David Dein leaves Arsenal

News coming in this evening that Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has left the club with immediate effect, which I think is a bit of a disaster for the club and could have a longer term impact.

As well as being vice-chairman, he’s one of the major shareholders in Arsenal, the man in charge of the day to day running of the club, was also vice-chairman of the Football Association until 2006 and is the current chairman of the G14, the group of Europe’s most powerful clubs. David Dein had enormous influence and contacts in all the big decision making processes across European football and that put Arsenal in a strong position.

He’s also the guy who persuaded the Arsenal board to hold out to get Arsene Wenger as the team’s new manager in 1996 when just about no one in England had heard of him. What will Arsene Wenger do now that his closest ally on the board has gone, Wenger’s had a free hand to do exactly what he wants over the last ten years, will he still have that freedom.

Dein’s departure seems to be linked to the purchase of 10% of Arsenal’s shares by American billionaire Stan Kroenke. Stories this morning said Dein was in favour of a possible takeover and the rest of the board weren’t selling. I wouldn’t like Kroenke to buy the club but it seems like his influence has already destablised it.

I think its a real shame that a guy who’s been involved with the club since the early 80s has abruptly left and the significance to Arsenal is going to be felt for quite a while.