Dein in a hurry for Arsenal showdown

Arsenal's warring factions are heading for a high-noon showdown at the club's annual general meeting on Thursday.

The bitter tensions between the board — led by chairman Peter Hill- Wood — and former vice chairman David Dein could be aired in public if Dein can get back from England's Euro 2008 qualifier in Russia for the midday meeting.

He would go as the chairman of Red and White Holdings, Alisher Usmanov's investment company which owns 23 per cent of the club.

Hill-Wood, who has been dismissive of Dein since his ejection from the board last April, has engineered a U-turn in the club's strategy by apologising to the club's other big foreign shareholder, American sports mogul Stan Kroenke.

Hill-Wood at first reacted to the American by insisting that "we do not want his sort of people at the club", but he has since apologised. He said: "I apologise if I was rude. I have certainly done so in person. He has accepted that."

Hill-Wood is almost in a position to deliver a huge blow to Usmanov's plans by announcing that Kroenke will join the board's 'lock-down' agreement.

That agreement, whereby the directors pledged not to sell any shares for a year, was formulated last April because of Kroenke's pursuit of shares in partnership with Dein.

If Kroenke does join the agreement it would effectively put the board in control of almost 60 per cent of the club.

Asked about Kroenke becoming a director, the chairman said: "We haven't gone that far. But we are talking about extending the lock-down agreement.

"He might join it."