Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
Hey of us, simply one other fast publish at the moment to notice the event of Arseblog’s twenty third birthday.
At the present time, all these years in the past, I sat in my home in a seaside city not far exterior Barcelona, and uploaded the very first publish to arseblog.com
The primary publish on arseblog.com – Feb twenty seventh 2002
It’s truthful to say it was an inauspicious begin to life, however right here we’re 23 years later nonetheless doing stuff. Again then, the concept that it could possibly be something apart from only a passion was unthinkable. There was no such factor as a full-time blogger, podcasts hadn’t even been invented but, and there was no social media.
And but, a neighborhood developed, a neighborhood grew, and when all these different facets turned a part of the media/Web panorama, in addition they turned a part of Arseblog as a complete. Instances change, individuals change, web sites change, however what I can say is that from the beginning I’ve had one core precept on the coronary heart of what we do right here, and that was at all times to be trustworthy about what I considered what was happening at Arsenal on and off the pitch.
Have I acquired every part proper? Removed from it. Have I realized quite a bit alongside the best way? You wager. And the underside line is that this: I’m only a fan like anybody else. Some Irish bloke who was born in England at a time when the Gunners had a number of Irishmen within the crew, who arrange an internet site about Arsenal whereas residing in Spain, and it has grow to be greater than I ever thought it might have.
I’m very fortunate to work with nice, proficient individuals who assist hold every part going. Tom, who makes positive there’s a web site for individuals to go to; Andrew Allen, who brings fashion, impeccable grooming, and his fast wit to Arseblog Information and past; my podcast companion James who mentioned okay to a different one in every of my off-the-cuff concepts over 11 years in the past, and who has helped the Arsecast Additional grow to be such a well-liked present; Tim Stillman whose Arseblog ‘profession’ started as a columnist in 2010, however whose protection of Arsenal Girls is now past examine; Jason who works with Tim in producing high quality video content material for Arsenal Girls, and to Jamie and Aidan for reporting and podcasting with him as effectively; Lewis Ambrose and Phil Costa who’ve grow to be an integral a part of what we do, particularly on Patreon; Hatta, Jon, Billy; the various and diverse Arsecast friends; and there have been so many others alongside the best way – too many to say, however honest apologies if I’ve forgotten anybody (the outdated reminiscence will not be what it was)!
Arseblog has been a blessing, and given me unbelievable alternatives through the years. Whether or not that’s interviewing Arsenal legends, assembly fellow Arsenal followers from everywhere in the world, whether or not at video games in London or overseas on our travels, and even simply sitting down each day to put in writing about soccer, it has been an immense privilege to do that. And it’s not one we take flippantly.
I can actually say that I’ve achieved worse jobs in my time (cleansing out the marshmallow machines in Jacob’s biscuit manufacturing unit for one; DJing weddings – oh God, so many horrible weddings), however whereas it’s not like that form of grind, it’s nonetheless work. Seven days every week, weekends, evenings, so whereas I really feel very lucky that that is my job, it’s a job.
Through the years we’ve tried to offer Arseblog readers and listeners the absolute best expertise they will presumably have. We not carry any promoting on the location, and after we did we by no means did the pop-ups or auto-playing movies. The web sites are clear, the brand new apps (coming quickly, I promise!!), will take away the final vestiges of promoting from our written content material, however all people nonetheless has to receives a commission.
That’s the reason Patreon has been such welcome addition. Arseblog is nearly solely member-funded, it goes to pay all our writers/podcasters, helps us increase our protection of the membership in each facet, and means we’re not beholden to any exterior editorial affect or any form of click-bait/rage-bait content material. So, should you’re not already a member, please think about supporting what we do at patreon.com/arseblog. It’s simply $6 per 30 days (+ VAT the place relevant), and to seek out out what you get and what your assist means, you may see our membership web page right here.
I strongly consider that when you’ve got a platform like this one, and if you end up able to offer one thing again, it’s incumbent on you to take action. Since 2022, Arseblog has donated greater than €150,000 to good causes, and we are going to proceed to do going ahead. I might urge anybody else – whether or not it’s on a private stage or via your individual enterprise – to do the identical should you can. Billionaires gained’t save us, so it’s up the remainder of us to at the least attempt to make an influence. To assist these much less lucky, and who actually need no matter it’s we may give.
Lastly, I ran slightly competitors on final week’s Arsecast, asking individuals to let me know the place on this planet they arrive from as they try to win a voucher for the Arsenal on-line retailer. The responses have come from each nook of the globe. There are Arsenal followers in each nation, of all races and religions and backgrounds and cultures, and they’re a part of what makes this membership nice.
In a world which is more and more polarised and pushed by offended rhetoric by those that would willingly do hurt to individuals they don’t know and don’t care about, my pledge is that Arseblog will at all times be a welcoming, inclusive house for Arsenal followers and past. It’s not at all times simple to keep up these requirements within the on-line world, however we are going to do every part we are able to in that regard. Soccer may frustrate us, drive us mad, break our hearts, however we’re all right here for the love of the sport and the love of this membership.
A bit extra love will go a good distance, on and off the pitch.
Thanks for being right here.
Andrew : 27.02.2025 ❤️
