ToffeeWeb - Season 2008-09

The Mail Bag

An Open Apology

As an Arsenal fan I am disgusted by the behaviour of my so called fellow supporters. I would like to apologise to all Everton fans that were at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. The actions of these people disgust me. I deplore any violence at any game but spitting is abhorant.

Not all of us are like that. I am ashamed of being an Arsenal fan. I hope my club find these people and ban them for life.

Once again I am so sorry.

WelshGooner
Gwyn Bethell, Nottingham Posted 20/10/2008 at 11:53:44

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Harvey Shearer
1 Posted 20/10/2008 at 15:05:39

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The thing that's most annoying is the fact that it looked like it was the Everton fans who were trying to attack their Arsenal counterparts. But infact were just remenstrating with the police and stewards to catch the culprits in the upper executive tier.

Spitting is the lowest of the low. There has never been a ?history? between EFC and AFC fans but I fear that is about to change.

Well in with the apology though Gwyn.

Brendan George
2 Posted 20/10/2008 at 15:34:46

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Appreciate the apology Gwyn. If only we could play as well as your reserve team...

Mark Cassin
3 Posted 20/10/2008 at 16:08:48

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Top man for finding this site and taking the time to post in.

I think we would all love it if Spurs went down, cheers.

Rob Foy
4 Posted 20/10/2008 at 16:24:27

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I was on the back row closet to the Arsenal fans and was talking to the steward there most of the game before it all kicked off.

He basically told me as it was going off that the problem was the stewards upstairs doing fuck all about the plebs on the upper tier spitting, and they were sitting round drinking Coffee! To be honest I am surprised there wasnt much media coverage about it, coz looking over it with the view I did, it was nasty!

Terry Smith
5 Posted 20/10/2008 at 17:44:22

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If this was the other way round Everton would be called for all sorts and would be on front & back of papers branded as hooligans & scum. Arsenal gobshites ? bring your tin-hats to GP.

Ray Robinson
6 Posted 20/10/2008 at 18:55:29

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You’re a top person for coming onto the site like that, Gwyn. I was at the other side of the away end and wondered what the hell was going on. Why were the Everton fans singled out? Walking back to Finsbury Park tube afterwards, I overheard several Gooners saying that they’d never seen trouble like that at the Emirates before.

El Cid
7 Posted 20/10/2008 at 20:15:49

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I was in the upper tier looking down from the other end and all I could see was trouble kicking of between stewards, police, and Everton fans. I thought Everton fans were trying it on to be honest. But having seen the You Tube evidence, it’s obvious that it wasn’t so clear-cut and that things hurled down by presumably Arsenal fans had started the whole process off by prompting Everton fans to lose their rag and the police to overreact. So as a Gooner, I too would like to apologise.
What I don’t get is the fact that immediately above you were the expensive seats and boxes. It’s unacceptable. Your club should take it up with ours. These people need to be dealt with and have sullied our name. Apologies again.

Marco Bonfiglio
8 Posted 20/10/2008 at 22:21:42

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Gwyn & El Cid, thanks for your contributions.

Terry Smith, very constructive. Well done.

Paul Foster
9 Posted 20/10/2008 at 22:17:01

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Check this out. What WANKERS: http://www.onlinegooner.com/exclusive/index.php?id=791

Jake Harding
10 Posted 20/10/2008 at 23:17:40

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Easy Foster... (it?s ok, I know him!)

As an Arsenal fan it?s terrible to see this kind of behaviour at the Emirates. There should be no excuses or condoning of the fools who perpetrated the violence. Those Arsenal fans that commented that Evertonians ?had it coming? are neanderthals too. There?s not be a problem between the clubs and that?s the way it should be... you?re always very accomodating letting us have all those points each season (joke!)

Matt Hooper
11 Posted 20/10/2008 at 23:33:56

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I would also like to add my apologies from Arsenal fans. This was a match between the two longest serving clubs in top flight football, and with to my mind the two most well-behaved sets of fans around.

A few thugs seem to want to change that situation.

As soon as I heard about this terrible incident I emailed the club (Arsenal) with my thoughts and asked what was being done about it, on Monday I had the following reply:
Dear Mr Hooper

>Thank you for your email with regards to the events of the match against Everton this weekend.

I can confirm your email has been passed on to John Beattie, Stadium Manager for his attention. He will reply in due course.

Yours Sincerely

Laura Stemp
Stadium Management

I am awaiting a futher reply.

It really would be a shame if this sours relationships between Arsenal and Everton, two clubs with great traditions, two family clubs. I just hope in the return game retribution is not sought, because that would be wrong entirely.

Good luck for the rest of the season, and one final thing, those of you who want Moyes out, forget it, he's the best manager you?ve had since Kendall.

Lynne Hill
12 Posted 21/10/2008 at 00:35:48

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Thanks Gwyn. I was there. Thought the stadium was fantastic, low police presence (unlike the Stoke ground). It's a shame what happened (and the result!!), because there has been no trouble with EFC and Arsenal in the past that am aware of and I would hope that the return fixture is trouble-free too (cos I sit near the away fans at Goodison and I hate violence, spitting and any nasty chants). Let's hope you and I speak for the majority.

Cheers.

Jem Birtles
13 Posted 21/10/2008 at 13:22:28

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I was there on Saturday, but stuck in with the gooners thanks to a mate (who got me a ticket). I got a bit of abuse (friendly) when we scored and a lot of piss taking (friendly) when we got stuffed.

The thing is, Everton is in my blood, and always will be ? but I have a serious soft spot for the gooners ? we probably all have. They have style over cash-based vulgarity, they play football like gods, and their squad (in the main) don?t come over as twats.
As for the guys giving me the friendly dog's abuse on Saturday, well if you?d swapped the colour of their shirt and done something about their London twang, then they?re just like us supporters and loyal to their core.

But there?s always some fucked-up dickheads associated with every team ? we have them as well, and it makes me sad.