While some people get hung up on the fact that Arsenal captain Theo Walcott didn’t have a pennant to swap at the start of the game, or that the away dressing room was a bit of a mess post-game, Arsenal have shown their class by agreeing to fund two classrooms at Sutton United to the tune of £50,000.
According to the Islington Gazette, the Gunners wanted to allow Sutton to keep their share of the gate receipts but were precluded from doing so by FA rules.
So, they’ve agreed to meet the costs of developing the facilities at Gander Green Lane for the benefit of young players.
“The reality is that Arsenal have been superb all the way through this,” said Sutton manager Paul Doswell after the game.
“We think they’re going to help us with the classroom. It’s an amazing gesture from them – and one we’re very thankful for.
“It’s going to go into the community fund and they’ve promised us £50,000 which will buy us two classrooms.
“The money will be spent on 100 children, 16-18, on site. We’ll buy new dressing rooms, new classrooms, all our toilets will now be fixed.
“Everything you could want your house to look like, we’ll get it in order. It won’t be spent on players.”
Also:
For anyone getting 'hung up' about pennants ☺https://t.co/QULo6jJXZo
— Sutton United FC (@suttonunited) February 21, 2017
So, while there’s such a focus on the things that aren’t right with Arsenal at the moment, it’s worth highlighting what is a superb gesture from the club.
And away dressing rooms are always a mess afterwards, it’s not unique to Arsenal. Eejits.
Feeling proud of my club
And yet Theo has pocketed 20k since the final whistle..
So what the problem
Well you know… Good Old Arsenal-
How many pies does it buy?
Need to be helping your current club.
Class… The reason why am a gooner
Classy Arsenal
Clarsenal if you will…
I’ll get my coat
Gunderful too…
Do you want my coat?
As well as following Arsenal I also follow Lancaster City and there’s a massive appreciation between non-league clubs when the away team cleans up after themselves. It’s not expected but it’s always a gesture that gets retweeted etc.
Oh come on, show me one Premiership side that tidies up the away dressing room before they leave! The fact Arsenal wanted Sutton to keep all gate receipts was precluded by stupid FA rules, so Arsenal are giving 50k to help Sutton provide two classrooms instead. Ask Sutton if they’d prefer a tidy away dressing room or 50k towards redevelopment and I’m pretty sure I know what they’d chose.
My point wasn’t that Arsenal should clean up the dressing room, I was merely pointing out what often happens in non-league football.
Oor Wullie, I’m sure the £50,000 covers a few empty lucozade bottles and bits of cast away sock tape……..
Totally respect ?
It is good thing
Classy as always Arsenal
Same old Arsenal, always classy! Smashing gesture.
Classy arsenal wow
We need you in uganda
⚽️⚽️ For my point of view, I like to say if they can see that club can have potentials to bring some youngsters aboard, Why Arsenal can’t give lot more money as part of a future investment. They can easily give a million pounds and take over some major sponsership. Just One youngster to come out of nowhere, and you make your money maybe 100 times over. If you thing that is a club can produce youngsters…. go for it. Thank you, And what you did with £50,000 is very nice and I’m so proud of my club. The GOONERS.… Read more »
Some people on Social media are so annoying. Complaining that Arsenal are the richest club, so why are they only giving 50,000. Even when something nice happens, they turn it into a negative.
How much has any other club given them,?how much have contributed to them?? Take it easy..
Wonder which non league team’s players will leave the experience happier
Sutton : Have PL players in their ground, and dressing rooms, plus 50k
Or Lincoln : Get to play and experience the Grove, and ticket money from a bigger stadium
Doesn’t that depend on the scoreline at the Emirates?
Both……..
Sutton: The players having played against world class and world cup winner players i.e. Sanchez, Mustafi, Elneny etc
and Lincoln: Regardless of the score, when would the Lincoln players EVER get the chance again to play at the Emirates…..
It’s a win win for both clubs
Club wise, Lincoln will be by far the happier – day out for fans, tv and press coverage that won’t resort to tacky deals with The Sun (that whole pie eating thing was a stunt, for example) due to the £1m+ gate money.
That being said, Sutton feels like a more amateur club so the impact of playing Arsenal will probably be felt more than to Lincoln.
For the players, playing in front of 60,000 for sure.
Playing a non league team might have been a no win situation for Arsenal on the pitch but by showing real respect to their opponents & helping to contribute to the good work Sutton United do in their community Arsenal have shown yet again why they are a highly respected classy club.
This is something that can’t be measured in trophies or bought with oil profits and why we should all be proud of our club whether we win, lose or draw on the pitch.
Don’t worry folks, Mr Kroenke will be raising the price of our season tickets to cover this plus the 5 million he will take from the club for his consultancy fee to come up with the idea to increase our season ticket prices to cover the cost of the classrooms
I thumbed down your comment, but wanted to thumb up your name.
Great to hear Arsenal are showing real respect to their opponents.
classy
Arsenal
Am realy proud of my club. Grate thing to do.
Media will focus on manufacturing negatives on Arsenal.
Bet they won’t bother reporting this since it won’t fit their narrative.
The gaffer has kept this club a class act.
There is more to it than simply winning trophies.
We lead by example.
Well done.
No doubt of course, we will hear the same old whinging voices denigrating the Board.
Clearly they’re a bunch of utter pillocks. Donating 50K to Sutton.
And just saying but Roarie Deacon and Craig Eastmond should be playing at a higher level.
Such is the way careers can pan out when you are dealt unfair hands early on. In Deacon’s case, he may have been damaged when not quite full article by his association with Sunderland.
Hope Arsenal can help push their careers back up. Both are still relatively young and very decent players indeed.
I read somewhere that we have them a commemorative silver cannon before the game. That’s why we didn’t exchange pennants.
Wayne Shaw. Resigning in his prime.
Never forget.
Classy Arsenal?
No.
Tidying a dressing room costs nothing. And ‘show me one Premier League club that does’ doesn’t cut it with me either. That just makes them all disrespectful.
OK, Sutton probably WOULD take £50k over a tidy dressing room – but I didn’t realise they were mutually exclusive.
Why couldn’t they have both??
I’d be delighted if the Arsenal came to my house and left me all their used matchday shirts!