Forum Topic

ARSENAL FANS ?

Has anyone got a view on Arsenal Football Club banning the flag of St George from The Emirates Stadium? I think its an absolute disgrace.A spokesman for the club said they have banned all national flags from all countries.WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH !!! Thats a cop out excuse...has nothing to do with the crusades then? Bearing in mind the name of the stadium and their sponsors I would suggest theyre scared of upsetting certain people.BLOODY PC GONE MAD THEY SHOULD BE HAD UP FOR TREASON.

Mark Welland ● 6733d14 Comments

Yes Gareth, but I feel Arsenal Football Club were under pressure from Emirates as they are they are their major sponser.

Mark Welland ● 6716d

Mark This was a choice exercised by AFC and not Emirates.

Gareth Evans ● 6717d

It isn't really just about the St. George's Flag though is it. The reason given for the ban was that a Turkish Cypriot flag was being flown at the games so it has nothing to do with Emirates not liking the 'crusader flag'. That doesn't make it right though. Arsenal have a huge Turkish fan base and so what if some of them are from Cyprus. Arsenal also have a large Irish fan base many of whom are from the north. Up until a few years ago they wouldn't legally have been allowed to display their own flag in grounds near where they lived so they will be less than happy that they are now also banned in this country.

Andy Jones ● 6729d

How right you are chaps...a culture that is racist against its own has nowhere to go except the road to oblivion.Don't buy any food or drink whilst in the stadium or anything that you can do without,don't fly Emirates and make your feelings known to the board by thousands of you writing to them and letting them know.What more can you do?I've long been exasperated with the liberal elite in this country telling us all what is right and wrong and what we should and shouldn't do.Sod the lot of them.

Keith Iddon ● 6730d

well said mark, I have been called racist for expressing an opinion that the PC brigade didn't want to hear! My best mate is a muslim pcso with hounslow police.In fact one of the only families I can call true friends are Pakistani Muslims.I will never give up my freedom to speak my mind as long as its not offensive!!They don't realise that is they who are the racists.

w John Michael Atkinson ● 6730d

I think i told you the reason why..because Arsenal are sponsored by Emirates (even the ground is named after them) it might not be PC to say so but i think Im right in saying that the flag of St George going back to the crusades is considered a threat. And it suited Arsenal Football Club to use the excuse of banning "ALL NATIONAL FLAGS" to encompase the flag of St George. ABSOLUTE NONSENSE I FOR ONE AM FED UP WITH ALL THESE PC "DONT UPSET MINORITIES" IDIOTS WHO SEEM TO THINK THEY ARE DOING GOOD FOR OUR COUNTRY BUT ARE ONLY DIVIDING PEOPLE..AND IT JUST GOES TO SHOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF MY ORIGINAL POST THAT HOW MANY REPLIES THERE HAVE BEEN TO IT BOTTLE JOBS !!! AND BEFORE SOMEONE COMES ON AND CALLS ME A RACIST IVE BEEN MARRIED 19 YEARS TO A BLACK WOMAN AND HAVE 2 LOVELY DAUGHTERS.

Mark Welland ● 6730d

I will Bill Ian remembers you very well..and yes hes bald as well as I am !!!Last time I saw you was in The Griffin with your kids you were going to The London DRONGOS at Griffin Park.Anyway I still see some of the old faces from Ealing Road..Simon Burr still lives in Layton Road.. David Burr (Best Man at our wedding ) now lives in Ireland has a wife and two children and had his house built from scratch on the side of a lake with mountains as a backdrop..truely beautiful.I bump into Ross Smitherman and Peter Teague from time to time I think they are still season ticket holders at Brentford. Hope you are well.

Mark Welland ● 6730d

Hi Mark,hows it going,i remember you and Ian from Ealing Rd school,funny enough i came across an old photo of Ian,taken outside my old house in Chestnut ave,i believe he has slightly less hair now!!Good to hear you are still mates,say hello from me next time you see him,Bill.

Bill Drinkwater ● 6731d

No one should be ashamed of our national flag.what could the reason be I wonder? \\

w John Michael Atkinson ● 6731d

yes your right mark, the country has gone bloody PC mad.We cant even refer to ourselves as English. But until we protest nothing will change!

w John Michael Atkinson ● 6731d

Totally agree Bill they shouldve had a word with the chap and told him his flag is offending people within the stadium.Its quite simple police have the powers to say its causing a problem.But to totally ban our national flag is a disgrace.On another subject Bill I went on holiday last year with an old mate of yours...Ian Lark !!! We both grew up together and we are going away together this year again.ive been married 19years and have two daughters 14 and 12 Katie and Lucy.Hes got a couple of kids from previous relationships and has a new baby boy Jake with his current partner.By the time we all go away he will be walking Jake not Ian !!!

Mark Welland ● 6731d

I agree to an extent its a bit heavy handed,it came about by 1 guy who kept flying the Turkish Cypriot flag at games which incensed some sections of Arsenals support.After meeting with the guy involved the club decided to ban all none Arsenal flags!!To be fair,i dont know why the guy would want to fly this flag unless it was to wind certain people up,if it had been a French,Dutch,German etc you could see why as there are players from those countries playing for Arsenal,but no Turkish Cypriots that im aware of.I  think Arsenal  could have handled this a lot better though.http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/6187983.stm

Bill Drinkwater ● 6732d

Its still a disgrace that they will not allow the flag of St George to be seen in the stadium.As I said Neil I think the real reason is they dont want the flag of St George in the stadium for historical reasons and by saying they have banned all flags from all countries gets them to do it.

Mark Welland ● 6732d

Mark,Its all flags apart from Arsenal ones.

Neil Chippendale ● 6733d