What would YOUR priority signing be in the Jan transfer window?

[Bishop]

It’s legacy
Ian wright was an icon
Before him there was Davis and Rocastle
Henry too

I'm black and a Londoner. It's literally this. The older generation had no allegiances to any club being new to the country. In the 70s and 80s, when very few clubs had black players period, Arsenal were the London club that had notable faces that ordinary fans could identify with and that's why they were able to build a fan base amongst black fans who had no previous connection any club. Once that connection was made it's become a big of a rolling boulder with the children following also and influencing others.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I'm black and a Londoner. It's literally this. The older generation had no allegiances to any club being new to the country. In the 70s and 80s, when very few clubs had black players period, Arsenal were the London club that had notable faces that ordinary fans could identify with and that's why they were able to build a fan base amongst black fans who had no previous connection any club. Once that connection was made it's become a big of a rolling boulder with the children following also and influencing others.

I’m glad it’s a black guy confirming this
Id hate to make the assumption I did and be deemed to be making a racist view

 

[Bishop]

More black and Jamaican there where we are on the direct line to Stamford Hill Jews, Turkish and Cypriots

Not sure what you mean exactly but there loads of black people in a direct line from deeper Enfield, Ponders End sides, through to Edmonton. Even Stamford Hill which is seen as a Jewish area has loads of black and other ethnic minorities. Go a bit deeper into hackney and black people are a very large minority and there isn't really a team associated with Hackney.

I lived there for 12 years and you'd see a range of Arsenal and Spurs shirts along with the obvious United, Liverpool a few Chelsea and a growing collection of Emirates Marketing Project shirts. Although Arsenal have a strong following in the area it's actually a zone open to be claimed by either team. Slyly if Tottenham were more successful I think we'd naturally gain a lot of support from Hackney as Tottenham as an area is closer culturally in a lot of ways than Islington.

 

[Grays_1890]

Not sure what you mean exactly but there loads of black people in a direct line from deeper Enfield, Ponders End sides, through to Edmonton. Even Stamford Hill which is seen as a Jewish area has loads of black and other ethnic minorities. Go a bit deeper into hackney and black people are a very large minority and there isn't really a team associated with Hackney.

I lived there for 12 years and you'd see a range of Arsenal and Spurs shirts along with the obvious United, Liverpool a few Chelsea and a growing collection of Emirates Marketing Project shirts. Although Arsenal have a strong following in the area it's actually a zone open to be claimed by either team. Slyly if Tottenham were more successful I think we'd naturally gain a lot of support from Hackney as Tottenham as an area is closer culturally in a lot of ways than Islington.

I am saying the diversity mix where we are is far more spread than where Arsenal are historically.

I lived in Edmonton for years and there is definitely a more diverse mix of ethnicities than just down the road. I am not denying there is a large black community on our doorstep BTW, just that in my experience we have been the club of choice by the local Jewish, Cypriot and Turkish community which has diversified our support base.

I also agree with the earlier comments about the Herts, link

I am not having a pop or being odd with that so don't take this as your entry suggests you have, just giving the benefit of my time living there and being within that community myself, thats all.

There is also a documentary somewhere which outlines why certain backgrounds chose clubs and we were seen, for years in the 40s/50s/60s as the aristocrats of London football which attracted a white/Jewish fanbase

 

[afsoc4life]

I'm black and a Londoner. It's literally this. The older generation had no allegiances to any club being new to the country. In the 70s and 80s, when very few clubs had black players period, Arsenal were the London club that had notable faces that ordinary fans could identify with and that's why they were able to build a fan base amongst black fans who had no previous connection any club. Once that connection was made it's become a big of a rolling boulder with the children following also and influencing others.

In Nigeria, Arsenal is far more popular because of Ntosswo Kanu. Arsenal signed him at the right time. It is also a reason why I am an Inter fan - Kanu, Taribo West, Obafemi Martins, Joel Obi and of course Ronaldo, Klinsmann etc

 

[monkeybarry]

Proper CF for me.
Richi is an injury prone mid table striker
Solanke is a good back up/rotation striker
Tel isn't a CF

I'd be interested to see if Jhon Duran is an option.

 

[Bishop]

I am saying the diversity mix where we are is far more spread than where Arsenal are historically.

I lived in Edmonton for years and there is definitely a more diverse mix of ethnicities than just down the road. I am not denying there is a large black community on our doorstep BTW, just that in my experience we have been the club of choice by the local Jewish, Cypriot and Turkish community which has diversified our support base.

I also agree with the earlier comments about the Herts, link

I am not having a pop or being odd with that so don't take this as your entry suggests you have, just giving the benefit of my time living there and being within that community myself, thats all.

There is also a documentary somewhere which outlines why certain backgrounds chose clubs and we were seen, for years in the 40s/50s/60s as the aristocrats of London football which attracted a white/Jewish fanbase

Soz if my tone came off funny, that wasn't my intention at all I just genuinely didn't quite understand what you saying. I don't disagree with a lot of what you're saying. I think ultimately it's a bit of shame that Tottenham as an area with lots of brown people doesn't have as strong a local following as it really should and even more disappointing that many support the team down the road but for clear and fairly obvious reasons.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Soz if my tone came off funny, that wasn't my intention at all I just genuinely didn't quite understand what you saying. I don't disagree with a lot of what you're saying. I think ultimately it's a bit of shame that Tottenham as an area with lots of brown people doesn't have as strong a local following as it really should and even more disappointing that many support the team down the road but for clear and fairly obvious reasons.

The locals I’ve met there generally like Tottenham and it’s changed a lot more in recent years with the community work

 

[Bishop]

The locals I’ve met there generally like Tottenham and it’s changed a lot more in recent years with the community work

I definitely see more Spurs shirts around. I don't live in Tottenham anymore but I grew up there and honestly the amount of Arsenal fans was unbearable but it made sense, we were brick at the time and Arsenal looked and felt more like the locals. I do think the balance has shifted, our 2000s have made a dent in the Arsenal grip and seeing the likes of King, Rose, Dembele, Ekotto, Chimbonda etc also helped the club look more representative of the locals.