ARSENAL suspect a secret, sordid plot exists for the purpose of heaping persistent shame on the club's already battered reputation after manager Arsene Wenger was provoked yesterday into publicly attacking unfounded but growing rumours about his private life.

Highbury chairman Peter Hill Wood, a leading merchant banker, is determined to discover why a City of London based news service company yesterday sent an on screen message to their consumers indicating Wenger was about to quit Arsenal after just six weeks in charge.

Since the Frenchman arrived from Japanese club Nagoya Grampus Eight to take charge of Arsenal on September 30th, rumour and speculation have been rife about his personal and private life.

Football's grapevine has been buzzing with anticipation that several national newspapers have been busy investigating former Monaco coach Wenger's personal background and that one was about to run a spectacular expose story about the 47 year old batchelor.

A local radio station is also believed to have been bombarded by a caller claiming to possess evidence to support the alleged story.

In fact, no such story has come to light. But Arsenal's new public relations officer Clare Tomlinson yesterday had the unenviable task of telling Wenger just how far the rumours had now spread via the message on the City news screen service, even though it was abruptly removed within seconds of appearing.

But Wenger immediately decided to confront news reporters and a battery of cameramen who had gathered outside Highbury before Arsenal's reserve team match against Chelsea yesterday.

Pale faced with anger and bewilderment, he insisted: "If anything is said about me that is not right, I will attack.

Wenger added: "If someone has something to say about me they should come and say it. I don't know of any allegations and don't know why the media should want to create something that is not right."