Arsenal on Wikipedia about Gooners?

[Catfish]

"Arsenal have the highest proportion (7.7%) of non-white attending supporters of any club in English football"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenal_F.C.

I found this interesting. Is there any truth to it? I don't know what the makeup of the grounds tends to look like at most matches across The Prem. I'm quite curious to read responses on this topic.

Thanks.

[elknco1]

that article lists a bbc article as reference

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/1844962.stm

[Catfish]

that article lists a bbc article as reference
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/1844962.stm
I know, but wanted to hear from English Gooners and Yanks who have been to matches, if there was any truth to this.

[Dave_M]

I know, but wanted to hear from English Gooners and Yanks who have been to matches, if there was any truth to this.

Its a fairly diverse crowd to be sure, but obviously we cant speak for the other teams attendances - so if we are indeed the highest in the prem there is no real way to validate this.

[mixmastermatt]

It doesn't matter whether anyone is black, white or green. Why is this even a topic?

A human is a human and a football fan is a football fan regardless of colour.

[Miles Brasher]

To be honest it'd be almost impossible to compare to other teams, given that the next highest is probably only a few tenths of a percent less. Personally I'm surprised that it's as low as 7.7% at highbury, although I've never started counting anything as pointless as that.

Now, how about the percentage of the opposite sex, that'd be worthwhile counting ;)

[antifan]

"Arsenal have the highest proportion (7.7%) of non-white attending supporters of any club in English football"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenal_F.C.

I found this interesting. Is there any truth to it? I don't know what the makeup of the grounds tends to look like at most matches across The Prem. I'm quite curious to read responses on this topic.

Thanks.
All the games i've been to at Highbury have had a diverse mix of people, and the same goes for away games. I didn't do a count or anything, but those figures wouldn't surprise me.

The Wiki article also had a link to this site;
http://www.emiratesstadium.info/ which has some interesting articles about Arsenal's finances and history, including an interesting conspiracy theory about FIFA using the Beveren situation to weaken David Dein's influence with the FA.

[Catfish]

It doesn't matter whether anyone is black, white or green. Why is this even a topic?
A human is a human and a football fan is a football fan regardless of colour.

Not trying to rile you up, just curious. England is diverse, but not nearly as diverse as the USA.

[gothamite]

I think that given the history of racism concerning football in Europe, it's very worth discussing how clubs reach out to non-white fans, and which clubs are more successful at it.

[kireinatenchi]

It doesn't matter whether anyone is black, white or green. Why is this even a topic?

A human is a human and a football fan is a football fan regardless of colour.

As much as you and I may not care about this, it's still an ongoing issue. If it's true Arsenal have more non-white supporters then other clubs, then it would make me think they take racist behavior very seriously and act on fixing the problem instead of just talking about it.

[cooper7d7]

What is the % of minorities in Arsenal's traditional supporting areas?

It would be hard for a side in Havana to have a large American contingent in the stands. I am explaining this poorly, but I hope you follow along.:)

Perhaps the teams with low minority attendance are from areas with little diversity?

[mixmastermatt]

As much as you and I may not care about this, it's still an ongoing issue. If it's true Arsenal have more non-white supporters then other clubs, then it would make me think they take racist behavior very seriously and act on fixing the problem instead of just talking about it.

I see your point. I can never understand why the fact that someones pigmentation makes them a better or worse person then me.

[gothamite]

I see your point. I can never understand why the fact that someones pigmentation makes them a better or worse person then me.

It's not about who's a better or worse person. Nobody's saying that. Where are you getting that?

It's about certain types of people not feeling welcome in the stands because of the color of their skin, and the clubs attempting to overcome that stigma.

[Catfish]

As much as you and I may not care about this, it's still an ongoing issue. If it's true Arsenal have more non-white supporters then other clubs, then it would make me think they take racist behavior very seriously and act on fixing the problem instead of just talking about it.
Very well said. I didn't mean to make this thread into The Oprah Show. Just thought it was interesting and wondered if there was any truth. Honestly, I don't care, but I would love it to be true.

Why hate someone for their skin color when you can get to know them and find tons of other better reasons for them to piss you off??? LOL, jk.

[mixmastermatt]

It's not about who's a better or worse person. Nobody's saying that. Where are you getting that?

It's about certain types of people not feeling welcome in the stands because of the color of their skin, and the clubs attempting to overcome that stigma.

Yes sorry I didn't make myself clear. I was just saying that I can't belive that in todays world skin colour should matter for anything.

[gothamite]

It shouldn't, but sadly it does. Too often.

I would love for the world to be color blind. But until it is, such things need to be considered.

[ArsenalTH14]

'>What is the % of minorities in Arsenal's traditional supporting areas?

>It would be hard for a side in Havana to have a large American contingent in the stands. I am explaining this poorly, but I hope you follow along.

>Perhaps the teams with low minority attendance are from areas with little diversity?'

This is tru. North london is the most ethnicly diverse area in england probably, espcially haringey and other london boroghs close to highbury. I myself am half-greek, and many arsenal fans are greek, as north london (southgate and palmers green in particular) has a high level of greeks. U shuld have seen southgate after euro 2004 :D

[Dave_M]

I would love for the world to be color blind. But until it is, such things need to be considered.

People will always have prejudices. If not colour, then gender, and if not age, and if not what funking sneakers you wear.

If we make friends based on common ground (in our case Arsenal and boobies), is it not then in our very nature to make enemies based on our differences.

Im not saying that an individual would or should dislike a person simply because they are different, but I believe its in our nature that once we HAVE taken a dislike to someone to find an aspect of them that is disimilar to ourselves and generate the appropriate explitive.

For example any time my boss annoys me he rapidly becomes "that miserable old bastid". Agist? Yes. Does anyone care? No. However if he was turkish and he became the "miserable turkish git" id be branded a rasicst and run out of town.

The world is intolerant. Most people throw the rascism card around far too freely though.

And ive kinda drifted so far off topic now :)

[phishy]

People will always have prejudices. If not colour, then gender, and if not age, and if not what funking sneakers you wear.

If we make friends based on common ground (in our case Arsenal and boobies), is it not then in our very nature to make enemies based on our differences.

Im not saying that an individual would or should dislike a person simply because they are different, but I believe its in our nature that once we HAVE taken a dislike to someone to find an aspect of them that is disimilar to ourselves and generate the appropriate explitive.

For example any time my boss annoys me he rapidly becomes "that miserable old bastid". Agist? Yes. Does anyone care? No. However if he was turkish and he became the "miserable turkish git" id be branded a rasicst and run out of town.

The world is intolerant. Most people throw the rascism card around far too freely though.

And ive kinda drifted so far off topic now :)

REALLY good post you english bastard~ ;)

[PsychedelicCeltic]

It doesn't matter whether anyone is black, white or green. Why is this even a topic?

A human is a human and a football fan is a football fan regardless of colour.
It will matter so long as people vote BNP.