Some weeks ago I suggested, on some Arsenal site, I can’t remember which, but I think it was a US one, that perhaps Ashley had tapped up Chelsea. There was a deafening silence on that one. It didn’t seem unreasonable to me. As a world class player I thought/ still think, that he is comparatively underpaid. (That I think all players are grossly overpaid is another matter).

We don’t seem to be able to get to the bottom of exactly how much WAS offered to him by Arsenal. It varies from £45,000 to £60,000. (Apparently, Arseblog can elucidate on this matter, having inside knowledge, but it doesn’t seem any clearer to me when you read the piece, even though I’m a fan)

That the deal was reneged upon is another bone of contention. Arseblog says No but Ashley/or rather the slithy tove, Mr Barnett, says that it was.

Either way he was not being offered a salary comparative to the top Arsenal earners.

If I had been him, I would have been aggrieved. What seemed like a good idea at the time… i.e. putting out feelers…has escalated into something much bigger than all parties expected. I blame the agents in these dealings. What is in it for them is a large fee. Presumably a percentage, so of course they’re going to try and persuade their clients to go for the most that they can get. Sometimes the fact that they’re meant to be protecting their clients or even, heaven forfend, following the rules appears to get overshadowed by Mammon.

I, for one, am happy to welcome Ashley back with a greatly enhanced salary. Although I would be seriously disappointed if he walked in 2007.

I know the fans are upset. I cried when I first heard the news back in January (well, I am a girl). But it is the impotence at not being able to get at the truth, which is really frustrating. I doubt if we will ever know what really happened.

What we do know is that in the Arsenal v ManUre match, just days after the first press leaks, Ashley threw himself to the ground within moments of the match starting, what we don’t know is why? What was he trying to prove…his allegiance to Arsenal, by getting us a penalty, or was he trying to get sent off?

When, a match or so later he scored a goal and kissed the badge on his shirt, was he doing that or merely wiping his nose on it as some observers have suggested?

He’s young, he wants more cash, but wouldn’t we all.

He would make a fine captain, one-day.

Our current captain spends the months following the end of every season endeavouring to leave. We seem to live with that. Tho’ why anyone in their right minds would want to move to Real, I don’t know. They are about as well placed as we are in their league. (Could be the weather, food and Madrid and the honour of playing for Franco’s favourite club. Ed)

I wish Jose Antonio would make his mind up, as Mr Moya was saying earlier today that he was definitely not leaving Arsenal, there was Jose saying he wanted to. I do feel that they should get together and try and read off the same hymn sheet. It’s all too tiresome otherwise.

But then we’re back to those agents again…….

Seems like the long hot silly, if not miserable, season has started earlier than usual. God knows how we ever win anything with the constant barrage of rumours, some true, mostly false, we have to endure every close season. Now it’s started before Easter. Can’t the club get a decent spin-doctor?