Article: Fuss about edgy terrace songs is once again overblown | Football | Championship | Leeds United

I don't expect this to be a popular opinion, but already in the lead-up to the game tomorrow at the Den, we've seen pre-emptive complaints about the fans' chants that will no doubt occur. "Always look out for Turks carrying knives," the Millwall fans nearest the Leeds section will sing. "Who's that dying on the pavement?" the Leeds fans might well reply, referencing Millwall fan Ian Tomlinson who was killed in an instance of Police brutality during the G20 protests.

Richard Sutcliffe has written about it for the Yorkshire Post:

And the Millwall Chief Executive, Andy Ambler, has stated:

Four people were even banned for life last season after waving Turkey flags in the Millwall end. Now I accept that those A4 photocopied sheets were desperate and pathetic, and a poorly-constructed attempt to rile the Leeds fans. And I can see how the relatives of Loftus and Speight who were murdered in cold blood would be offended, but I think it's time now to accept some realities.

Andy Ambler, Richard Sutcliffe and offended relatives of the innocent dead will all have heard sick jokes about other people's misfortunes before. They'll doubtless have laughed at some of them, or even made similar jokes themselves. Schadenfreude is an essential part of human life. If you can't turn the misfortune of this tragic world into dark humour, I have no idea how it's possible for you to cope.

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The football terraces, especially for a game with the reputation of Millwall vs Leeds, are not a place for sanitization, or even sanity. Football is so appealing because it is a retreat from the boring drudgery of daily life. In a world of increasing governmental and social restriction and a need for dull, grey confirmity, football gives us a chance to let off some steam. So many people across the world see that football fans are not silent, embarrassingly-dressed sycophants who are spectators rather than supporters. They see a loud, passionate, partisan mob of people who truly care for their team, their city and their view of how the sport should be played. That spice and fire is why football is unique.

Of course edgy chants are not nice, but since when have humans ever been able to be nice all the time? Leeds United fans aren't nice - when have they been? Millwall fans aren't nice - when have they been? To expect and demand a polite rapport between football fans is naive and alarming. Football has already been transformed to the extent where writers like Mr Sutcliffe are expecting all opposition fans to make an effort to sing about Fabrice Muamba. Sure, there's no reason not to wish him all the best, but frankly, we're a Leeds crowd and we're there to define our own culture and spirit, not embrace and enhance Bolton's.

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We're not Liverpool, here to mope about every tragedy or injustice we suffer. We're Leeds United and we'll take it on the chin - that's what we do. We remember our own in our own way - Chris and Kevin aren't exploited media gimmicks like the Busby Babes and the Hillsborough 96 became, with memorial services and campaigns waggled at the nation. Gary Speed wasn't peddled in the faces of other fans when they made their jokes after his suicide. Let them. We still sing about Paris '75, but we don't scream 'justice' like offensible victims, or try change the false record like MEP Richard Corbett tried to do - we accept the reality.

Let's keep our club as one of real men, not professional complainers who accept and endorse the way football is increasingly becoming. Let Millwall sing their songs at the Den, and we'll sing ours loudly, proudly and defiantly, and remember Chris and Kevin in our own Leeds way. That's what real football's about after all, is it not? Remove that and our sport's appeal becomes generic, and that's something that football should never, ever have to be in the country that brought it to the world.

 

I'd still punch that **** in the face in the Galatasaray shirt.

 

Bucks

Id Punch him until he bled out

 

But I'd also accept his right to respond as such to any Leeds fan taunting his club.

It's worth reiterating how pathetic it is that Millwall display the flags and shirts of another country and club to get their tired point across. Thus showing how desperate they are to offend us. Don't think Leeds fans would ever stoop to such an embarrassing level.

But mopery is never the way forwards. I enjoyed the chants of 'boring, boring Millwall' that were sung at the Den last season when they got their little toys out. Hope 'we don't give a ****' gets a good airing as well.

 

Spot on

what I am trying to say is your an idiot for wearing a shirt like that so expect another idiot to smash your teeth in for being an idiot.

It saves a lot of innocent people getting caught up in the mix when you can spot an idiot, and we are all grown men. If people want to fight, let em fight. Just make sure your actually knocking two shades of **** out of an idiot rather than a fan.

I guess that makes me an idiot but Football should be about free flowing banter & wind ups all day long. Look at the Wall fans and our fans across forums, we have the most unlikely bond due to a similar mentally (and I don’t mean we eat babies or are trying to raise the antichrist but good old fashioned lets have a laugh we are at the football for **** sake)

 

That is the single most moronic article I have ever had the misfortune of reading.

I hope you're all proud of yourselves at the end of the game tomorrow, after singing all game about people that have died - that's DIED.

I knew certain Leeds fans had extreme views, but I never thought it was this bad.

 

Take your 6 fingered foam hand onto the Premiership pages Cara - Iqbal's was a great post that I agree 100% with.

Millwall is a club for the working man - as is Leeds. Norwich is now part of Murdochs middle/upper class plan - give it a few seasons up there and most of you will be priced out of going!

 

What's so moronic about accepting that all people need to be morons sometimes?

You gonna argue against my specific points, Carra, or just generally snipe about how terrible it is to ever dare mock people who have DIED?

 

As is ANY of the Leeds fans that travel on Saturday are going to be easily offended

 

Chesh might be after how he's received when he celebrates all seven of our goals in your end.

 

Theres never any trouble between you lot and Ipswich in the old farm derby is there


Get of your high horse.

 

As long as he celebrates our 10 goals with the same vigour he'll be fine

 

Sure there's been trouble - doesn't mean I like it.

 

The first picture where you have one Millwall fan pointing to a fan wearing a Galatasary shirt with the other guy making a stabbing motion, shows exactly how moronic the whole situation is.

FFS, grow up.

 

Could be worse we could have ****ing goal music!!!!!

 

That says a lot about the sort of fan that travels away with Leeds, doesn't it?

 

Clearly you can tell I'm not a lover of violence and childish chants, but you can be 100% sure I hate that ****ing goal music more than anything!

 

Another one bites the dust

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hahaha Carra

I don't particularly like the violence but I wont be naive enough to pretend it doesn't go on.

Barnsley away pushed me to the edge, I was seated as close to the away fans as possible and I kid you not they spent the whole game looking at us not even watching the game and singing about istanbul, when it started getting lairy the stewards and police turned on the Leeds fans! it was a joke but id have kicked one lad in particulars face in. (he did get kicked out in the end)

 

Lets be avin yer