Wednesday 24 September 2014 18:43, UK
An Arsenal supporters' group has raised concerns after the club's accounts showed majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has taken £3million out of the club.
Arsenal say the payment is for strategic and advisory fees from the American's company KSE, but fans claim that it is similar to the amount raised by ticket price increases this season.
The club have disputed that claim and have said that ticket prices at the Emirates have gone up on average by 1% a year, which is below inflation.
But Tim Payton, of the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, believes that Kroenke still has things to answer for over the issue.
He said: “Arsenal have a history of custodianship and all money in the club going back into the club.
“For this to happen, and happen at a time when ticket prices are being pushed ever higher and are forcing the ordinary fan out of coming to watch Arsenal, we are certainly going to pick up on this issue and ask Stan Kroenke questions at the AGM on the 16th October.”
He added: “Reading the small-print, the worry in the way it’s phrased is if this is going to become an annual payment.
“People may say that £3million isn’t that much, it’s a fraction of a footballer, but it’s exactly the amount that was raised by the 3% rise in ticket prices and people are really struggling with those tickets.
“We think that it’s a lot of money and we are concerned that this money has gone out of the club.”
