Arsenal fans were dealt another major blow last night - a big rise in season ticket prices. Gooners will have to pay 6.5 per cent more next season. The news comes on the back of a nightmare 13-day spell for Arsene Wenger's men, which has seen them lose the Carling Cup final and knocked out of the Champions League and FA Cup.

Yet 7,000 club level supporters at the Emirates have been told of the increases - and it is feared the 6.5 per cent rises will be applied across the board. A pair of club level seats have increased from £5,200 to £5,540. Season-ticket holder Andy Streballi, 33, from Epping, insisted: "I think the rises are totally unjustified. It has been the most disastrous month ever, going out of three competitions. And now they are putting up the prices."

Arsenal insist the rise is just four per cent, made bigger by the increase in VAT. It is the first hike since the 2008-09 season. A spokesman said: "A decision has not yet been taken on the other prices for next year. Our pricing structure is always done with a lot of thought."

@Anasazi....i totally agree with you, very few teams can beat Arsenal with everyone fully fit but once we start to lose players the season ends early for us, this happens in almost all seasons. Unlike Chelsea, Man Utd and now Man City we just don't have bench players who can come into a game and make a difference. I've never understood why Wenger keeps players like Denilson, Rosicky, Eboue in the team. Our starting 11 is usually up to the task, the rest ni ABK.....I hope he won't buy Wes Brown from Man Utd because he has a habit of signing rejects (defenders) from the top teams.

Apparently the profits have started to disappear just like the trophies. BTW its a major fallacy that aseno are currently making profits.

The balance is not lacking. Both the coffers and the trophy cabinet are currently empty.


http://www.skysports.com...8,11670_6785852,00.html

@ Taz, with lehmann coming on board, once again do think we can salvage something hata kama ni pride? will he deliver really considering his age?

C& P Leyton Orient, Chairman Barry Hearn


"I love Wenger," Hearn enthuses, "and in the next four years Arsenal will emerge as the richest club in the world because his business plan is exemplary. You don't see him going in at the last minute on transfer-deadline day and paying way over the top. He researches the market, assesses his targets and plans ahead. He's buying people for three or four million and turning them into players worth 30 or 40 million. Arsenal are running their club like a proper business – and Orient are also sticking to the philosophies that have kept us in business for 130 years. We're standing up to the Bertie Big Bollocks philosophies. Lots of people in football want success for their ego without thinking in a rational business way. All these clubs going into administration and getting out of paying money they owe is just not right. I think it's cheating."

@ McReggae...The difference is just 2.5m pounds so clearly there's more to the profits than just sale of property.