Arsenal legend Wright: Dein was stabbed in the back

Wright fears for the club’s future after Dein’s departure and believes Wenger could be the next to leave the Emirates Stadium.

He told The Sun: “There was a lot of back-biting and stabbing towards David Dein.

“What David brought to Arsenal no one else is capable of. As far as I am concerned, David is Mr Arsenal.

“David simply wanted what was best for the club. I cannot believe he would ever walk away, I feel he was forced out.

“He is the only director at Arsenal who would go to watch the youth side on a Saturday morning, the first team in the afternoon and then — come rain or shine — he would turn up and watch the stiffs in midweek.

“Are you going to tell me that the likes of major shareholder Danny Fiszman, whom I am told is now a tax exile in Switzerland, is prepared to do those kind of things?

“David was also Arsene Wenger’s man upstairs in the boardroom and I know for an absolute fact he was instrumental in keeping the manager at the club for so long.

“Only last week, Arsene admitted for the first time that he had refused offers from other big clubs in Europe to stay with the Gunners.

“I know Arsene is not very happy about Dein going and neither are the players. If Arsene leaves, there would be an exodus of players out of Arsenal, without doubt.

“Arsene stayed at Arsenal because of one man. David was instrumental in getting him there in the first place when everyone else was asking Arsene Who?

“And David is the one big factor in getting Arsene to stay when top clubs came calling for him almost every day. I don’t believe Arsene will stay if Dein is not around.

“Believe you me, the vultures will be circling the carcass now David has been forced out of the boardroom.

“David is a proper football man, the one who knew everybody by name, the one who would be in the dressing room shaking every player’s hand home and away.

“But as well as having the club’s interests at heart, he was perhaps the only one of the backroom staff that fans could relate to.”