Seychelles’ Arsenal fans banner hangs at Emirates Stadium |10 February 2017

Over 60,000 spectators watching matches these past few weeks at the Emirates Stadium,  the North London home of Arsenal Football Club, will have seen a new supporters’  banner at the grounds put up since last month.

The Club permits its supporters who call themselves ‘Gooners’ to fix banners to the upper tier Balconies of the stadium. One passionate Arsenal Seychellois season ticket holder, Beroze Bana (nee Oliaji), decided that Seychelles needed to be there with the rest of the overseas fans groups.  The “Seychelles Gooners”  banner now hangs proudly at the stadium on match days. 

Mrs Bana said “Arsenal, one of England’s greatest football names, has become ‘my team’ and also to the many Seychellois – not just those who have moved to Britain but also to lots of people in Seychelles watching on TV loyally – will hopefully look up at the stands from time to time to try and see ‘our banner’.”

London based Arsenal Football Club has developed a strong following since its founding in 1886. Arsenal's fans are often referred to as Gooners, the name derived from the team's nickname, the “Gunners”.