well the other forums have it, a general discussion forum and we\'ve been in need of it too
so let\'s get it started, and if anybody gotta more imaginative name tell me I\'ll (or the mods will)rename it

okay first topic to be discussed here:
this was on another thread, and it was causing quite a lot of argument, so exactly what makes a real fan?

someone who is passionate about a team, regardless of how many games he/she has been too

Ah yes, another second rate version of the C-H-I-double P-Y

I'm kidding


By the way, 'F4Evo' nice name change, much more practical.

First of all, great idea F4Evo, I was thinking the same thing. And Thank you Macari for pinning this topic.

I don't know if you guys agree, but especially in this topic, let's try to encourage great debate and discussion. So hopefully we can limit one line posts.

This could be the place to discuss things like, tactics, player selection, and and hope and fears for the future.

ok yea let the discussion begin
we were talking about what makes a real fan, now it has been claimed that people who dont live near London and especially the fans who live outside the UK are gloryseekers and only chose Arsenal because they were very successful, my personal view is different

the local fans, yes some of them they spend a lot of money to watch matches and i agree that's great and which is what keeps the club going, and have to admit that that's great

but that doesnt mean that non-local and foreign fans cant be seen as real fans, some of them have just as much passion about arsenal as the local london fans, it is very hard for them to come and watch matches as it is hard for transport and hard to get hold of tickets and they may not be so financially well off
the best they could do is buy a lot of the club's merchandise such as the kit and I am sure a lot of them do
also in foreign countries most of the fans have subscription to sports channels and the tv rights are an important source of money for the club too

why choose arsenal and not leicester (or tottenham )?
well there are fans who started supporting arsenal before wenger came, (i did just at the start of wenger's reign but that was to do with the players rather than the success the team had had)
well believe it or not most people support some of theit local teams, but it sucks when the teams you live by are non-league, and you never see much progress in the teams and naturally as a football fan there is nothing wrong in wanting to watch football of the highest quality

when you listen to music, you just dont listen only to your local artists, you dont listen to the most successful artists only but in the beginning the thing that attracts you is good music, football is an art too and there is nothing wrong in expecting to watch good football, after all one of the main reasons for many fans to follow the club, if success was the reason, man utd would have been the easy options, (not that all man u fans are glory seekers)

and many of the people who contribute to this forum have taken the effort to do so, so i dont see them as routine glory seekers at all

so please people lets unite as fans of this great club and try not to find more ways to divide us(if there arent enough already)




ok get the responses going now

I am stuck in the middle of this current debate.

I started supporting Arsenal in the late 80's. I went to school and I remember my second year in school Arsenal won the title at Anfield. Before then, I was one of two arsenal supporters in my class. After we won it, nevery every one started to support Arsenal.

I went to secondary school in the George Graham era, and nearly every one I knew supported Liverpool, Man Utd and then Arsenal. Afterwards team like Spurs and West Ham had a few fans. I called the Man Utd fans I went to school with glory hunters, because supporting them was the easy choice. But the real glory hunters are the casual fans. Some people hardly knew anything about football, yet if you asked them who do they support, they would say "United".

I can understand supporting a team because of the football they play, as much as I dislike them, Manchester United played some brilliant football during those times, they used to run through the opposition at will, and even when losing, you just knew they were coming back.

But to me, you should support a team because you can identify with it as well. I was proud to support arsenal, cheering on the likes of Paul Davis, Rocastle, Perry Groves and a particular favourite of mine Paul Merson. As much as I hate to say it, I was born in London, raised here for most of my life, so I identify with that team more than this one to be honest.

But I can also understand, that people are going to support teams if their country men play for them. For instance a lot my african friends support Arsenal probably for that reason. My spanish friends have Arsenal as their second team, after Barcelona, Real etc. My friends dad is a Roman born and raised, a huge AS Roma fan, but he took Chelsea as his second team for that reason.

Personally, I don't care who you support, but I get fustrated when a guy who follows the latest sucess story, and who has watched football for a couple of years, tries to tell me p's and q's of football.

But as long as there is a successful team, there will be glory hunters.

I was born in North West London...this had no baring on my choice of football team, mainly because 1) my parents were both from different countries and didn't support any football team and 2) when I made my choice to support Arsenal I was too young to even acknowledge where the Arsenal was located...in fact I don't think any other exterior elements of football come into your mind when you're that young. You just love the sport.

Ironically, I think when I was about 4 years old (I was a non-supporter of any football team at this stage) I got given a Spurs replica shirt to wear. I knew no better back then and I wore it all the time as it was my first football kit lol! Still didn't actually watch or know anything about the team though. Then about a year later I had the Premiership sticker book, I think it was called a Panini sticker book, not sure...and because United had loads of cups on their page me and my best mate decided we'd support them...that broke down when Graham got sacked when my best mate's mum said to us we should support Arsenal because they would be getting a new manager or something and they were from London where we lived...so we were like, cool.

So I came to support Arsenal through pure chance...my early life flirtations with, ironically, two of our biggest rival teams were purely out of innocence and is totally acceptable...now let's never speak of it again!



So I just believe that a true fan is someone who consciously makes a proper decision who to support and goes through the many emotions every true fan does when following their team through the seasons.

anyway just some information, the arsenal-juventus game is on ITV this Tuesday, sorry if this was too obvious, but just to show that some general stuff can be posted here

hope everyone can catch the match

^^I should have been working Tuesday nite, but asked for time off to attend to some "important matters"...my supervisor fell for it

Hahaha, tidy mate.

Cheers F4evo for the reminder...I actually thought it was on Sky Sports until you told me.

Can't wait!

I wish ITV was carried here in the states. I have to put up with ESPN2 which will show the Benfica game instead so i'll just download the match. I guess on the bright side, i won't have to skip my class.

good work Maurice, unlucky swift, though we will give you indepth analysis on this forum later
im free to watch this hame

Tottenham is down 1-0 at home against West Brom. Lucky day for Arsenal?

Well we can only hope. It's not over yet though.

1-1. Guess who? the most prolific irish striker in history. Robbie Keane

^^...and Spurs nick it at the death. Fuck!

i hate those lucky bastards!

I forsee a really juicy North London derby...

the juicy will become juicier if arsenal get knocked out of champions league by juve because it will become do or die for arsenal then.

I was thinking at 1-1 that 4th place would be ours if we continue our mini-form and win our next game. Right on that moment in the 89 minute, that useless goalkeeper had to make the blunder of the season.

I agree with you Maurice. The magic of the Premiership may just throw up a derby with everything at stake. That would be amazing to watch. Bloody scary too

but the scum will play to draw, this is getting scary indeed
we gotta win our next prem match though to put pressure on them

YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

what a match today, i really think arsenal of old is back
if we carry on this form we shold make micemeat of sp*rs!

Did any of you guys feel the satisfaction I felt seeing Vieira gloomingly walking back to the tunnel?

I was thinking before the match, with all of Vieira's comments about how he stood a much better chance of winning with Juventus, that it would be incredible to see his face after we won.

i think i got the feeling too, feel bit sorry for him though must be the most unlucky player in the champlg.
but looks like arsene did get it right, cesc is the future!
not only was it good from an arsenal fan point of view but also from a football fans point of view, some of the stuff on display was hugely entertaining, some outrageous flicks all over the pitch
serie A was humiliated today!

guess im a bit overexcited lol!

Remember Owen's comments about how he has a much higher chance in the CL when he left Liverpool for Real Madrid - so many similarities with LFC of last season. To be fair to Vieira, Arsenal sold him - it's like Owen who was a glory hunter and wanted to leave Liverpool.

anybody know when the pompey game is rescheduled for?

Before the match I was wondering whether Vieira would get a red on his Highbury return. Oh well, the yellow provided the same impact anyway. He's powerless to do anything to stop us progressing now. It was great to see the contrasting images of Henry and Vieira following the match. Delight and despair. Football's a funny old game ain't it Paddy? The Champions League and all that.

But seriously he was a great servant to the club. No hard feelings. Of course he's got to push along his new club's challenge with his comments. There was satisfaction in seeing him walk off like that for sure .

Ya and to even further highten the link, how about instead of Gerrard to Chelsea, insert Henry to Barca...

both teams also signed tall strikers who have problems with finishing

good thread guys

for me it doesn't matter how you start supporting a team. once you select a team you have to go with it all the time. no matter what happens thats your team. you have to stick with it through thick and thin

i'm from dhaka,bangladesh. i've been watching the premiership from 2000-01 season. in my 1st season of watching arsenal won the premiership. the main reason for supporting arsenal was the style of play. i liked pires,henry and ljunberg a lot how they combine so well especially henry and pires. since that time i've been with the gunners no matter what happens i'll always be a gooner

win,lose or tie
i'll be an arsenal fan till i die

^agreed


anyway now

Arsenal v Tottenham Legends Night - book now

Arsenal v Spurs Legends Night
Friday 21st April 2006

Celebrate Highbury's north London derby history

Come and join Charlie George, Sammy Nelson, Pat Jennings and Steve Perryman on Friday 21st April 2006 for an evening to relive the great Arsenal v Spurs games and preview Highbury's last ever derby.

Guest will arrive at the hallowed Marble Halls entrance at 7pm, walk through the players' tunnel and around the pitch to the Final Salute Club where a drinks reception will be served. This will be followed by a three-course meal served with wine and entertainment provided by the Arsenal legends and a comedian.

Package Price: £95 per person (discounts available for larger parties)

just thought i would let people know

sum 1 who stands by his team through thick and thin and not only when its winning

hey people, look at my sig.
do u think it proves all Cesc doubters wrong? An Alonso - Fabregas partnership will be ok for spain, dont u think?

nice sig!
and yep your right about spain's future cm partnership too

Nah, Spain's central midfield partnership should be Xavi - Fabregas.

Xavi is better than Alonso for me.

What do people make of David Pleat now?

Old turnip head has grown on me this season, he has covered all our Champions League games this season and has always raved about us. Also a big fan of Wenger as his transfer policy as well, he said their was no one better during the Juve game, also made reference to us as the 'great' Arsenal football club.

His pronoucation of players names as is shocking as ever but i much prefer him over the likes of Townsend and Beglin.

Drury over that sexy beast Tydesley anyday as well.

Pleat is a Twat.

He called Vieira "Vieri" In that game.

He has a small head with a small brain with it.

Next season he should be sacked.

his newspaper columns about management crack me up considering his own record

OUCH^^

yeh he does some article about team tactics in "the times"

it's amazing how easy it all looks when he does it

one question, would you prefer chelsea or man u to win the title?

Manchester United for the title and Liverpool for the FA Cup.

I despise Chelsea.

A while back I'd have said Chelsea but now I'm not too sure... . Tough one that...put Liverpool as an option...

liverpool.....the only team in the EPL other than arsenal that i respect

Chel$ki, manu, an liverpool to lose all their remaining games, spurs to get relegated from the EPL due to their 3rd offence of racism, allowing us to pinch the title!

ah, nice dream

OK, time to get this baby going again...

Name your favourite Arsenal goal of all time. Not two or three. One!

Mine would have to be Tony Adams scoring the final goal of a 3-0 (I think) win over Everton at Highbury to win us the Premiership in our first double winning season. The goal itself was class and the meaning it had attached to it made it even more fitting.

He made a run from our own half into Everton's and he controlled a long lofted pass from someone, Winterburn or Platt, and he just hammered it.

Class.

Dennis Bergkamp against Newcastle, nuff said

Thierry Henry running past 6 spuds to score the 2002-2003 goal of the season!

That goal wasn't that great, he didnt pass anybody, its just the finish with the left foot was brilliant.
IMO the liverpool 2004 was better than that