Arsenal Football Club recently suffered a surprising setback when it sued a seller of Arsenal football merchandise. The club had registered the Arsenal crest and cannon as trade marks in the 1990s. It sold a wide range of Arsenal merchandise from the ground and also through licensees, some of whom were licensed to sell trade marked goods to unlicensed vendors. Any merchandise sourced or sold by the club indicated prominently that it was "official" and was manufactured on its behalf.
Matthew Read was a long-time Arsenal fan, whose company had been selling football souvenirs and memorabilia for over 30 years. He sold "Arsenal" goods from a stall outside the football ground. Some emanated from the club's licensee but the majority came from unofficial sources.
