It Was No Flight of Fancy

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has responded to criticism around the club's decision to charter a private jet for the relatively short journey to Norwich on Saturday evening. Fans that probably wouldn't have given a monkey's chuff if the players had ballet danced to East Anglia had we won have criticised the decision.

But green campaigners have also gotten in on the act, with co-ordinator of the Norwich and Norfolk Friends of the Earth Jennifer Parkhouse telling the Eastern Daily Press, 'It is absolutely absurd.

'I cannot see any reason why they would have flown, other than it being a rather ostentatious display of the players' and the club's wealth.' (Even though they took the train to Stoke, Liverpool and Manchester this season).

'If the flight took 14 minutes, they must have spent more time just getting on and off the plane than in the air.'

Arsene Wenger defended the decision in his press conference this afternoon, explaining, ''Usually we take the train and there was no train available, so in the end we decided to fly because we had to drive up on Friday afternoon at the moment when you never know how long it lasts.'

Meanwhile a Gunners' spokesman added, 'The club considers all transport options available for the first team when travelling to an away fixture.

'Given the severe disruption to rail services at the weekend the most time efficient option was to fly, hence the first team made the journey by plane from London to Norwich.'

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