Football
Reuters 17y

Soccer-Arsenal vice-chairman Dein quits

LONDON, April 18 - David Dein, one of the most
powerful figures in English football, has quit as vice-chairman
of Premier League club Arsenal because of "irreconcilable
differences" with board colleagues, Arsenal said on Wednesday.

Arsenal said in the same statement they were not about to
agree to sell the club, in which American businessman Stan
Kroenke recently bought an 11 percent share.

Dein, who joined the Arsenal board in 1983, owns 14.5
percent of the club's shares.

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood said in an interview before
the announcement of Dein's departure that he and three of the
club's major shareholders had "no intention of selling to some
stranger".

"We're here for Arsenal Football Club, not to make a few
bob. We would be horrified to see it go across the Atlantic," he
told The Guardian.

The Arsenal statement on the club's Web site said: "In the
light of recent speculation with regards to the ownership of the
club, the remaining board members, who together own 45.45 of the
issue share capital of the company, would like to reassure the
supporters, shareholders and employees of Arsenal Football Club
that they remain long-term holders of their interests in the
club.

"To this effect they have entered into an agreement not to
dispose of their shares for at least one year and have confirmed
that they intend to retain their interests on the expiration of
this period."

Hill-Wood said: "We sincerely regret that irreconcilable
differences between Mr Dein and the rest of the board have
necessitated a parting of the ways."

Dein, chairman of the G-14 group of Europe's most
influential soccer clubs, was instrumental in bringing French
coach Arsene Wenger to the North London club in October 1996.

Wenger has led Arsenal to three premier league titles and
four FA Cup wins.

Fellow Premier League clubs Manchester United, Aston Villa
and Liverpool are owned by Americans, while champions Chelsea,
are owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.

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