Obviously a lot of strong views on here and merit in a lot of what is said, even when at opposite poles ... I've been going 'down the city' since th 1969 / 70 season ... so have experienced most things including the 'hooliganism thing' at its height and chanting throughout those years .. for me I try (and note I say try - it's not quite that easy when emotions are running high) and abide with principals my old man (and others for whom I have the same level of respect) taught me as I was growing up - 1) Don't treat others in a way that you wouldn't want to be treated yourself 2) The world is a tough place and sometimes you will not be treated as you deserve, so don't expect to be 3) Always try and reason with people in an argument and try to avoid a physical confrontation at all cost - but if that is not possible, despite all your efforts, make your fists as tight as possible and hit as hard as you can (always as a last resort - never as a first option) 3) People from Nottingham and Derby are genetically compromised But joking aside for the moment, this is a tough world and people will say things and act in ways that will hurt you .. because they are human and humanity has some pretty awful behavioural traits - so at times we do need to 'man up' and not start start bleating because someone says something mean .. there is also a distinction between humour and insult but sometimes a very fine line .. a footballing memory of mine; Bob Hazel, Wolves defender got sent off at Filbo and had to walk right around the ground to get to the dressing rooms, including past a packed kop on that day .. there was a song in the charts by Boney M called 'Brown Girl In The Ring' the chorus 'Brown Girl In The Ring Tra-la-la-la-la' - now as Bob starts to walk past the kop they start to chant 'Brown Man In The Bath Tra-la-la-la-la, there's a Brown Man iBath ...' it builds and builds 'till it is ringing out - now Bob, who is seething at having been sent off initially can't help but grin, and he ends up waving to the kop in ackowledgemet and is then soundly cheered and applauded by the Leicester fans ... my fear is that what was then a bit of banter, and nobody was offended, could in these days of PC gone mad, have led for calls for banning orders .. and football would have lost a wonderfully warm (IMHO) moment ..
