Paul Merson issues statement after backlash from Arsenal fans over team he supports

Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has defended himself from fans who claimed he wasn't a club legend because he is a Chelsea supporter - insisting "you don't change your team".

The 57-year-old Sky Sports pundit has been known for his passionate views on Arsenal after playing 417 times for the Gunners, winning two league titles and two domestic cups. But Merson is in fact a Chelsea fan, having supported the west London outfit since he was a child.

He released a video on Twitter on Monday revealing he had some "stick" from Arsenal fans who recently discovered he was a Blues supporter. They claimed he could not be considered a Gunners legend.

Merson said he "never asked to be a legend" and only ever gave 100 percent for the club during decade-long spell in north London.

"Hi everybody, hope everyone's having a good day," he said. "Just coming on. Don't know taking a lot of stick from Arsenal fans because I support Chelsea, how do I support Chelsea.

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"You just don't change your team. You don't change your team from six years of age. I had the best time ever at Arsenal, absolutely loved it. Arsenal are in my heart, I look at Arsenal's results all the time. People say, 'you're not a legend now', this and that.

"I never asked to be a legend. All I did was give my absolute all for Arsenal, played over 400 football matches and scored 99 goals and I loved every bit of it."

Merson added that no one should switch football clubs once they have declared their allegiance as he hailed Arsenal as a "Rolls Royce" of a club.

"I supported Chelsea at six years of age, you don't change," he added. "You shouldn't change. If you change a club, well, that's just not right. So I hope everybody understands. Take care everybody."

Merson had a long and successful career, primarily in the First Division and Premier League, later joining Middlesbrough for two years after leaving Arsenal in 1997 and helping them reach the League Cup final.

He then spent five years at Aston Villa and had a brief spell with Portsmouth in the second tier before rounding off his career with Walsall and Tamworth. He retired in 2006 and has since been a recognisable face on Sky Sports show Soccer Saturday.

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