THE 93:20 NEWSLETTER:- ISSUE 24

Author

Howard Hockin
January 31, 2025

Hello, and welcome to Issue 24 of the 93:20 Newsletter. Another quiet week it was not - and probably never will be again. Chapter 2 of my thriller set at Ashburton Grove and the surrounding area has been delayed another week, because Arsenal keep being Arsenal, providing enough material to write a nine-series show. Nevertheless, this week has allowed me to talk about them instead, and consider some worrying trends in this rapidly crumbling world. It’s January, the worst month, so excuse the glumness. I’m normally a beacon of light too!

Let’s crack on, with one thing dominating my thoughts this week. Arsenal, and Michael Oliver death threats.

Forget the context, forget the validity – an Arsenal red card is the worst thing that can happen for football discourse. It has everyone putting the shutters up, like a family in Florida preparing for an incoming storm. So what has happened over the past six days should surprise no one, but it does feel like new lines have been crossed.

To recap, in the Wolves v Arsenal match last weekend. Referee Michael Oliver sent off Myles Lewis-Skelly, a decision backed by VAR, and naturally Arsenal fans did not take it well. By the end of the week, we learned Oliver has received death threats, and it turns out, not for the first time. Police protection was required for him and his family, as some of the fanbase’s scummiest elements attempted to distribute his home address.

So, what do we do with this information, moving forward? The Arsenal fans who did not send death threats – namely 99.9999% of them, will point out that they cannot be held responsible for the actions of others, and their outrage is no different to how any other fanbase would act. As always, there is a conflict here. I’m no right-wing free-speech grifter, but there is the consequence of collective action and a pack mentality in play here. Any football fan outraged by a refereeing decision is perfectly entitled to express an opinion on the internet, as we always have, providing it avoids threats and abuse. But the nature of modern life and social media is that the weight of these similar opinions turns into a tsunami of considerable force. Put in its simplest terms, I’m afraid there is simply too much analysis, too many opinions, and too much importance made on singular decisions in football matches. I mean, everyone has a podcast nowadays! A red card in a football match for a team that goes on to win the match nevertheless, should not be the subject of the rolling-news industry for two days solid. And that point stands whether Arsenal won the game or not. Followed by many who created and perpetuated a controversy and then express their dismay at the threats targeting the referee in question. But it is not just the most controversial refereeing decision that is receiving huge attention and abuse. Every single refereeing decision is outraging someone somewhere, and this is setting a very worrying trend for the future, for a vital role that is already, understandably, struggling to recruit numbers. We all need to take responsibility to how we react to decisions, but I know we won’t, so that was a wasted sentence. But the media certainly do, and those with influence need to at least attempt to steer us towards reasoned discourse. Micah Richards ridiculously proclaiming the red card one of the worst decisions ever (spoiler alert – it was not even close) is disgraceful and does not help.

Some Arsenal fans genuinely may think David Coote’s sexuality was a distraction tactic this week, but they are looking in the wrong place. The three-match ban has since been rescinded, which will place more pressure on Michael Oliver, rather than the real culprit, should you believe there is one - the guy on VAR, Darren England. For surely the mistake (should you believe there was one, yadda yadda) was his, as he decided there was no basis for review, after having the comfort of replays, unlike the referee, who as always must make an instant decision. 

In the same way of someone receiving a death row pardon, two minutes late, it's rather ironic that the actions of Michael Oliver have the opposite effect for me than Arsenal fans would have you believe, as long as you dismiss, as any sane person should, the notion that he has it in for Arsenal. Because his actions, even if wrong do show a man of conviction. It would have been so easy to have waved a yellow card, and no one would have said another word. A man who all Arsenal fans think had a vendetta against them could easily hide, and take the easy option, especially for borderline decisions that are subjective and fall into a grey area. But he believed it was a red, and so gave one, no doubt well aware of the repercussions. He deserves credit, and the deranged conspiracy theories from Arsenal fans was merely a bonus for all us non-Arsenal fans. 

But ultimately, this all has to end. This ridiculous hysteria and overreaction to every single decision made in a football match. Pathetic, and dangerous. And above all, it is those with the most influence, the media, who must lead. As should Arsenal’s manager, whose whining whips up the fanbase, showing a lack of self-awareness that should surprise no one from a manager who just possibly may be on the end of some of the decisions that go against his team because of the cynical way he sends them out to play, which then becomes self-fulfilling. No surprise he has been sent off more times than any of his players.

Anyway, I felt it worthy of listing some of the zanier conspiracy theories that have appeared in recent times. But to make life difficult for you, maybe, I have added five of my own too. See if you can tell the difference.

Michael Oliver works directly for Manchester City, paid by UAE oil money, naturally, having refereed a match there in 2023. He has not sent off a City player in 50 games, but has sent off 8 Arsenal players. You do the math.

Michael Oliver is a member of the illuminati. The shadowy organization was secretly taken over by the UAE Royal family in 2021. He is now their UK representative, and is given weekly directives on what to do by Sheikh Mansour on notes written with invisible ink. Failure to comply will see him banned from accessing the Etihad’s plentiful buffets. And that includes the mushroom vol au vents, Oliver’s favourite. 

David Coote came out as gay at the behest of the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL), the body which sacked him in December, to distract from criticism of Michael Oliver this week. He definitely did not come out as the scum that is the Sun newspaper backed him into a corner with new exposes that they would print if he did not grant them an exclusive interview. No, the Arsenal theory is far more likely.

Michael Oliver does not really exist. He an AI Robot, and was created in the same Chinese lab as Covid, at the behest of the FA, who want to keep Arsenal in check, as they are run just too well, which may lead to an anti-competitive Premier League in the future. The FA have also been leant on by the UK Government, who the UAE have threatened to declare war on if Manchester City do not win the league every season.

There are also suggestions Oliver sent off Lewis-Skelly because it will rule him out of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Newcastle. Oliver is a Newcastle fan, so it is only natural therefore that he would target a youngster with barely any games under his belt to scupper Arsenal’s chance in the 2nd leg. After all, sending off Odegaard would have been TOO obvious. Clever, very clever.

City ordered Lord Pannick to phone PGMOL with a clear directive, or else 500 lawyers would descend. Send off at least 10 Arsenal players this season, as payback for Arsenal’s boardroom efforts to have City relegated. PGMOL acquiesced, and soon after, 200 shiny new referee kits, VAR equipment and as much cheese as you could eat turned up at their HQ.
The rest is history.

Referees hate Arsenal because they’re all Northern. As you will probably know, a large proportion of top flight referees originate from the North West of England, which for Arsenal fans can only mean one thing – they’re all biased of course towards teams from that area. Maybe they have a point – I have lost count the number of referees I’ve seen pissed up in Wetherspoons on Deansgate, and my source tells me that the PGMOL Christmas do in 2023 was held at Mary D’s.

Howard Webb hates the colour red, in the same way Roberto Mancini despised the colour purple, and Steven Spielberg. He is a closet United fan however, so leaves them alone, but has sent clear directives, and sweeteners, to certain referees to discriminate against Arsenal at every opportunity possible. This included Craig Pawson sending off Gunnersaurus at half-time during a match v Crystal Palace in 2023.

“Almost everyone active in the football industry from former referees, to retired players to fans and pundits have had their say on the Michael Oliver incident bar Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher. We know who they are and what they stand for. PR merchants.”

PGMOL are in danger of failing PSR for the 2024/25 season. Thus, they are discipling Arsenal as part of a fund-raising campaign. Michael Oliver alone has raised over £200K for the coffers, and has been PGMOL Employee of the Month for seventeen months consecutively, which has caused some consternation amongst his colleagues.

Too tough? Well the odd ones were all true, the even ones – well, that’s for you to decide.

A final word – in my opinion, much of this is down to Arsenal fans’ frustration at the missing of a golden opportunity. They have won one title in twenty years, and without Pep would have had a couple more in recent years. The one time City have an off-season, and Liverpool saunter through and it looks like they will miss out again. Will they ever win a title again? One day for sure, but the frustration is clear to see, and a consequence of this is their juvenile QAnon mentality and hitting out at anything and anyone they can. It’s generally hilarious, but to reiterate, is also dangerous.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE THIS WEEK

THE 9320 REVIEW – GOOD TO BE BACK

Ahsan and Lloyd look back at an eventful win over Chelsea.

THE 9320 PODCAST – MIXED BAG

Howard and Ste look back with satisfaction at the Chelsea win, preview Bruges, plus much more.

TRAITORS SPECIAL

A niche one this, and not for everyone! Howard and Ste took a break from football, to talk TV.

THE 9320 REVIEW – SPLIT PERSONALITY

Ahsan and special guest Ste McInerney look back at a game of two halves, and the win over Bruges.

OPPOSITION FAN

Howard chatted to Paul about all things Arsenal. No conspiracies within.

THE WEEKEND SHOW

Howard, Ste and Lloyd talk Bruges, Kev, transfers, Arsenal and a whole lot more in another massive show.

COMING UP

All the usual stuff – Arsenal review, referee special, History show, newsletters and more. We will also be doing a deep dive on City’s opponents in the Champions League, Real Madrid, as not much is known about them.

If you are not a subscriber to our player shows, then enjoy some free samples of what we are about. Every show we do will have a 15 minutes sample on Soundcloud, along with a full, free weekly Friday show, jam- packed with content. Give it a try!