From Martin :

Afternoon Myles,

I came into Arsenal in 1972 with my Grandfather and Father but by time I really understood football the 71 team had been broken up and my diet was pretty average Arsenal teams in a sometimes half-empty Highbury as we even teased relegation one season.

But we went to every game regardless.

The utopia for me at that time was ’78 when we reached a Cup Final, beyond my expectations, never thought I would see it, with the bitter taste of that day soon removed by the ’79 win which to this day is in my top three games that went to see given my age, expectation and way game was won.

Average to half-decent sides as the Eighties closed out with a cup the height of expectation, my Arsenal never being good enough to win titles, but they did in ’89, St.Michael’s day in that top 3 also, and more convincingly in ’92.

Unfortunately, my Dad never made the early Wenger years or got to witness Dennis Bergkamp, but it was a whole new level of football, culminating in that 2004 team.

Wenger built that and raised the expectation and encouraged it when stadium was built, we would challenge now every year, not always win but genuinely challenge as our footing was now equal to all those around.

So do I sound like a fan as I narrate my own Arsenal history?

I should because through thick and very thin I supported the club with no agenda.

There are 1000’s like me, same upbringing, history who are saying the same things at this time, that time for change is needed yet get accused of being spoiled blah blah.

Over last 6 years every one one of us would have been more than happy to have Wenger and players turn it around, to become this team that fights for everything and maybe not coming out victorious, but it’s not about the winning, it’s the fighting, the competing, even those poor 70’s side you never doubted players’ characters and commitment, skill? Yes! But not their heart and passion.

So there is no agenda from me and many like me, we want to see the club and players compete and care like we do, and yet each year we see the same surrender and it’s tiring and disheartening ‘hoping’ Wenger and team turn it around, we have wanted it to happen and it just never does, so it’s not a knee- jerk reaction of spoiled fans, it’s the considered reaction from intelligent fans who know the game as much as anyone and truly understand what they are seeing.

Most of us have played the game, we know the psychology of football, the players who hide when the pressure is on.

Do not think Wenger does not care, sure he does, but for many seasons it’s been proven he cannot motivate his players to genuinely challenge to the major prizes, weak performances at key times are normal

Some have an agenda, some just to be proven right. But he vast majority of Arsenal fans have no agenda and would have been very happy to be silenced but there is a tipping point for everyone even the most ardent fan.

Wenger commented the new manager would lose too.This annoyed me as shows he does not understand the criticism,.

Losing is part of football, there will be no guarantee of success in uber-competitive competitions, it’s the manner of key defeats, capitulations even at key times and repetitive nature of them each year.

Some players dig in and fight and show backbone and an embarrassing mauling might end up 3-1.

Not 5-1.

Rocastle, Wright and Adams were not just adored by Arsenal fans for talent, it was their heart and passion. Even on bad days fans would be unwavering in supporting them.

So when press and some ex-players make lazy comments about spoiled Arsenal fans blah blah they need to understand it’s not agenda-driven, it’s all about what’s best for the club and always will be.