in these dark days at the Grove. Looking forward to Sunday!

HuddersfieldYiddo

sold all their tickets, well i wouldnt be surprised considering it was advertised so much on the north circular road around north london.....always in our shadow

61 NEVER AGAIN

For the first time in 5 years we are below them during the NLD.. and Im very nervous.

Sajit

Nice to see your boys will support them through thick and thin HY .... full stadium tonight I take it? :)

Rocky7

Best article. Loved it.

hughied

Why did the chicken (Gamebird) cross the Seven Sisters Road. to retrieve the basketball from the back of your net. I may be a bit premature in wishing for the Spurs cockeral to crow loudest in North London once again, but if I was a betting man I'd stick a few bob on THFC finishing above WaFC this term. It's coming home to N17. Please feel fee to check for spelling mitakes. Looking forward to celebrating at the end of the season COYS.

hotspur58

P.S. On a semi serious note when did it really start falling apart for you guys? When Gary Lewin (nice guy) left maybe, I think you may sink further when Sir Pat Rice has finally had enough too. I hope we also learn a lesson from you in realising the players and staff are more important than the stadium. Should be a great game come Sunday. Prediction 3 more points in the Spud bag, The once mighty cannons from N5 muffled into silence. If your lucky you might just get 50 replies to your post too. COYS

hotspur58

hotspur58, personally I see two reasons for us currently being in a relatively poor position - temporarily, I might add; the first is moving to a new stadium. Not because of the money involved - I like the 'don't pay people £286,000 a week, and don't spend tens of millions on average players' approach - but because of the effect on atmosphere and by extension the players' mentality. The second is a crippling run of injuries; regular broken legs dished-out by teams full of 'English grit' (or idiotic thuggery, take your pick) and a multitude of knee, ankle and muscle injuries. To be honest, when I was a boy and Spurs were always missing players through injury (in the Darren Anderton days) I found it relatively amusing; of course, as an adult I wouldn't wish anyone injured, and as an Arsenal fan I know how much it can effect a side's performance.

damiano_tommassi

hotspur58, i believe they have pills now for the verbal premature ejaculation that you suffer from. Is there a doctor in the house?

Deltaforce

HuddersfieldYiddo - "Dark days"? We are two points behind you in the league, we've plenty of money to spend, a shiny new stadium and we have CL football. You have bugger all money to spend, no CL football, a crumbling s***hole of a stadium, your best striker is a loanee hand me down and no worth while trophies to shout about for the best part of 25 years. For such a medicore club with a run of the mill history you ain't half got a big mouth and little reason to be such a cocky ***** sometimes HY.

LondonGooner

damiano, funny old game this, I agree with you!!!!! i am concerned about the short term effects of up rooting and possibly moving our stadium, I also acknowledge the need for good medical staff. I did a couple of courses with Gary Lewin at Highbury and know how valuable he was to your club. When he left your injuries suddenly became a problem, why?. Btw, moaning about fierce tackling is dangerous territory for you, Mclintock, Adams, and some blonde kid who I once saw in a youth NLD kicking every Spurs player 2 foot into the air, can't recall his name but he represented Englnd under Hoddle but didn't get on with the spiritualist engaged to find out what went on between his ears. I apologise for my premature celebrations but I ain't had much to crow about since I was a saucepan as many of you gooners constantly remind me. maybe its yet another false, dawn who knows but it will be one hell of a game and if you take 3 points on Sunday, I will personally strangle the chicken. Enjoy the game. COYS.

hotspur58

a cannon cooler than a chicken, maybe. But it's a actually a Gamebird with Spurs, Cannons are easily sabotaged but try stopping a Lilywhite Crockeral crowing, ain't gooner happen buddy.

hotspur58

hotspur58 - Couldn't you just twist it's neck? ;o) Enjoy the game fella.

LondonGooner

One mans' gamebird is another mans foghorn leghorn 58. your club should consider walking the team out to the "I feel like chicken tonight" jingle.

nikolaijns

Im not being cocky at all LG. We like you also made nearly £30m profit in the last window and thats after Mr Levy was running around Spain last January with a bag of money suggesting a further big wedge. We have just as much money to spend as you.

HuddersfieldYiddo

hotspur58, I don't think we can put it down to the loss of Mr Lewin; his presence at the club would presumably make little difference to the intensity of training sessions, what is considered safe and what isn't, etc., and certainly wouldn't change the fact that some slackjawed *****wits think that kicking people 'is part and parcel of the game, man up' and have broken the legs of our players (in many places) with one kick.

No doubt arsenal players have (and probably will in the future) made bad tackles, McLintock and (to a lesser extent) Adams were playing in a different era, when players had nicknames like 'bite yer legs' and every game contained a life-threatening tackle. Frankly, it hardly resembled football at all...!

damiano_tommassi

HuddersfieldYiddo - That just isn't true. We as a football club turn over more money than Sp*rs make in two seasons as well as making a profit on transfer nearly every year since Wenger joined. How you work that out I don't know.

LondonGooner

Did you sell out last nights glamour clash against Shamrock HY? You better start putting blow up dolls in those empty seats you seem to be getting at Europah league games or Boris will withhold that benefit cheque Levy has begged for, just dont invite Pleat to any of the games if you do go with the dolls idea.

iceman10

The fact your big, burning aspiration is to beat the Arsenal speaks volumes of who is the classier and greater clubside (not that you doubted that). HY, did you just compare our financial results? That's a laugh, unless you have 160m in the bank .....Still in our shadow.

Naijagunner

£160m but your manager would still rather sign Yossi on loan rather than spend any. Now that IS a laugh!

HuddersfieldYiddo

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