I’ll pm you when I know full agenda that week and we know match time. It’s going to be a full schedule, but if we ended up in the same bar.... I’ll buy you a beer! (Assuming I can get out to a bar)
Did anyone see the news that, on the day that Bury was expelled, they received a bid of £7M, which took care of all their debts and operating costs, from a bidder who was willing to be the owner, and the EFL wouldn't change their decision? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49509774 I thought governing bodies were meant to be there to serve. It sticks the dagger in and twists it.
Now we now why Luis Enrique quit as the manager of Spain. It was to be with his young daughter who has had cáncer for the past five months. Sadly, his daughter died this afternoon. He struck me as a very humble and modest person, even when managing Barcelona and then Spain. I cannot think how hurt he and his family feel right now and will carry with them for the rest of the lives. RIP to his little estrella.
My main interest in this, is the ridiculous double standards going on. It's perfectly fine for the match to be abandoned or halted for homophobic chanting, yet racism has been going on for years but is repeatedly just brushed under the carpet. And anyway, homophobic chanting?! Like, what the f*ck? In 2019? These are obviously not your typical French football fans. This is clearly a political/religious group with an agenda. I just don't see anything in the media relating to who the group is. No one even seems to be asking about it. It's just like, "Oh yeah, some more homophobic chanting. That's not cool."
I mean, do you think that the homophobic chanting at Brighton matches owed to Islamic extremists? It's not political/religious groups; it's that when you get a bunch of people together, many of whom are juvenile (in mind, not on paper), they're going to say some really appalling things. More so if alcohol is involved.
I was almost going to use the same example to make a different point; there is clearly a significant difference here. It is on a much larger scale in France. Some of those banners are over 100ft long, casually displayed and seemingly accepted by the fans close by. Not the sort of thing that is created down the pub after a few beers. And for the game to be abandoned, you must assume the chanting is far more audible than if it were just 20-30 drunk lads singing about bums and handbags. We've all been in crowds and heard songs that are homophobic. The stewards might have a word with the offender/s, possibly eject them. But for it to be on such a large-scale and so well organised. And in a liberal country too. If not Islamic extremists, then possibly the far-right, who have had an increasing presence at football matches in France over the last few years. Sure maybe I'm wrong and it's just some drunken lads. Just seems very fishy to me, and very worrying if political/religious groups can have such a foothold in these public places.
Suspect it's just general douchebaggery. There are probably some instigators, those bringing the banners and leading the chants, and then the rest join in because humanity is unredeemable. Never underestimate the willingness of seemingly decent people to do truly appalling things because the people around them are doing similar.
