Arsenal supporters

Arsenal F.C. Supporters

Arsenal fans often refer to themselves as "Gooners", the name being derived from Arsenal 's nickname, "The Gunners". Arsenal have a large and generally loyal fanbase, with virtually all home matches selling out; in 2007–08 Arsenal had the second-highest average League attendance for an English club (60,070, which was 99.5% of available capacity), and as of 2006, Arsenal was the fourth-highest all-time average attendance. Arsenal ’s location, adjoining both wealthy areas such as Canonbury and Barnsbury, mixed areas such as Islington, Holloway and Highbury, and the adjacent London Borough of Camden, and largely working class areas such as Finsbury Park and Stoke Newington has meant that Arsenal 's supporters have come from across the usual class divides. In addition, Arsenal have the highest proportion (7.7%) of non-white attending supporters of any club in English football, according to a 2002 report.

Like all major English football clubs, Arsenal have a number of domestic supporters' clubs, including the Arsenal Football Supporters Club, which works closely with Arsenal , and the Arsenal Independent Supporters' Association, which maintains a more independent line. There is also the Arsenal Supporters' Trust, which promotes greater participation in ownership of the club by fans. Arsenal ’s supporters also publish fanzines such as The Gooner, Highbury High, Gunflash and the less cerebral Up The Arse!. In addition to the usual English football chants, Arsenal 's supporters sing "One-Nil to the Arsenal " (to the tune of "Go West") and "Boring, Boring Arsenal ", which used to be a common taunt from opposition fans but is now sung ironically by Arsenal supporters when Arsenal is playing well.

There have always been Arsenal supporters outside of London, and in recent times with the advent of satellite television, a supporter's attachment to a football club has become less dependent on geography. Consequently, Arsenal now have a significant number of fans from beyond London and all over the world; there are 24 UK, 37 Irish and 49 overseas supporters clubs affiliated with Arsenal , as of 2007. A 2005 report by Granada Ventures, which at the time owned a 9.9% stake in the club, estimated Arsenal 's global fanbase at 27 million, the third largest in the world.

longest-running and deepest rivalry is with nearest major neighbours, Tottenham Hotspur, with matches between the two being referred to as North London derbies. Other Arsenal rivalries within London include those with Chelsea, Fulham and West Ham United. In addition, Arsenal and Manchester United have had a strong on-pitch rivalry since the late 1980s, which has intensified in recent years when Arsenal and Manchester united have been competing for the Premier League title – so much so that in a 2003 online poll by the Football Fans Census listed Manchester United as Arsenal 's biggest rivals, followed by Tottenham and Chelsea. A 2008 poll lists the Tottenham rivalry as more important to Arsenal .