Arsenal launch meet-and-greet prize draw for fans after WSL matches | OneFootball

Arsenal are formalising a post-match meet-and-greet with players for selected supporters in a move designed to manage crowd interactions following the decision to host all of their Women’s Super League games at the Emirates Stadium in the new season.

Instead of players spending time after games signing autographs and taking photos with fans on the edge of the pitch, season-ticket holders and purchasers of the six-game ticket bundle will be entered into a draw, the winners of which will be invited into the stadium, with a guest, for a more formalised interaction with some of the players. Purchasers of the six-game bundle will be entered into the draw for those six games, while guests do not need to have bought the bundle or a season ticket but must have a matchday ticket.

The relationship between fans and players in women’s football is something clubs are grappling to manage as crowds grow. For decades players have spent time signing autographs and taking photos pitchside after games but there has been a general recognition for some time that the huge number of fans now attending games and flooding to the front of barriers before the final whistle means a rethink is needed.

With so many supporters desperate to meet players and have merchandise signed post-match, players are spending longer and longer after full time parading around the edge of the pitch, sometimes in the rain and still in their kit, forced to absorb the frustrations of fans who miss out when they exit the field and having had their post-match recovery time increasingly affected. Meanwhile, the crowds of supporters rushing to the barriers pose a growing safety risk in stands. It is understood fans were consulted through the club’s women’s matchday forum and supportive of the plans.

Arsenal’s proposition follows Chelsea’s decision to stop post-match autographs and photos at Kingsmeadow last season, with the club instead focusing on hosting organised opportunities for meeting players away from matches.

Meanwhile, Brighton have confirmed the return of England hero Michelle Agyemang for a second one-year loan. Agyemang scored five goals in 22 appearances for Brighton last season as they finished fifth in the WSL and the 19-year-old’s profile has skyrocketed since following a breakout performance at the Euros this summer, where she was named young player of the tournament.

Brighton head coach Dario Vidosic said he was “thrilled” to welcome Agyemang back to the team, describing the forward as a “pivotal part of our record-breaking season last year”. “We’re excited for what this new season looks like with her in our attack,” added Vidosic. “What she achieved during the summer with England was incredible but not surprising. She has the character, work ethic and relentless nature of a champion. As a club we’re incredibly proud of her.”

Agyemang joins Brighton from Arsenal, where she has been on the books since she was six-year-old. The club’s Director of Women’s Football, Clare Wheatley, said the club expect Agyemang to return next summer. “We have all agreed that this move will provide Michelle with a further opportunity to develop and grow, as she continues to progress as a young player and person,” she said.

Header image: [Photograph: Rhianna Chadwick/PA]