06/05/10 - End of season party

Yes, I know we could have held it a few weeks ago, but we thought we should wait. So, Sunday is our last chance for a final drink before everybody goes the separate ways for the summer.

Before the Fulham game, we will have the Championship playoff on in The Rocket - Cardiff vs Leicester. Let's hope they both lose, so we can get a nice away trip to Blackpool instead next season.

After the game, it's the REDaction end of season party, so you need a ticket to get into the Rocket. Tickets are £5 in advance (i.e. before the game), or £7.50 on the door after the game - and that includes your first drink. We will have music, auctions, raffles and all sorts of other stuff to while the night away. Tickets available at the Rocket, which of course is where the party is.

If you fancy entering the raffle (you don't need to be around for the draw in order to do this), a flyer is attached showing the prizes available, and how to get tickets.

That's about all for this season, enjoy the World Cup.

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

20/04/10- Pre Manchester City news

Man City coming up on Saturday, so a few things to tell you about in advance of the game:

1. The Rocket will be open as usual on Saturday, with the (hopefully sunny) beer garden open. They will have 4 pint pitchers available as usual, and some football on the telly. Get in the beer garden and enjoy the sunshine!

2. We will also have tickets for our end of season party on sale (See Flyer Here), both before and after the Man City game. These are £5 each in advance (they will be £7.50 on the door), and the price includes your first drink free.

3. Thanks to all that entered our competition to appear on the next members DVD. We had a great response as ever, all with the right answer which was 22nd October. We have now picked and emailed the nine winners, so if you haven't heard from us yet, bad luck this time.

4. There is an Arsenal "Fans Forum" meeting before the Man City game, and one of the items on the agenda is to collect ideas for decorating the Upper Tier concourses. Obviously these are quite different to the lower tiers - more windows and less wall space - so the likely decoration will be different also. If you have ideas, email them to us and we will pass them on.

That's about all we have to tell you this week. Other than the fact that we obviously face some ex Arsenal players at the weekend. Most of our ex players talk often about how grateful they were for our support when they played for us - so although we should always support our own (current) players first, it is good to let those "grateful ex players" know that we still like them. The opposite clearly also applies to any "ungrateful ex players" that are lurking out there - let him know we haven't forgotten him!

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

13/04/10 - Competition Time - appear on the next Members' DVD

Some of you may have watched the DVD that comes with the annual Arsenal membership pack (others may throw it straight in the bin or put it on eBay). We have been contacted by the company that produces the DVD, with a unique opportunity for nine lucky people to feature in next season's DVD.

Part of the next DVD is a Q&A with Arsene Wenger. Before you get too excited, you won't be meeting Arsene to ask the questions in person, but they want to film fans asking each of the questions. This will then be spliced alongside Arsene's answers. Filming will take place at 2pm on the day of the Man City game, outside the ground somewhere - so you obviously need to be available then.

To be in with a chance, just tell us when Arsene's birthday is (as in, the day and month). We also need to know your name, age, and phone number, so please include that info on the email. Answers to the usual address please - redaction.gooners@gmail.com

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

29/03/10 - 5 ways to help Arsenal between now and Wednesday ...

Big game on Wednesday, so here are a few ways you can help the cause. Pick one, try a couple, or even do all of them!

1. Get into the ground early. Now I know we often ask this, but this time even Arsenal are asking too. Give up that last pint in the pub beforehand, and get in by 7:15pm to start building the atmosphere ready for kickoff.

2. Bring a flag. You may have noticed that we have been hanging lots of flags from Club Level recently. If you have an Arsenal flag or banner you'd like to hang up, email us a picture of it, and the contact details for somebody who can come up to Club Level and look after it.
By the way, we should be displaying these little babies at the game ...







With much credit to Dan_85 and Alex Hill for their design work on the last two.

3. Wear a scarf. Same request as always, but we want the team to see something special when they walk out onto the pitch, something to fire them up to win the game for us.

4. Sing all game. This is one of those games where you should be singing until you lose your voice, from the first whistle to the last. Every time they get the ball, whistle, shout and make it a horrible atmosphere for all of the Barca players. And whenever we have the ball, get behind our lads with all your energy.

5. If you see Lionel Messi between now and Wednesday, "accidentally" kick him. Hard.

That is all for now - see you there for the one we've been waiting for.

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

24/03/10 - Champions League - we need your banners!

The second update of the week, and there may be another before the week is out.

In case you didn't know, we got drawn against Barcelona in the Champions League, which a few people seem to be a bit excited about. We have had quite a few emails asking what is going on, so here is what we have planned.

Home Leg (Wednesday 31st March). Unusually for a midweek game, The Rocket will be open before the match, opening at 5pm. The usual stuff going on there - build-up on the TV, beer deals etc...

Also at the home leg, we want to get as many flags and banners on display in the ground as we can, in the half hour or so before kickoff. In particular, we want to cover the whole of Club Level at the north end of the stadium with big flags and banners. You can help with this. If you have a big flag or banner that you would like to display, please send us a photo of it - and the name of somebody that is available to look after it, and to come with us to Club Level to hang and remove it. We may not be able to get all of them up there, but we'll do our best - as long as yours is an Arsenal flag/banner, and doesn't say something like "F**K OFF SPURS", you should be OK.

Away Leg (Tuesday 6th April). The Rocket will be open from 5:30pm for a live screening of this game. If you can't afford to go to Barca, or can't get a ticket, this will undoubtedly be the best place other than the Nou Camp to watch the game. A lot obviously depends on the eventual result, but you are guaranteed a venue full of Gooners and a great atmosphere to watch the game. So, avoid those pubs full of mouthy Mancs and Chelsea fans cheering on Barca, come and watch the game with 500 Gooners instead.

That's all from us for the moment, more to come as we have more to tell you.

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

21/03/10 - Cesc Banner - Vote for the wording!

Lots going on at the moment!

As you know, REDaction's next banner project is one for Cesc - a banner to be hung from the front of one of the tiers, hopefully to stay there permanently. We had dozens of responses to our call for suggestions for the wording of this banner - thanks to all that emailed us. We have whittled the list down to a final 10, and we now want you to vote on what the wording should be.

You can vote here.

The vote will be open until the end of the day on Wednesday, so we can order the banner on Thursday morning - this should ensure it is with us for the Barcelona home game.

If you post on any Arsenal messageboards, please feel free to post this message, the more votes the better.

Now, as well as banners, we are getting started with working on some player songs. We think that every player in our squad should have their own song (just like they did in the old days), and that they should each have a different song. So, the fact several players have to share the "Super Nicklas Bendtner" (for example) song is something to be corrected asap. To help do that, we need your suggestions for songs for Bendtner, Nasri and Rosicky, with a different tune. Send them through, we will try the best out in the Rocket and hopefully get some new songs being sung in the ground.

That's all for the moment - More later in the week on plans for the Barca games - flags, screenings, and more.



Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

11/03/10 - Post Burnley and Porto ...

A few thanks this week.

First, our thanks again to all who contributed money towards the Aaron Ramsey banners. We hope you agree they looked the part, and it is obvious from the statements coming out of Arsenal that our support was very much appreciated.



We collected more money than we needed to pay for the Ramsey banners, and as we said at the time, the extra will go towards our next project - a banner for Cesc Fabregas. The aim is to show our captain how much we love him. This banner will be hung (hopefully permanently) from the front of club level, so will be based on text rather than a picture. We need suggestions for the wording - it needs to be fairly short and sharp, and to leave Cesc in no doubt as to what we think of him. Suggestions on email to : redaction-gooners@yahoogroups.co.uk

Next up, thanks to all those who brought their scarves, and/or got in early for the Porto game. Great atmosphere and result on the night, and we get a chance to do it all again in a few weeks. A bit of effort from a lot of people really can make a huge difference.

Finally, a couple of things to watch in your Friday lunchbreak. First up, the video of Perry Groves refusing to wear a Spurs shirt. And, a Gooner's video of the Ramsey flags last weekend.

That's all for now - lets hope for three points and zero broken legs in Hull at the weekend.

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

07/03/10 - Aaron Ramsey

To all our fellow Gooners that have contributed so much in terms of effort and finance with regard to the Aaron Ramsey banners a big 'Thank you'.

04/03/10 - Ramsey Banner update & more ...

Hi all

We have taken delivery of the 18x15ft Ramsey banner!



18x15ft is basically the size of a house, so you will definitely be able to see it in the stadium and on TV. It will be hanging from Club Level before the Burnley game and as the teams come out, so get in early to see it in all its glory. We know that there will be other banners in the stadium as well, organised by the Gooner forum and by Arseblog among others - so the players should be in no doubt about our support.

We asked for donations to help pay the bill for this flag, and the Gooner community did us proud. To all those who have donated (from all over the world), thanks very much for your support, and we hope you like seeing the result on Saturday. More news to follow on giving the flag away to one of the people that donated.

We will be having a bucket collection in the foyer of the Rocket on Saturday, so if you want to contribute to the cause and enter the draw, you still have an opportunity. Remember, if we have money left over, it will be used for the next project which is a big banner for Cesc, so you will be donating to a good cause in any case.

Talking of The Rocket, it is open from midday on Saturday as usual, with the early FA Cup game on the big screens, and Wolves vs Man U after our game.

An advance reminder for Porto - we are expecting a fantastic atmosphere with loud support for this one, so are appealing to all fans to get into the ground as early as possible to start building up the noise.

Finally (for now), Michael "Shirts" and Ruby Dixon are running around Emirates Stadium for charity soon - if you have a spare few quid after this week's flag donations, you can sponsor them here.

That's all for now - the next 2 games should be great for atmosphere - make sure you are in good voice!

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

01/03/10 - One Aaron Ramsey - The Banner (which you can win) !

Ok, here it is.



It is 18ft by 15ft, it is on order now, and it should be with us in time for the Burnley game on Saturday, for us to drop from Club Level. Failing that, for Porto on Tuesday week. Thanks must go to the posters on the Gooner forum who (among others) had the idea, and one in particular who came up with the design.

Now, one thing about 18x15ft banners is that they are not cheap. Not cheap at all. To help pay for it, we are accepting donations, large or small. We will get Aaron Ramsey to sign it, and when he is playing football again we will give it away to one of the people that contributed towards it. Think of it as a raffle, for a good cause, with a great prize.

You can contribute in a couple of ways:

1. By PayPal - Please make payments to steveg@mbc-n.com and mention "REDaction Ramsey" in the payment. Please also give us your email address and phone number so we can contact you if you win the draw.

2. By cheque. Please make cheques payable to REDaction. One option is to post to:

REDaction c/o MBC-n
2nd Floor, Fairman Law House
Park Terrace
Worcester Park, Surrey
KT4 7JZ

You can also drop cheques off at The Rocket this Saturday, where we will also be running a bucket collection in the foyer. Again, please write your email address and phone number on the back of the cheque if you want to enter the draw, or give your details to the person with the bucket.

That's all for now, anything you can contribute will be a great help towards paying our big new credit card bill.

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

01/03/10 - One Aaron Ramsey

Interesting weekend.

The inbox has been busy this morning, so a few things to say:

1. We are working on something to show our support for Aaron Ramsey.
Probably a banner or something, and there are a few good ideas already on the Gooner forum in particular. We don't yet know how big, or when we will have it, or where we will hang it from, or what it will look like - but we are working on it.

2. If you haven't been reading Arseblog over the last couple of days, what is wrong with you?! A couple of fantastic blogs, which we couldn't agree more with.

3. Also today, credit where credit is due, one of the sensible football journalists on the weekend's events.

4. And finally, if you are annoyed by the constant crap that's being spouted on TalkSport, and 5Live, you have a choice. SWITCH THEM OFF!

That's all for now - more details on Ramsey tributes soon.

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

26/02/10 - Advance Warning !

So, we have a job to do on Tuesday week against Porto. I would still rather need to beat Porto than need to beat Inter (funny how Chelsea's result was a decent result according to the media, whilst ours was a disaster); but we do have a job to do.

REDaction are planning a few initiatives to get the atmosphere built up in time for kick off of the Porto game. But, whatever we plan to do, the biggest positive effect on atmosphere will come if people get into the ground early, and start to build the noise up. So, a plea - please get into the ground by 7:15pm if at all possible. We know that you can't buy beer, so it means skipping the last pint in the pub - but we hope to build up a great atmosphere and ensure that we can have lots more pints in sunny European cities in April and May.

So, please get into the ground early for the Porto game!

One other thing for now - the man known to some as "Michael Shirts", and to others as "Beret Man" is taking part in a sponsored run for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Anybody who knows him will know that he is 100% Arsenal through and through, so we are pleased to point you towards the place where you can sponsor him - http://www.justgiving.com/michael-farmerallezarsenal

That's all for now - fingers crossed for tomorrow

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

15/02/10 - Porto vs Arsenal - live screening!

Where are you going to watch the Porto vs Arsenal match?

If it's not in Portugal, you have to get down to the O2 Academy in Angel!

Where? O2 Academy Islington, N1 Centre, 16 Parkfield Street, Angel, London



When? Wednesday 17th February 2010, from 6:30pm to 11pm

Entry is FREE all night and Carlsberg is just £2.10.

The whole place will be decked out in red and white flags and banners and the bar staff will be bracing themselves for impact from around 800 Gooners!

This is the fourth Arsenal screening at the Academy and if you were there for the celebrations of Sol Campbell's goal in Paris, you'll know how electric this place is!

This is one of London's best live music venue and for one night, we're turning it red and white!

Flyer available here - entry will be first come first served, so get there early!

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

12/02/2010 - Thank you from Bob Wilson

Bob Wilson received a cheque for £9,056 from Mark Brindle of REDaction on behalf of the Willow Foundation Charity.



This amount was raised throughout the 08/09 season from various REDaction events, the main ones being the raffle on the boat to Fulham, the Christmas and end of season parties held in the Rocket and the Gala Dinner held at the Emirates stadium in conjunction with our friends at AISA to celebrate the anniversary of Anfield '89.

Bob asked us to pass on his thanks to every Gooner than contributed in any way at all, Bob and Megs are extremely grateful for the support that all Arsenal fans continue to show to the Willow Foundation and especially in the current economic climate.

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

05/02/10 - Something for the Weekend!

What are you up to this weekend? If a trip to the cinema is on the cards, I'd suggest you steer clear of one particular film just released.



However, if you're going to the game on Sunday, perhaps you can use our special armband (download) to show what we think of the home teams captain!

Please forward to everyone who will appreciate it!

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

08/01/10 - A Message from Bob Wilson

17 years without a trophy was far too long for a Club such as Arsenal.The Fairs Cup victory in 1970 revived our great Club and inspired it to even greater triumphs.

Join the winning team to hear their memories of the day and to celebrate the greatest cup game ever seen at Highbury hosted by me and in aid of my charity, the Willow Foundation.

Please find further information below, plus a ticket application form attached.

I look forward to meeting you. Many thanks for your support.
Best Regards


Bob Wilson

The Willow Foundation invites you to the Stars of '70 Arsenal Heroes Dinner at the Hilton London Metropole on Thursday 18 February 2010 ...

Remembering the Fairs Cup Final ...

After years without trophy success, the glory days returned to Highburyin dramatic style for Bertie Mee's side with a thrilling victory in the1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final.

Relive the memories of the Fairs Cup Final with the club legends who overcame a first leg two-goal deficit, with a 3 - 0 home win over Anderlecht, to secure Arsenal's first European Trophy in club history.

Goals from Eddie Kelly, John Radford and Jon Sammels secured victory and sparked a pitch invasion for the fans who had waited 17 years for European success.

Join Gunners' legends including skipper Frank McLintock, Charlie George, George Graham, Peter Marinello, Sammy Nelson, John Radford, John Roberts and Bob Wilson at this reunion of the 'Stars of '70', organised by national charity, the Willow Foundation.

The evening will include a three-course meal with starter wine and a 'Question & Answer' session with the 'Stars of '70'.

Tickets:
£75 per person
£750 per table of ten
£1,500 per table of ten (with one of the 'Stars of '70')

Buying as a gift? Your tickets can be presented in a gift box with a signed photograph of Bob Wilson for an extra £5 each.

To purchase your tickets ...

Please contact Louise Smith at the Willow Foundation
Telephone: 01707 259777
Email: louise.smith@willowfoundation.org.uk
or download the flyer and ticket application form.

All proceeds will go to the Willow Foundation (registered charity no. 1106746).
The Willow Foundation is the only charity of its kind in the UK providing special days for seriously ill 16 to 40 year olds. Bob Wilson, and his wife, Megs, founded the charity in 1999, in memory of their daughter, Anna,who died of cancer aged 31. To date the charity has organised and funded morale-boosting special days for more than 5,000 seriously ill young adults. Your support will help Willow to provide many more special days for young adults living with the difficult realities of life-threatening conditions.
Click here to read about some recent special days.

www.willowfoundation.org.uk

Stars of '70 is a fundraising event in aid of the Willow Foundation (registered charity no. 1106746)
Willow Foundation, Willow House, 18 Salisbury Square, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 5BE

Copyright (C) 2009 Willow Foundation All rights reserved.

07/01/10 - A Hero for our Time!

We came across this on the web and thought it was a good bit of fun.

We have really been pushing the club and will continue to do so to make better use of the screens, maybe humour is the style they should be aiming for alongside plenty of motivational stuff from the past.

What do you lot think?

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

06/01/10 - Happy New Year!

Sorry we've been a bit quiet lately, all of our day jobs were getting a bit hectic in December, then we thought you wouldn't be reading email between Christmas and New Year, so we didn't send any. Still, results have been good whilst we've been away, maybe we should do it more often.

This is just a quick message to cheer (some of) you up on the first day back at work. If you like the REDaction boat trips to Fulham, you may want to put Sunday 7th February in your diary for a cruise down the Thames to Stamford Bridge. More details to follow, but there will be a boat leaving Westminster Pier at midday, to take 200+ Gooners to Chelsea. Keep an eye out, more details when we have them.

Finally, I'm sure you need no reminding to bring your scarf to the Bolton game - the weather is looking more than cold enough!

Victory Through Harmony

REDaction

04/12/09 - Arsenal Herts & Beds Christmas Doo ...

Our friends for Arsenal Herts & Beds are holding their first ever Christmas Doo.

02/12/09 - REDaction Update: Post Chelsea - onwards and upwards ...

OK, who threw that bottle at Didier Drogba on Sunday?

We all hate him, but can't we use our energies a bit more positively, and leave bottle chucking to the natives at WHL and Stamford Bridge?

Meanwhile, hope you enjoyed the flag on Sunday, it all seemed to go well and there were no complaints - so we hope to try it again for (probably) the Man U game at the end of January