A campaign to allow football supporters to drink alcohol in their seats at matches for the first time since the mid-1980s has been launched by Ipswich Town. Town chief executive Simon Clegg believes that football fans have been âunfairly targetedâ compared to followers of other sports. Football, to this day, remains the only sport where its supporters are barred from drinking while watching their team. CoYb
I think Clegg brings up a very valid point. I've been to many different sports matches and all are allowed to drink, so why shouldn't football?? Alot of these sports such as the Rugby and Cricket, people go to get drunk and often the match is just a side show to getting drunk!! I couldn't beleive the amount of beer that was being consumed at a rugby match I went to after being a regular at PR but there were no problems and if anything it added to the atmosphere!! Whilst I think it's certainly an area for debate and I would like to see it happen there's a part of my stomach that sinks when I think about it. Football support is different to any other sport, there's that rivalry/ferocity between supporters whereas most of the time in other sports all the supporters are in with each other that is not the case for football. I like this because it adds to the atmosphere of the game that you can't get at any other sport, but at the same time there is also a big difference between football in other sports in a bad way, football seems to attract more idiots on and off the pitch than any other sport!! And part of me doesn't trust a fairly large minority of football fans to be responsible!!
A bit too late to be saying this now Cleggy! We definately needed to get pissed whilst watching the utter garbarge on offer at Portman Road over the last 5 years!
Although I do agree that there is a very strong case for alcohol in the ground for a number of reasons - 1 being that anyone wanting to get bevv'd up can do so regardless and in reality removing the 45 minutes gap any fan is supposed to wait between drinks isn't going to make everyone suddenly blind drunk and violent. That said I simply can't see the FA changing their stance for a number of reasons, but trouble will happen in grounds whether they are 'dry' or flowing with alcohol but it's an excuse that will be wheeled out if there is ever any problems. I'd be more than happy to see the FA trial it at a number of grounds as a pilot as I'm sure the average fan would enjoy a pint or two with absolutely no fuss whatsoever
Think Clegg is purely thinking of profit here, and as usual not thinking of anything else. There has been some evidence lately that the hooligan element is creeping back into the game, this idea is hardly going to help. Can see it now, people fetching several drinks, spilling them all over people. Have never seen the need to drink at a football match, it only lasts for an hour and a half.
And due to the new FFP rules coming in, thinking about profit is no bad thing! Alcohol doesn't make people violent (I did my dissertation on the subject!) but obviously limits decision making skills which can lead to... disagreements... which sometimes get violent. I think if we do as Clegg suggests, and only keep the current rules for important or matches against rivals it won't do any harm. Enjoying a beer while watching your team doesn't turn you into a violent hooligan!
I absolutely agree with you Wright and I have written a similar post to yours on the Budgie Board This is something that needs looking at again and I applaud Cleggy for wanting to treat us as adults!
Don't understand why anyone would want to bring back alchohol into football grounds. At some games you could cut the atmosphere with a knife, do you really want the balance to be tipped by a few idiots who can't handle their drink. Would you really want to be at a match with your kids surrounded by these people? Like truth seeker says, if you can't manage without a drink for 90 minutes then you need help. More dumb comments from Clegg.
Of course! All people who like a drink are piss heads who want to fight and shouldn't be allowed anywhere near kids! I think you need to get real and grow up. The suggestion made by Cleggy is a perfectly reasonable one and should not be dismissed by the usual blind hysteria linking alcohol and violence! Society in general has moved on since the dark days of the 1970s and 80s and its about time that people were trusted and treated like adults. I don't believe in stopping people from doing things that are legal and I dont believe that allowing people to drink during the game will result in violence. Its just the usual lazy and naive arguements that get thrown into the debate!
All for it. Doesnt have to be in every stand. Family stands could still be 'dry'. I think the basic point is :- pub before, down a drink or two at halftime, pub afterwards - people still go with the intention of getting drunk anyway which doesnt always result in bad things. Case in point being the stag group at villa.
It's about time that football joined other sports and respected fans. Also we could get those hats that hold the Beer with straws....
I suggest you read what I put again, in particular the bit where I put "a few idiots". I'll grow up when you learn to read things properly.
Fair point FBS but surely you can agree that a few idiots should not be allowed to stop the 99% majority of people from being able to enjoy a beer during the game! The other silly point you make about people who can not go 90 minutes without drinking need help is insulting and completely misses the point! People should be allowed to do things if and when they want so long as its lawful and reasonable.
Yes I agree totally the minority should not be allowed to ruin it for the majority, it's one of my gripes in life. I'd have no problem with people drinking in grounds if the minorities behaved themselves but unfortunately they won't. Fair enough I can see why you think my last point was insulting although it wasn't meant to come across that way. I just would have thought a drink before the game and a drink after would be enough really. Besides if you had a couple of pints at halftime, you'd only end up going for a waz midway through the second half and miss an all important town goal
When I went to watch the Cricket at Trent Bridge I couldn't tell you anything about the match but could give you a detailed description of the urinals - in fact to this day I have no idea how I managed to consume so many pints of lager and still be able to make my way out of Nottingham standing upright.. and not piss myself in the process...
Fair Play FBS afterall this is a debating forum and sometimes its hard to interprit the way people come across!
I think it would be nice to not have to rush a drink in order to get pitchside i don't think people would drink much more really. As for the Idiots that want to get silly they are pissed before they get to the ground anyway so can't see how this would change anything on that front.
