More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A pub has become the unlikely home to a new YouTube channel dedicated to Arsenal fans – despite its landlord said to be a West Ham supporter.
The Rose and Crown Pub in West Hill, Dartford is hosting episodes of Anything Arsenal, a new series dedicated to the North London club.
Regulars Andy Thorne, 36, and Brian Wells, 33, decided to channel their lockdown boredom into the new fan-friendly show while also hoping to draw in extra punters and funds for their much loved local boozer.
Andy said: "Basically we just wanted to do an Arsenal channel for everyone.
"Because of Covid we wanted to promote a local business because those sorts of places are really struggling.
"We are quite good friends with the landlord and he was more than happy to help us.
"There is a big group of us down here but then the owner is a West Ham fan."
For many the Saturday ritual of coming together with mates and watching a game of football – and the post-match analysis and pint that follows – is something hard to replace.
The pair are looking to tap into this and have set up the channel to provide a platform for different sorts of fans either at the pub or over web chat to voice their opinions on ongoing developments.
Lifelong Gooner Andy explained they had wanted to set it up some time ago but life events and family commitments kept getting in the way.
The lockdown, and later the team's triumph in the FA Cup in August, gave the best friends of 13 years the fresh impetus to kickstart their dream venture.
"We have been doing it for about two months," said Andy, "It's going along quite nicely and we hope to get some more subscribers."
In the future Andy, who works as a postman, hopes it might even allow him to quit the day job.
YouTube channels dedicated to coverage of the club are in hot demand with Arsenal Fan TV among the largest with more than a million subscribers.
"Because of Covid we wanted to promote a local business because those sorts of places are really struggling."
Launched in 2012 by former radio host Robbie Lyle it has attracted criticism at times for its #WengerOut campaigning and its expletive-laden rants from regular "pundits".
But for Andy and Brian the aim is to create their own type of content which is inclusive of all fans, both locally and further afield.
"We just want to give the best for Arsenal fans," he said. "We want to get more fans on the show to give their views."
This includes giving airtime to fans singing the praises of unsung heroes such as speedy former Dutch winger Marc Overmars and hearing from older supporters in their 70s and 80s.
But this is not to say they will be playing it safe by any means, points out Andy.
Between the ongoing controversy of owner Stan Kroenke and the recent sacking of the club's much loved mascot Gunnersaurus, he confesses there is plenty of scope for discussion.
"We have got some ideas and a new podcast coming," he said.
It is to be named Red Cannon Podcast and will focus on giving a platform to "unpopular fan opinions" they themselves might not agree with.
They already have a supporter lined up who has taken aim at popular manager and former player Mikel Arteta, believing him not to be up to the task of steering the Gunners back to the top.
"A lot of people are doing the same thing and we hopefully can do something a bit different," said Andy.
"We aim to collaborate with others and get our name out there."
Check out their YouTube channel here or follow them on social media .
