Club Policies

All members of Arsenal Thames Valley Supporters Club (ATVSC) are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on the club and on Arsenal Football Club.

• Treat all fellow members, officials, and opposition supporters with respect.
• Abusive language, harassment, discrimination, or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated.
• Members are responsible for their behaviour at all ATVSC events, including watch parties and away travel.
• Members must not bring the club into disrepute on social media or in any public forum.
• Members must comply with the rules of any venue or stadium being visited.
• Any breach of this code may result in suspension or permanent removal of membership.

To report a concern, email us at arsenalthamesvalley@gmail.com.

These guidelines govern The Terrace, our members' feed, and all comments, photographs and videos posted there. They sit alongside the Code of Conduct, which applies in full. Where the two overlap, both apply.

Who can post

The Terrace is open to members aged 16 and over with an active membership. Members under 16 have full access to every other part of the club — their membership card, events, travel, the calendar and the shop — but not to the feed. Posts and comments from members aged 16 and 17 are reviewed by a committee member before they appear.

What we want to see

Matchday photographs, away-day pictures, meet-up snaps, memories from previous seasons, programme and ticket-stub archives, talk about the football, and arrangements to meet fellow Gooners. The Terrace exists to make the club feel like a club between matches.

What is not allowed

• Abuse, harassment, threats, or personal attacks on any member or any other person.
• Racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist or otherwise discriminatory language or imagery, including as a "joke". This engages our Diversity & Inclusion Policy and is treated as a serious breach.
• Selling, advertising or pricing tickets. Any post offering a ticket for sale, quoting a price, or arranging payment breaches our Ticket Policy and Section 166 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. If you have a spare, use the Spare Seats Noticeboard.
• Advertising, spam, commercial promotion, or fundraising without committee approval.
• Nudity, sexual content, or graphic violence.
• Content that could bring ATVSC or Arsenal Football Club into disrepute.
• Photographs or videos of any person who has not agreed to appear, and in particular any identifiable image of a child other than your own without their parent or guardian's agreement.
• Personal information about another member — their address, phone number, workplace or membership details.
• Impersonating another member, the committee, Arsenal FC, or any Arsenal player or staff member.
• Anything unlawful.

Content you post

You keep ownership of your photographs and videos. By posting, you grant ATVSC a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display that content within the member portal, and — where you have given separate permission — on the club's public website and social media. You confirm you have the right to post it and that anyone identifiable in it is content to appear. You can delete your own posts at any time, and you can ask the committee to remove content of you posted by another member.

We strip location and camera data from all uploaded photographs automatically, so posting a picture does not reveal where it was taken.

Reporting

Every post, comment and listing has a Report option. Reports go to the committee and are confidential — the person you report is not told who reported them. Reports raising a concern about someone's welfare or safety, or about a young member, are escalated immediately.

What happens when a rule is broken

Depending on severity, the committee may remove the content, issue a written warning, suspend posting rights for 7 or 30 days, or remove membership. A suspended member keeps their membership card, event access and the ability to contact the committee.

Every decision is given in writing with reasons. You may appeal to the committee at arsenalthamesvalley@gmail.com within 14 days. Your appeal will be considered by a committee member who was not involved in the original decision.

Content that is reported by three or more separate members is hidden automatically pending review. That is not a finding against anyone; it is a holding step.

Moderation is not perfect

The committee are volunteers. We will not see everything immediately. Please report rather than reply — engaging with a bad post makes it harder to deal with.

Our commitment

Arsenal Thames Valley Supporters Club welcomes members of all ages, including Junior members under 18. We are committed to providing an environment — at events, on travel, and online — in which children and young people are safe, respected, and able to enjoy following Arsenal.

Designated Safeguarding Contact

The club's Designated Safeguarding Contact is [committee to appoint — name and role to be confirmed], contactable via arsenalthamesvalley@gmail.com. Any concern about the welfare of a child or young person should be raised with them without delay.

Junior membership

• Junior membership is available to supporters under 18.
• Applications for members under 16 must be made or countersigned by a parent or guardian, who provides the contact details we hold and consents to the processing of the young person's data.
• We do not accept membership applications from anyone under 13 without a parent or guardian's explicit written consent, in line with the UK age of digital consent.
• Junior members attending club events or travel must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or a responsible adult nominated in writing by them. ATVSC does not provide supervision of children and does not accept responsibility for unaccompanied young people.

Online

• The members' feed (The Terrace) is restricted to members aged 16 and over.
• Posts and comments from members aged 16 and 17 are reviewed by a committee member before publication.
• ATVSC does not operate private member-to-member direct messaging.
• Members under 18 do not have a member profile visible to other members.
• Adult members must not seek to contact a young member privately, arrange to meet a young member alone, or request photographs or personal contact details from a young member. Doing so is a serious breach and will result in immediate suspension pending investigation.
• Any member may report a concern about a young member at any time using the Report function or by emailing the Designated Safeguarding Contact.

Photography at club events

• Members should not photograph or film identifiable children other than their own without a parent or guardian's agreement.
• A parent or guardian may ask at any time for an image of their child to be removed, and we will remove it without requiring a reason.

Responding to a concern

1. Any concern is passed to the Designated Safeguarding Contact immediately, and to the Chairman if the concern involves the Designated Safeguarding Contact.
2. Content that is the subject of a safeguarding concern is hidden while it is considered.
3. Where there is reason to believe a child is at risk of harm, the club will refer the matter to the police or to the relevant local authority children's services without delay. We will not investigate suspected abuse ourselves, and we will not delay a referral in order to make our own enquiries.
4. Records of concerns and actions are kept securely and confidentially in the club's administration system. Access is limited to those committee members who hold an administrator account, and the Designated Safeguarding Contact and the Chairman are responsible for how they are handled.

Recruitment and roles

Committee members and event organisers are expected to have read this policy and to model the behaviour it describes. Where any role involves unsupervised responsibility for children, the committee will take advice on whether that role constitutes regulated activity requiring a DBS check.

Review

This policy is reviewed annually by the committee. Next review: September 2027.

Overview

ATVSC is an independent supporters club. This Ticket Policy is structured to align with the ticketing standards Arsenal Football Club expects of supporters groups and to comply with Arsenal FC's published Ticket Terms & Conditions. All match tickets — whether obtained directly through a member's own Arsenal membership or through any allocation facilitated by the club — remain subject at all times to Arsenal FC's Ticket Terms & Conditions, the Premier League and Football Association regulations, and the laws of England and Wales. Where any part of this policy conflicts with Arsenal FC's official terms, Arsenal FC's terms prevail.

The current official terms are published by Arsenal FC at arsenal.com/ticket-terms-conditions-mens and arsenal.com/ticket-terms-conditions-other.

How our ballot works — a plain-English guide

When we have a ticket allocation to distribute, or when we are coordinating group travel tied to tickets, here is exactly how the process works from start to finish:

1. Submit your request. Log in to the member portal and use the Match Tickets section to register your interest for a specific fixture. Tell us how many tickets you need and add any notes — for example, if you need to sit with someone, or have any accessibility requirements. Submitting a request does not guarantee a ticket; it enters you into the ballot.
2. Ballot closes. Each fixture has its own ballot deadline, which will be announced when the request window opens (via our website and/or email). You may submit or withdraw a request at any point before that deadline.
3. Allocation is decided. Once the ballot closes, the committee compares total demand against the available allocation. If supply meets or exceeds demand, all requests are fulfilled. Where demand outstrips supply, places are awarded by ballot. The committee may give priority weighting to members with a stronger loyalty record — for example, those who have regularly attended club events or travelled on previous away trips — where this is considered fair and consistent with our Diversity & Inclusion Policy.
4. You are notified by email. Every applicant receives an email with the outcome. If you are successful, the email will confirm the fixture, the number of tickets allocated, and the face value plus any itemised travel or administration costs. ATVSC does not profit from tickets; you reimburse only the actual costs.
5. Payment and collection. You must pay the stated amount by the deadline given in the email. Failure to respond or pay on time may result in your place passing to the next person on the waitlist. For away fixtures, tickets are frequently subject to collection at the stadium and photographic ID checks — bring valid photo ID on the day.
6. Waitlist. Unsuccessful applicants are placed on a waitlist in the order determined by the ballot. If any allocated places are returned — for example because a member cannot attend — waitlisted members are contacted in turn.

The committee's allocation decisions are final. If you have a question about how a decision was reached, you are welcome to email us and we will explain the reasoning.

How members obtain tickets

• Members are responsible for holding their own valid Arsenal FC membership (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Red, Junior Gunner or Season Ticket) in order to purchase tickets directly from the club.
• ATVSC does not operate as a ticket reseller or official box office. Where the club facilitates an authorised allocation from Arsenal FC for a specific fixture, or organises group travel, places are distributed to eligible members under the fair-allocation rules below.
• Tickets purchased through Arsenal FC are personal to the named supporter and must be used in accordance with Arsenal FC's terms.

Away tickets & loyalty (away points)

Away tickets are sold by Arsenal FC on a loyalty basis. We summarise the official system here so members understand how access works:

• One away point is awarded for each competitive Men's First Team away fixture purchased and attended (matches at neutral venues are excluded).
• Tickets are released in priority waves, with the highest away-point holders, Season Ticket Holders and Travel Club members served first, followed by successively lower point thresholds.
• Only points earned in the current season and the two preceding seasons count toward your total, subject to the cap Arsenal FC sets each season.
• Cup fixtures usually carry a larger away allocation and are often the best opportunity for members to build away points.

Full details are published by Arsenal FC at arsenal.com/how-to-buy-away-tickets.

Club allocation & fair distribution

When ATVSC receives a ticket allocation directly from Arsenal FC, or arranges coach travel tied to tickets, the following principles apply:

• Tickets are offered to members in good standing whose membership and any payment obligations are up to date.
• Where demand exceeds supply, places are allocated fairly — by ballot and/or by a loyalty record of attendance at club events and previous away travel — rather than on a first-come basis alone.
• The committee's allocation decisions are final, but any member may ask how a decision was reached.
• Members reimburse the face value of any ticket plus any unavoidable club administration or travel costs, which will be itemised. ATVSC never profits from tickets.

Ticket transfer & resale (official channels only)

Tickets may only be transferred or resold through Arsenal FC's own authorised platforms — the Ticket Hub, Ticket Transfer, Ticket Exchange and (for away matches) the Away Ticket Exchange — and strictly subject to the eligibility rules of your membership tier.

• Home tickets you cannot use should be returned to the official Ticket Exchange or forwarded via Ticket Transfer to someone within your registered network, where your membership permits.
• Away tickets you cannot use should be released through the Away Ticket Exchange so the place can go to another genuine supporter; where Arsenal FC's rules treat the purchaser as a qualifying supporter, the associated away point moves with the ticket.
• Selling, advertising, gifting for value, or otherwise passing on a ticket outside these official channels is prohibited.

Spare Seats Noticeboard

ATVSC operates a Spare Seats Noticeboard in the member portal. Members should understand exactly what it is and, more importantly, what it is not.

What it is. A noticeboard where a member who holds a ticket they can no longer use may indicate that fact against a specific fixture, and where members looking for a ticket may indicate that they are looking. Other members can register interest. That is the entirety of its function.

What it is not. It is not a ticket exchange, a marketplace, or a resale platform. ATVSC does not sell tickets, does not set or display prices, does not take payment for tickets, and does not act as an intermediary in any transaction. The noticeboard contains no price field and no payment facility, by design and permanently.

How a ticket actually moves. Once two members have found each other through the noticeboard, the ticket itself must be transferred only through Arsenal FC's own authorised channels:

• Home fixtures — via Arsenal FC Ticket Transfer, where the recipient is within the holder's registered network and the holder's membership tier permits it; or by returning the ticket to the official Ticket Exchange so the interested member can purchase it from Arsenal FC directly.
• Away fixtures — by releasing the ticket through the Away Ticket Exchange.

At no point should money pass between members outside Arsenal FC's own systems, and at no point should money pass through ATVSC.

Your declaration. Every member posting a spare seat must confirm, before the post can be submitted, that they will transfer the ticket only through Arsenal FC's official channels, that they are not offering it for sale, and that no payment will be arranged through ATVSC. This declaration is recorded with the date and the version of this policy in force at the time.

Why we are strict about this. Under Section 166 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, it is a criminal offence to sell, offer for sale, expose for sale, advertise, or otherwise dispose of a ticket for a designated football match for gain, unless authorised in writing by the match organiser. ATVSC holds no such authorisation. Arsenal FC's Ticket Terms & Conditions separately prohibit unauthorised transfer, with sanctions including loss of away points, cancellation of membership or season ticket without refund, stadium bans, and referral to the police.

Enforcement. Any attempt to use the noticeboard, the members' feed, the WhatsApp group, or any other ATVSC channel to sell, advertise for sale, or price a ticket will result in removal of the content, withdrawal of access to the noticeboard, and suspension or permanent removal of membership, without prejudice to any action taken by Arsenal FC or the police. All noticeboard activity is logged.

Housekeeping. Posts expire automatically three hours before kick-off. Members may hold up to three open posts at a time. ATVSC gives no guarantee that a spare seat will be found, and takes no responsibility for arrangements made between members.

No touting or unauthorised resale

Under Section 166 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, the unauthorised sale of a ticket for a designated football match is a criminal offence. Selling or offering a ticket above face value, or through unofficial websites, social media or touts, breaches both the law and Arsenal FC's terms.

• Any member found touting or facilitating touting will have their ATVSC membership suspended or permanently withdrawn, in addition to any action taken by Arsenal FC.
• Arsenal FC sanctions can include loss of away points, cancellation of membership or season ticket without refund, indefinite stadium bans, and referral to the police.
• Members must not use VPNs, alias or "hide my email" addresses, or automated software to obtain tickets, as this is prohibited by Arsenal FC.

Collection, ID & matchday conduct

• For away matches, tickets are frequently subject to collection and photographic ID checks. Members must bring valid photo ID; photographs or copies are not accepted.
• Members attending on a ticket arranged through the club represent ATVSC and are expected not to bring ATVSC or Arsenal FC into disrepute. They must comply with the club's Code of Conduct, the stadium regulations, and the Premier League's Commitment Regarding Abusive and Discriminatory Conduct.
• Failure to collect a notified ticket, or any misuse of a ticket, may result in deduction of away points and further sanctions.

Concessions & disability access

• Concessionary tickets (Junior, Senior and Young Adult, as defined by Arsenal FC) must only be used by an eligible person. Proof of age or eligibility may be required.
• Disability access tickets are reserved for Disability Access Members and cannot be used by anyone who is not entitled to them. If you are unable to attend, contact Arsenal FC's Disability Liaison Team as early as possible.
• Any abuse of a concessionary or disability scheme is treated as a serious breach and may result in loss of membership.

Breaches of this policy

Breaches of this Ticket Policy may result in withdrawal of future ticket and travel access, suspension, or permanent removal of ATVSC membership, depending on the severity of the conduct, and are without prejudice to any action Arsenal FC may take. To report a concern or query an allocation, email arsenalthamesvalley@gmail.com.

Who we are

Arsenal Thames Valley Supporters Club (ATVSC) is an unincorporated association of Arsenal supporters based in the Thames Valley area. Our contact email is arsenalthamesvalley@gmail.com.

This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect the personal information you provide when joining the club, RSVPing to events, or contacting us. We are committed to complying with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

What personal data we collect

• Membership registration: full name, email address, mobile number, town/city, membership type.
• Event RSVPs: name and email address used to register attendance.
• Contact messages: name, email, and the content of your message.
• Up the Gun subscribers: email address, subscription status, and the date you opted in or unsubscribed.
• Travel requests: name, contact details, and trip preferences where provided.
• Technical data: when analytics are enabled, we use Replit-hosted analytics to measure page visits and anonymous interactions, such as whether members turn the weekly newsletter on or off. We do not include names, email addresses, or free-form content in analytics events. Session cookies are used solely to keep you logged in during your visit.

Why we collect it and our lawful basis

• Membership administration — processing and managing your membership application (legitimate interest / contract).
• Club communications — sending you information about events, fixtures, travel, and club news (legitimate interest; you may opt out at any time).
• Event management — organising watch parties, away days, and travel (legitimate interest).
• GDPR consent — where you have explicitly ticked the consent box on the join form, we rely on your consent for direct marketing communications.

How long we keep your data

We retain membership data for the duration of your membership and for up to two years following lapse or resignation, in case of any subsequent enquiry. Contact messages are held for up to one year. You may request deletion at any time (see Your Rights below).

Who we share your data with

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We do not share it with third parties except where required by law or with your explicit consent. If we use a third-party payment processor (Stripe) for membership fees, only the data necessary to complete the transaction is passed to them; Stripe's own privacy policy applies to that processing.

Your rights under UK GDPR

You have the right to:

• Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate data.
• Erasure — ask us to delete your data ("right to be forgotten").
• Restriction — ask us to stop processing your data in certain circumstances.
• Portability — receive your data in a machine-readable format.
• Object — object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time without affecting prior lawful processing.

To exercise any of these rights, email arsenalthamesvalley@gmail.com. We will respond within one calendar month. If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Data security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. Our website uses HTTPS encryption for all data in transit. Access to membership data is restricted to authorised club administrators only.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The current version will always be published on this page with the date it was last updated.

Our commitment

Arsenal Thames Valley Supporters Club is committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment for all supporters regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation — the protected characteristics defined under the Equality Act 2010.

We believe that the strength of our supporters club comes from its diversity. Everyone who loves Arsenal is welcome here.

Scope

This policy applies to all ATVSC members, committee members, volunteers, and anyone attending or participating in club activities, including events, travel, and online communications.

Our commitments

• We will not discriminate against any person in membership, event access, or any other club activity on the basis of any protected characteristic.
• We will challenge and not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or any other discriminatory language or behaviour at club events or in club communications.
• We will strive to organise events and travel that are accessible to members with disabilities. Where this is not possible we will communicate clearly and work to find alternatives.
• We will listen to and act on feedback from members about inclusivity and accessibility.
• We will ensure that club leadership reflects the diversity of our membership over time.
• We will review this policy annually and update it as needed.

Reporting discrimination or harassment

If you experience or witness discrimination, harassment, or any behaviour that is inconsistent with this policy, please contact us at arsenalthamesvalley@gmail.com. All reports will be treated confidentially and taken seriously.

Where an allegation is upheld, the club may take action including a formal warning, suspension, or permanent removal of membership, depending on the severity of the conduct.

Responsibilities

Every member shares responsibility for upholding an inclusive environment. Committee members and event organisers have a heightened duty to model inclusive behaviour and to act promptly when concerns are raised.

Alignment with Arsenal FC

As a supporters club, we align ourselves with Arsenal Football Club's own diversity and inclusion values. We are proud to support a club that stands for equality in football and wider society.

Review

This policy will be reviewed annually by the club committee. The next review is due June 2027.