One thing that has happened at the Ashburton Grove in the last couple of games is that there have been drug sniffer dogs checking out all Arsenal fans entering the stadium for various contrabands through these specific turnstiles. The turnstiles in question are by 12 and 13 and the amazement of the fans entering the ground and being met by a dog is quite amusing however if the dog barks at you, you are then whisked away to be searched by the local constabulary and drug squad officers and then dealt with according to your situation I suppose.  

I stood opposite this gate on the inside of the stadium which is where I sometimes stand anyway and was amazed at the number of people being whisked away after the dog catching them out. I must have seen 30 people  taken away in half hour. 

I have to say at this point that when Arsenal played in Amsterdam I have partaken in the local vegetation in Betty Boop’s Coffee Shop before but that really is my extent into the world of drugs and it is not something I am into really, more a case of when in Amsterdam do as the Dutch do. 

I know drugs are a fairly rife in football in general and I challenge anyone to say that they do not know anyone who has not seen someone or heard of someone taking them or who is using them whilst at football, however there is a dilemma here. Irrespective of if that person is carrying drugs which I know is against the law in the first place, what I find difficult to deal with is that Arsenal are allowing the police to wait for the people to enter the stadium first before they are doing anything about it to catch them when they will have all of their personal details to literally in your hand as you now need to pass Arsenal or Ticketmaster all of your personal details them to get a  match ticket and season tickets.  

Capturing a person for breaking the law with all of their personal details is not a problem, just a benefit of doing it this way,  however what I find wrong is why don’t the police search people when the fans are outside the ground instead? If it is so rife and there is a problem then get the dogs to do their searches outside, it is still illegal to carry drugs anywhere in the United Kingdom including outside on the street and the fact is that the police are using the fact a person goes to watch  football team  and is waiting for them to enter the ground is being used as a tool by the police to capture them is in dodgy territory. 

This is now getting in a very grey area, because what about any fan who enters the Stadium with the likes of Usmanov who is alleged to have done all of those things back in Russia that have been in all the papers, people who are debtors with warrants against them, season ticket holders who have outstanding parking violations, tax not on your car? don’t go to football you will get arrested!! There is a very fine line about this issue and I believe Arsenal have crossed it  by allowing the police to wait inside the ground and not outside before they search or arrest the fans and Arsenal are social cleansing their fanbase by allowing this to happen.