A review by robinwalter
Black Arsenal by Matthew Harle, Clive Chijioke Nwonka

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

In the preface to black Arsenal the purpose and intent of the book is summed up in these words:

Black Arsenal is an exploration, rather than a celebration, of Arsenal and Black culture. It does not claim that Arsenal has a model relationship to Black identity, nor is it an exhaustive list of all things Black and Arsenal. Instead, Black Arsenal has been an attempt to represent and reflect upon the breadth of a delicate and complex cultural experience that has come to play a role in defining both a football club and contemporary Black identity. 

I'm giving this book 5/5 because for this non-black and very distant Arsenal fan, It delivered on that statement of purpose.

The whole book was marked by careful consideration and nuanced differentiation of many different aspects of the Arsenal experience from different black perspectives. Since my own personal affection for and affiliation to Arsenal has always been primarily intellectual and cultural, this really resonated with me.

Having never been a "my club  - my club right or wrong but always my club" kind of Arsenal fa,n there was a significant disconnect for me during the Usmanov years. When I returned as a more active supporter , it was with a cynical acceptance of the commercial, corporate and capitalist imperatives that drive every successful football club in this era. I can't help being suspicious of community outreach initiatives, cultural awareness campaigns, and merchandising and promotional activities that seem to promote a celebration of cultural diversity and especially of Arsenal's ties to its black fan base but that also smell like moneymaking opportunities.

Which is exactly why this book is so remarkable. Through Dr Nwonka's analyses and through personal perspectives and experiences, the book highlights how these sorts of initiatives can be both commercially lucrative and culturally enriching, strengthening community identity even if primarily intended to bolster the bottom line. It was fascinating and enlightening  to read of various ways in which such corporate initiatives often  strengthen the sense of black Arsenal despite seeming like little more than attempts to milk a cash cow. A phrase that really resonated in this regard was toward the end of the book where Dr Nwonka is quoted as speaking of "the site of resistance to assimilation into the capitalist logics’ of Arsenal Football Club."

It's that level of nuance and critical awareness that makes this a very special book. It doesn't shy away from any of the uncomfortable elements of Arsenal's relationship with its black fan base community. From the excruciatingly white women's team (playing and non-playing staff) to the widely divergent views on the merits or lack thereof of AFTV, this book lives up to its promise to be an exploration and not a celebration.

It was a love of reading that first prompted my connection with the Arsenal, and several of my favourite authors have been famously vocal Gooners, from Douglas Adams to Nick Hornby, among others. The number one reason I was most excited to buy and read this book was that it was written by someone who is not an Arsenal fan. That led me to hope for more than hagiography, and my hope was realised. I now understand my club better than I did before, and I am proud of its community. Thank you Dr Nwonka. Victoria Concordia Crescit.