An Arsenal official has insisted that the club's seven-year wait for a trophy has not harmed their reputation because the Gunners are "defined by more than winning". The club's chief commercial officer, Tom Fox, believes that the recent renewal of Arsenal's sponsorship deal with Emirates - worth £150 million - is proof the club's brand remains strong despite their failure to challenge for top honours in recent years.

Arsenal, who last claimed major silverware in the 2005 FA Cup final, are currently 10th in the Premier League table having lost four and won just five of their 15 games in the competition so far this season. The Gunners were booed off at the weekend after losing 2-0 at home to Swansea City. Fox, however, claimed that being competitive on the pitch was not the only measure of success. "Arsenal Football Club is not only about winning," he said. "We have a large and engaged fan-base around the world who want to feel as if they belong to the club, and want to feel proud to belong to the club. That's my primary business."

Arsenal have seen a succession of top players leave the club in order to win trophies elsewhere, with Robin van Persie's summer move to Manchester United the most recent example, but Fox said that the club's track record of producing young talent and their world-class Emirates Stadium should be sources of pride for the fans. "Obviously nothing instills pride in our fan-base more than winning, but there's many things we do that make our fans feel proud," he was quoted as saying by UAE-based website Sport 360. "Developing young talent and finding those players in the marketplace make our fans feel proud. "Whether it's Serge Gnabry, who is a 17-year-old player in our reserve squad, whether it's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whether it's Theo Walcott, we look at these young players and have faith in our manager to develop them as the players for the future.

"And the fans come to a stadium that the club built really at a time 10 years ago when the board decided to build that stadium. "Everything was going our way, it was Manchester United and Arsenal. "But we made a very bold decision and we built that stadium on time and on budget - that makes our fans very proud. "When they see that we can attract - even though we haven't won a trophy in seven years - one of the top global brands in the world for the type of money and financial commitment they're making, that makes our fans feel proud. "So our brand is defined by more than winning."

Fox's comments come after Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told the club's Annual General Meeting in October that finishing fourth in the league - and thereby qualifying for the Champions League - was in itself the equivalent of winning a trophy.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1253024/arsenal-chief-tom-fox:-winning-isn't-everything?cc=5739

I really don't know what makes Arsenal fans feel proud but as a United faithful, I'm proud of not just the club's fan-base, youth development and position on Forbes Magazine but also, and mostly, its rich history, recent title/trophy parades in Manchester/Old Trafford, et al. All these, I believe, are the major ego trips a fan enjoys about a club.

Now I understand why Wenger doesn't even bother splurging on players capable of challenging for trophies as the Board are less concerned about match-day results - it's all about the Benjamins and they're completely comfortable in the fourth position that guarantees Champions League qualification every year. I just miss the great rivalry days - Roy Keane vs Patrick Vieira.

Well, I can only pity my brother and the likes of Mukina who open up threads on match-days expecting a miracle to happen and making statements like: "this is our season", only to have beeen let down for the past seven years. Lawd knows how many more years before they become plastic fans hence, jumping ship...

PS - Title may have been a tad above board but as an Arsenal fan, do you agree with Mr Fox's comments and general assessment of the club and its fans, especially?

mojounited: I really don't know what makes Arsenal fans feel proud but as a United faithful, I'm proud of not just the club's fan-base, youth development and position on Forbes Magazine but also, and mostly, its rich history, recent title/trophy parades in Manchester/Old Trafford, et al. All these, I believe, are the major ego trips a fan enjoys about a club.

Now I understand why Wenger doesn't even bother splurging on players capable of challenging for trophies as the Board are less concerned about match-day results - it's all about the Benjamins and they're completely comfortable in the fourth position that guarantees Champions League qualification every year. I just miss the great rivalry days - Roy Keane vs Patrick Vieira.

Well, I can only pity my brother and the likes of Mukina who open up threads on match-days expecting a miracle to happen and making statements like: "this is our season", only to have beeen let down for the past seven years. Lawd knows how many more years before they become plastic fans hence, jumping ship...

PS - Title may have been a tad above board but as an Arsenal fan, do you agree with Mr Fox's comments and general assessment of the club and its fans, especially?

which fans are u asking? if you want to discuss arsenal fans, u must learn to approach two different sets of fans viz; nigerian arsenal fans and arsenal outside here.
nigerian fans can analyse their financial base well even more than Fox. they will tell u how the club is the richest and how other clubs will collapse and they will rise(dreams). one told me last weekend that they are used to loosing. i understand their frustration since they have nothing to celebrate, they have decided to celebrate whenever chelsea looses a match or whenever the news of their profit is announced.
to them and according to wenger, top 4 finish is as good as trophies but what one cannot say this season is where they will finish. we are watching.

1025:
which fans are u asking? if you want to discuss arsenal fans, u must learn to approach two different sets of fans viz; nigerian arsenal fans and arsenal outside here.
nigerian fans can analyse their financial base well even more than Fox. they will tell u how the club is the richest and how other clubs will collapse and they will rise(dreams). one told me last weekend that they are used to loosing. i understand their frustration since they have nothing to celebrate, they have decided to celebrate whenever chelsea looses a match or whenever the news of their profit is announced.
to them and according to wenger, top 4 finish is as good as trophies but what one cannot say this season is where they will finish. we are watching.

Haha, you kinda nailed it. A gooner friend of mine would rather yap about Man $hitty's double over United last season, than his impressively young and talented Arsenal Team.

which fans are u asking? if you want to discuss arsenal fans, u must learn to approach two different sets of fans viz; nigerian arsenal fans and arsenal outside here.

Outside NL forum tho, I've read comments on ESPN where some treasure their Emirates like a fortress, whilst others believe the club's policies and prudence in financial management are more desirable than a trophy. I think the Board are the happier in this regard, not the fans.