Arseweb has kept pretty quiet on the Bowyer front for a while mainly because we find it so hard to believe that Arsenal are really considering a move for the disgraced Leeds midfielder.

When Arsene Wenger spoke of his guilt at Le Pen's success in the first round of the French presidential election, and Pires said that the French squad would withdraw from the world cup if the National Front leader won the second round, we'd hoped that we'd see the end of paper talk of Arsenal being interested in someone with Bowyers record of assault and racism.

But the rumours persist, and Arsenal fans keep reacting by emailing Arseweb asking us to keep making the following points....

Lee Bowyer is trouble. The attack on Sarfraz Najeib was not an isolated incident. Just after he joined Leeds he was convicted and fined £4500 for affray after refusing to be served by "Pakis" in an East London McDonalds, and going on to attack them and smash the place up.

Even without this form, his acquittal in the Sarfraz Najeib case clearly does not tell the whole of that story. Blood was found on his jacket, he told the police a series of lies, and the judge made him pay a huge sum in costs despite being cleared of all charges.

If you think I'm being too harsh on someone I don't know, take it from the people who do know him:

Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale for example who, in December of last year said that he wouldn't have signed Bowyer, if Ridsdale had known then what he does now. Or Bowyers's former girlfriend who says that she was dumped because "you know, we could have a brown baby. It could be the colour of your mum"

Please please please, if anyone at Arsenal reads this, on behalf of Arseweb and our readership of Arsenal fans around the globe.... Do not sign Lee Bowyer.

Further reading: Sportstar, Soccernet, Guardian