By Walter Broeckx
A few months ago we mentioned on Untold Arsenal that I was working on a project called Arsenal Worldwide and which was a site set up by Arsenal fans from outside the UK. What started as an idea brought to me by Armin Medic of the Arsenal Bosnian supporters club has finally come alive.
The idea from Armin was great and so we started working on it and then we found out that things are not always as easy as they look at first sight. The first ideas changed a bit. We had the usual setbacks when you start something new. We had Armin who became ill for a while and we couldn’t go further. So it was not all rosy and shining all along the road.
BUT finally, we can let you know that we will start with the site today.
One of our main ideas was to give Arsenal fans from all over the world an idea of what it is like following The Arsenal from abroad. And this abroad can be close, as in my case, but it can be very far. It can be in Asia, in Africa, in Europe, somewhere down under and wherever you can imagine.
From my own experiences I know what it’s like to support The Arsenal from outside the UK, and to think that you are the only one out there. For years I had been following the Arsenal on my own and then suddenly thanks to someone who mentioned the fact that we had a supporters club in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, I realised I was not alone.
And as a result I could join them and become a member of the supporters club. And I think they also have liked the fact that I became a member and since then started writing the Arsenal Benelux magazine for them.
So maybe this is also happening to you. Maybe you also think you are the only Arsenal supporter in your country and maybe you discover some day that just around the corner there are other Arsenal fans who have organised themselves.
On this site I would like to bring stories of individuals in different countries. Stories of official supporters clubs but also of supporters clubs who have not yet been recognised in an official way by The Arsenal. Maybe you could make friends here or you could see that your supporters club has send in an article to this site to become better known in their country so other Gooners may join them.
The ultimate goal is to make the bond between Arsenal supporters all over the world more tight. Maybe as a result new supporters clubs can be founded. Maybe as a result the clubs that are out there get new members. Maybe as a result The Arsenal will get more supporters all over the world.
We will be publishing articles from fans and supporters clubs. So apart from the occasional article from Armin Medic and myself and off course we are hoping for a great article from the Grand Master of the Arsenal Blogosphere in person, Mr. Tony Attwood, (ok Walter you can an increase in your expense account, now just get on with the article – Ed) this will be a totally different set up from the Untold Arsenal blog we all like so much.
It will be written by people who usually don’t write articles to fill their spare time, but who are fans who love the Arsenal with all their heart and want the world to know that they are out there and are waiting for you to contact them.
And this will also be part of the site is that with most articles we can have a person who can be contacted afterwards and maybe you could learn to know better and become two fans supporting together. As it is always nicer to support together than to be sitting alone.
And just before you might click on the link below I would like to thank all the people who have made this finally come together. And my big thanks go out to:
Armin Medic for his great idea and the working together and hope you keep healthy. And may I say that the contribution Armin made is a really great article to start with.
Michiel Broeckx my son who has helped my through all the traps that the computer world has set up for ignorant people like me who don’t know a thing about all those difficult words in computer land.
I also wish to thank Arsenal for the support they gave this idea when I contacted them.
And finally a very big thank to our own Tony Attwood ( and if he dares to leave this part out of my article I will not write another article for the Untold in the next week). He has given me a lot of good advice, and pushed me a bit in the back when things were not going so well with the project. He has given me support with the site, the hosting of the site. Well to be honest if he hadn’t been around here somewhere it never would have come this far.
So if you like the idea and you want to read something, our first article should be on the site now, you can follow this link http://www.arsenalworldwide.co.uk/
Hope you like this first article and hope you like the next that will be coming soon. We will keep you informed about new articles that come out in the next weeks through this channel of information (Untold Arsenal) and it also should be found somewhere on Just Arsenal Blogs.
Walter Broeckx
Arsenal Worldwide
Hey Walter, I will definately check it out, I was wondering, I’ve written a couple articles for ‘Just Arsenal News’ as I am in South Africa and didn’t know who to send them to. They have been on thier site which was amazing as it was my first and only articles I’ve ever written. My question is if I do write again can I rather send it to you guys or to the new site than them?
Great intro Walter, and thanks to Sir Tony for help.
It is sometime hard to get things moving, but once they start running no one can stop them.
I guess, many of you, who aren’t lucky enough to get to Emirates (or Highbury in past), feel need to be recognized and accepted as fellow gooner, not by Arsenal, but buy other gooners too. And that is meaning of this little thing.
We all have our stories to share, not to show world how big gooners we are, but just to let others know we exist.
Great idea, already posted my view on the iste and even willing to help as Armin says, born in the wrong place and not ahaving enough cash to get a ticket.
Greg, from France
Lovely read. I am looking forward to seeing out the next few days of the transfer window. One defender all but signed and the possibility of a keeper from Fulham although to me the answer is in the defense rather than the keeper himself. Only one club on 6 points after 2 matches must be some sort of record but is it the sign of a more competitive league or simply early season rung rust.
great idea.
i am secretary of the Cyprus Arsenal Supporters Club and will definately be checking it out regularly
great idea.
i am secretary of the Cyprus Arsenal Supporters Club and will definately be checking it out regularly.
Hello Tony
am an arsenal fan from Lebanon since 1998. i just loves everything related to AFC especially the philosophy, culture & values implemented in the Wenger era.
You would really be surprised with the numbers of supporters around here. On a big match ull find sports coffees here roaring with arsenal fans.
ill check ur website 4 sure.
Just wanna congrats u for the positive attitude and professional approach in ur articles. unlike some anti Arsene blogs…
Regards.
Thanks Walter… There are many passionate Indonesian Gooners joined together in AIS (official Arsenal Indonesia Supporters) and we’d love to contribute in this project.
Our number has grown considerably in the last 3 years and Arsenal Indonesia has rapidly become well-known in Indonesia through fan-based community like this…
We’re waiting to hear stories from the you guys…
An Arsenal fan from Kuwait here and a regular reader of this blog which top the ranks when it comes to sports blogs and not just Arsenal ones.
Walter, love your articles, and now I love this idea so a huge thank you goes to you, your son, Armin, and of course Tony.
Tariq
Hey gents,
Looks fantastic and I know for sure it will be a hit. Because it comes from the same great place in the heart where Untold has…
Hi Tony,
great news, i’m one of the hundred arsenal supporters in Gibraltar and look foward to reading articles in your new website
Hi Tony,
That is cool. I come from Rwanda, Central Africa and I daresay this is Gunner territory through and through. Personally am an avid supported and I wouldn’t mind contributing to the project.
I am arsenal fan 4rm nigeria. Thumbs up walter great job.
From small town Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. Being an old man, been an Arsenal man for close to 40 years!
I’m an English supporter, but can I say this is a wonderful idea. Well done to Armin and the Broeckx family for pulling it together. Have you been liaising with the club? I bet they’d have all sorts of things to offer a website like this.
Well it looks as if the incredibly average and injury prone Squillaci will sign today, a 30 year old given a 3 year contract. It makes a mockery of Wenger’s only a one year contract for the over 30’s (are you watching Robert Pires). I’m interested to see which one of these French central defenders is No. 1 choice and which one is the squad player. No progress on the goalkeeping front, will we be buying the 37 year old Mark Schwarzer, and if we do I wonder how long his contract will be. It smacks of second rate corner shop, we have become a club that’s going through the motions of playing in the PL as opposed to being realistic winners. It’s interesting how we struggled against 10 man Liverpool unable to create chances when Man City last night destroyed them with ease. Interesting interview on Sky this morning with the best manager in the world. Sky asked Jose who he thought was in contention for the title this year and he selected Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City as the only challengers. When asked about Arsenal he said they never seem able to make the distance always citing we are a young team, wait 3 years (funny, I’ve heard that before). Jose went onto say that excuse has worn thin as the players are no longer young and should be winning trophies now. Jose is right of course, maybe this is why Wenger is playing Theo & Jack, he can use the young players excuse again, of course if he buys fully formed players (some chance) he loses his favourite excuse. When it comes to talking about winning the PL you have to listed to Jose, a proven winner who Wenger could never better. The last 6 years could have easily brought trophies to the club, only one mans stubborn attitude has prevented it.
jeery
Worldwide Arsenal fans appreciate your contribution.
I will personally ask all gooners around globe who read ArsenalWorldwide to gather in pray which will help Arsene to realize what utter crap Squliaci is and how great manager Mourinho is. I expect Wenger to soon as possible go to Madrid and take lesions from him, otherwise we will organize protests in front of German government.
Heck, what the German government has with it…well nothing, but your post have even less with this topic ….
Jeerry – and your opinion about Arsenal Worldwide is???????
Why do you have to spout your tired old crap on every single thread, even when it absolutely nothing to do with what the thread is about. Your arguments are so poor.
Squillaci was 30 on August 11th. Pires was 33 when he turned down a 1 year contract. Gallas was 33 when he turned down a 1 year contract. Squillaci will be 33 when his contract ends. I would imagine he would only be offered a 1 year deal as well. This deal is entirely consistent with everything else AW has done.
Last year Liverpool W13 D3 L3 at home, W5 D6 L8 away from home. Liverpool are far different creatures at home and away and far different creatures with and without Javier Maschereno. Sorry if you are so blinded with prejudice if you cannot see that.
Jose Mourinho has always been obsessed by Arsenal, ever since his Chelsea days. He could not stand Arsenal. We could have Casillas in goal, Ronaldo and Messi on the wings, Drogba and Rooney up front, Essien and Xavi in midfield and his own favorite Carvalho in defense and he would still say we stood no chance at winning. If he mentioned Arsenal as a possible title contender I would be worried he was losing his sanity. Jose is entertainment. Dont take his words too seriously.
Jeery
It makes a mockery of Wenger’s only a one year contract for the over 30′s (are you watching Robert Pires).
That was a very strange statement. To give the context of what I am going to write, I should say that I have repeatedly advocated the view that Henry’s brilliance was a large part down to Pires – the two together were the great players.
And within that context I would add that Wenger’s decision not to give Pires a long contract was utterly justified, since he spent most of the next season injured.
Jeeryy
I think you are totally out of order unloading your frustrations on the wrong forum. This is about Arsenal worldwide in case you hadn’t read the headline.
There are very many negative websites run by supporters like you out there which would be more than willing to welcome your views.
I wish to thank all 19 previous posters (check the number 😉 ) for their warm comments on the Arsenal Worldwide project.
Also on the site itself I found an enormous warm response when I came back home this afternoon.
So a big thanks for this and this is a very big encouragment for me, and I think also for Armin, to continue on this.
i salute frm u Uganda kampala,almost 60% of Ugandans are AFC fans.
i salute u frm Uganda kampala,almost 60% of Ugandans are AFC fans.we are eagerly waiting to see wenger recruit the kind of defender and keeper who can stop Dragba frm destroying our season.
jeery – stop taking that pills mate.
walters, good job.