Some members may already be aware of this but I only discovered these plans while on the website of the Islington Gazette looking up the report of the Carling Cup game last night. It appears that Arsenal had submitted plans for a 78m high, 450-room development to be located on Hornsey Road, not far from the Emirates Stadium. These initial plans were rejected by the council who are expecting Arsenal to resubmit revised plans in due course. Arsenal as far as I'm aware now have plans or property developments on Highbury Square, Queensland Road and now, Hornsey Road. It was revealed at the last meeting of the AST on the Monday before our match with Dortmund that the proceeds from Queensland Road were being held in reserve should the club not make it into the CL next year. A Plan B at Arsenal at last though not on the pitch. It suddenly made me wonder if the management of the club have perhaps been distracted from the business of football in concentrating on properties and presumably other projects. It could be by chance of course that the timing of these developments have coincided with the trophyless era of the club but it did make me wonder if Arsenal had taken their eye off the ball? It also made me think about the monies that were supposedly made available for transfers over this year and the last which were only spent in part. Now it is of course entirely possible that the club is still looking to spend the bulk of this on one or two big names in January but I can't help but think that up until the departures of Cesc and Nasri if the monies though declared to be available, had been held back because of these other projects. By coincidence too has been the appearance of Silencio ( the European title I've "affectionately" accorded our owner, Silent Stan. It is sad we never hear from him. ) during this period of diversification. Property always generates profits. Even when the economy suffers, property eventually prospers. Everyone knows that and Stan is no exception. Neither too are the members of the board while all the time, their spokesman talks about sustainability of the business model. Doesn't it make you wonder as well my friends?
RVB - interesting. I think our transfers are done, the big names we went for in the Summer that we lost out on are gone, I think AW is happy with the squad he has and I'd be shocked if any business was done in January - unless of course we suffer more serious injuries to key positions. As for 'Arsenal City', any plans that are afoot that increase profitibility for the club I will support, but as you mention this can't come at the expense of on-pitch performances and I doubt this is the case - teams will be set up to manage non football related activity and the only correlation with the playing staff is the finance available to strengthen squad and wages paid. As for 'Silencio', the guy is an investor nothing else, he invested in Arsenal to make money, he has no desire to be involved in the running of the club. He cares about the clubs activities only because this directly affects the value of his asset, he's a successful businessman who will not understand the emotion involved in supporting a football club. His NFL team, St Louis Rams, were a Los Angeles based franchise who moved stadiums in 1980 then moved cities in 1994, there simply isn't the same attachment to sports ownerships in the States as they're franchises with little history/tradition
Well my friend I was afraid that the available finance may run the risk of being diverted to projects in respect of profitability. Can't really understand that teams could be moved from one city to the next but as you say, these are franchises. Put it in another way, business models. I hope those who run AFC still remember it is a football club with a rich history and tradition of success on the pitch.
'I hope those who run AFC still remember it is a football club with a rich history and tradition of success on the pitch.' Very interesting point. Our football has 150+ years of histroy, tradition and rivalry, and until 10 or so years ago ownership of clubs was pretty much family, when English football became so popular the Sky money poured in the clubs of course became attractive to investors who treat football clubs in the same way they treat their businesses with no emotional attachment. The only people left in the game with any loyalty are the fans - players and owners look at todays paycheque and investment return with little regard for the fan who pays his way and probably has done for years. I fear for the future I really do...
I have to say I am more fearful of these owners than I am of players, the latter only being tempted by the former. There really ought to have been a transfers and wages policy in football. Sadly there isn't anyone to do it and I don't see FFP as doing enough. We shall see. I hope someone with some sense does indeed make sone sense of it all or we become like Formula 1, with only three or at the very outside, four teams able to win.
RVB - this is how it's been for years, outside of Arsenal, Uts and Chelsea the last team to win the league were Blackburn 17 years ago ! Owners can ruin clubs and I think it will only be scrutinised more closely if a club goes to the wall - Portsmouth and Leeds came close but throw in Southampton, Charlton, Sheff Wed and a host of other traditional premier league clubs who now find themselves in the lower leagues it's easy to see how quickly things can turn sour. Hull and Burnley were both prem lge clubs 18 months ago who now find themselves in massive financial difficulties and could easily drop another div or go into administration, what we haven't seen since Aldershot (who are clearly back now) is a club simply disappear but it may not be long...
Yup, owners can ruin the game too. I find it astounding that the sanctioning bodies of sports seem to be run by those whose focus is other than on what is supposed to be their main subject. If they were at all focused, the big money men coming into football might have stopped at Mr Abramovich. I'm not saying football clubs cannot engage in projects to secure their future. I just fear those occasions when the club and their participation in the sport suffers as a result.
