Despite a clear statement by FIFA that it is looking into the violent assault on Eduardo in the Arsenal match against Birmingham, the FA has decided to go along with the demands of Birmingham City chairman David Gold, and their manager A McLeish, and not look at a further action over the events.
This attack by the FA on Arsenal is little more than a continuation of the feud between the “association” and Arsenal FC which has run over 100 years.
Soon after its foundation Arsenal turned professional – something that the FA saw as detrimental to its own power. While teams in the north had been professional for a few years Woolwich Arsenal’s move introduced professional football to London – and the FA rightly saw this as the move that would bring professional football throughout England, and so reduce its power.
The FA issued an edict to the effect that no FA recognised team should play Arsenal – and other teams meekly agreed. It was a move that nearly brought the end of Arsenal who were ultimately rescued by a series of moves which led to the club joining the League.
From that time the FA has continued its feud with Arsenal – not just the first club outside of the northern industrial areas to challenge the power of the FA suits and ties, but the club that eventually changed the power base of the whole of football.
The untold history of Arsenal FC including the battle with the FA, why when we moved from Woolwich did we move so close to Tottenham, and how we came to be promoted to Division 1 on a secret vote, is written up in more detail on http://www.emiratesstadium.info/football_articles.htm
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