The Gunners threatened on several fronts last season but always fell short

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has predicted “a busy close season” as the club look to strengthen the squad.The Gunners have not won a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup and fell away last season after reaching the latter stages of several competitions.”It is clear we had some shortcomings and in this close season we are going to see some turnover of players,” said Gazidis at a supporters meeting.”After last season, I share with you a sense of profound disappointment.”

Some new signings will be coming in and some of our existing squad will be going out

Arsenal have so far bought Carl Jenkinson from Charlton during the close season and Wenger has been criticised in some quarters for not investing heavily in the squad.However, speaking at a question and answer session with the Arsenal Supporters Trust on Monday, Gazidis made it clear that he did not expect to see a major overhaul.”It is important to recognise that [last season] was not a disaster,” he said. “We have a young squad and we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”The trick will be to identify which parts to keep and which parts to turn over. And we will do that within our financial capabilities.”Gazidis also expects American Stan Kroenke, who now owns 66.64% of the club, to keep a low profile at the club.”With respect to Stan, we have someone who understands the club,” said the chief executive.”He has grown to love Arsenal but he will remain in the background. This is not somebody who steps forward and looks for a public profile.”

(BBC Football )

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Aberdeen

In: Youl Mawene (Panserraikos),

Out: Chris Maguire (Derby, tribunal), Mark Howard, Derek Young, David McNamee, Zander Diamond (Released)

Speculation: Stephen Hughes (Norwich), Steven Smith (Norwich), Morgaro Gomis (Dundee United), Andoitz Galdos Gabas (free), Gavin Rae (Cardiff),  Mark Reynolds (Sheffield Wednesday), Danny Uchechi (FC Dender)

Celtic

In: Adam Matthews (Cardiff), Kelvin Wilson (Nottingham Forest)

Out: Paul McGowan (St Mirren, undisclosed), Freddie Ljungberg, Ryan Conroy, Ben Hutchison (released)

Speculation: Shay Given (Man City), Jay Bothroyd (Cardiff), Shane Long (Reading), Alexei Eremenko (Metalist Kharkiv), Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Gokhan Zan (Galatasaray), Craig Bellamy, Olivier Giroud (Montpellier), Victor Wanyama (Germinal Beerschot), James McFadden (Birmingham City, Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur), Michael O’Connor (Scunthorpe), Aldo de Nigris (Monterrey) Marcus Hahnemann (Wolves) John Carew (Aston Villa), Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal), Danny Kovermans (PSV)

Dundee United

In: Willo Flood (Middlesbrough), John Rankin (Hibernian)

Out: David Robertson (St Johnstone), Darren Dods (Falkirk), Morgaro Gomis (released) Craig Conway, Prince Buaben (out of contract)

Speculation: Grant Hanley (Blackburn Rovers, loan), Gary Mackay-Steven (Free agent)

Dunfermline

In: Paul Burns (Queen of the South), Kevin Rutkiewicz (St Johnstone), Paddy Boyle (Partick Thistle), Andy Barrowman (Ross County), Paul Gallacher (St Mirren)

Out: Calum Woods (Huddersfield)

Speculation: John Potter (St Mirren)

Heart of Midlothian

In: Steven Hamill (Kilmarnock), John Sutton (Motherwell), Danny Grainger (St Johnstone)

Out: Ruben Palazuelos, Jamie Mole, David Kucharski, Ismail Bouzid (Released)

Speculation: Zander Diamond (Aberdeen), Craig Bryson (Kilmarnock), Mehdi Taouil (Kilmarnock), Morgaro Gomis (Dundee United)

Hibernian

In: Ivan Sproule (Bristol City)

Out: John Rankin (Dundee United), Derek Riordan, Kurtis Byrne, Colin Nish, Valdas Trakys, Kevin McCann, Steven Thicot, Thomas Flynn (Released)

Speculation: Adam Rooney (Inverness), Gary Mackay-Steven (Free agent)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

In: Greg Tansey (Stockport County), Gregory Tade (Raith Rovers), Ross Tokeley (new one year deal)

Out: Grant Munro (Ross County), Stuart Golabek (Brora Rangers), Roy McBain (Peterhead), Russell Duncan, Dani Sanchez, Chris Innes, Chris Hogg, Max Johnson, Gil Blumenshtein (Released)

Speculation: Andrew Shinnie (free transfer)

Kilmarnock

In:

Out: Jamie Hamill (Hearts), Frazer Wright (St Johnstone), Craig Bryson (Derby)

Speculation: Tam Scobbie (Falkirk)

Motherwell

In: Nicky Devlin (Dumbarton), Michael Higdon (St Mirren), Lee Hollis (new one year deal)

Out: John Sutton (Hearts), Francis Jeffers, Maurice Ross, Steven Meechan, Angelis Charalambous, Esteban Cassagolda (Released)

Speculation: Stephen Hughes (Norwich), Daryl Duffy (Free Agent)

Rangers

In:

Out:

Speculation: Marcelo Estigarribia (Le Mans) Richard Foster (Aberdeen), Torsten Frings , Tomer Hamed (Maccabi Haifa) , Toche, Edmilson Cribari (Napoli), Gokhan Zan (Galatasaray), Olivier Giroud (Montpellier), David Vaughan (Blackpool), El Hadji Diouf (Blackburn), Carlos Cuellar (Aston Villa), John Mensah (Lyon), Thomas Ince (Liverpool), Neil Danns (Crystal Palace)

St Johnstone

In: Calum Davidson (Preston NE), David Robertson (Dundee United), Sean Higgins (Dundee), Frazer Wright (Kilmarnock)

Out: Michael Duberry (Oxford United), Kevin Rutkiewicz (Dunfermline), Danny Grainger (Hearts), Cleveland Taylor (Burton Albion), Scott Dobie, Danny Invincible, Collin Samuel, Peter MacDonald, Andy Jackson (Morton), Jordan Robertson (released) Graeme smith (St Mirren)

Speculation: Daryl Duffy (Free Agent), Rory McAllister (Peterhead), Gary Mackay-Steven (Free agent), Cammy Bell  (Kilmarnock)

St Mirren

In: Steven Thompson (Burnley), Nigel Hasselbaink (Hamilton), Paul McGowan (Celtic, undisclosed) Graeme Smith (St Johhnstone)

Out:  Craig Dargo, John-Paul Potter, Gareth Wardlaw, Patrick Cregg, Sean Lynch, Jamie McClusky, Nick Hegarty, Garry Brady (Released), Michael Higdon (Motherwell), Paul Gallacher (Dunfermline) 

Speculation: Cammy Bell (Kilmarnock), Alan Combe (Free Agent), Mark Brown (Free Agent), Graeme Smith (St Johnstone), Tam Scobbie (Falkirk)

(daily record )

Two football fans who used racist abuse get match bans

Published on Tuesday 14 June 2011 09:26

TWO Chesterfield fans have received three-year Football Banning Orders for hurling racist language at a steward.PC Allan Guy, who attended the hearing, said: “This sort of abusive language will not be tolerated and has no place in this day and age.“These bans should serve as a warning to others that we will come down hard on anyone involved in this kind of behaviour.”

(the star )