I've been to a few cup finals but yesterday's was the only one where the result particularly mattered to me. I was so pleased to be able to go in the first place that I couldn't believe it when the result went our way as well. It seemed a bit much to ask.Before it began the PA announcer said "may we remind you that racism and foul language have no place in football".
Obviously the former has no place anywhere, and I was pleasantly impressed by the fact that the bloke in front of me kept up a steady barrage of abuse directed at Didier Zokora without once mentioning his skin colour, but the latter is stitched into the very soul of the game. The 22 men we've come to watch are cursing loudly throughout the 90 minutes (and in extra time too) and so it seems only fair that we should be able to do it too.
Bl**dy well done!
ReplyDeleteMy favourite expletive from Adrian Chiles' great West Brom book:
ReplyDelete'Christ Earnshaw, I could spunk harder than that!'
Very jealous you got tickets David. Watched it in the pub with a Chelsea-supporter friend. Tried not to be too smug at the end.
Jon
A good result for football.
ReplyDeleteI think there was a time when racism and swearing were equally endemic, which sort of wrecks the argument 'it's always been part of the game and always will be'.
ReplyDeleteAs a prolific swearer who takes pride in being difficult to shock, I find myself in a strange position of believing that the FA should come down hard and put a stop to it, starting with top level players.
My reason for this is kids. Now I couldn't give a toss what words kids use; but it bothers me what they do with them.
My neighbour manages an under-10s team, and I'm told it's common for players to argue with and abuse officials. How can anyone tell them that's unacceptable when they see the senior team (talking non-league here) do it all the time, as well as their Premiership heroes on TV.
Instant yellow card every time, is what I'd advocate.
It only requires the club management to impose discipline. Players at Nottingham Forest very rarely got booked for dissent when Brain Clough managed the side because he wouldn't tolerate it and fined players if they received such a booking. I think Martin O'Neill, who of course played for Clough, imposes the same regime at Villa
ReplyDeleteI think racism in football has been replaced by anti-foreigner sentiment. Had Eduardo been Rooney and Martin Taylor been a foreigner, you would have had a very different reaction this weekend.
ReplyDeleteActually the person who attracted the most reflexive and ripest abuse was Frank Lampard. This must have been because Ashley Cole wasn't playing.
ReplyDeleteI say again, the best abuse I've ever heard was "Wilnis!? You're so slow 'as loike you're wandren' row'ende Millets!"
ReplyDeleteSkirky
Funny when you add colour it becomes racist.
ReplyDeleteThat remark (it was a wonderful remark;-) ;-) infers no high moral ground, except,ehhhhhh, I think we are all racists- in that it is part of our inherent archetypal shadow, and projection.
There's no escape.
Football, yes, I do like a good game.
My father was an ardent football supporter St. Pat's (Dublin)
I used to wonder at his reason when asked by my mother: "Jimmy why don't you bring Sean to the game.?"
Ans. "I would, but you know how it is, the Ref. has no mother, and a lot of the players first name begin with F."
True story, but really my dad wanted to go for a jar after the match.
what part of yorkshire is tottenham in, eh, eh? surely you should be supporting barnsley or leeds?
ReplyDeleteHaving lived in London for forty years I am happy to regard myself as a Londoner.
ReplyDelete