Disgruntled section of Arsenal fans plan new 'Wenger Out' protest march

EXCLUSIVE
James Benge8 September 2017

A furious group of Arsenal fans plan to resume their 'Wenger Out' protests in the coming weeks as they perceive the club to be facing chronic problems which went unsolved this summer.

Standard Sport understands that a number of Arsenal supporters are set to stage the latest protest against manager Wenger in the coming weeks, with the home game against West Brom on Monday, September 25, identified as the most likely occasion, depending on upcoming results.

That match will bring back memories of perhaps the nadir of Arsenal’s 2016-17 season on and off the field, when the Gunners collapsed to a 3-1 defeat at The Hawthorns while planes bearing both pro and anti-Wenger banners flew across the Midlands sky.

It was one of several protests staged by frustrated Arsenal fans during the spring months, though turnout rarely reached more than a few hundred and their stated aim of unseating Wenger was not achieved as the club went on to win the FA Cup.

Wenger and Arsenal players have called for supporters to give their backing to the side as they battle to turn around a slow start to the season, beginning with the visit of Bournemouth to the Emirates on Saturday.

However fans insist that many of the issues that dogged the club over recent years - specifically with relation to recruitment, the influence exerted by Wenger and sub-standard on-field performances - have not gone away and warned that they intend to resume their activities shortly.

A member of the protest group told Standard Sport: "We are not going away and we are going to be continually rubbing Wenger’s face in his failures.

"This is not a knee-jerk response to results. We always expected we would have to protest again. We have been planning for it.

Arsenal fans light up Highbury and Emirates with Wenger Out protest

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"He has been rabbiting on again about values, financial stability, 'Hunger Index'... everything but football.

"He is going to leave in ignominy eventually. We don't think Stan Kroenke will listen to us, so we'll protest to get us an owner who will."

Supporters also intend to unveil a banner bearing the slogan: "Arsene: it's not the fans; it's not the press; it's not the players; it's you.”

Wenger was dogged by protests throughout the second half of the season as Arsenal fell away from contention at the top of the Premier League, and collapsed out of the Champions League with a humiliating 10-2 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich.

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Though Wenger insisted the actions of fans had minimal impact on him at the time his frustrations boiled over in the lead up to May’s FA Cup Final, which ended in a degree of vindication for the veteran of 21 years in North London as his side defeated Chelsea 2-1.

"The lack of respect from some has been a disgrace and I will never accept that. I will never forget it," said Wenger.

"The behaviour of some people during the season, that is what hurts me most. It's not my person that is hurt but the impeccable image of the club around the world. That kind of behaviour does not reflect what Arsenal is.

"I don't mind criticism because we are in a public job. I believe there's a difference between being criticised and being treated in a way that human beings don't deserve."