Fans outside the Emirates on Friday

Arsenal fans descended on the Emirates Stadium last week calling for change at the top of their club.

The protest saw thousands gather outside the club ground in Highbury against the Gunners’ American owner Stan Kroenke, who they believe was one of the driving forces behind the club’s part in the European Super League fiasco.

For many the Tribune spoke to Friday evening, it was their first time at a protest.

Carol Lee, who has been an Arsenal supporter for 55 years, said at the protest: “We just want Kroenke out. It is not the player, not the managers, it’s the owners. We just want our club to see progress. The people there are just about money.”

Carol, Alfie and Alice Lee outside the Emirates on Friday

Mr Kroenke slowly took control of the club over the years and became the sole owner in 2018. Discontent with the ownership resurfaced among fans last week, even after the club withdrew from the European Super League.

Fans Lorcan George and Dan Jinkerson

Arsenal fan Dan Jinkerson, 27 said on Friday: “I grew up with the Invincibles around 2003 and 2004 but since then there has been a real decline. We were at the top of our game, we were one of the best clubs in the world, but since then there has been no investment.

“What we want is an owner who cares about the club, who is a fan of football rather than just a businessowner. He [Stan Kroenke] is a businessman. He is not a football fan.

“As an Arsenal fan it hurts week in, week out. You can be disappointed. But this week is the first week I’ve been ashamed to be an Arsenal fan.

News broke last Sunday that Arsenal were one of 12 clubs in Europe who had allegedly signed contracts to set up an exclusive and lucrative European competition.

What appalled fans most about the European Super League proposal was that the founding clubs would have been guaranteed a place, along with a huge pay out every year even if they lost every match.

The need to be a more marketable and profitable brand in the past 20 years saw Arsenal leave their spiritual home, Highbury, which was converted into flats. The team was moved to the 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium – named after an airline.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has backed the fans’ campaign for more involvement in the ownership of their clubs.

It was former leader and Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn who pledged in his 2019 manifesto to give fans more of a say in their clubs by setting up a review and an independent regulator.

Peter, Jospeh and Matthew Marsh

Arsenal fan Matthew Marsh said at the protest on Friday: “The love of Arsenal has been passed on from my dad to me and to my son Joseph. The investors are just in for the coin. They are mercenaries whereas we love the club.

“I would love an owner that is passionate about the club, that would come to their games, that would put his or her hands in their pocket and invest in the club and get us back dining at the top table which is where a club like Arsenal should be dining but we’ve not been dining there since the Kroenke’s come on board.

Arsenal fan Peter Marsh said: “They only came here yesterday to protect their investment. But what does their investment mean? Not the same sort of commitment that we’ve had.

Stewart McDermodd came down from Peterborough for the protest on Friday. It was his first time protesting. He said: “We’d like him to go. We don’t know what we will get next but you’ve got to give it a try. I think they might listen if we carry on making our voices heard.”

Neil, who did not want to give his surname, walked to the protest on Friday with his sister. He said: “It’s disgraceful. I’ve been supporting them for 50 years, so has my sister. We are local people. We don’t want to see taken over by Americans. We just want to enjoy it, we are not about profit, it is a decent, hardworking club.

“It would be nice for it to be funded company or at least for Kroenke to show a bit of compassion and turn up to the odd game and not spend all his money in LA. We are one of Europe’s top clubs and we should be treated respectfully.”

Arsenal’s board released a statement on Tuesday apologising to the fans for its role in the Super League plan.