The Stadium - Views
Patrick Vieira:
"Moving to a new stadium is obviously a big change for the Club, after calling Highbury home for so long. I believe moving from Highbury is the right decision in order to progress. The new stadium will be impressive and will definitely be the envy of clubs, not only in England, but across the world. It's great that the funding has been confirmed and the Club can now look forward to moving to the new stadium in August 2006."
Thierry Henry:
"Obviously I will regret the team leaving Highbury, although I have not played here as long as some of my team-mates, it has a special atmosphere for me. But if you want to move forward and be a bigger team in Europe, you need this kind of great stadium. And for the fans it will be lovely. A lot of my friends and a lot of people in London can't get tickets for Highbury, so it's great that many more supporters will be able to go to matches in the new stadium."
Dennis Bergkamp:
"I've enjoyed every minute that I've played at Highbury; it's a special place. But I think everyone knows that this great old stadium isn't sufficient for a Club of Arsenal's ambitions. Certainly most games we play could be watched by thousands more who can't get tickets. Moving just down the road to a 60,000 capacity stadium seems the ideal solution to me. I don't know if I'll get to play there which is a shame, but the Club deserves it."
Martin Keown:
"We're a very proud old club with a wonderful heritage and a unique, special old stadium but we're now in the position where I think staying at Highbury is detrimental to the Club's future progress. It's fantastic that the funding for the project is now in place and means that everyone can now fully focus on actually building the stadium. I've learned the 'Arsenal way' of doing things during more than 20 years with the Club, and I'm confident that the new stadium will be built with traditional Arsenal values of respect and integrity at heart."
Ashley Cole:
"With a new 60,000 capacity stadium in the pipeline, it's a pretty exciting time to be at Arsenal. Obviously the players have got to make sure we're still right at the top by the time it comes to make the move, but the new stadium should ensure that we can compete with the very biggest clubs in the Europe. Highbury is special to the fans of course, but also to the players, I'll certainly never forget the first time I played there. We'll all be sad to see it go but moving to a new stadium will be an exciting new chapter in the Club's long and proud history."
Freddie Ljungberg:
"I think it will be good for the Club to move. We are a big Club, I think close to being one of the biggest, but if you look at most of Europe's other top sides, the capacity of their stadiums is in a different league to ours and I'm sure Arsenal have enough fans to fill a much bigger stadium for most matches."
Ray Parlour:
"Arsenal needs to move, I know there are massive queues for season tickets at Highbury and we would regularly be able to fill a 60,000 stadium. The new stadium will definitely make the Club bigger and stronger. We couldn't move outside Islington, people have mentioned other areas, but Arsenal just can't do that, it's a north London club. The new stadium is only down the road, still in Islington, which is perfect. Now the funding is in place, it takes us another step closer. It's still a couple of years away, but I just hope I get a chance to play there!"
Pat Rice:
"I personally think that if we are going to progress as a football club and continue to challenge the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and AC Milan, then we need a bigger stadium. Our supporters have been terrific, there are 38,000 at every home game, but to actually compete with the big teams you need a lot more people. It's also important to stay in the borough, because Arsenal Football Club has always been associated with Islington and Highbury."
Liam Brady:
"To take the Club forward, the new stadium is absolutely necessary. Highbury is a part of my life but that is countered by the realisation that if you want to be up there with the big clubs in Europe, you need a bigger stadium. There are a lot of Arsenal fans out there who don't get the chance to watch the team at the moment. I think a new stadium would be a huge success, although it will be a wrench to leave Highbury. It's important to stay in Islington, so we are not moving home, we are just moving house."
Bob Wilson:
"If we wish to be real challengers to the best in Europe, this is the way forward, it is the only way forward. I can't imagine the Borough of Islington without Arsenal Football Club. If it's the Arsenal I know, the move will be done in style. It's about whether you want to be the best, or settle for second or third best."
Frank McLintock:
"It's heartbreaking to hear about Arsenal vacating Highbury but it is absolutely necessary. The feelings I have for the Club and the memories of those great days and nights, the atmosphere generated by our passionate supporters, the glory of winning the Inter Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 and then the 'double.' It was absolutely unbelievable. But if we are to keep up with the rest of the big clubs and remain a leading club in world football then we really have to move."