Please find below applications submitted for the 16-21 Members' representative on the Fans’ Forum. Once you have read the applications, please submit your response in the form at the bottom of the page.
Bartosz Zajac
Skills and Experience
I feel like I would be a valuable member for the fans forum. I would come with many qualities and skills, such as being very creative and trying to bring those ideas to life. Also I feel like I'm a perfectionist. I feel like everything has to be done to the best standard possible to get the best response possible. Talking experience I am still quite young but at school I've always been on school forums and giving the best input I can also I am already part of the arsenal family as I attend the Arsenal BTEC programme.
Key Issues
Easier access to away tickets:
Me and other young supporters find it quite hard to follow our club away from home even if the club gives 100-200 tickets for away days and making that accessible by a ballot I think that will be very good for the supporters in this group.
Atmosphere/standing:
I think one of the bigger issues for the younger group of fans is the atmosphere. All we want is an electric atmosphere at the Emirates at every home game. One of the ways to fix this is to put a small section dedicated for the age group 16-21 where this can be a standing section for the fans and they can bring the atmosphere. This also helps the problem where there are certain supporters that do not want to stand during games. Putting that small section in will help with the atmosphere and will also benefit other fan groups as well.
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Joshua Fletcher
Skills and Experience
- Experience in a leadership role through scouting, so feel comfortable in a large leadership group
- Journalistic and media skills enable me to feel comfortable talking and communicating in all kinds of situations.
- Being part of the age demographic, I know and understand what members relate to and feel about their connection to the club
Key Issues
Ticket prices, lack of age relevant events/competitions, feels like a disconnect with the age group, from moving from junior membership to adult membership currently feels far too steep
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Liam Patel
Skills and Experience
Having been raised in North London in an Arsenal family, I have been surrounded by Gooners who share my love for this club. As a university student studying in London, I’ve listened to the views of young people from varying backgrounds and was previously selected to represent fans of our age in a research interview for Arsenal. I currently serve on the committee of my university football team and fulfil a volunteer role at a non-league football club. Our age group is bursting with passionate fans who care about our club, but at times our wants and needs can be too demanding to be met. I believe I am the right person to channel this passion and bring realistic and sustainable ideas to the table.
Key Issues
The needs and views of us young Arsenal fans have been disregarded in recent years. We’ve been outpriced from attending matches and buying merchandise, leaving us unable to support the club in the ways we want to. I will strive to introduce a discounted youth season ticket and improve access to match tickets, while advocating for safe standing and any measures that will maximise attendance and improve the atmosphere. To tackle the racist abuse directed at players online and at matches, I will demand stronger punishments for these individuals. I will also endeavour to ensure the club is being run in a sustainable way and will support any schemes that benefit the environment and protect the futures of our young fans.
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Toby Hughes
Skills and Experience
Having lived in Hackney my entire life and attended games at both Highbury and Emirates Stadium I know where the focus should be in terms of our audience and what makes the heart of the Arsenal fanbase. Public speaking is one of my strong points- having competed in public speaking competitions at school. I am therefore able to articulate my points clearly maintaining a level of rational. Fundamentally, I am a die-hard Arsenal fan and I cannot remember the last game I missed. My week is solely orientated around when the next Arsenal game is.
Key Issues
Affordability:
As a general issue, from ticket prices to food prices, to go to a C-Grade game you will generally spend around £50 ( ticket + food ) which for students ,who may be working part time- but many who won’t, is an obscene amount.
Appeal:
Both of these issues come hand in hand. I feel for children under the age of 16 the appeal is far greater than that of above 16; with the likes of the Junior Gunner scheme etc. As an 18-year-old myself, I struggle to find memberships or initiatives which are directed towards my age group. This includes the Women’s Team. This year I have made a vowel to go to as many Women’s games as possible however the advertisement for this could improve. With the new TV deal with Sky Sports the next few years are an integral opportunity to widen the audience of the Arsenal Women’s team.
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