Ahead of Arsenal’s League Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley, Glenn Allen explained why he won’t be attending the showpiece event, and fans aren’t happy.
Allen is an Arsenal supporter, and told the Islington Gazette that he and his friends plan to boycott the final. He argued that the way Arsene Wenger has treated the competition this year proves how far the club have regressed.
In previous seasons, Wenger would select young players and academy prospects in the tournament. Even when he made the final, you never got the sense he was picking an absolute full strength team. Theo Walcott was just 17 years old with no Arsenal goals when he started against Chelsea in 2008.
Now the manager is preparing to start the likes of Mesut Özil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in this year’s final. Allen says fans see this prioritisation of a lesser competition as the club going backwards. As a protest, he won’t attend the match.
Many other Arsenal fans on Twitter accused the protester of taking the club’s success under Wenger for granted. They responded angrily to the article, with some even telling Allen to give up his season ticket:
The sound of another spoilt fan. I’m glad he won’t be at Wembley allowing someone more worthy to benefit the experience of a Cup Final. Give up your season ticket too and let someone else use that
— Block 11 (@paul_gooners) February 20, 2018
Whilst I would rather be in the champions league final of course, the atmosphere will be better off without the likes of Glenn.
— gidon (@gidonma) February 20, 2018
He should just boycott football altogether
— James Goyder (@JamesGoyder) February 21, 2018
As an attending fan since 1952 I'm amazed that fans today have this view. Whatever gripes you may have it's a final after all. Boycotting a final just seems to me a really childish and spoilt reaction to not having what you want. So as we're not the best you miss out on a final!
— Tony Fisher (@vidfish1) February 20, 2018
There were some supporters who agreed with Allen though:
He's not alone. Fact that tickets have gone to red members shows how deep the apathy runs. Same thing happened for the cup final. I wouldn't go if you offered me a free ticket and neither should any fan serious about wanting to see the back of Wenger.
— Teflon Wenger (@Drethegenius1) February 20, 2018
Personally, I hope as many Arsenal fans as possible turn up on the day. This is a chance for a trophy, and that’s more important than a protest over a manager.
I’m not worried though, as I’m sure the red members replacing these boycotting season ticket holders will be just as enthusiastic in their support, if not more so.
Hopefully that’s enough to repeat last year’s wins over Chelsea and City and beat the favourites again.