We will survive loss of big guns

COME the revolution (assuming it hasn’t already started), it will be the fixture schedulers who’ll be first up against my wall, due to their customary lack of consideration for the long-suffering travelling fans, without whom the Premiership’smulti-million pound TV product might not be nearly so palatable.

Nevertheless, with the dampeners having been put on any remaining new season optimism by the depressing anti-climax of a scoreless draw in our late KO at St James’, I’m sure that unlike this aging wet-blanket, there were plenty of Gooners who didn’t particularly mind being stuck on Tyneside, with this at least offering them the solace of an excuse for a Saturday night out on the Toon.

Saturday night in Newcastle city centre has to be seen to be believed. It’s not that different to the London riots, albeit with revelry foremost on the minds of the thronging crowds rather than mayhem and destruction.