Irish Gunner
30th September 2007, 08:53 AM
Just got this mail I will let you decide..........
As you are probably aware from all the recent publicity, our club is under threat from a hostile takeover bid by Alisher Usmanov.
It is with serious regret that I find myself having to write about this - I have been an Arsenal fan for many years, through thick and thin, and consider this to be the worst threat to our club that we have ever faced.
Being Arsenal isn't just about winning on the pitch, it's the whole ethos that the club has maintained throughout the years - and in the face of potential takeovers and the influx of money that has watered down or eradicated the 'spirit' of other English clubs, our board have shown themselves to be more than worthy to the title 'Custodians of Arsenal', not selling out and still behaving with dignity.
I am proud to be Arsenal for far more than our success on the field - the desire to behave with a degree of honour and dignity, to do the right thing is more important to me than our cabinet being full of trophies tainted with bad money. I'd sooner win nothing than lose our character.
If he takes over - WE WILL CEASE TO BE ARSENAL - It's as simple as that.
I don't believe for a second that Usmanov cares about the ethos of our club, about behaving honourably or with dignity. With him in charge, we can kiss goodbye to the club we know and love and look forward to becoming characterless, empty and nothing more than another asset (like many other clubs have/are becoming) in a hard-nosed businessmans portfolio. He shows complete disregard toward the fans and the club, bullying and steamrollering his way into Arsenal and intending to make things as difficult as possible for our board to operate, and threatening arsenal web and blog sites with legal action for speaking out.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7006617.stm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=484380&in_page_id=1779
These are not the actions of a person that has any respect for our club or the game as a whole.
The Arsenal ethos emanates down from the top of the club (the board), through our manager and players, and I think right down to the fans. I think it is about time we, as fans, stood by the Arsenal way and start defending our club from this SERIOUS threat - we need to publicly back the board that have safeguarded Arsenal as best they can before we lose our club altogether. Our recent financial release proves beyond doubt that we don't need ANY billionaire investor interfering with our club - under their prudent guidance and leadership, the board have brought us into the position of being the second richest club in Europe (ahead of the global brand that is Manchester United) on their own merits.
Arsene Wenger echoes fans concerns:
http://www.arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=501102
'English football is losing his soul,' Wenger told France Football. 'Fans are the keepers of our football. But the first signs of danger are there to see. Stadiums are starting to empty, TV channels and radio stations are overcrowded with football.
'There is a kind of overdose looming.'
'Suddenly the English model has gone from owner-supporters to owner-businessman.
'The danger wasn't there yesterday but it's there today. Of course you can have business integrated into the sport while still respecting the values of football.
'However perhaps it is time for people to worry.'
The Arsenal Independant Supporters Association are holding their AGM this week, when one of the issues raised will be the action they plan in light of recent developments. Fellow gooners have already started a campaign, further details of which can be found at:
Vital Arsenal Fans Forum:
http://www.arsenal.vitalfootba.....mp;start=1
http://www.arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=501099
The Supporters Trust have asked for as many people as possible to write/email letters to the press opposing David Dein and Alisher Usmanov.
If you should wish to contact The British Press to air your grievances about the whole situation, contact details for some of the papers at the end of this email (please include your name and postal address)
West Brom MP, Tom Watson, has taken up the cause and is asking for comments:
http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/?p=1467
please let him know what you think, contact your local MP with your comments.
There is an official Downing Street petition (UK residents only - deadline 26th November)
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Oligarchs/
The signature count was about 200 when I signed - 48 hours later, it now stands at 2,700+
Online Petition (open to all):
http://www.petitiononline.com/.....ition.html
Email as many people and organisations as you can:
Arsenal Independant Supporters Association:
http://www.arsenalindependent.co.uk/
email:
aisa@fsmail.net
Football Supporters Federation:
http://www.fsf.org.uk/
Arsenal Supporters Trust:
http://www.arsenaltrust.org/
email:
info@arsenaltrust.org - or use their contact form:
http://www.arsenaltrust.org/scform.php
The Premier League can be contacted at:
info@premierleague.com
Email them asking them to invoke their 'fit and proper persons' test.
Send letters of support to our board:
Arsenal Football Club:
Keith Edelman
Highbury House
75 Drayton Park
London N5 1BU
We are planning a campaign on BBC Radio FiveLive 606 this Saturday and Sunday and are asking as many gooners as possible to phone, text and email with their opinions.
Contact details are:
Live line: 0500 909 693
Rant line: 08700 100 500
SMS Text: 85058
email:
606@bbc.co.uk
Please let as many people as you can know about our efforts, and join our campaign if you can. This is OUR club - and if WE don't fight for it, WHO WILL?
Many thanks for your support.
BB
.................................................. .................................................. ...............................
Newspaper contact details:
Guardian, the Observer
City desk and financial staff -
city@guardian.co.uk
Political staff - politics@guardian.co.uk
Sports desk - sport@guardian.co.uk
Business - business@observer.co.uk
Sport - sport@observer.co.uk
Football - football.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk
Politics - politics.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk
.................................................. ...............
The Times or The Sunday Times
Letters to the Editor* - letters@sunday-times.co.uk
Letters* - letters@thetimes.co.uk
* for publication only; please include postal address and contact telephone numbers
Sport - sportcomment@thetimes.co.uk
Business - business@thetimes.co.uk
Sunday Times Sport - sportletters@sunday-times.co.uk
Sunday Times Business - foreignletters@sunday-times.co.uk
.................................................. ..............
The Independent
The general switchboard number is (+44) (0)20 7005 2000
Letters for publication in the print edition. Note: If you wish to submit a letter for publication in the newspaper, it must include the sender's name, postal address and daytime telephone number -
letters@independent.co.uk
Sport - sport@independent.co.uk
Business & City - businessdesk@independent.co.uk
.................................................. ..............
The Daily Telegraph or The Sunday Telegraph,
Tel: +44 (0)20 7931 2000
Letters for publication in The Daily Telegraph can be sent to:
dtletters@telegraph.co.uk
Letters for publication in The Sunday Telegraph can be sent to:
stletters@telegraph.co.uk
.................................................. ..............
The Sun
news@the-sun.co.uk
sunsport@the-sun.co.uk
020 7782 4000
.................................................. ..............
Daily Mirror
mailbox@mirror.co.uk
020 7293 3000
.................................................. ..............
Daily Express,
Parliament: Political Editor: Macer Hall
email: macer.hall@express.co.uk
Sport: Sports Editor: Bill Bradshaw
email: bill.bradshaw@express.co.uk
City: City Editor: Stephen Kahn
email: stephen.kahn@express.co.uk
.................................................. ...............
Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.
letters@dailymail.co.uk
letters@mailonsunday.co.uk.
.................................................. ..............
Links to other British newspapers can be found at:
http://www.wrx.zen.co.uk/britnews.htm
As you are probably aware from all the recent publicity, our club is under threat from a hostile takeover bid by Alisher Usmanov.
It is with serious regret that I find myself having to write about this - I have been an Arsenal fan for many years, through thick and thin, and consider this to be the worst threat to our club that we have ever faced.
Being Arsenal isn't just about winning on the pitch, it's the whole ethos that the club has maintained throughout the years - and in the face of potential takeovers and the influx of money that has watered down or eradicated the 'spirit' of other English clubs, our board have shown themselves to be more than worthy to the title 'Custodians of Arsenal', not selling out and still behaving with dignity.
I am proud to be Arsenal for far more than our success on the field - the desire to behave with a degree of honour and dignity, to do the right thing is more important to me than our cabinet being full of trophies tainted with bad money. I'd sooner win nothing than lose our character.
If he takes over - WE WILL CEASE TO BE ARSENAL - It's as simple as that.
I don't believe for a second that Usmanov cares about the ethos of our club, about behaving honourably or with dignity. With him in charge, we can kiss goodbye to the club we know and love and look forward to becoming characterless, empty and nothing more than another asset (like many other clubs have/are becoming) in a hard-nosed businessmans portfolio. He shows complete disregard toward the fans and the club, bullying and steamrollering his way into Arsenal and intending to make things as difficult as possible for our board to operate, and threatening arsenal web and blog sites with legal action for speaking out.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7006617.stm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=484380&in_page_id=1779
These are not the actions of a person that has any respect for our club or the game as a whole.
The Arsenal ethos emanates down from the top of the club (the board), through our manager and players, and I think right down to the fans. I think it is about time we, as fans, stood by the Arsenal way and start defending our club from this SERIOUS threat - we need to publicly back the board that have safeguarded Arsenal as best they can before we lose our club altogether. Our recent financial release proves beyond doubt that we don't need ANY billionaire investor interfering with our club - under their prudent guidance and leadership, the board have brought us into the position of being the second richest club in Europe (ahead of the global brand that is Manchester United) on their own merits.
Arsene Wenger echoes fans concerns:
http://www.arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=501102
'English football is losing his soul,' Wenger told France Football. 'Fans are the keepers of our football. But the first signs of danger are there to see. Stadiums are starting to empty, TV channels and radio stations are overcrowded with football.
'There is a kind of overdose looming.'
'Suddenly the English model has gone from owner-supporters to owner-businessman.
'The danger wasn't there yesterday but it's there today. Of course you can have business integrated into the sport while still respecting the values of football.
'However perhaps it is time for people to worry.'
The Arsenal Independant Supporters Association are holding their AGM this week, when one of the issues raised will be the action they plan in light of recent developments. Fellow gooners have already started a campaign, further details of which can be found at:
Vital Arsenal Fans Forum:
http://www.arsenal.vitalfootba.....mp;start=1
http://www.arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=501099
The Supporters Trust have asked for as many people as possible to write/email letters to the press opposing David Dein and Alisher Usmanov.
If you should wish to contact The British Press to air your grievances about the whole situation, contact details for some of the papers at the end of this email (please include your name and postal address)
West Brom MP, Tom Watson, has taken up the cause and is asking for comments:
http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/?p=1467
please let him know what you think, contact your local MP with your comments.
There is an official Downing Street petition (UK residents only - deadline 26th November)
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Oligarchs/
The signature count was about 200 when I signed - 48 hours later, it now stands at 2,700+
Online Petition (open to all):
http://www.petitiononline.com/.....ition.html
Email as many people and organisations as you can:
Arsenal Independant Supporters Association:
http://www.arsenalindependent.co.uk/
email:
aisa@fsmail.net
Football Supporters Federation:
http://www.fsf.org.uk/
Arsenal Supporters Trust:
http://www.arsenaltrust.org/
email:
info@arsenaltrust.org - or use their contact form:
http://www.arsenaltrust.org/scform.php
The Premier League can be contacted at:
info@premierleague.com
Email them asking them to invoke their 'fit and proper persons' test.
Send letters of support to our board:
Arsenal Football Club:
Keith Edelman
Highbury House
75 Drayton Park
London N5 1BU
We are planning a campaign on BBC Radio FiveLive 606 this Saturday and Sunday and are asking as many gooners as possible to phone, text and email with their opinions.
Contact details are:
Live line: 0500 909 693
Rant line: 08700 100 500
SMS Text: 85058
email:
606@bbc.co.uk
Please let as many people as you can know about our efforts, and join our campaign if you can. This is OUR club - and if WE don't fight for it, WHO WILL?
Many thanks for your support.
BB
.................................................. .................................................. ...............................
Newspaper contact details:
Guardian, the Observer
City desk and financial staff -
city@guardian.co.uk
Political staff - politics@guardian.co.uk
Sports desk - sport@guardian.co.uk
Business - business@observer.co.uk
Sport - sport@observer.co.uk
Football - football.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk
Politics - politics.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk
.................................................. ...............
The Times or The Sunday Times
Letters to the Editor* - letters@sunday-times.co.uk
Letters* - letters@thetimes.co.uk
* for publication only; please include postal address and contact telephone numbers
Sport - sportcomment@thetimes.co.uk
Business - business@thetimes.co.uk
Sunday Times Sport - sportletters@sunday-times.co.uk
Sunday Times Business - foreignletters@sunday-times.co.uk
.................................................. ..............
The Independent
The general switchboard number is (+44) (0)20 7005 2000
Letters for publication in the print edition. Note: If you wish to submit a letter for publication in the newspaper, it must include the sender's name, postal address and daytime telephone number -
letters@independent.co.uk
Sport - sport@independent.co.uk
Business & City - businessdesk@independent.co.uk
.................................................. ..............
The Daily Telegraph or The Sunday Telegraph,
Tel: +44 (0)20 7931 2000
Letters for publication in The Daily Telegraph can be sent to:
dtletters@telegraph.co.uk
Letters for publication in The Sunday Telegraph can be sent to:
stletters@telegraph.co.uk
.................................................. ..............
The Sun
news@the-sun.co.uk
sunsport@the-sun.co.uk
020 7782 4000
.................................................. ..............
Daily Mirror
mailbox@mirror.co.uk
020 7293 3000
.................................................. ..............
Daily Express,
Parliament: Political Editor: Macer Hall
email: macer.hall@express.co.uk
Sport: Sports Editor: Bill Bradshaw
email: bill.bradshaw@express.co.uk
City: City Editor: Stephen Kahn
email: stephen.kahn@express.co.uk
.................................................. ...............
Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.
letters@dailymail.co.uk
letters@mailonsunday.co.uk.
.................................................. ..............
Links to other British newspapers can be found at:
http://www.wrx.zen.co.uk/britnews.htm