Arsenal fans demand answers on lack of signings at Supporters Trust meeting

The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust (AST) have
demanded answers over the club’s failure to fully
re-invest the 50 million pounds it made from
player sales last summer.
The 3,000 strong group held a meeting on
Monday evening and will put forward its
findings to the club.
Amongst other issues brought up at the meeting
were the direction of the club and Arsene
Wenger’s future, although the AST deny holding
a vote on whether the Frenchman should remain
in charge.
It also discussed the club’s wage bill and the 6.5
percent increase on season ticket prices, despite
the fact Arsenal is facing a seventh season
without a trophy.
“It [the meeting] was lively, passionate and
concerned,” Tim Payton, spokesman for the AST,
told the Daily Mirror. “Arsenal fans are not
happy and they showed a lot of spirit. We will
ask at the end of the season if Arsene Wenger is
the right man for the job but during the season
we will always back the manager and support
the team.
“But questions need to be asked. We had a
summer profit of 50 million pounds on player
trading. [We need to] figure out whether there
was money to invest and where we might be
going.”
Payton revealed that the Gunners’ wage bill is
another concern for fans, as is the possibility of
missing out on Champions League qualification
this season.
He continued: “We spend so much on wages.
This year we are going to spend 40% more than
Spurs, it’s a 130 million pound wage bill. Are we
overpaying a lot of players that we then can’t
move on?
“A worry for the fans is that next year they will
be paying for Thursday night football [in the
Europe League] rather than Champions League
they’ve been used to.”
The AST also want a freeze on season-ticket
prices and discussed whether a change of
manager would be a good move.
Payton added: “Last year there was a collapse of
the four trophies, then straight after, there was
a 6.5% rise on top of the most expensive tickets
in the world.
“I think they will probably keep prices flat
depending on what competition we are playing
in next year – hopefully the Champions League.
“It’s a very legitimate question that the Arsenal
Supporters’ Trust is asking – Are Arsenal’s
football set-up and Arsene Wenger still right for
taking the club forward?”