As a number of you will no doubt be aware, the Black Scarf Movement, an Arsenal 'pressure group', will be staging a protest walk up to the Emirates before Saturday's clash with Swansea City.
They are mainly an organisation standing up for fans and their treatment. The BSM are a somewhat controversial group among Arsenal fans, with some considering them overly extreme or 'ungrateful regarding Arsenal's current situation.
There is also a lot of disinformation about their intentions. Thanks to a recent release, they have clarified their position, and I'll state their basic aims:
1. Introduce a 'Season Ticket Lite' without cup games, which would be cheaper for fans who can't make every game. Holders of the 'full' season ticket would take precedence in terms of cup tickets.
2. Reduce or freeze ticket prices, as Arsenal charge the highest prices in the league, which is preventing many loyal supporters from turning up to games. While many rises were caused by inflation, Silver members ticket prices have risen by 73% recently!
3. A season ticket pay-back scheme which allows them to be repayed over a period of three months rather than at once, which makes it easier to pay for tickets. Allow season tickets to be upgraded and downgraded, and to allow season ticket holders to move themselves down to Silver membership.
4. Bringing back the 'Clock End' from Highbury, creating a better atmosphere, and moving away fans to the upper tier, out of sight of the TV cameras and preventing them from infringing on the atmosphere.
5. Remove Peter Hill-Wood from the board, as they consider him old and out of touch with supporters.
6. Give representation to Alisher Usmanov's Red and White Holdings, as they own around 30% of the club and as yet have no power over board decisions, due to enmity between he and majority holder Stan Kroenke, and the rest of the Arsenal board.
7. Have home and away kits in the 'traditional' red and white and yellow and blue colours, as recent away kits have sold poorly and looked a bit silly (The 07-08 white kit, for example).
As you can see, mainly fairly reasonable and more about the fans than anything. The BSM have stated the march is not about Arsene Wenger, and anybody attempting to change that will be asked to leave.
The demands about the board are difficult, though many Arsenal supporters would support them.
Sadly it's a matter for the shareholders, most of whom are Stan Kroenke.
One thing I will point out is that Arsenal only started wearing yellow away kits in the 1960s, having worn blue and, yes, white beforehand. Not as traditional as they claim, but perhaps more iconic.
It's entirely up to you whether to support the BSM. Join the march if you like. The main issue people have is that many of their members don't want Arsene Wenger in charge any more, but that's not a BSM policy.
Choose for yourself.
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