Peter, Joseph and Matthew Marsh

THERE has not been a big crowd like this at Arsenal since the coronavirus pandemic began, but the supporters were not expecting to watch a football match.

Instead, the thousands of Gunners fans had come to the Emirates Stadium on Friday to unfurl banners and chant songs that demanded a change at the top.

The noisy protest was the largest of its kind since last week’s European Super League breakaway farce, eclipsing the numbers demonstra­ting outside other football stadiums.

And the message from the demonstra­tors was pretty blunt – they want billionaire US owner Stan Kroenke to now depart.

Stewart McDermodd, who had come down from Peterborough, said: “We’d like him to go. We don’t know what we will get next but you’ve got to give it a try.

“I don’t think they will listen after one protest, but I think they might listen if we carry on making our voices heard.”

Fans Lorcan George and Dan Jinkerson

Carol Lee, who has been an Arsenal supporter for 55 years, said at the protest: “We just want Kroenke out. It is not the players, not the managers, it’s the owners.

“We just want our club to see progress. The people there are just about money.”

Mr Kroenke has slowly taken control of the club in recent years.

Not always the most popular figure among the support base, discontent intensified when Arsenal was among the self-billed “big six” English football clubs who attempted to set up a new European competition with some of the continent’s famous names, like Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The new set-up promised a big payday, and one that would be protected because the new league system had no relegation and the clubs would not have to compete to qualify each season.

Amid a furious response from across the nation, all six withdrew and Arsenal apologised for its involvement.

But the protesters on Friday said this was not enough and that they wanted an owner who would not have even considered a breakaway.

Carol, Alfie and Alice Lee

Arsenal fan Dan Jinkerson, 27, said at the protest: “I grew up with the Invincibles team [Arsenal played a whole league season unbeaten] around 2003 and 2004 but since then there has been a real decline.

“We were at the top of our game, we were one of the best clubs in the world, but since then there has been no investment.

“What we want is an owner who cares about the club, who is a fan of football rather than just a business owner. He [Stan Kroenke] is a businessman. He is not a football fan.”

He added: “There’s been disappointment, but this week is the first week I’ve been ashamed to be an Arsenal fan.”

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer has backed the fans’ campaign for more involvement in the ownership of their clubs.

It was his predecessor, the Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn, however who pledged in his 2019 general election manifesto to give fans more of a say in their clubs by setting up a review and an independent regulator.

Some fans believe that a rule should be in place so that all clubs have representatives of the terrace support on their board.

Arsenal fan Matthew Marsh said at the protest: “The love of Arsenal has been passed on from my dad to me and to my son Joseph. The investors are just in for the coin. They are mercenaries whereas we love the club.

“I would love an owner that is passionate about the club, that would come to their games, that would put his or her hands in their pocket and invest in the club and get us back dining at the top table which is where a club like Arsenal should be dining.

“We’ve not been dining there since the Kroenke’s come on board.”

After the protests, Daniel Ek, the Swedish co-founder of music app Spotify, said he would be an interested buyer if Mr Kroenke did decide to sell the club.

Mr Ek said he had been an Arsenal fan for 30 years and has support from club legends Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp.

Mr Kroenke and his son Josh, however, said over the weekend that the club was not for sale and they remained “100 per cent committed”.

Their statement said: “Our ambition for Arsenal remains to compete to win the biggest trophies in the game and our focus remains on improving our competitiveness on the pitch to achieve this.”

Ahead of last night’s (Thursday’s) Europa League semi-final against Villareal, Mikel Arteta, who himself is under pressure following Arsenal’s disappointing season on the pitch so far, said: “I cannot control the speculation”, but added: “We have owners that are really committed and want a successful team on the pitch, and will do everything they can to achieve that.”

Back The Gooner

THE editor of a historic Arsenal magazine says he and his colleagues are in the “fight of our lives” as a year without fans at the Emirates Stadium has put the publication at risk, writes Calum Fraser.

A campaign to save The Gooner fanzine has now been launched with editor Layth Yousif calling on Arsenal supporters to subscribe.

The Gooner – one of the longest-running fanzines across the English leagues and considered a trailblazer – is sold outside the ground on matchdays, but fans have been unable to attend matches due to coronavirus rules.

Mr Yousif said: “We are in the fight of our lives and we need every right-thinking loyal Gooner who chimes with what we do to sign up.

“It has been a really difficult 13 months for everyone. I know that. I personally lost people to Covid, I know a lot of people who have lost loved ones as well.”

He added: “I know businesses are struggling and there is so much uncertainty out there as well, so I understand why subscription numbers haven’t been as high this season.

“Money is tight for everyone. That said, it is so important, more than ever, for informed, intelligent, irreverent Arsenal fans’ voices to be given a platform, because the other options are a bit more hysteria on YouTube and that doesn’t chime with everyone.”

Mr Yousif was appointed editor in the week before the first lockdown was announced in March last year. He attended the protest on Friday where Arsenal fans marched on the Emirates Stadium calling for owner Stan Kroenke to leave.

“Last week showed more than ever why The Gooner is so important and why fan groups are so important,” said Mr Yousif.

“When faced with uncaring billionaire owners, humble fans can still take a stand and fight them down. It was as humbling as it was important and inspiring.

“To be a very small part of that as an individual and The Gooner is something I will never forget. We’ve obviously lost a week’s campaigning, but it’s certainly worth it.”