something else that really bothers me here is that arsenal are one of two epl clubs i can name (liverpool being the other) where the entire club, from top to bottom, factually, openly, publicly makes “being a good person/club” a central focus. from the club motto, to not being owned by russian gangsters or oil barons, to playing and spending within the rules, to our charitable foundations and activities, to the club actively seeking high character players and avoiding low character ones, to the way that the club stresses that the janitor and the ticket taker and the usher are all just as important as the players and manager are, this is not some mega rich club that only gives a shit about winning at all costs. the actual human beings who make up arsenal football club are outstanding, high character people, and purposely so.
with all of this being widely known since before i was even a supporter of arsenal, it’s either ignorance or petulant jealousy that would cause someone to come after the entire club because one player ended up being a POS and the clubs hands were tied when it came to releasing him (or even suddenly benching him out of nowhere which could lead to the club breaking UK laws). this isn’t some totally unscrupulous, state owned club that doesn’t give a shit about human suffering so long as we win soccer games, this is one of the few clubs out there that actually emphasizes being good people as part of its entire ethos. arsene wenger brought that instilled it in the club, and it hasn’t gone anywhere and isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
rape is evil; partey should rot in a cell if he is indeed guilty (which he really really seems to be); nobody here is supporting him or anything he did. we never have. be mad at him, and be mad at the laws which make it so where businesses like arsenal fc can’t just immediately cut someone in TP’s situation without breaking the law. stop aiming your anger at the goddamn fans and manager who haven’t done anything but let this shit play out according to UK law. it makes your outrage look contrived.