Important ArseAm News! Please Read!

[Coach_McGuirk]

Well, gentlemen, I received a phone call from our beloved leader and President Mike K this afternoon, and he had a surprise in his mailbox today: we are now the OFFICIAL supporters club for North America!!!

It's been almost a year in the making, and you have no idea what kind of hoops the club had made us jump through, but it is done.

For those of you who joined this year, we thank you, and we hope to have many more join us for the coming year. Our new status entitles us to some pretty sweet perks, like discounts on merchandise from the club store, and Arsenal have designed a logo specifically for us that we will use on some club merchandise for the '05-'06 season.

I'd like to thank our founder, Rick (the American), for starting this club, and Andrew, our co-founder/Chairman. Kudos also to Mike K our President who has risen to the challenge and spearheaded our drive to official-dom.

Special thanks also to Rick_B, our London liason and my co-moderator here on the site. Rick, you have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help out with tickets for many members, and you've also helped get more members signed up. Without Rick, many folks wouldn't have had the opportunity to see the Gunners this year, and I don't think we can thank him enough for helping a bunch of clueless Yanks out.

To all our members, thanks for your support, and here's to a Treble of our own in '06!

To everyone who is not an official member of ArseAm, we will be giving you another opportunity to sign up towards the end of the off season and we hope you'll all choose to sign up. Trust me, it will be the best $3.65 you ever spent.

Up the Arse!

[HighburyGoon]

Brad, you beat me to it! I got distracted, and then decided to wait until morning, but, yes, it's official people! We should know more over the coming weeks, but it's exciting times at Arsenal America!

I must reiterate the thanks that Brad gave to Rick, Andrew and Rick, but also should mention Brad himself, Charlie, Dave, and everyone who helped make this possible by becoming Premier Members.

Oh, to be a Gooner!

[Dkrift]

Not trying to be disrespectful or to stir anything up, but why don't you guys have an open membership sign up now? This is the first that I heard about the organization.

[Coach_McGuirk]

Not trying to be disrespectful or to stir anything up, but why don't you guys have an open membership sign up now? This is the first that I heard about the organization.
Well, we had a members drive last season from the start until about March, and since the membership fee is season to season so anyone who signed up now would have to turn around and sign up again in August.

Also, we'll be doing an overhaul of the site this summer prior to the new season and we didn't want anyone's membership to fall through the cracks during the redesign

Check out www.ArsenalAmerica.com and see what kinds of things we currently do, and go ahead and sign up for the web site (that's completely separate from membership in the Supporters Club) so you can participate.

We'll have an announcement both here and on the site when the new membership drive starts and, like I said, it's a bargain at $3.65.

Also anyone should feel free to e-mail me at brad@arsenalamerica.com if you have any questions whatsoever.

[Dkrift]

Thanks for the explanation, Brad. I wasn't aware of that fact.

[Coach_McGuirk]

Thanks for the explanation, Brad. I wasn't aware of that fact.
Not a problem. That's what I'm here for. Well, that and making sure Mel_B is kept in check. ;)

[Claus KJ]

Congratulations for going official. Just out of curiosity how many members does Arsenal America have?

KJ

[HighburyGoon]

There are over 300 registered "Premier Members" who've paid the $3.65 membership fee. That's what helped us become officially recognized. In addition to the 300 Premier Members, there are ~1000 or so accounts on the site.

[Rapids/Arsenal Fan]

Awesome! I can't wait to represent the OFFICIAL Arsenal America supporters club next season in my last visit to Highbury.

[Rick B]

Obviously this is fantastic news and shows that despite all the obstacles that Arsenal put in Arsenal America's way it came came out on top. Everyone has worked hard behind the scene's to make this happen - One person I also feel is due thanks is Jill at the club. Because of the number of ticket/tour and general requests I deal with now I pester her at least twice a week. She has been supurb in offering the majority of the benefits to us before we actually became official. Now things will be easier and more organised which is great news and Im looking forward to the flury of e-mails when the new fixtures are announced. As it's the last season at Highbury I expect a lot of people over which is fantastic news!!

[Arsenal_pwns_all]

Sorry if I am ignorant or rude, but what kind of obstances did Arsenal FC set for ArseAm? I am curious and would love to know a few examples.........

[Coach_McGuirk]

It was mostly a bureaucratic nightmare compunded by the geography of the US of A. Arsenal FC requires annual officers meetings and we needed special dispensation to have those meetings via IM since our officers are spread up and down the East coast all the way over to Texas. We also needed paid members, something ArseAm had never done (it would still be free if not for that), plus a lot of little niggling details concerning club officers and the like.

To be blunt, it was much more involved than we initially anticipated.

[arsenalgirl30016]

This is great news guys! Thanks for all the hard work (esp. the stuff we will never know about) and for the folks at Arsenal FC realizing the importance of spreading the love to real fans (fanatics too!) in the US! We may not get the global recognition of other teams but that is the beauty of it-we don't need it! Just keep up the good work for us and please let us know when you need help!

[DFWGOONER]

I am so PUMPED! I have been an Arsenal supporter for the last two seasons and I just now found this site! I have mostly just been watching the games at home and have really been wanting to get out and find more Arsenal supporters in my area. Thanks to ArseAm I have found a great location in my area to do this.
Anyways I just wanted to pop in and say hello, Hello! Plus to tell the guys and gals over at ArseAm thanks for the site and I look forward to the chance to become an OFFICIAL member of ArseAm on the next member sign up!

Mike

[GriffinGunner]

Bravo! Bravo!

Say the word and I shall enlist forthwith! I can't wait for the next season and for the growth of Arsenal America!

Bravo!

[canadagooner]

I thought all of you in the schoolyard here might like to see some of how this Arsenal America Phenomenon got started.

Congratulations to all involved, Rick L, Andrew, Dave C, Mike K, Rick B and especially Jill Smith.

KEEP THE FAITH



The Cannonball - Official newsletter of Arsenal
America
Volume I, Issue 56; March 18, 2002
Bang! goes the nil-nil draw

In this Issue...

1. Editorial
2. Mailbag
3. Arsenal America News
4. Game Review/Preview
5. Arsenal Ladies Update


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Editorial -

You probably have one of those lazy journalists at
your local paper that, rather than putting together a
legitimate, thoughtful column, just jots down a bunch
of random thoughts separated by ... Well today it’s
my turn...

Edu banged in another goal this weekend, making it two
in our last three games. Is he a legitimate first team
player emerging or just a fill-in on a hot streak?...

While one could certainly argue right now isn’t the
time to find out, do we risk losing the talents of
players like Jermaine Pennant, Carlin Itonga and
Graham Barrett by not giving them a first team
opportunity?...

Is there a better example of right guy, right place
than Gilles Grimandi? Would he even see the bench at
any of the top teams in Spain, Italy, Germany or
England? That’s not even a knock on him; it’s a
compliment if anything...

Which one of the following plays for Arsenal:
Bonaventure Kalou, Kolo Toure or Mohammed Kollon?...

Even initial naysayers now must admit that Sol
Campbell is the goods...

Did you know that despite the injuries to Seaman,
Wright, Adams, Dixon, Cole, Keown and Upson Arsenal
have still allowed just a hair over one goal per
game...

Throw in injuries to Ljungberg, GVB and Jeffers and
also realize that we have the fewest losses in the
Premiership as well...

Is there another team in the Premiership with as many
potential “Goal of the Year” scorers as Arsenal?...

Ponytail, schmoneytail. Nobody was laughing when he
saved a PK against Aston Villa...

Note to the commercial sponsors of Fox Sports World:
Yes, I know Toshiba is the technology partner of FIFA;
No I don’t need any ‘male enhancement’ products; and
no, I will not ‘Be your lover.’


Rick Liebling
President

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2. Mailbag –

To read member comments, including a great take by the
member formally known as Derrick Jacobs, check out the
website – www.arsenalamerica.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3. Arsenal America News – Website growing, but still
needs your help

For all of you out there who have ever complained, “If
I had my own Arsenal website, I’d include…” now is
your chance. From giving us info on where you watch
games to providing a book review you can help shape
what we think will become one of the best Arsenal
websites around. But that only happens with your help.

We’ve already had volunteers to lead up Philly, DC,
San Fran and New York branch offices. What about
Chicago or Toronto? Know of a great football site we
should link to? Let us know. Want to contribute an
editorial or just send a comment or question? Please
do. Arsenal America has come so far so fast, let’s
keep the momentum going.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. Game Preview: Juventus v. Arsenal; Wednesday, March
20, 2:45pm est

The match preview will be up on Tuesday on our
website, www.arsenalamerica.com


Game Review: Aston Villa 1 (Dublin 68') - Arsenal 2
(Edu 15', Pires 60’)

Check out our website, www.arsenalamerica.com, for a
review of our weekend victory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5. Arsenal Ladies Update – UEFA Cup First Leg
Quarterfinal

Courtesy of arsenal.com:

ARSENAL 1-1 TOULOUSE
UEFA Women's Cup Quarter-Final 1st leg

A 1-1 draw in the first-leg of the UEFA Women's Cup
Quarter Finals leaves the Arsenal Ladies in need of a
fine performance in Toulouse on Saturday, March 30 to
progress to the final four of the competition.

Vic Akers' team will have to produce a more
accomplished performance than this in the south of
France. Apart from a spell late in the first-half that
yielded the Gunners' goal, the girls were strangely
subdued and Toulouse were good value for their
second-half equaliser.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arsenal America is the supporters' club for Arsenal FC
in North America. Started in August of 2001, the club
currently publishes The Cannonball newsletter twice a
week (Mon. & Thur.). Contributions to The Cannonball
are encouraged.

Looking for tickets to an Arsenal FC match? Send us an
email with details and we'll see if we can help.

For the latest gossip, news, conversation and general
Arsenal nonsense, come on over to the Arsenal
discussion boards at bigsoccer.com.

If you wish to unsubscribe to this newsletter (what
are you, nuts!?) send an email to Ricks E-mail...!!
and put unsubscribe in the subject.

Questions, comments or suggestions? Same email
address, just fire away.



=====
Rick Liebling
Ricks E-mail...!!
Gunners of the World, Unite and take over
Join Arsenal America

[surfcam]

Brad, when do I get my Arse-Am T-shirt! I paid for my membership a long time ago! ;) :D

Anyway, great news and kudos to all who helped get it done!!!

In a related story, to all Arse-Am, and non-affiliated fans, we are having another Texas Arsenal Match Viewing and Binge Drinking Session in Houston for the FA Cup Final on May 21st. It will be at the Richmond Arms Pub with myself and others in attendance. If any of you lot can make it, or know Gooners in the area, come on down or send them our way. We had a great meeting in Dallas earlier this year and hope to make this a great one as well. Feel free to PM me for more details!!

Cam

[arsenalgirl30016]

And I should place the call out now for the Atlanta Gooners-Brewhouse in Little Five Points for the FA Cup final. I will actually be in attendance so if you are in the area-we will be there! Did you hear that Rob?!?!?!? :)

[surfcam]

And I should place the call out now for the Atlanta Gooners-Brewhouse in Little Five Points for the FA Cup final. I will actually be in attendance so if you are in the area-we will be there! Did you hear that Rob?!?!?!? :)

Maybe you can post some pics from this event, as we are still waiting for the ones from Cancun!

[HighburyGoon]

cam and girl, Arsenal America is trying organize gatherings all over the US and Canada for the Cup Final. If you guys are willing, I'd love to add you as contacts for your respective cities. Send me a PM with your details if you're cool with that...

Thanks,
Mike Kavanagh
President, Arsenal America
The Official Arsenal Supporters Group of the US & Canada