Sit Down

[The Artful Shrimper]

My uncle (West Ham) always relates to me the story of how they'd throw their caps up in the air when there was a goal, pass the kids overhead to the front, buy peanuts from the peanut seller, then throw them back at him, and when they played Millwall because of the healthy dockers rivalry they'd tool up with meat hooks and all join in with a healthy personality building kicking up the high streets. "Good old days" hed say with his broken nose distorting his voice and scratching his facial scars.

Wind forward a few decades and we cant even stand up and swear? Competetive sports are being banned from schools because losers get upset...and miserable sods wont put up Christmas tree lights in case we offend someone.

In a few more decades I predict a nation of cross dressing non-sexual leaning vegans sweeping the floor in case they step on ants and reading the collected works of Quentin Dworkin-Greer-Crisp.

 

[sealion]

As long as I attend, I'll carry on as I always have done showing all the usual passion & if SUFC don't want my money-f**k 'em

 

[C'mon you Blues]

Quote[/b] (mcnasty @ Dec. 11 2005,15:58)]

Quote[/b] (rabbloke @ Dec. 11 2005,14:49)]Soccer is a passionate sport with passionate support. Take away the passion and you take away the supporter. End of club! Even last week on the official site, RM complained about a letter in the Echo which knocked Tilson. Why?. The writer had the right to air his views.

Whatever happened to Freedom of Speech? It is what seperated our country from those foreign countries run by tyrants who refused to hear criticism.

Slippery slope.

we're well down it mate with this government. What did Voltaire say, "I disagree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to talk b******s"

 

[DTS]

Quote[/b] (Ron Manager @ Dec. 11 2005,14:37)]

Quote[/b] (Uxbridge Shrimper @ Dec. 11 2005,14:24)]

Quote[/b] (Ron Manager @ Dec. 11 2005,12:10)]It's the sanitising of our national (working class) game that is threatening to destroy it and I for one am absolutely sick to the back teeth of it. Yes have family stands where bad language is not tolerated but for goodness sake, if you can't shout and swear in the home (or away) end where can you?

Agree with your point re being allowed to stand up and sing/swear/shout, but why bring class in to it?

Football is for everyone, regardless of class (or colour, or creed, or political views or choice of hat).

Fair point...football is for everybody. However it can't be denied that it traditionally has been a working class sport in this country and that is reflected in much of the 'culture' of being a football fan - including the language of the fans.

However over the past 15 or so years the game has become more universally popular and more and more of what you might call middle-class fans are attending games. Now that's fine but I think it is a mistake to expect the traditional supporters to have to change how they and their fathers and grandfathers have always behaved at games (shout, swear etc) for the sake of the more 'gentrified' tastes of newer fans. Now it is only my opinion of course but that is what I believe is happening in the game generally.

For what it's worth to many people I may be viewed as a middle class fan - white collar management job, homeowner etc - but I do and always will consider myself working-class and am proud of that fact. Once again it's just a personal view I have and I'm not on my soap box preaching to anyone else.

I want to continue my outlet at a weekend of drinking a few pints before going to football and shouting and swearing a bit. That to me is a traditionally working class thing to do - what's the problem with that?

Ron totally agree with you...

If you, me or anyone else wants to shout abuse at the players we should be able to. If the players dont like it then give up the game and come in work in a office where people wont shout abuse at you.

The players give it large when they score and then moan when they dont get their way.

Keep up the crusade Ron.

Dts