Johnny Rotten calls for Arsenal to ditch Arsene Wenger

Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon - aka Johnny Rotten - has joined the calls for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to step down, saying he would rather see the club relegated than continue under the Frenchman.

The lifelong Gunners fan, who grew up in London's Finsbury Park, next to the Emirates, said it would be "unfair" on supporters if Wenger was allowed to continue.

He also claimed the fun had gone out of supporting Arsenal.

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"[Wenger's] been there so long now that there seems to be no way of getting rid of him," Lydon told Gigwise. "He's so deeply embedded and entrenched in the bureaucracy of the club that it seems impossible to pull him out of there.

"I'd rather drop a league than continue with him. It's mediocre and it's unfair to us fans."

"I'm Arsenal for life and as far as I'm concerned managers can come and go, just like them superstar players who demand too much money. F*** 'em all. Remember - it's a game but it's a game to be enjoyed and that's been missing for a few years over there."

Not everyone is surprised. "Lydon's comments don't exactly come as a shock," says Arsenal blog the Daily Cannon. "Firstly, they come off the back of a 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich at home, the second of the season, and secondly, he's been anti-Wenger for a while."

The punk icon is not the only celebrity fan calling for the manager's head - TV presenter Piers Morgan has also been highly critical of Wenger.

Olympic champion Mo Farah, however, has so far remained loyal.