Just found this..

[Stu B]

Found this on thenationwideconference.com...

"Imagine you’re an Arsenal fan, imagine that you’ve already got the Premiership and the FA Cup under your belt and you’ve got a Champions League Final tonight against Real Madrid. Imagine that you’re there, at the San Siro, with 80,000 fans, imagine Real Madrid are 2-0 up at Half Time and then Arsenal get back to 2-2, imagine that Thierry Henry runs through and slots home in the 90th minute. How do you celebrate the goal? Do you go absolutely mental and throw your body over rows of seats? Hmph, what a weirdo……

 

I have said this to people many times before, although Arsenal are undoubtedly a quality side, but their arrogance and complete lack of passion is disgusting and is killing, yes killing football.

 

You know what it’s like at my age (16) a win on the weekend for your Premiership team is a great chance to gloat over your mates. The thing is, how many of these people have gone and sat/stood at the game to watch it? “Oh did you see Henry’s goal on The Premiership” an Arsenal fan will say. But what us Conference boys can say every week is “I was there to see Ben Strevens tap in from six yards” or “My god, Ricky Ravenhill commanded the midfield on Saturday” We are a minority and other people don’t really care do they? We try and get them to come along to a game or two, and they’ll never have it “I’d never be seen at a Conference game” But why?

 

There seems to be a stigma attached to the lower divisions, for some reason, the idea of going to a Conference game is sickening to some people. The way we are dismissed as “boring” and “crap” makes my [censored] blood boil.

 

Arsenal get 38,000 every week; let’s say about 3,000 go to away games. So what happens to the other 35,000 of them? Why don’t they do something worthwhile instead of sitting in front of Jeff Stelling and the panel on Sky Sports One? Why don’t they come to Barnet? Why don’t they go to Stevenage? Why don’t Leeds fans go to Doncaster or Halifax perhaps? Why don’t Chelsea fans go to Farnborough? I could carry on like that for ages. The football is of a lower standard but if they love football like they say they do, then football should be done every weekend, at every opportunity.

 

Take this for an example, Barnet are at home to Southport, Tuesday night, near the end of the season, small away support expected so the attendance should be around 1,100. So where do 350 people go to get the attendance of 769? Oh that’s it, Man Utd are on the telly, having already qualified in the Champions League. That’s that then, United are playing their reserves against Deportivo in a meaningless game in the Champions League so I’ll watch that instead of crossing the road and paying £4 to watch Barnet (Don’t say anything away fans)

 

Arsenal fans are barely capable of any passion, there must be some but stuck away for the most unbelievable of situations. I went to an Arsenal game this season (in the away section with Birmingham) I’m sitting right next to the “singing” fans. Of course, when they do sing it’s loud, there’s lots of them but it’s as if they need some sort of CD to get them started. Arsenal score, twice, nothing, no sort of passion or celebration, just another goal and another step to the title as far as they’re concerned. On the subject of Birmingham, they, with West Brom were surely the best, most passionate group of fans in the Premiership last season.

 

Take the FA Cup Final today as well, Robert Pires scores a goal for Arsenal to put them 1-0 up. With that sort of thing happening you’d expect absolute bedlam, well if standing up and clapping is bedlam...... If it had been Southampton, they’d be going mental, if it were Man Utd (yes, Man Utd) they’d be going mental. At times, Man Utd are a very passionate bunch, even though they are very much frowned upon by football fans across the country. Remember that Aston Villa FA Cup game last season? The one where they were 2-0 down and scored 3 in 5 minutes? That’s what I’m talking about.

 

It’s strange. How can you have a group of fans like Morecambe’s in the same country as Arsenal? Morecambe’s fans are superb, continual singing week after week and left a big impression on me after the Underhill game. I was considering going to their playoff game at Victoria Road, I really should have. Our fans haven’t been the greatest this season but still, when we sing, we make a noise, ask Stevenage. I went to QPR on Boxing Day, they’re a lively bunch, but maybe, just maybe if I were sitting elsewhere in the ground rather than right in with the singers, I may have had a different view. Opposition fans such as Morecambe, Stevenage, Woking and Yeovil have demonstrated how much better this division is, but still, people will not have it and they will remain to sit at home with a packet of crisps and a can of Lager in front of Soccer Saturday.

 

I can speak on both sides, because a few years back, I was a Man Utd fan (hence the slightly biased review a bit further up) I was going to a few games a season with my Dad. I always followed Barnet’s scores on the teletext but I never went. One day though, I had an idea, I was meeting up with Ryan and my cousin when it struck me. My cousin lives near the ground, let’s go there! Cheltenham it was, in I went on the North Terrace for £4 with my “Save Chip” banner. The talk between us was Barnet bashing. Taking the piss out of the ground, the sponsor, the team, that’s what all the kids do. Anyway, 1-1 at half time, I really don’t remember much about it. I do remember looking at the East Terrace though and thinking I’d like to go there once. Barnet scored on 88 minutes, by which point we were really in to it and were going mad on the North Terrace and I felt genuinely annoyed when Cheltenham equalised in stoppage time. My next game was against Rochdale, where we won 3-0.

 

Then came Saturday 5th May. Torquay United, losers go down, a draw is enough for Torquay to stay up. 3-0 to Torquay at half time and I’m actually devastated, what is this feeling? A single tear filled my eye when the half time whistle went. Desperate hope for us when Barnet get two back. It’s not enough, Barnet are down, we spill onto the pitch, people crying, horrible scenes, one half of the ground sickened, the other half jubilant. We watch the Torquay fans and players lapping up the success of staying up. I get the bus, walk home and cry.

 

It took a while to sink in and go back. In fact, October 13th was my next game against Leigh RMI. Still after that I wasn’t regular, my next game was at home to Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Cup. It was my first time on the East Terrace. An unbelievable night it may have been but I wasn’t expecting the jubilation around me. Three goals in four minutes by Wayne Purser and we were mental. I couldn’t believe the game and I couldn’t believe the fans, that was when it all fell into place and I fell in love. November 25th was my first away game, to Forest Green. I was invited by Ross, who had been to his first away game at Havant in October. It was a brilliant game, I sang and sang, something I hadn’t really done before. It clicked, this was where I should be. December 4th I was at home to Reading, another fantastic night on the East. I wanted to go to Dover on my birthday (December 15) but I wasn’t allowed due to family plans so that left January 1st being the next stop, Stevenage away, that was called off, never mind. January 5th was Cambridge in the LDV, which was also brilliant, despite the 2-0 defeat. From now to April 26, you couldn’t stop me. Only missed one away game (Yeovil on a Tuesday night) the summer was unbearable for the first time ever. I missed football in a way I haven’t done before, largely because of the influence of the East Terrace. Man Utd didn’t have this effect on me.

 

On August 6th 2002, Barnet met Arsenal’s First XI in the annual PSF. I had been to the one the year before and was amazed when Ben Strevens had a goal disallowed. I looked to the East Terrace who hadn’t realised and for a moment they were going into absolute madness. This year, I was on the East Terrace. I’d had some experiences already but when Mark Arber headed into the South Stand net…….. Jesus Christ. The Arsenal fans stood around, cardboard, not quite understanding what we were doing. Anyway….

 

My first full season with Barnet was a great experience, 19/22 aways (one due to birthday, one due to it being Tuesday and one due to me being in America) 16/22 homes (the others being missed because Dad lives away and I have to see him) The people we meet, the things we do, you don’t have kickabouts before games in the Premiership do you? Who cares if we only took 70 to Chester? Who cares that Leigh RMI take 25 to every away game? To me, the passion and determination of those fans is just as much as the Premiership away travellers. It makes you feel good when you know the people you stand with every week instead of being lumbered with people you don’t know by being given a seat at the front away to Middlesbrough or something. The people I know and have met through Barnet have made the matches and days out so much better. We go to places before the game, perhaps to have a drink or take in the sights. Somehow I don’t see 20 Leeds coaches being dropped off early in the middle of Manchester.

 

There’s so much I could go on about last season, even though it was inconsistent and disappointing but there was one highlight, Stevenage away. If you’ve spoken to me on the Internet, I’m sorry, I always mention this game and the way that we all piled to the front and went mental for Junior’s penalty, the absolute bedlam that broke out when Ben Strevens scored his overhead kick, the 90 minute singing from the 700 travelling, the fact that we beat Stevenage that night meant so much to me and from that night on I’ve been literally itching to find out when we play them away again. Somehow, I don’t see Arsenal fans getting worked up about a Tottenham away game like this, perhaps a few of them, but to a lot of them it’s probably just another game. The teenage fans will forget about the game while it’s going on and only remember later that night, so they will switch on the teletext to see that Arsenal won. Now they are happy, well not because Arsenal won, because they can now take the piss out of their friends on Monday morning. Vieira will be in the papers saying how United are Rubbish because they beat Chelsea 3-1 on the same day.

 

Now let me get to that newspaper article, “United Are Rubbish” says Vieira. I cannot even begin to comprehend that statement, it is so ridiculous and to me it juts epitomises what Arsenal are all about. Look at Wenger “I did not see it”, “We were the best team” Arsene, NO YOU WEREN’T. If you were so good, Man Utd wouldn’t have gained sixteen points in two months. The French players are all arrogant, they show it on the pitch with their gamesmanship and their showboating, they ought to get a lesson from some lower league clubs about passion. Last season, in the PSF, they turned up ready for a stroll in the park but what they got, they did not expect. The only two players who are worthy of respect are Ray Parlour and David Seaman, two English boys, who have the understanding of other clubs and are modest when spoken to.

 

So Arsenal lift the FA Cup yesterday, what do the Arsenal fans sing? They don’t sing a nice song about their history, like almost all other clubs do, e.g. Liverpool’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, Man Utd’s “The Flowers of Manchester”, Birmingham’s “Keep Right On” or Leeds’ “Marching on Together”, Arsenal come up with “1-0 to the Arsenal” Well done lads. At least that’s more than you sing in Champions League games. Arsenal fans will call up the Radio stations and send in e-mails about the unbelievable atmosphere in the Millenium Stadium. Surely that atmosphere was created by the Southampton fans, who sang an array of songs. All the [****!!****] could come up with was “We’re by far the greatest team the world has ever seen” I really do get confused how teams can have such a huge amount of songs that they sing every game and then you’ve got Arsenal…..

 

I sat/stood at Stevenage’s Broadhall Way in April with 36 Leigh RMI fans. Although small in number, the atmosphere was really good for a team that at the time were staring relegation in the face it really was brilliant. Even more so though, Kettering Town were away to Stevenage a few Tuesday’s previous. Cut off from the rest of the league by a mile, they were going down. I expected little or no singing from the 100 or so that travelled. How wrong I was, 90 minutes singing, even I joined in, it was fantastic and even when Kettering went 2-0 down they were still singing their hearts out. Why can’t Arsenal, for once, take a look at this and understand the passion in these people, oh wait I forgot, it’s the Conference so they don’t really care.

 

So in retrospect,

 

I am sick to the back teeth of Arsenal FC. I'm sick of hearing Wenger's arrogance, I'm sick of players blatant bitterness in the papers, I'm sick of their lifeless fans, the way they don't in any way get behind their arrogant team because they just know they're going to score. I'm sick of the foreigners sucking the passion out of football, I'm sick of their disregard for the best cup competition in the world, I'm sick of the cardboard cut-out fans, I'm sick of watching their riveting Champions League games on ITV, I'm sick of them turning up to Barnet games and laughing at us, I'm sick of Ashley Cole’s cheating, I’m sick of Arsenal F.C.

 

I try my best to justify what I say and if you don’t like it, tell me, but please try and understand it from my point of view and please just take a look at Arsenal and tell me, can you really deny much of what I’ve said?"

 

[David Holden]

For those who aren't sure, the author is a Barnet fan.

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

strange how you never hear Barnet moan when Arsenal always take a full first team for a pre season friendly and no doubt hand over the cash when they use Underhill for their reserve games !!

 

Stop moaning , stop whinging , stop being jealous.

It could be worse , they could share their ground wit Dartford !!

 

Lets get out there and turn more armchair fans into Fleet fans and lets let the other so called big non league clubs , continue having these jealous rants.

 

 

[Guest]

as a Welling fan living within 5 minutes of Stonebridge Road I can safely say you will never convert me, sorry

[The Doctor]

Yeah but you are not an "armchair" fan are you, you get out there and support the team that you feel so passionately for! Unlike sooo many people in the Gravesham area supporting man u, arsenal etc... what passion do they feel?

[Alan ( GNFC )]

I've finally got around to reading the one man assault on Arsenal and I'm afraid it touched a nerve .

I've never seen the point of Arsenal , even more so since they have become the French Academy side . Their fans come from , er , anywhere and every class or workplace has an Arsenal fan who has no interest in football and gloats every week after another win .

I had the pleasure of mixing with these folk on Saturday , as I took my Saints mad sons to the cup final . We didnt hear the Arsenal fans until Pires scored and it was interesting to see the cup presented on Match of the Day when I got back , confirming that until the PA blared out their songs , all you could hear was the Saints fans cheering their players . In fact as the pony tailed one lifted the cup the chant was " Yellows "

The premiership is not all like this guys impressions tainted by Arsenal . I reckon 90% of the Saints fans have an SO postcode and having lived down here for 16 years and being linked with junior soccer , it was incredible the number of people I knew that I bumped into around the Stadium .

Similar to the Fleet - but if you read this just multiply yourself by 32 !

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

I was also there, and whilst the Southampton fans did play their part ( Which was more than could be said of their team !! Its the cup final for god sake, couldn't they have given it at least a bit of a go )

 

I must disagree with you about the noise - I was sitting top tier , level with the half way line, and the atmosphere and noise from the Arsenal fans was superb. ( They were also in fine voice in the pubs before the game ) But I was surrounded by them, and cos of that I couldn't hear much of the noise from the Southampton end.

 

Being a veteran of many a cup final / international etc whether it be a Cardiff, Wembley or any other large ground, you can only hear the noise in the vicinity around you, and get a completely different perspective from guys at the other end of the ground.

But it was nice of the Southampton fans to hang around for the presentation, it does make a change as normally at the end of big games, the losing team fans all disappear as soon as the final whistle goes...

 

PS. I think that the Millenium stadium security arrangements could look to the Fleet at how to organise segregation, there were too many Arsenal shirts in the Southampton end , either the touts had a good day or the Saints weren't too strict in who they sold them too. Luckily both Arsenal and Southampton have a decent bunch of supporters , but on another day and different teams it could have been a different scenario.

 

PPS. Wouldn't mind being back down there again for Cardiff v QPR next week, the atmosphere for that will knock the atmosphere yesterday for six... But don't think the locals will be as friendly if the hoops get a win !!!!

 

PPPS. Who needs Wembley for cup finals - Cardiff is a much better venue. Should have it for the Conference play off final next year - Would luv to see the Fleet play there, but we might have a bit of trouble selling our allocation !!

[Alan ( GNFC )]

I dont think Wembley will get near Cardiff - you step out of the stadium into the city centre with an endless choice of pubs, restaurants, etc .

Must have been near you Wobbly - 6 rows from the back opposite the tunnel , above the press , fantastic view .

With reference to the Saints playing within themselves , Wee Gordon was spooked by going 5 down a few weeks ago and blamed Fernandes for not tracking back . By leaving him out both width and creativity were lost .

The Saints fans stayed behing to cheer their team, not see the cup being presented , unfortunately the PA drowned them out .

As a veteran of these games Wobbly , two queries -i ) Dont the FA employ ballboys ?

ii ) Is the programme always in English and Welsh for those , er , well I suppose Welsh Arsenal supporters ?

 

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

Quote:

i ) Dont the FA employ ballboys ?

ii ) Is the programme always in English and Welsh for those , er , well I suppose Welsh Arsenal supporters ?

1) Maybe I was mistaken, but I thought I saw ballboys, well there were plenty on the pitch afterwards all having their photos taken ! I was completely opposite you then, as I was directly above the tunnel & dug out areas.

I have now had the pleasure in sitting in all the sides of that magnifcent stadium and whereever you sit you always get a good view.

 

2) Funnily enough, yesterday was the first time I actually got a programme ( I had my boy with me ) , and was a) amazed that the first few pages were in Welsh, and then even more suprised that Dartford got a mention !! Even if it was mentioning that they were overturned in this years FA cups by minnows, it what was one of the shocks of the round.

 

 

[Pat (QPR)]

Just out of interest, what price was the Cup Final programme?

 

We being stung £7.50 on Sunday!!

 

 

[Alan ( GNFC )]

£8.50