Arsenal are mourning the death of director Danny Fiszman, who passed away earlier this week after losing a long-term battle against cancer.
For all of you who don’t know, the 66-year-old passed away shortly after selling his shares to Stan Kroenke, who is planning to take sole control of the North London club.
A successful businessman, Danny Fiszman joined the board of directors of Arsenal in 1992. In September 2007, he was officially the largest shareholder within the club. But if you think that’s what most Arsenal fans remember him for, then you’re clearly mistaken. The duet that made the marvellous move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium possible was Danny Fiszman and Ken Friar. In 1999, Danny Fiszman and Ken Friar had the ambition to create a new stadium that was able to wow the world. Ken Friar spoke of Danny Fiszman. He said:
‘Danny had an enormous amount for this club. He came on Board in 1992 and he was a visionary Director. He and I became very close friends, we travelled to all the new away matches together and in the year 1999 we first embarked upon the new stadium project. He and I were delegated by the Board to lead that and I really could not have had a better person to work with. He was highly intelligent, he was good at everything he did and I was very fond of him. He was a very special man.’
What more could be said about a man who was the core of something that will be remembered and carved in the minds of past and future generations. This is how we will all remember him.
New majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke, also spoke of his strong friendship with Fiszman:
‘Danny’s unwavering commitment to Arsenal Football Club and the sport of football was amazing and inspiring. We not only lost a great business leader but a good friend.’
As you know, Danny Fiszman was an essential and an irreplaceable part of the club. Other than leading the move from Highbury to the Emirates, he was also a man who passed on wisdom and experience. There will never be a person as loyal and determined to the club as Danny.
Arsenal have also decided to change the names of the ‘Northern Bridge’ and the ‘Southern Bridge’ of the stadium. The ‘Southern Bridge’, the one with the big ‘ARSENAL’ letters across the seats, will now be known as ‘The Danny Fiszman Bridge’. Whilst, the ‘Northern Bridge’, which connects Drayton Park to the Emirates Stadium, will now be called ‘The Ken Friar Bridge’. This is of course due to the immense hard work both have put in throughout the years.
In the world we live in, there are two groups of people, average people and exceptional people; Danny Fiszman soars higher than both of these categories.
Danny, I speak on behalf of all the Gooners out there, you will be extremely missed.
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It was sad hear the news that he died. He did so much for the club and I am glad the club are honouring him by re-naming the ‘Southern Bridge’ to ‘The Danny Fiszman Bridge.’ He deserves it and will be missed.
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