Arsenal news: Fan branded an ‘idiot’ by Gary Neville for Wenger Out sign after Chelsea defeat writes open letter
Kane Hopps pays thousands of pounds to watch his beloved Gunners home and away and slammed the ex-Manchester United star for sitting on his 'lofty perch'
AFTER Arsenal's 3-1 defeat to Chelsea over the weekend saw the Gunners' Premier League title hopes fade for another year, it was the final straw for some fans.
One of the Emirates faithful holding a banner at Stamford Bridge reading "Enough is Enough, Time to Go" was singled out by Sky pundit Gary Neville, who branded him an "idiot".
Keep up to date with ALL the Arsenal news, gossip, transfers and goals on our club page plus fixtures, results and live match commentary
That fan, 25-year-old estate agent Kane Hopps from Essex, a home and away season ticket holder for close to 20 years, has reached out to SunSport to give his side of the story.
Here, he writes an open letter to Gary Neville slamming the former Manchester United star for sitting on his "lofty perch", while explaining why he will continue to protest until Wenger leaves the club...
Dear Mr Neville,
I am a lifelong Arsenal fan, a season ticket holder for nearly 20 years who travels home and away every week up and down the country and Europe.
I pay fortunes (the most in the country in fact) on tickets and travel to support my team, for you to sit in the studio and call me an idiot for expressing my view in a respectful way is quite simply outrageous.
Any paying fan of any club is well within their rights to voice their views respectfully and I am shocked you actually said that on live TV infront of millions.
I had huge respect for you and really enjoy your punditry - but for you to slate paying fans for their own opinion from your lofty perch is not on.
You are paid to watch football and give opinions; I pay out of my pocket to go to football and am therefore even more entitled to mine.
This wasn't the first time I have bought the banner to a game. This has been going on for a while.
The banner is in no way disrespectful to Arsene, it is me giving my fair and honest opinion.
You said that I pre-empted the result by bringing the banner. This isn't just a knee jerk reaction based on one result or one season.
It’s a stale repetition of not only the same result, but the same performances, the same lack of mental and physical strength to win when it matters, and the same annual "Arsenal Crumble" when it comes to the nitty-gritty of the season.
I’ve sat there in big games for 12 years, hoping for something different, and barring the odd freak result, the same outcome happens year in, year out.
How many times have we lost silly home games throughout the years that have cost us – and how many title winning performances have we put in over the years at our rivals?
related stories
The personnel on the pitch has constantly changed, he’s built numerous sides, yet still the same mental weakness and belief exist in his players.
Therefore I know that Arsene Wenger isn't capable of tactically and mentally preparing his side to win big games.
For years us fans have been fed promises by the club and by Arsene Wenger that in fact have turned out to be lies.
In 2014 Arsene Wenger said he WILL deliver a title before the end of his current contract, he has failed.
He claimed just last week that this squad was the strongest he has had since the Invincibles - yet we are 12 points off the title in just February.
Surely that screams that he’s not getting the best out of the players. He claims we are not mentally prepared for certain games – well that responsibility comes squarely down to the manager.
Arsene Wenger himself has just this week said that he will only go if the fans turn on him.
Well it sickens and saddens me that it has come to this - I didn’t want or ask for this, but I want the best for my club.
I want my club to be successful and right now the only way I see that happening is for him to walk away, so i want my views to be heard and seen so that is what I will continue to do!
It is a toxic atmosphere every week at Arsenal now and this is not good for anyone going forward, and I believe I’m well within my rights to do this.
I respect what he has done for the club and the glories he once bought, but once you reach a peak the only way from there is down, and unfortunately for Arsene times have changed and he’s plummeted.
His constant failures in the transfer market, along with his inability to build a title winning mentality in his teams means he isn't the right man for the job.
What am i meant to do, just sit there and pay my money and accept it, when I am gutted about what I am seeing?
That is my defence Gary, and I stand firmly by it,
Kane Hopps