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.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

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.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

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.

Well hopefully for Fulham I’ll be taking a mate to the game who is black. Poor bloke got took to Tottenham when we were kids by my dad. He is my brother film another mother.

Taking his kids to Brentford too if we can sort the extra ticket

He was given a framed spurs shirt for his 50th by some guy I didn’t know and he was ecstatic…. Then of course blamed me for taking him all those years ago

 

[harr1984]

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

Jeez Inter had some players in that era - add in Zanetti, Recoba, Ronaldo, Vieri, Robbie Keane ( ) and many more I can see why you loved them....

 

[Muttley]

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

I do find the Nigerian thing interesting. They have 200m people in their country and something like 15m diaspora across the world. They have generations that have naturalised into other countries. The entire country originates from 3 basic tribes. I know Saka hails from the Yoruba tribe. Solanke is the same. Not sure about Udogie but his parents chose Italy when they migrated.

I reckon if Nigeria pulled together every player that qualifies to play for them then they would be a formidable force in world football.

 

[afsoc4life]

Jeez Inter had some players in that era - add in Zanetti, Recoba, Ronaldo, Vieri, Robbie Keane ( ) and many more I can see why you loved them....

Yes O!! Also the colour combination was very nice. That striking quartet of Adriano, Vieri, Cruz, and Martins was solid. In defence, Cordoba, Samuel, Cannavaro at some point, Lucio .. Inter has had ballers... Seedorf and Roberto Carlos were there at some point. Crespo, Stankovic, Sneijder, Emre, Zamarano, Toldo .. too many to remember. Always loved playing with them in Championship Manager and PES06

 

[harr1984]

Yes O!! Also the colour combination was very nice. That striking quartet of Adriano, Vieri, Cruz, and Martins was solid. In defence, Cordoba, Samuel, Cannavaro at some point, Lucio .. Inter has had ballers... Seedorf and Roberto Carlos were there at some point. Crespo, Stankovic, Sneijder, Emre, Zamarano, Toldo .. too many to remember. Always loved playing with them in Championship Manager and PES06

Yes, this was my Championship Manager era - loved it! Crazy thing was, if I remember correctly Inter wasn't really the best Italian team in that era? That just shows the ridiculous quality in Serie A back then, and to compare the top league now is the PL it just doesn't have anywhere near the same quality....

 

[afsoc4life]

I do find the Nigerian thing interesting. They have 200m people in their country and something like 15m diaspora across the world. They have generations that have naturalised into other countries. The entire country originates from 3 basic tribes. I know Saka hails from the Yoruba tribe. Solanke is the same. Not sure about Udogie but his parents chose Italy when they migrated.

I reckon if Nigeria pulled together every player that qualifies to play for them then they would be a formidable force in world football.

Indeed I believe 20% of all blacks in the world are Nigerian at some point or now so we are a lot. Udogie is from the Igbo ethnic group same as Ugo Ehiogu (RIP).

LOL, don't tell a Nigerian that all ethnic groups come from the 3 major ones. Ce n'est pas vrai. Over 200 different ethnic groups with most unique to themselves. Even within the major ethnic groups, there are distinctions. I am Yoruba and come from the Ondo region more known for its warrior class than the Lagos/Ogun area more known for wealthy merchants etc.

Yes if Nigeria were to pull players together from countries, it would be a fun thing. Only problem is that our football administration would negate all that talent.

 

[afsoc4life]

Yes, this was my Championship Manager era - loved it! Crazy thing was, if I remember correctly Inter wasn't really the best Italian team in that era? That just shows the ridiculous quality in Serie A back then, and to compare the top league now is the PL it just doesn't have anywhere near the same quality....

Memories activated. Wrt PES I know the Konami guys loved Milan and Inter so they made that team strong in the PES06 era. In Championship Manager, it wasn't the strongest. That was Roma with Totti, Montella etc. I just remember Pirlo used to be AM FC in 01/02. Guardiola was a free agent then as well.

 

[Bishop]

I do find the Nigerian thing interesting. They have 200m people in their country and something like 15m diaspora across the world. They have generations that have naturalised into other countries. The entire country originates from 3 basic tribes. I know Saka hails from the Yoruba tribe. Solanke is the same. Not sure about Udogie but his parents chose Italy when they migrated.

I reckon if Nigeria pulled together every player that qualifies to play for them then they would be a formidable force in world football.

Whilst you're right about the 3 big tribes, there are actually hundreds of very distinct groups. It's a consequence of colonialism and Britain consolidating its holdings in the region versus the French rather than there being any real and natural affinity between the various ethnicities. Imagine Yugoslavia writ large.

 

[afsoc4life]

Whilst you're right about the 3 big tribes, there are actually hundreds of very distinct groups. It's a consequence of colonialism and Britain consolidating its holdings in the region versus the French rather than there being any real and natural affinity between the various ethnicities. Imagine Yugoslavia writ large.

Indeed Nigeria is experiencing troubles currently partly due to the map drawing done by the British.

 

[Bishop]

Indeed Nigeria is experiencing troubles currently partly due to the map drawing done by the British.

Not to take the thread in that direction but when hasn't it?

 

[Muttley]

Whilst you're right about the 3 big tribes, there are actually hundreds of very distinct groups. It's a consequence of colonialism and Britain consolidating its holdings in the region versus the French rather than there being any real and natural affinity between the various ethnicities. Imagine Yugoslavia writ large.

Yeah, I guess I was trying to come at it from the original point about why black people have swayed towards Arsenal. I still think if a player had origins from a tribe or town then it is quite natural that a player with heritage there would get a following. Of course, there are thousands of tribes right across the continent and obviously some are nomadic. I can't really think of another country that has so many talented footballers that qualify for Nigeria but play elsewhere. Names like Saka, Udogie, Olise, Musiala, Eze etc spring to mind. If you use the grandparents rule that is. I'm not sure whether their FA do use that.