Emmanuel Adebayor sends ‘move on’ message to Arsenal fans

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Former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has sent a message to fans of the north London club.

Arsenal signed Emmanuel Adebayor from Monaco in the summer of 2006. The Togo striker went on to make 142 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 62 goals.

During his time at the Emirates Stadium, Adebayor was a fan favourite. The 6’3” attacker was a key figure in Arsene Wenger’s side in the wake of Thierry Henry’s departure, and was an able partner for the French icon during the eighteen month period they shared at the club.

However, the 39-year-old’s relationship with the Arsenal fans broke down when Adebayor joined Manchester City in a £25 million switch in the summer of 2009. Things became outright hostile, though, a few weeks later, when Adebayor scored against the Gunners and ran the full length of the pitch to provocatively celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans.

Adebayor would score against Arsenal on future occasions, too, including during his spell on the books for their bitter north London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.

Now that he has retired, Adebayor has reflected upon his time at Arsenal, and the fall out that followed his departure. The 87-cap former Togo international is keen now to clear the air and only focus on the good times he enjoyed as an Arsenal player.

Adebayor wants Arsenal fans to forgive and forget

Speaking to Sky Sports, Adebayor recently said, “I think the fans can forget what happened in 2009 when I ran the length of the pitch.”

“It’s behind me now, I hope it is behind them. We all love football. And every once in a while when they see that celebration on television and social media, hopefully now they can laugh it off and move on.”

“That’s what I wish for the Arsenal fans and I wish them the best of luck this year.”

Arsenal fans may be less forgiving than Adebayor might hope, but the incident was a long time ago and there is a positive vibe at the club these days, as Mikel Arteta has healed the relationship between the club and the supporters. 

It is also worth remembering that footballers are human, and Adebayor’s actions came in response to some abuse he was receiving from the Arsenal supporters. It was also an iconic Premier League moment which has added to the rich narrative history of the competition.