Arsenal are synonymous with tradition, class and upheld values that go back to the original days of the club.
We are a club that does things the right way and the way we operate is one of the reasons why many of us began to support Arsenal.
What happens when football itself threatens the fabric of your club though?
Many articles have been written about how the sport has transformed from a fan-centric endeavour into a multi-billion business. It has seen multiple owners buy into Premier League outfits and plunge into bottomless pockets to drag clubs toward glory.
It has also seen new owners purchase clubs simply as part of their portfolio.
Like a hunting trophy of sorts perched on their wall, the new owner buys the club for the lustre of owning the club.
Step forward Stan Kroenke and KSE Holdings.
Arsenal have gone from a fan-represented club to an enterprise that is singly owned, leaving fans with no voice in regards to how things are run. It is a sad state of affairs and is far removed from what has been the process since 1886.
And with the cash flowing around the game for all clubs to snatch at shamelessly, it leaves fans as a second thought. No longer is packing the stands a priority. What matters is results and keeping the brand alive. Pre-season tours abroad to enlarge the fanbase, merchandise, promote, rinse and repeat.
Clubs have realised they don’t need fans in the ground, they know enough people will pay to watch on tv. Not only are we seeing the death of clubs throughout the English football league, we are now seeing the slow demise of the football supporter as we know it. Football it seems, is about to change forever.
Arsenal now no longer resemble the club that the majority of us began to support – but that doesn’t mean we stop supporting.
We are all Gooners until we die, but being a fan is intrinsically linked with watching the game, feeling connected to the club, meeting friends and experiencing the matchday atmosphere. Whether that be the pub or the stands, you associate supporting your club with the connection you have.
Which is why Dial Square Football Club was born.
Taken direct from the club’s mission statement, Dial Square FC declare;
“We set up Dial Square as an alternative to The Arsenal, not a replacement. We want a club run by fans for the fans. We are committed to it being affordable and accessible to everyone. We are a grassroots football club with huge ambitions and with a passion to be the best we can. But, at the heart of our dream is to ensure the ownership of our club stays with the real investors, the supporters.
If any good is to come from this difficult time, it’s that greed in football will be exposed for what it is and non-league and lower league English football will come into its own. “
This year, the above club declared that it would burst into existence. It is formed by Gooners who have become disenchanted with how Arsenal Football Club is now run and how fans no longer have a voice in the running of the club.
The people who run Dial Square are all still Gooners and always will be, but DSFC exists for all Gooners who want to watch a game and watch a club that is run by supporters – for supporters.
The motto of the club is ‘Renascitur.’ In Latin, this means reborn. Dial Square is very much hewn from the fabric of Arsenal – and it is where the values of the club are being upheld.
The plan is for the club to rise through the leagues but do so in a way that keeps the fans – us – in the loop.
Isn’t that what we are used to?
Giving your support to Dial Square isn’t you shunning Arsenal – it is an opportunity to realign with what matters to you most.
Run by fans – for fans.
If you have had enough of modern football in its current form and want to be part of what we are doing and help us shape the future, please contact us via our website, or contact us at info@dialsquare.com
Up The Arsenal 