Some saw it as a shameful publicity act, aligned with certain Arsenal social media-affiliated names that use airtime to push their own celebrity agenda.
But the #WeCareDoYou movement was done with the club firmly in mind.
It was almost holistic. How could we as fans band together and make those who run the club, see that the direction the club is going in is filled with peril and needs a course correction to amend the alarming slide we seem to be in?
The powerhouses of Arsenal Twitter joined forces. Those that push articles on a daily/weekly basis. Crucial parts of the fanbase that circulate the Arsenal message worldwide, essentially the ripples on the water of football news.
The message was clear and avoided the inarticulate chuntering that has followed previous ‘protests.’ It pleaded with those involved with Stan Kroenke that this model of ownership has done nothing to align itself with the manifesto that was used when Stan was in the throes of purchasing all shares of Arsenal FC.
That manifesto said that they were in it to make Arsenal a European giant, a perennial contender.
Now, just like the #WeCareDoYou message states, we are further away from that than ever.
We are about to embark on our third successive Europa League campaign.
We are a huge gulf away from competing for our own domestic title, never mind battling with the big guns for the Champions League trophy.
This is far removed from what we were promised when we moved to The Emirates. This is in stark contrast to the painting that KSE Holdings showed us – a supposed vision of our future under the Kroenke’s stewardship.
Do we have a right to voice our displeasure? Damn right we do, and the #WeCareDoYou movement made their first step in the most erudite way. It garnered such a response with their fellow fans that it prompted Josh Kroenke to issue a statement on behalf of the ownership.
This statement made promises again, one surrounding expensive signings. The use of the word ‘expensive’ was the wrong choice, as it peeled back the veil a little on the attitudes of the sterile Kroenke clan. They think that we just want them to spend money. They think we want them to shake fistfuls of currency at the club in a glib manner, just as long as the cash is flowing.
Wrong. We want our club to compete in the transfer market, but we don’t want to be over-reliant on the Americans, nor any other. We just want what was promised to us, and what is justified for a club on our scale.
A scale that will soon start to shrink in terms of modern football powerhouses.
The #WeCareDoYou statement said that further steps would be taken should this abject approach continue, as we skate blithely toward ignominy. It is quite infuriating as we see our rivals go out and throw their weight around, and we continue to avoid strengthening to such a degree that weaknesses in the team remain even when they stare us all blankly in the face.
We want an ownership who cares, much like the hashtag infers. We want to be ushered into this new generation we all envisioned with an enthusiasm, rather than the coasting nature that we have all been privy to.
Even in our biggest matches, we see hide nor hair of Kroenke. We seem to be a mere trophy on the walls of Kroenke’s office, ignoring us as he plays with his precious LA Rams. His collection of sports teams is quite extensive, but most currently tread water. It is quite terrifying how we seem to be circling the drain to obscurity in the last few years, much like they did too.
The Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids and a few more are currently in his pocket. These clubs, LA Rams aside, have not been near a trophy for quite some time.
We are dealing well with the loss of the lucrative Champions League revenue, but when our rivals are proactively strengthening their teams whenever weakness is perceived, it then sees us lag behind even more, rather than aiming to catch up.
The #WeCareDoYou movement is a shout from the fans that we aren’t happy with the current direction we are facing in. Instead of craning our neck to look up, we are staring flatly across at a hard-baked desert, with nothing of note on the horizon, just the shimmer of a promise – a mirage.
This is more than a hashtag, it is a chance for us to unite for once instead of being divided over the trivial. We all represent The Arsenal and this banner we are now flying could well make an impact on the ideals of Kroenke and co, if the first step is anything to go by.
Let us all make this voice louder than any before it. The manner in which this hashtagged group made their first move is the right one, and together we can make leaps and bounds in the new direction that we want to.
Up The Arsenal 
Thoroughly enjoyed the article and I am inspired by the call to arms. If ever there was a time for a rallying cry for a following to unite and close ranks then this is it, thank you for extending me the opportunity to contribute my voice and solidarity!
I don’t want to waste this moment by re-stating your comments other than to state clearly that I totally agree with the intent.
Kroenke is the ugly face of wealth and its use for personal gratification, regardless of the impact on others. He is not alone in his empire building, however he is the only one of concern for those who hold Arsenal FC in that special place in our beings that is termed ‘total devotion’.
Stan you are not Arsenal and never will be because you don’t understand what it takes, money can’t buy it, it comes with that overwhelming feeling of pride and joy when those red and white shirts come out of the tunnel to contest another encounter. It comes with that unparalleled joy when we score and most definitely when a trophy is lifted by our captain. But then you have to attend the games to experience that.
The current dilemma that pervades the Emirates, I believe coincided with the introduction of Kroenke to the board in 2008 when the then board felt he was a counter-balance to the efforts of Alisha Usmanov who was also making moves on the club. How different things could have been if that board would have had the mettle to reject both, but being wealthy and influential doesn’t necessarily mean intelligent and responsible and there are many examples of that lying around.
From that moment in time everything that was Arsenal changed, particularly for us the fans.
The critical change was the ‘sell out’ on the promises made when the club sold the idea of a new stadium to us with all those illusions of grandeur and success. Most of us accepted that there would be a period of adjustment and frugality with such a bold move but no one could have contemplated that it would still be to the forefront.
All those excuses that issued from Arsene Wenger’s mouth each transfer window about only buying class players, who technically aligned with the Arsenal football model, were just a front for the finance syphoning that was (and still is) going on behind the scenes.
Whilst this man (Kroenke) has ownership of ‘our’ club then little will change, the only significant change being the wording of the lies used to try and pacify the restless natives.
I believe we should observe your rallying call and join the swelling throng at #WeCareDoYou and demonstrate some real solidarity. There needs to be a line in the sand, it needs to be much bolder than the campaigns that surrounded the departure of Arsene Wenger because Kroenke is the real cause of everything that is wrong at Arsenal FC.
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Always love your comments, they’re like a sequel!
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