Off Topic Chelsea Scum (aka The UK Politics Debate Thread)

Anyone see the video with the Chelsea fans not letting a black guy in Paris on the train and then singing a racist song? Utter utter scum.

http://www.theguardian.com/football...-prevent-black-man-boarding-paris-metro-video

 

What do you expect when their captain calls a fellow footballer a black **** ?

 

Thing is, I bet those ****s regard Drogba as a legend.

 

I never understand why every club has this problem and yet when you speak to (most) football fans individually then they are ok, but in a group, especially a big group then there is always an ****hole element that wants to be the loudest, and is the most idiotic, abhorrent, vile and aggressive scumbags ever - which brings shame on the whole crowd. And of course, the bigger the game, the more and louder the ****holes!

What is it about football that attracts the scum of society?

 

I think it's partly down to group mentality. Humans have a strange reaction to being in large groups and it changes our behaviours and what we think is acceptable or will go along with.

And the other part of it is the long standing tradition of it being a working class game, (and I don't mean that offensively, I'm not suggesting working class people are violent), lots of people used to use the football to let out there aggression and anger from there normal lives and this has left a lingering acceptance of yobbish behaviour amongst fans of certain football clubs.

 

afcftw - ref the "working class". Actually, today I think it is the reverse. Considering the cost to follow a team in the modern era, you will find a significant number of the London clubs have individuals who are in the upper section of "middle class". Plenty of money and a "I'm better than you" attitude. A belief that nothing and no-one can touch them as they are too important......and why should they care anyway. Also, with a society that expects to be given to, they also believe that they can do what they want. I would imagine (and it's only my opinion) that the real "working class" have nothing to do with this type of issue anymore.

I place myself firmly in the upper-middle class section and see far too many people who (whilst not visibly demonstrating any racist tendencies) do should a dislike for those they perceive to be less well off than them.

 

Im not sure its to do with class as football has always had a broad appeal, even in its dark 70s/80s terrace hooligan days. But as crocarno says, theres definitely a more pronounced higher socio-economic element in the prem crowds since the mid 90s.

Rugby in Wales is very working class yet you never have these problems (true crowds r significantly less, except in the millennium stadium).

Personally i think its a cultural thing where people feel different things are acceptable or expected at a football match, this then attracts the idiots who feel this is the perfect place to express their anger with their own lives and act out as scum.

 

Rugby is regarded as a middle class sport but there was homophobic abuse directed at Nigel Owens the gay referee by English fans after the England V New Zealand game in the Autumn.

 

It is in England (and I've heard in Ireland) but in Wales it definitely isn't middle class, or definitely not majority middle class. As you say there is a bit of a homophobic feeling in rugby, but more among the players (with players frightened to 'come out') in the same way as with football and lots of other sports, though the treatment of Nigel Owens is rare.

But I was talking more in the fact that its rare to see very aggressive behaviour, with racist chanting and physical intimidation, such as with the Chelsea 'fans' in Paris (or last year when they marched through making Nazi salutes). Not saying football isn't great (coz its awesome) or that rugby, or rugby fans are perfect (coz they ain't) but there is a marked difference in atmosphere/outlook and the type of banter between fans in the two games.

 

I was talking about rugby being middle class in England.

 

Ohh I see, yes it definitely is middle class.

But I don't think any racist/homophobic/violent/sexist problems are down to class distinction, but more down to the groups culture and attitudes - I think football crowds are highly passionate, and value their passion highly, they are also highly confrontational against the opposition (not physically, but chanting, shouting ect) which are all good things, but I think this attracts the idiots (almost always in very, very small number) who think its acceptable to chant, scream and act in anyway they want just because they are in a football crowd - almost the belief that there can be no comeback on them because they are in an anonymous crowd, and this stuff is acceptable anyway...

 

The way some people behave at a football match they would never behave in public.

 

Yes its weird isn't it - I mean I've seen the way people behave at music festivals and they'd never behave like that in public, but with some football fans there seems to be a strong violent/aggressive current to their behaviour, which as soon as you take them out of that situation (I imagine) disappears, and they don't behave anything like that. Such a shame as they give everyone else a bad name, and can spoil things for everyone else. - Makes you wonder if that poor guy on the Paris tube will ever go to a football game after experiencing that.

 

He is a **** and so is his brother

 

Is John Terry's brother also a racist ?

 

More likely to be a rapist id imagine

 

Also a shoplifter

 

John Terry's brother shagged the fiancee of one of his teammates, who then killed himself.
It's quite a family!

 

I think you missed my point. I was more referencing past attitudes of football fans when the fanbase was more working class. Far more firms and football violence and people with tough lives letting out aggression. And how that has left a lingering element within certain clubs.

I agree football now is a sport which breaches the class divide and includes a far more wealthy following than it would of in previous decades.