GOONERS UNITE! With the Arsenal Independent Supporter's Association (AISA), for all Arsenal fans, everywhere.

NEXT AISA GENERAL MEETING - SAT 9/12/00 - 1.OO-2.00PM Following our excellent second general meeting addressed by Ken Friar our next gathering will be before the Barcodes game on Saturday week. We hope to be able to show the Club's Ashburton Grove video (the tape we've got. Now all we need is a big screen to play it on. Any offers, either of a loan of a system or somebody to sponsor hiring one?) Venue will be confirmed in the next couple of days. It'll either be the Hen & Chickens at Highbury Corner again or the Drayton on Drayton Park).

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE.

One piece of formal business we can no longer avoid is final approval of a set of rules for the organisation. On the one hand we don't want people slitting their wrists during an interminable rules debate. On the other we want the rules to be adopted on an informed basis. The final draft to be put to the meeting will be available by next Tues 5/12/00. If you'd like a copy to study/propose amendments before the meeting, just let us know.

BAYERN MUNICH - TUES 5/12/00 - MEET CLUB NUMBER 12 AISA has had contact with a group of Bayern fans called Club No 12. These are top people who displayed a huge anti-Murdoch banner at Old Trafford during the campaign against the Murdoch takeover at a Moan Utd v Bayern Champions' League game. Top people in my book. Some of us AISA types will be meeting up with Club No 12 during the day of the game. If any Gooner fancies meeting them before and/or after the game them let Steven Powell know by e-mail or phone 07881 950613 and he'll let you know when and where.

NEXT AISA COMMITTEE MEETING - MON 11/12/00 - 7.30PM The next committee meeting will take place as above at the Lark in the Park pub on Copenhagen St, N1 (between Barnsbury and Hemmingford Roads). All welcome to come along and find out what's occurring.

SIGN UP FOR AISA AND JOIN US IN THE GOONER NATION! The membership rolls of AISA are know open and, unlike the TRS and AFC season tickets there's no waiting list. Membership will cost you only £4.00 per year if you pay by standing order (please! it makes our Treasurer's life so much easier!) or £5 by cheque or folding cash money (£10 for overseas members). Associate membership is also available for £2, the same is the fee for juniors, senior citizens, students and the unwaged/unemployed. For a membership form just e-mail Steven Powell.

SPONSORS - WE NEED YOU! One company has already sponsored AISA to the tune of £225. Take a bow Turner Rawlinson and Company. WELL PLAYED! We also have a promise from another company to sponsor a general meeting. To do all the things we'd like to be able to do on Ashburton Grove, a shareholders' trust so all Gooners can own a piece of the Arsenal in common, ticket prices, treatment of away fans, etc, etc. we need absolute shedfulls of cash. If your company is wondering what to do with its sponsorship budget or you've just won the Lottery, make out your cheque (with lots of luvverly 00000's on the end!) to "Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association" and send it to us! Seriously, we really are looking for sponsors to help us do the job we know we can do if only we have the time and money. We're quite happy to negotiate a deal that will give any sponsor value for money. Do get in touch if you might be interested.

ISLINGTON COUNCIL WANTS YOUR VIEWS ON THE NEW STADIUM

Islington Council wants to know your views on the new Stadium at Ashburton Grove and the plans for Arsenal Stadium and Lough Road.

You can write to the Head of Planning and Transportation at:

The Municipal Offices,
222 Upper Street,
London
N1 1YA

or email your comments to [email protected] Please make clear which planning application(s) you are commenting on and include your home/business address. Please send your comments as soon as possible and by 26 January 2001 at the latest.

Public Meetings

Islington Council has arranged 4 Public Meetings to discuss the proposals. All the Public Meetings are at:

The Union Chapel,
Upper Street,
N1.

The dates are:
Overall Proposals Wednesday 6 December, 7.30 pm
Ashburton Grove Tuesday 9 January, 7.30 pm (Pick up point is corner of Citizen's Road and Hornsey Road)
Lough Road Thursday 11 January, 7.30 pm (Pick up point is outside Westbourne Community Centre, 43 Roman Way)
Highbury Monday 15 January, 7.30 pm (Pick up point is outside main entrance to Arsenal Stadium, Avenell Road)

A Council bus will be available to take people to and from meetings as indicated. The bus will collect people form the pick-up points at 6.45 pm and drop them off after the meeting. If you want to book a lift to and from the meeting, please telephone Planning Central Support on 020 7527 2229 seven days in advance. If you have special needs (hearing, seeing, mobility, translation or other) please telephone Planning Central Support on the above number, so they can organise assistance or make other arrangements for you.

The plans.

You can see the planning applications at:

Planning Enquiries,
Municipal Offices,
222 Upper Street,
N1
(open 9.00 am to 4.30 pm, Monday to Fridays, but closed between 12.00 noon on 22 December until 9.00 am on 2 January 2001)

Central Reference Library,
Fieldway Crescent,
N1
(open Mon/Wed/Thursday 9.30 am to 8.00 pm, Tues/Fri/Sat 9.30 am to 5.00 pm, Sun 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm, but closed 24 - 27, 31 December and 1 January 2001).

West Library,
Bridgeman Road,
N1
(open Tues/Thurs 9.30 am to 8.00 pm, Wed/Sat 9.30 am to 5.00 pm, but closed 24-27,29,31 December & 1 January 2001)

North Library,
Manor Gardens,
N7
(open Mon 9.30 am to 5.00 pm, Tues/Thurs 9.30 am to 8.00 pm, Fri 9.30 am to 1.00 pm, Sat 9.30 am to 5.00 pm, but closed 24 - 27, 31 December & 1 January 2001)

Web Visit the Council's website from 4 December to find out more and view the planning applications.

Council Display. Visit the Council's shop at 61b Hornsey Road, N7, on the following days when Council Officers will be there to answer your questions. Before Christmas Monday 4 December12.00 noon - 8.00 pm Tuesday 5 December12.00 noon - 8.00 pm Thursday 7 December12.00 noon - 8.00 pm Friday 8 December12.00 noon - 5.00 pm Sunday 10 December12.00 noon - 5.00 pm Monday 11 December12.00 noon - 8.00 pm After Christmas Monday 8 January12.00 noon - 8.00 pm Wednesday 10 January12.00 noon - 8.00 pm Tuesday 16 January12.00 noon - 8.00 pm Thursday 18 January12.00 noon - 8.00 pm Friday 19 January12.00 noon - 5.00 pm Saturday 20 January10.00 am - 5.00 pm

ASHBURTON GROVE PETITION - SAT 28 OCT 2000

AISA has organised a petition in support of the new ground at Ashburton Grove.
This will be launched: THIS SATURDAY 28/10/00.
MEETS AS FOLLOWS: OUTSIDE WOOLWORTHS, CORNER OF CHAPEL MARKET, N1 AND LIVERPOOL ROAD, N1 (1 MIN ANGEL TUBE) 10.45AM OUTSIDE O'NEILLS, NAG'S HEAD, HOLLOWAY ROAD, N7 (5 MINS HOLLOWAY ROAD TUBE) 10.45AM OUTSIDE ARSENAL WORLD OF SPORT, FINSBURY PARK STATION 1.00PM
Bring yourself, as many other Gooners as you can persuade. Also bring a clipboard and pens if you possess them. We'll be on hand with the rest. If you can make one of the morning meets and the pre-game session this would be ideal. If not at least make one.
WE NEED YOU. ASHBURTON GROVE IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN WITHOUT OUR SUPPORT.

NEXT OPEN MEETING - SAT 11/11/10 12.30PM FOR 1.00PM, HEN & CHICKENS THEATRE BAR, HIGHBURY CORNER (ST PAUL'S ROAD, N1).
GUEST SPEAKER: KEN FRIAR, ARSENAL DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF NEW GROUND.
Because of the demand for seats at this meeting it will be ticket-only. First come first served. The tickets are free. Get your application in NOW. Write to: Steven Powell 32e Arundel Square Islington London N7 8AS enclosing a first class reply paid envelope and a note of how many tickets you want.
KANU CAMPAIGN Both Islington MPs Jeremy Corbyn and Chris Smith have replied to our letter asking for them to help get Kanu's family into the country by saying they would be happy to intervene if needed. It appears however that the Home Office may be about to belatedly relent. We'll keep a watching brief on this. Keep on signing the internet petition though.
LOUGH ROAD DEVELOPMENT For those who live in the immediate area of Lough Road in Holloway you should have received a circular from the club asking for your views on developing this site. This is a vital piece of the jigsaw in developing the new ground. Make sure you send back your reply paid slip supporting the development.
That's all folks. Let's make this as good a week for Arsenal off the field as last week was on it. We need YOUR help to make the new ground a reality. Final message for all interested the next AISA Committee meeting will take place on Thurs 16/11/00 at 7.30pm at the Lark in the Park pub on Copenhagen St, N1 between Barnsbury Road and Hemmingford Road, N1. Non-comittee members are welcome to attend and speak as observers.

A LAUNCH MEETING WAS HELD ON SUNDAY 1 OCTOBER AT 1.00PM

A committee of 11 volunteers was elected. They'll meet on Thurs 11/10/00 at 7.30pm (venue to be advised but in the Islington area). All interested are welcome to attend whether on committee or not.

The next general meeting will be on: Sat 11 November 2000 1.00-2.00pm Hen & Chickens Theatre Bar, Highbury Corner

The priorities established by the meeting were:

** Campaiging and mobilising on the new ground to make sure it happens in the teeth of opposition from local residents
** an AISA membership/organising drive
** Looking at setting up a mutual Arsenal Supporters' Trust to allow Gooners to buy into ownership of the Club.

Arsenal Director Ken Friar has agreed to address a future AISA meeting on the new ground. The meeting also heard that the formation of AISA had received support from Alan "Smudger" Smith and Culture Media and Sport Secretary Chris Smith MP.

STATED OBJECTIVES OF AISA:

A NEW GROUND?
Most Arsenal supporters support plans for a new stadium at Ashburton Grove - but it's time the club and the council heard OUR voices.

ACCOUNTABILITY
We should have a big say in the future of our club. A new Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association (AISA) will campaign for this. We also want to look at supporters being able to buy into ownership of the club via a mutual Supporters' Trust.

AFFORDABILITY
We all want Arsenal to have enough money to compete at the very top. But football should be affordable to all - increasingly it isn't. AISA will campaign for the right mix of ticket prices for all pockets.

AWAY SUPPORTERS
Arsenal fans often don't get the treatment they deserve away from home. We all know how away fans are regularly fleeced. AISA will be there to campaign against the rip-offs and rotten treatment. Do you really want to give Ken Bates £32 to watch the game through a letter-box? In Europe sometimes we've been treated by the police with the respect we've by and large earned (Barcelona 1999) sometimes not (Genoa 1994). AISA will be there to tell it like it is.

RACISM
Arsenal has a team of international talents in a multi-racial community. We also have the highest number of black fans in the country. We've all had to sit/stand next to the bone-headed bigots in our own ranks from time to time though. Racism and violence are creeping back into football. AISA will be there to denounce it when it appears and to demand strong, effective action from the club and authorities. We should all feel welcome at the Home of Football. We represent a cross-section of Arsenal supporters - season ticket holders, TRS members, away and European travellers. In our numbers are those who're on the waiting list for both season tickets and TRS membership. We believe that there has never been a better time to press forward constructive supporter involvement at Highbury.

WHAT WE NEED NOW IS YOU. Put the date of the meeting in your diary. Get in touch if you can help in any way or want more info.

FOR MORE INFO: Contact Paul Matz on 078 5092 0899 () or Steven Powell on 020 7609 6783 ()