My irritability keeps me alive and kicking. MD at BlueBarn Media
UK
Joined October 2013
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All football clubs have a rich history, it’s only arrogant Arsenal, Liverpool and united fans who think other clubs don’t have history. Anyway, history…
xitter.cf/UtdHeisenberg_/status/…
🧵 The biggest corruption scandal in English football that barely gets mentioned. How Arsenal bribed their way into the First Division in 1919 — and how political influence and lobbying trumped sporting merit.
1. The year is 1919. English football is restarting after WWI. The First Division is set to expand from 20 to 22 teams.
Naturally, the bottom two clubs from 1914–15 (Chelsea and Spurs) should’ve gone down — and the top two from the Second Division should be promoted.
But that’s not what happened.
2. Chelsea were spared relegation.
So with one extra spot open in the First Division, the fairest outcome would’ve been:
✅ Spurs (20th in First Division) ✅ Derby (2nd in Second Division) ✅ Wolves (4th in Second Division — because 3rd place Barnsley declined promotion)
But then… Arsenal happened.
3. Arsenal had finished 6th in the Second Division in 1914–15. That’s right: SIXTH in the second tier. No promotion spot. No footballing merit.
But Arsenal’s chairman, Sir Henry Norris, had other ideas — and deep connections.
He launched a political lobbying campaign among Football League officials… and got to work behind the scenes.
4. At the league’s AGM, Norris made his move.
He argued Arsenal deserved promotion due to “history and tradition” — despite having achieved nothing of note in years.
There were allegations of bribes, favours, and shady deals. The result?
Arsenal were voted into the First Division.
Over #Spurs. Over Wolves. Over fairness.
5. Arsenal have never been relegated since that day.
That 1919 vote — corrupt, politically influenced, and sporting unjust — permanently changed English football history.
And to this day, many fans don’t know: Arsenal’s top-flight status was born in scandal.
6. So next time someone calls your club “plastic”; say you get favourable treatment from referees or mocks where you finished in the league...
Remind them #Arsenal literally bought their way into the top tier.
And 100+ years later, they still haven’t paid that debt back.
#AFC #FootballHistory #CorruptionInFootball
Awful that someone who receives tens of billions in govt funding can effectively funnel money back into the campaigns of those who have given him those billions. It’s a democratic death loop.
Fancy a South African who receives tens of billions in US government funding telling Americans how to vote.
Is he saying he's heard it from sources or is it literally just an Ollie Holt wish list? Actually, if it was his wish list, it would be putting us into non-league before winding us up as a club.
Andy has raised loads over the years for many charities, especially food banks. So you can think what you like about the City situation, but there's no need for this shite, Paul. Maybe try engaging in arguments rather than only going for pathetic ad hominems?
I saw Whitey on Saturday. Given the hysterical outrage Ollie has gleefully helped propagate, the logical conclusion seems to be that he'll only be happy if we're liquidated. I'm sure he's relatively unconcerned that staff will lose their jobs and fans will lose their club.
The irony of criticising someone for saying cartel by using a word like that. Not wrong though is he? Brighton build a very good team and every year they lose their best players to let's just say 'a handful of clubs' and have to start again. Just the way 'certain clubs' like it.
That same rumour about just negotiated fines has been going around every now and then for about a year. The idea that it could happen after the reaction over the last few weeks is ridiculous IMO.
Just looks like nonsense to me. Once the verdict leaked, any sensible compromise instantly became impossible. If the Prem were so worried they wanted to compromise, they would have done it well before telling those four clubs the verdicts.
I'd love this to be right but just can't see it. if the premier league were frightened of all this, they would have compromised many months ago. Once they told those four clubs the verdicts, they were ruling compromise out.
Address his point, you child. Brighton are doing well on limited budgets, but they’ve won sod all and let’s see where they finish. They’re very unlikely to have sustained success because they have to sell their best players every season. But you know that, you dick.
Well there’s no co-commentator for Forest here is there. It’s just an Arsenal legend and the commentator. Usually the same for united matches with Neville and Liverpool matches with Carragher.
I know there is provision within the process to give limited updates to stake holders, but whether they intend to sue or not, I'm not sure those clubs needed the details they received until the process had fully run its course. Who is the 'you' who isn't relevant in the case?
If he knew anything about you, he'd realise how ridiculous that accusation is. The accusation of never going to watch your club is almost always really an admission when it comes from Liverpool or united fans on this site.