By Tony Attwood
What do you want your club to be? Champions of the Football League? Double Winners? Champions of Europe?
Yes, undoubtedly. But here’s a question. Does it matter how we go about getting to these heights? Would it matter if our club bribed referees? Would it matter if we ensured that only refs who were compatible with the Arsenal way of doing things were in charge of our games?
Would it matter if we brought over young men from Africa, tried them out, and then if they were not good enough, just dismissed them, knowing that they would be left alone, homeless, begging on the streets?
Or let’s go back a bit. We have a wonderful stadium. But would it matter if in building it we dispossessed people on limited income and reduced their houses to worthlessness?
In short, does what we do off the football pitch matter?
I believe it does. Which is why I am writing this piece today. And my comparison is going to be between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC, and the battlefield I have chosen to examine is the way the clubs have handled their local environment.
Let me explain…
Think of the Emirates Stadium and you don’t normally think of housing. But the partnership between Arsenal and the local housing trusts has resulted in the development of well over 1000 new “affordable” homes, and a complete regeneration of the area.
The first homes for Key Workers opened in Hornsey Street and the work is continuing outwards. And let’s be clear from the off, I am not talking about the redevelopment of the Highbury ground as expensive apartments, but of apartments whose prices are held at a level that essential workers (nurses, police officers, teachers and the like) can afford.
In short the Arsenal Regeneration programme was instituted to create a mixture of new homes including Shared Ownership apartments with a view to help people get on the property ladder for the first time. It also produced low cost rented housing for local people and again for Key Workers.
The work includes development in Hornsey Street, Northern Triangle (which is right next to Emirates stadium), Drayton Park, Caledonian Road, Highbury Square….
“So what?” you may ask. Arsenal builds houses.
I think it is important – particularly so when you remember that Islington Council turned down Arsenal’s first approaches to redevelop the area in 1997, just as they opposed Arsenal’s move to Highbury in 1913.
I don’t want to go through each and every planning issue, nor go back over Arsenal’s move from Plumstead to Highbury. but I do want to contrast what Arsenal have done, with what Liverpool are doing.
If you go to Anfield now you just see empty and abandoned houses all around the ground. They are being purchased bit by bit by the club, and this has been going on since the mid-1990s. The amount of money paid to buy these houses is not enough for the owners to buy new houses in the city. The owners who had their own homes now have to take out mortgages they can hardly afford, all to keep a roof over their heads. The area is falling apart – and all because Liverpool want a bigger stadium and more income.
Now there is nothing wrong with such an objective – these are the very reasons Arsenal moved from Highbury to the Emirates.
But in moving Arsenal rebuilt a rundown part of north London and are still doing so. And yes, residents opposed Arsenal’s developments. Maybe some still do. But when you go to the stadium and just see how many new houses there are in the area, and remember those run down warehouses and small business units that existed there, it is hard to ignore the huge improvements made to the area.
Compare that with Liverpool where the accusation is often made that the club has bought up houses piecemeal to keep prices low. There has been no public announcement about Liverpool’s buying up plans, nor indeed its current operation. Officially none of this is happening.
Worse, houses that Liverpool bought up 15 or more years ago are still boarded up and left empty. Some have junkies in them. Some have been set fire to. You can imagine what that does to the area and for the people who still live there.
The Guardian recently exposed the involvement in Liverpool’s scheme of Kevin Dooley who acted for the convicted drug dealer Curtis Warren. Dooley was struck off by the Law Society in 2002 after being found guilty of involvement in fraudulent purported bank schemes. But he was very much part of Liverpool’s plan to buy up empty houses around Anfield.
The main difference between Arsenal and Liverpool in all this is that Liverpool have never clearly announced what they are up to at Anfield. It is simply a matter of observation that they are buying houses, and leaving them empty. They are deliberately blighting the area in fact.
Not surprisingly, Anfield is now an area in total decline of the club’s own making. One local newspaper revealed that a plan had been put into place without discussion with the local population, and the local council was forced into an enquiry. But despite all this the club has not put tenants into the empty houses that it owns and the council has taken no action at all.
Liverpool will presumably eventually get its 60,000 seater stadium, once it has forced everyone in the area out of their homes. Arsenal got its 60,000 seater stadium too, but it did so by working with the local communities, being open, and building thousands of new homes.
There is a difference. As Arsenal supporters we should be proud of the redevelopment of the Highbury communities which we have been part of. Just as we should be proud of our move from Plumstead to Highbury 100 years ago when we brought new life and vigour to the community and raised the gates of both Tottenham and Arsenal..
But mention of Tottenham brings me to my final point. What is happening regarding to new Tottenham ground?
In December 2008, the design for the new stadium, by KSS Design Group and Buro Happold was revealed A projected completion date was predicted on 26 October 2009, as Daniel Levy stated that Tottenham intended to move into the partially built new stadium for the start of the 2012–13 season (ie the season just completed), with the final 56,250-seat venue ready for 2013/14.
On 28 September 2011 the GLC relieved Tottenham H of all infrastructure payments previously requested and the Borough of Haringey committed an extra £9m to improve services for residents in the area.
The Mayor of London gave his approval to the plans to redevelop the stadium on 25 November 2010. The club confirmed, on 9 December 2010, that the Secretary of State for Environment had said that she did not propose to call in the planning application
And then?
Tottenham H FC has a page on its web site which is devoted to the new stadium. The last entry on the page is dated 18 September 2012 and it contains these points.
- First work starts as part of new stadium scheme – September 2012
- Important step forward towards delivering much needed regeneration
- The new supermarket will create up to 250 news jobs whilst securing jobs from existing Sainsbury’s store in Tottenham
- Expected opening late 2013/early 2014
That might still happen for the supermarket, but that is all we are talking about here. A supermarket.
And so we wait. But there is one more point. As we know, Arsenal got a fair amount of sponsorship money from Emirates and other sources at the time of building the new ground, and front loaded those deals so that they reduced the borrowing the club had to make. Tottenham, if the ground is on schedule (despite the lack of news on their own club web site) will undoubtedly do the same.
Now we also know that the approach meant that Arsenal have been restricted in their expenditure over the past seven years because of the need to keep within the terms of the loan they gained to build to stadium. It is reasonable to expect that Tottenham will have similar financial constraints. Although by 2020 or thereafter Tottenham may well have a superb ground and a lot of money to spend on players the chances are that until then they will be as restricted as Arsenal have been in recent years. The main difference is that during that period Arsenal have been able to call on the Champions League income, which Tottenham are not always able to do.
As for Liverpool, they may have lower costs in terms of rebuilding, rather than building a new stadium, but it is unlikely their ground will be as splendid as Arsenal’s or the ground that Tottenham propose. They not only lack Arsenal’s Champions League income, those also lack Tottenham’s Europa League income.
So, we wait, although meanwhile back at the Ems we are still building. And within the plaza the Bergkamp statue (one in a series of statues initially proposed to the club by Untold Arsenal and the Arsenal History Society) will be with us shortly.
Recent posts
- Newcastle Sports Direct v The Arsenal. The view from the Emirates
- Onwards and Upwards: what will happen at Arsenal this summer
- Victoria Concordia Crescit – When and Why?
The books…
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – Arsenal’s early years
- Making the Arsenal – how the modern Arsenal was born in 1910
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal FC: crowd behaviour at the early matches
Nice one, Tony. Very proud, indeed, of all our off-pitch activities as a Club.
so house prices around Anfield have taken a dive….hmmm the recession is biting…hmmm
but seriously, excellent post Tony, you add that some teams (Citeh) had considerable financial help in relocating, giving them an unfair advantage
so house prices around Anfield have taken a dive….hmmm the recession is biting…hmmm
but seriously, excellent post Tony, you could add that some teams (Citeh) had considerable financial help in relocating, giving them an unfair advantage
Tony
Interesting stuff. Do you know how much the GLC and/or the Borough of Haringey will be contributing to the building/regeneration costs and how that compares to any similar assistance Arsenal received.
@Mick
Yes indeed, considering they got £27 million of Haringey rate payers money towards the failed attempted move to the Olympic Stadium.
Tony,
The key words running through Arsenal’s North London development have been “affordable housing”. The building of a football stadium is bound to have a traumatic effect on the surrounding populace and as you rightly point out, Arsenal FC should be proud over its sympathetic treatment of not only the Ashburton Grove area but also that of our old stamping ground at Highbury. Well done to the Board and its planners.
@jax you think Haringey gave Spurs 27m to help their cause of moving out of Haringey to the Olympic stadium in Newham!?!?!? One word for you young man; moron!
Emirates is indeed a quality stadium but it’s misguided to compare Arsenal’s redevelopment/relocation saga with Liverpool’s. The circumstances behind the degeneration of Anfield (the area) has a lot to do with the non-joined-up approach to ground redevelopment (new owners x2) and financial uncertainty rather than any grand plan to shaft the residents and save a few quid on building costs. This has been an embarassing shambles for all concerned with the club for a decade now with no end in sight.
Great blog.
As ever The Arsenal do it “the right way” Now more than ever we should remember our Latin Motto
“Victory Through Harmony”
If the Liverpool scenario shows anything, it’s that stability counts. Ownership, Managership, etc. With ever changing owners, comes differing visions & differing finances. And I’m sure the (now dismissed) Stanley Park joint venture with Everton must have impacted along the line somewhere.
Those who wish for a ‘bright (Alisher Usmanov) future’ take heed.
Man City were gifted a brand new stadium for nowt.
West Ham are pretty much being gifted a new stadium.
Chelsea (even with Roman) are having trouble enlarging (can’t be done) or moving (where to? Earls Court won’t happen now)
As for the Spuds …. We can only thank our lucky stars we never tried the Finsbury Park joint idea. And for that we have to thank Peter Hill-Wood & the then board. I was informed that the Spuds wanted a 50/50 stadium, but only putting their 50% at the end, and that The Arsenal should put their 50% up front!
I work for one of the companies involved in building their stadium and also regenerating the area and one of the Project Managers (A Gooner!) told me that they have the council “Over a barrel” so to speak regarding finances they are demanding and no one will stand up to them. They threatened to leave Tottenham High Road (Not white hart lane) and the council knew if they left (No chance of that) the area would never improve.
The riots also helped their situation as the area in truth is absolutely dire…it NEEDS regeneration and that is how they will receive a lot of financial help. Along with Edmonton and Potters Bar they are the most deprived areas in London.
FYI apparently they will half build the new stadium, move the pitch across then finish off the other half of the stadium. It is not a straight forwad demolish and rebuild process. At least the spirit of Highbury is still there but redeveloped rather than having been demolished forever and a new building put in its place.
In the meantime their failure to obtain Champions League football has hurt them and their branding etc much more than they would like to admit. We have not heard of any financing deals for the new ground, how much they will put down etc and even so spud fans think it is just a marketing move to try and sell them on?
Thankfully we built our stadium and have almost finished the regeneration process and now Arsenal owe £98 instead of initially £240 Million (Please correct if need be) and we have remained competitive in the leage – that includes selling our best players too.
Be grateful to the board and of course Arsene Wenger. He is the reason we are in our situation and not like spuds, Liverpool etc
Only someone who has NEVER lived in the area around Highbury and Ashburton Grove can write such utter miss-informed rubbish! To imply that local residents have benefited from the development of the soulless stadium known as the Emirates can only be called delusional. I suspect you have been brainwashed by the club communications but suggest you clearly have a vested interest to tow the club line as you have an income to earn writing about Arsenal, we don’t want to ruffle the feathers now do we?
I am aware of hundreds of locals (all Arsenal fans…….still Arsenal fans) who can no longer afford to live in the area and have long since moved away. Your ignorance in such matters is embarrassing. Yes, the new properties are “affordable” homes today, but the very people who had to move out because of the development 9/10yrs ago couldn’t even afford to put down a deposit on one of these now. And on the subject of “affordable” these same ” lucky locals” would attend every game with a passion that only a local person can have, but allas are now completly priced out of going to watch a game. Campare the old with the new and you can stick your Emirates up your arse. Final suggestion, before writting AFC propergander be smart and interview a local to give a balanced opinion, you might have to pay for their train fare to visit you in Northampton though Tony.
@ Enfield Gooner.
Potters-Bar-Deprived. Three words I never expected to see in one sentence. Things have certainly deteriorated since my years in North London.
This sort of article is what really depresses me, as a lifelong Spurs supporter. It’s rational, well-written, grammatical, and it’s all about the affairs of a well-run football club, with a bright future. The reason I don’t hate Arsenal is because they were about as relevant to Spurs in the 1960s (my formative football years) as Leyton Orient are today. Match days at Highbury with musical accompanyment from the Metropolitan Police Band seemed a relic of bygone days, and I wouldn’t have believed in my wildest dreams that Arsenal could reclaim top dog status in North London, and keep it for as long as they have. As for Spurs, we’ve got a bleak period ahead if the stadium is indeed to become a reality (not that you’d know it, reading the fantasists spouting on most Spurs sites about our wonderful manager and how great next season will be), and with Levy in charge, anything – or more likely nothing – is possible. COYS!
Firstly, congrats to Arsenal for pipping Spurs to 4th this year. A fine comeback, yet again. Next year though…
I do think your comments are a little naive. Developments like this are all about negotiation positions. In the case of the Emirates, the council had a much stronger bargaining position and could therefore demand more social improvement. I doubt whether this would have been forthcoming if the Emirates had been in a more deprived borough as the new Tottenham stadium will be. At the end of the day, Premier League clubs are no longer focused on the localities in which they are based. They are international brands – companies that have to be commercially ruthless to compete with other clubs. So while it’s great that your club has created this affordable housing, I’m not sure that this would have been done out of pure charity or social responsibility – more to get planning permission through based upon planning legislation and regulations.
But then I may be biased.
COYS.
I can’t wait for the spuds to start building. Without a Wenger working miracles on a pittance of a budget they will collapse.
Would be interesting to see an article on the effect that building a stadium has had on other clubs. Many have been relegated and have dropped FAR more than Arsenal have
There are a lot of points made here on how a club will not be able to spend on players while they pay off the ground.
In comes rich owner – paid for. Do we really think that Joe Lewis will let Spurs fall out of the competition for a CL place every year by not spending money on players as he pays off the ground. It makes no sense when by finishing 4th you can pocket an extra 25m.
Its already been confirmed that the cost of the stadium will be funded externally from any club running costs.
When Arsenal moved to the Emirates it was a different world without the Financial Fair play rules etc.
Must say that I totally agree with the regeneration project Arsenal have completed and hope Spurs’s is as succesful. Hopefully the council will also upgrade the stations around Arsenal to help 60,000 people get home! The club has definately held up its side of the bargain.
Tony,
I’ve just read the rather sobering comment by Guido (hope his surname isn’t Fawkes). I wonder if he has a point and if so it might be worth following up. Of course he could be a Spurs supporter stirring things up.
Perhaps Gooners in the Highbury and Ashburton Grove areas could comment on what the says.
Yep I see what you mean – how many people have passed away since Arsenal seriously last challenged for anything? I guess at least they went to their graves thinking “well that was a stadium I was proud of. Trophies, no I want a stadium”. Ha.
Potters Bar is in London is it? Oh dear oh dear.
We might have the council over a barrel but they tried to squeeze the club for regenerating the area as well as build the stadium, something Haringay has failed to do for decades.
Do you think you goons would have built affordable housing if Islington council hadn’t made that a stipulation of granting planning permission? yeah right.
Community club my ar*e!
Spurs NEVER tried to share a stadium with you lot at Finsbury park! What a pathetic lie to come up with lol. AND what about all the CPOs for your stadium!! Incredibly deluded you goons this morning aren’t you ha ha!
@Tim,
We were glad to share your ground during most of WW2 though!
Guido is making a number of generally valid points, ie that football has become too costly for many traditional supporters, that many people cannot access the housing market in areas such as Islington because of high costs. These are applicable across many parts of the country and especially in London.
His logic is completely warped, however, in attributing either of these phenomena to Arsenal’s new stadium project, which is well summarised in Tony’s article, which gives deserved credit to the responsible approach of the Club.
If he is a Spurs fan, he will have plenty of scope for moral outrage about Harringey residents who cannot afford to go to WHL (assuming that any would want to), not to mention the eventual call on the public purse, thanks to Boris et.al. even if the stadium project goes no further, (which might still be a possibility.
written by a person who knows nothing about the Anfield area. There is no comparison between the relatively well-off area of Islington and district and the socially deprived area of Anfield and Nth Liverpool (I`m from the area by the way)
most of the houses surrounding Anfield are home to a transient community as the tradtional residents moved out of the area years ago as it became very run down and more of a haven to substance abusers and the crime and violence that comes with that problem.
LFC are working in partnership with the local authority on a project to regenerate the area (even though as a private business they have no real obligation to do so) and are looking to create homes and jobs for local people – something central Govt dont seem to be interested in. The air must be vary rarified up there on the high moral ground – fancy gooners being smug, self satisfied prigs – who`d have thought it
Spurs will undoubtably have to operate under financial constraints in the transfer market to fund stadium repayments as Arsenal have had to, but then we have been operating in that manner for some time anyway – in the past 2 years (i.e. 4 windows) we have roughly broken even on transfer fees if not traded at a profit. The last truly heavy net spend was in Redknapp’s first season in charge after which it’s been free transfers (Friedel, Gallas), ageing players (Parker), last-minute steals (VdV) and promising youngsters stepping up to the mark. No doubt we’ll continue like that.
It’s true there’s been no news on the sponsor, and delays may’ve been due to the difficult climate to raise finance in, however the economic situation in the UK also offers an advantage to Spurs in terms of cheaper land costs and construction costs (building companies scratching for projects at present). I think the target for opening is at the end of the 2014/15 season, with completion the season after that.
@john the call on the public purse is to regenerate the surrounding area which is obviously much needed. The public purse is making ZERO contribution to the stadium and ZERO contribution to Spurs’ own regeneration contribution in the form of te suppermarket and the new flats directly north of the new stadium.
@nicky a very generous act given you had Islington just under 30 years earlier. Quite fitting highbury was bombed as that ground much like your club should never has existed at all! Dial Square FC anyone??
@nicky a very generous act given you had invaded Islington just under 30 years earlier. Quite fitting highbury was bombed as that ground much like your club should never has existed at all! Dial Square FC anyone??
@ Tim
I thought there was some serious discussion surrounding ground share however that was some time ago and of course it could have been dreamt up by the media.
Tony raises some very good points though in that every team that has moved home has been relegated from the division they were in (Leicester, Derby, Reading, Southampton, Brighton, Rotherham, Swansea, Cardiff am sure there are others).
Our board have managed the move brilliantly, not only maintaining premiership status but consistently finishing in the top 4.
It explains why some teams have not managed to fianance a move, yet made a lot of noise regarding it. Everton are another team that spring to mind.
When you look at the rent that West Ham will pay of £2m per year its no wonder Tottenham wanted the Olympic Stadium, greater capacity driving increased revenue for next to no cost
What a load of tripe. Spurs will build their Stadium and it will be great for Tottenham. Le Arse can keep paying down their debt for a Stadium built on a former Rubbish Dump. As for their helping the locals…………..not only can’t the locals afford the property prices (rent or buy), but they can’t afford tickets to the new “Library”.
Yes, I will correct the Enfield Gooner – your Club doesn’t owe 98 pounds, they probably owe 98 MILLION Pounds…………keep buying those very expensive tickets and help your Club…….
@ Enfield Gooner
May 23, 2013 at 9:31 am
I suspected as much. Their bluff should be called.
@ ian
May 23, 2013 at 11:44 am
ditto – makes sense for West Ham to get the stadium but the terms of the deal make it a bad one for the taxpayer.
@ John
May 23, 2013 at 10:27 am
Well said – we can’t do anything about the general over-valuation of land and property in London but we at least helped out some people at the time.
Tim,
as you seem to know history so well: could you please tell us when Tottenham became a London club?
@walter that was a mere technicality on the London mapping system. Tottenham has always been north London in truth and clinging onto suggestions to the contrary is merely a way to help yourself feel better about your very dark and black past.
Tim, the point is that the so-called beneficial effects of TH’s continued presence, compared to the threatened move to Stratford, are actually having to be paid for out of public funds, rather than as part of the stadium project itself. Boris Johnson allowed Spurs to back out of their development related planning obligations to the regeneration of the neighbourhood.
That’s a crucial difference between the Spurs and Arsenal projects. Another is that Arsenal have delivered their scheme, whereas……………
(No wonder that Ian Duncan Smith gets to enjoy generous hospitality at Spurs.)
To WalterBroeckx – define London – Tottenham or Woolwich
Le Arse do not have a proper support base – it’s all gone Corporate and “if we don’t win somefink’ soon, then we are orf”. So, good luck with that………and then a Big empty Stadium……………..
Why is Untold full of bitter Spuds, why do they come on Arsenal sites or don’t they have any of their own blogs to moan on.
Hello Mick – I use NewsNow and it gave me this Link cos’ the TWAT who started the whole thing had WHITE HART LANE in the Headline…………ha, ha, ha. So, stick that up Le Arse and lump it. COYS
‘all gone Corporate’ eh? Can’t think of anything more corporate than trying to up sticks to the Olympic Stadium on the cheap to make money for your money-mad chairman and tax-avoiding owner in the Bahamas.
Keep going to the Library and you may find a nice Book. Have a look in the Trophy Cabinet for something recent……….your Club moved to a Rubbish Dump…………..
@PatJenningsPants
You have a lot to say for yourself, why don’t you start your own blog?
you can still see the hurt.
I wonder how many of them celebrated the ghost goal last Sunday? ;)Shall I link to it? 😉
Tim,
technically speaking there was no team in (North) London when we came to Islington. And if there was one, it wasn’t Tottenham
Hello Mick – Thanks for the compliment…………ha, ha
Nah – I’d rather just have a go at you lot for sticking your chin out…………………
Hello Walter et al – South London Gypsies……..welcome
@Mick
He has a lot to say – none of it worth reading though. He’s frustrated for reasons we all know why. A quiet lie down under his Gareth Bale duvet will make him feel better
An interesting blog, certainly. But also one that contains rather too much by way of red tinted (Arsenal variety) bias.
1. To suggest that Arsenal did everything the right way and that no one suffered as a result of the building of the Emirates is very wide of the mark. In fact, it is impossible to embark on a project of such scale and complexity in a densely populated city without there being victims.
In Arsenal’s case, there were myriad small businesses that were served with CPO’s and kicked out of their premises. They were offered the minimum compensation and most were unable to find new premises nearby that were of a similar size and quality and at a price that was within what they had received for their former premises. Some consequently went out of business.
So enough of perpetuating this myth that Arsenal are somehow paragons of virtue. That’s not to say that they are any worse than any other club in this respect. It’s just to say that they aren’t any better.
2. Let’s get real here. Arsenal haven’t redeveloped much of the area around Highbury and Ashburton Grove, including affordable housing, out of the goodness of their hearts.
They redeveloped much of the area because of the tidy profit to be made out of it – profit that has helped to pay for the new stadium. Affordable housing was undoubtedly included in the overall scheme because that was what secured the cooperation of Islington council.
Arsenal are not in the business of altruism.
3. You’re quite right to point out that Spurs might not be able to call upon consistent Champions League qualification to see them through the tricky years of paying for their stadium. However, for their part, Spurs will be able to call upon a number of advantages that Arsenal didn’t enjoy.
Firstly, it is well known that Arsenal’s deal with the Emirates seriously undervalued the worth of the sponsorship. It’s understandable, perhaps, because the concept of naming rights was in its infancy in this country at the time. But Spurs will not make the same mistake. They have the benefit of learning from Arsenal’s mistake. Any deal that Spurs sign is likely to be worth as much as twice the Emirates deal.
Secondly, other income streams – TV and commercial – have grown dramatically over the past few years and that trend looks set to continue for the foreseeable future. These increases will be comparable, in terms of worth, to the rewards of Champions League qualification.
Thirdly, now is a great time to borrow. More so than when Arsenal went to the banks. Debt is incredibly cheap. And, on the flip side, construction costs haven’t risen over the past 5 years. So Spurs’ stadium is expected to cost in the same region as the Emirates – a little under £250 million.
As I said before (if you were reading, or could read that is), just giving a comment or two, or three, or four to the headline on NewsNow – the Bin Dippers also made some good comments…….
You Arse Holes seem so sensitive……
You would think a 100 years would be long enough to get over it. But then I suppose when you’ve last won a league title 52 years ago, timescales can be distorted, and 100 years doesn’t seem so far away.
A number of comments have brought up the issue of public money being committed to the redevelopment of north Tottenham.
What’s the problem?
We are talking about money being committed to the area. Not to the stadium redevelopment. Not to any of the enabling projects that Spurs are also building.
This public money (in all, about £40 million worth – in other words, a drop in the ocean compared to the £450 million that Spurs will be investing in the area) will be / has been spent on transport infrastructure; new public buildings; employment schemes; rebuilding after the riots etc.
This is a good thing, surely? So why on earth is anyone complaining about it? Just because you support a rival club? Isn’t that the very definition of small mindedness? You’re better than that, surely?
The truth is that Tottenham has long been a neglected area, with one of the highest unemployment rates and instances of poverty in the entire country. This money – as meagre as it is – is long, long overdue. Nor is it even remarkable. Other areas of London have been awarded even money from the same Mayor’s fund.
So please, stop this petty attempt at point scoring on this issue. It’s a nonsense.
WHAT IS WITH ALL THESE BITTER LITTLE SPUD DOUCHE BAGS READING AND COMMENTING ON A PRO ARSENAL WEBSITE. AS A LONG TIME ARSENAL SUPPORTER, I CAN HONESTLY SAY I’VE NEVER GONE ON A SPURS WEBSITE. I DON’T GIVE A F**KING DAMN WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE THEIR LITTLE PEA-HEADED BRAINS. THE BITTERNESS OF WHAT HAPPENED ON SUNDAY MUST SILL BE PAINFUL, LIKE A RAT WHO JUST GOT RAPED BY A LION HA HA HA. HEY YOU PEA-BRAINED SPUDS SHOULD GO ON A SITE SUCH AS LE GROVE IF YOU WANNA COMMENT. LEAVE THIS ONE FOR JUST REAL ARSENAL SUPPORTERS. IN ARSENE WE TRUST.
I don’t say welcome to people when I sit in the house of my neighbours and other guests arrive. I only do this when I sit in my own house. 😉
PJG just needs a little drink
https://twitter.com/DYL999AN/status/336939019319533568/photo/1
Thanks Shard,
now when drinking they can enjoy the collapse a bit better.
http://t.co/eL3l4hQUC8
going down on their knees… once again…
That was cruel from my part.
To make it up the next link will cheer them up a bit more.
It’s about celebrating a goal. Surely that is something cheerful https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xOnBc30qbq4
GOOOAAALLLLL!!!!!!
Bill from Manhattan – thank you for that little insight into your own “pea-headed brain”. But do you think that you could switch your caps lock off? There’s a good lad.
Do you know anything about news aggregators? They’re websites that gather together related content in one location for the purpose of easy viewing. One such aggregator is newsnow. If you are a supporter of, say, Arsenal or Tottenham, you can visit your club’s page on newsnow and see pretty much every news item, blog or video that has been posted on the internet about it.
Furthermore, if you are a blogger about Arsenal, for instance, you can ensure a wider audience for (and discussion of) your work by including, in the title of your piece, key words relating to other clubs – like “Anfield” or “White Hart Lane”, for instance. It means that your article will likely appear on Liverpool and Tottenham pages of any news aggregator.
And that means that Liverpool and Tottenham fans will likely read your article. And it is further quite likely that they will wish to comment on what you have written – especially if they disagree with it. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s exactly what the author wants.
So, you see, it’s really not at all hard to understand why Spurs fans should be engaging in debate on this page. Nor is it anything to be afraid of. Or, in your case, nor is it anything to work yourself into a lather about.
Hey, Bill from Manhattan – why use those capital letters = are you a Yank who has no manners…….probably.
Read what I said earlier – I only had a go at your lot cos the TWAT who started it had WHITE HART LANE in the Heading…..
If you want to lead with the chin, then expect a wallop or two – get real – you lot are so sensitive – wimps
I think what you mean PJG, is that we’re insensitive. To your plight. Well, the likes of you make it hard to be otherwise. Enjoy your drink.
Yeah calling the writer a twat. In capitals. Twice.
Yeah…and then comment on someone using capitals. 😉
Try a bite with your drink PJG
http://youtu.be/VQySHv9Cl8c
PatJenningsGloves, change your name to PatJenningsPants as you are full of shit.
HEY PAT JENNINGS PANTIES, THE REASON I TYPE WITH CAPITAL LETTERS IS MY OWN BUSINESS. YOUR BITTERNESS IS OOZING THROUGH YOUR SLIMY PORES. YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A PATHETIC LITTLE HATER. OVER HERE IN THE STATES WE HAVE A SAYING THAT GOES LIKE THIS, “DONT HATE THE PLAYA, HATE THE GAME”. IF YOU DON’T WANNA BE FILLED WITH HATE AND VITRIOL, TELL YOUR F**KING SHITTY LITTLE SCUMBAG PLAYERS TO STOP MAKING LATE SEASON COLLAPSES ALL THE TIME. HA HA HA.
THIS IS FOR ALL YOU PEA-BRAINED SPUD SUPPORTERS WHO COME ON OUR WEBSITE. IN THE STATES WE HAVE ANOTHER OLD SAYING WHICH GOES LIKE THIS, “YOU BEST HIDE UNDERNEATH THE FRONT PORCH IF YOU CAN’T RUN WITH THE BIG DOGS”. YOUR SHITTY LITTLE TEAM IS ALWAYS GONNA PLAY SECOND FIDDLE TO THE ARSENAL. THE SOONER YOU IDIOTS REALIZE THIS, THAT WILL BE THE FIRST STEP TO HEALING YOUR FESTERING LITTLE PSYCHES. DEAL WITH IT. YOU CAN’T UNWRITE HISTORY.
BILL FROM MANHATTAN,
Just curious, which BIG DOGS do you run with?
That GIF cracks me up every time:)
I travel into work on the Kings Cross line. I have been doing this for more than 20 years. The changes in infrastructure and housing that are visible, just from the train, are incredible and when you take into account that this butts up to the regeneration of Kings Cross… well it’s fantastic.
To @Guido’s point. I was originally from the area. I knew what the area was like growing up in North London. It is true that property in certain parts of North London have for a long time been out of the reach of locals, it’s out of reach of most of us not just locals, but that is not because of Arsenal or to denigrate what the club have done. The ground itself was built where there was once small business units and an inefficient refuse disposal site. Is what is there now an improvement? Some of these areas have been truly transformed and that can only be positive for the area and that will be an impact that will grow over the years. If Spurs do the same thing for their surrounding areas then good luck to them, that would be great to see leaving aside any football supporting bias.
Thankyou for the informative article.
London has and keeps on expanding, but not to the extent of swallowing up Potters Bar, not yet anyway.
You can still see the old mile markers in Hampstead that state 7 miles to London.
And just so people know, who are not from the area or country; It’s only since the late 18th century that the area of Finsbury, Clerkenwell and surrounding were not farm land. Its only been in the last couple of hundred years that the area where Arsenal are now based have any buildings of any kind.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=1374
So some of our foreign friends can find out the history of The area where Arsenal are based.
Jim B, I think if you noted the long title of this site (Football news from an Arsenal perspective) you would appreciate better what is said. No one is unbiased in football debates; the one virtue this site has is that it openly admits its bias.
City (its owners) seems to be actively engaged in and planning much needed infrastructural, economic and social redevelopment in their surrounding communities. Good on them too.
To all the spurs fans on this site and others going on about Arsenal moving in to north London from south London over 100 years ago I say get over it. Just one more point we moved you tried to move to Stratford in to west hams new stadium that makes you all hypocrites.
PatJenningsGloves
While we enjoy paying for our tickets, we hope you continue to enjoy paying roughly the same to watch your team in that sh@thole.
@Tony,
This property development thing, I dont remember seeing any such thing in the balance sheet (dint go through in detail). Is it in any way related to Queensland thing??
I believe that FFP will help Spurs and Liverpool.
The new premiership TV deal means that every club will receive at least an extra £30 millions per year.
The new FFP premiership equivalent restrictions that premiership clubs agreed earlier means that they cannot wash that extra money on salary. Reading the small print and checking their respective situation, it means that both club will have 15 to 20 millions pounds per year to spend on non wage related expenditure.
That could be training ground, academy, stadium.
Even if they don’t make the champion’s league, that money alone can be used as covenant to finance a new stadium for the first five years.
The same way Arsenal had to find 20 millions per year, requirement which ends this year. That’s why Garry Neville is confused into thinking that we have repaid our debt.
Both club may not attract nor afford the Falcao, Cavani, Ronaldo, Neymar of this world but they are attractive to the players just below them. With a good coach, a good scouting network that could lead to a healthy situation.
The club that has the most to lose with those new restrictions is Chelsea.
They cannot expand or at least not soon (they do not own the freehold of their ground) or not at a reasonable cost (at least in footballistic term, we are still talking crazy money). They cannot fill their own stadium right now, so expanding to a bigger, more expensive stadium might not such a good idea in the first place.
As long as Abramovitch is allowed to finance them it’s fine, but what will happen when a club like Spurs, Liverpool will generate more revenue from match day, play a more attractive brand of football. If by luck, talent, (winning the Europa league), they then enter the champion’s league where will that leave Chelsea?
Also Mourinho will always favour winning above style, that could drive Neutrals in the Far East, the USA or Africa to the more champagne, attractive style of play.