ARSENAL AXES 55 STAFF MEMBERS

Arsenal cut 55 staff members in what 10 per cent of them are the club’s permanent staff.

This is a decision that comes days after their triumph against their North London rivals Chelsea in the F.A cup final. A season that many fans termed ‘a season to forget’ since it has been the worst in their history in the English top flight.

The club says that the ongoing pandemic has affected their main sources of income. Mostly affected being revenue from broadcasters and activities carried out on normal match days. The club therefore expects further impacts in the forthcoming 2020/21 season.

‘This pandemic has presented one of the most challenging times in our 134 year history and we have responded promptly by implementing wide- ranging measures to ensure cost reduction, in order to re-invest the savings in the team. Therefore, this has not been an easy decision to come by’. The club said on their official website.

This decision, however, has not been taken lightly by some of their supporters, former players and even a section of the current senior players.

The players intend to raise the issue with the club’s hierarchy to express their frustrations. They argue that the main reason the majority agreed to a 12.5 per cent pay cut back in April, they did so on an understanding that it would preserve jobs for other staff.

 A heads-up zoom meeting with Prince William back in June has re-surfaced, where Hector Bellerin agrees that the players’ willingness to take a pay cut helped gel the club and the community more and further adds that many players and coaches got messages from the staff saying that they felt safe after being re-assured they could continue working and still get paid. He said that the players found positivity in the pay cut and that he personally felt that it got them together as a family.

This has raised many questions on the socials whether the ‘cost-cutting’ was meant to benefit the club or its’ owners.