It's been reported in some newspapers (and there is a thread on the Skunks board) that prior to the Wigan game, hundreds of Mags fans invaded the pitches of some local league football matches taking place near the Wigan ground, and proceeded to pull down the nets etc and pulled their pants down in front of spectators... I was also speaking to some Norwich fans prior to our game who stated that they had to make a quick exit from a motorway service station after coming under attack from a mob of drunken Skunks.. I can't help think that if our fans had done this, the Newcastle based TV stations would have had a field day..
Look north would have had an extended special and Tyne Tyne television news would somehow make it pro Newcastle
I was lucky on Sunday - pulled into the service station at Wetherby on my way back from Birmingham going straight to the match. I had my Sunderland shirt on but it was cold so had a jumper on as well - when I pulled in there were loads of scummers kicking around the station some singing we hate Sundland etc. Could have been nasty like
The sad thing is, you'd be hard pushed to find anyone involved who was even born in the 80's let alone running in 70's firms...Got no excuse, drunk kids thinking they're untouchable, real shame 'cause there was over 4,500 fans who behaved as they should and they've been tarred with the same brush! What isn't said in any of those statements is the lads from TrueFaith (the fanzine) having a whiparound on twitter to pay the £200 damages (new nets/match ball etc.) doesn't excuse the behaviour but shows not all our fans are arrogant little ****s!
The sad thing for me was that this was not one or nutters..This was a hell of a mob of hundreds which must have been awful for the people concerned... And not forgetting that this will be brushed over by the Newcastle based media, which would certainly not have been the case if it was SAFC fans that had done it..
Hang on, how has it been brushed over? its all over the national newspapers! It's taken almost a week to break the story, if it were to be brushed over it simply would never have broken...the 'biased' Newcastle media have quite rightly identified that it was a minority (less than 10%) but condemned them and called for them to be banned. For me this isn't bias, simply common sense. Just adding more details - NUfC have now said they will cover all damages to the Sunday league teams (on top of any donations made by fans) And I agree it was a shocking display, although a lot of the players took to twitter afterwards and said it was, for the most part, good natured with one or two saying it was funny and one quote I read today saying it was "the greatest moment in my Sunday league career"...I'm certainly not justifying or downplaying it, it's embarrassing for us as a fan base - but from 1st hand witnesses, it wasn't the angry mob that The Daily Mirror have tried to portray!
It was used as an example because the ref took no action, and it was a potentially career threatening tackle.
There is a youtube video of SAFC at york in 1988 where they said supporters ran on the pitch and pulled the goal down etc, well i was at that match which we lost 2-1. I remember they did not open the gates early, and there was far too many in the away end, but i cannot remember any trouble and certainley not the goals being vandalised, i am wrong and did anyone else see the trouble?. Also Chelsea away 1985 was scary i thought i had had it that night!.
Any fan who does something like this is a scumbag. I'm guessing this thread will now degenerate into a 'I saw a lad bricked at SJP etc...(and vice versa).'. Shouldn't be because we all have our ****ers... no?
From what I've heard it was mainly just kids, being silly. There doesn't need to be a big issue over it as far as I'm concerned.
This...and now as well as paying damages NUFC are giving Wigan Cosmos the opportunity to play at St James' Park against our admin staff in the close season...Clever PR whilst were in the media spotlight or otherwise, it's a nice touch!
Nicer touch would be to sell them Shola. Preferably before derby day. In fact, I'll drive him there, as long as he doesn't mind the back of a pick-up
