davieG Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 I don't think I'll be going to football league matches for much longer! I think I'll be sticking to the TV at home where there will be more atmosphere - when will they be happy when it's akin to going to the pictures. Do they think these 'young' fans will suddenly start supporting football league teams as opposed to the big Premier 4 just because there's less swearing and aggressive behaviour. I'm not defending hooliganism, mindless abuse etc but aggression and swearing, letting off steam has always been a major part of the attraction of watching professional football. Unless you ban swearing and aggressive behaviour completely (is that possible) you cannot protect youngsters from it no matter where they sit in the ground. FOOTBALL LEAGUE FANS URGED TO ‘ENJOY THE MATCH’ The Football League has launched a new campaign, for the 2008/09 season, aimed at encouraging even more families to attend matches at their local League club. The 'Enjoy the Match' campaign aims to ensure parents can take their children to matches in a family friendly environment. It will focus on removing abusive language and aggressive behaviour from family areas. Each participating club will proactively steward family areas and display prominent signage discouraging ant-social behaviour. Additionally, clubs will play a PA announcement, voiced by local children, to encourage positive support before each match. In the run-up to the new season each club’s manager and playing staff will be will be underlining their support by signing a pledge board which will be displayed in the family area of the ground. Supporters are being encouraged to show their support for the campaign by signing the online pledge at www.enjoythematch.co.uk. The Football League is supporting the campaign with a range of club guidance & resources, matchday programme ads, viral video and a promotional campaign. Enjoy the Match has been introduced following a 'mystery shopper' exercise staged at all 72 League grounds last season. This exercise revealed that swearing formed a key negative impression on families at 46% of the 144 games assessed. In launching 'Enjoy the Match' Football League Chairman, Lord Mawhinney, said: 'Young supporters will be the lifeblood of our clubs in years to come. It is therefore vitally important that we encourage more parents to bring their children into our grounds by creating a vibrant, family friendly atmosphere at all matches.'
Bryn Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 As long as it's only clearly designated family areas I guess it's just the society we live in. If the Kop starts getting grief of the stewards, which they no doubt will, for swearing that's just annoying.
Floating Fox Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 Makes me feel sick. State of this country is shocking. I'd rather be in Georgia.
Corky Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 Surely that's what the Family Stand is for. I sit in the Family Stand and know I have to curb my language. That is fair enough. But why should the three other stands have to curb their language because kids have gone in there? They chose to go in there, in the knowledge that there is a Family Stand, so they should expect bad language. Absolute joke.
Lovejoy Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 If someone at a football match had a go at me for swearing I'd either make a deliberate attempt to swear with everything I said, or else (if they were male and of a suitable age) nut them .
Bryn Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 Get in to them, **** 'em up!!! I remember that one coming out on Saturday, I'm pretty sure it ended with Gradel laying down the law on their left winger.
Father Ted Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 Ridiculous, so what happens with the 'true' fans?!?! There's a family stand for a reason.
Joe. Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 Swearing's a part of football, always has been and always will be. Get over it.
lcfcrinaldi Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 Do you think people realise theres actualy a family stand for families to sit in? If they ignore that they cant moan.
iancognito Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 Most 6-10 year olds know more swear words than me anyway. I seem to remember the family club in the orange seats have a pretty good go at "You're shit ahhhhhhh!!" after goal kicks and most of the unruly little bastards in the family stand now are under kerfew after 9. It's not bad enough that I wish I was in Georgia but this country is going to the dogs.
Mike the Metal Ed Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 The 'Enjoy the Match' campaign aims to ensure parents can take their children to matches in a family friendly environment. It will focus on removing abusive language and aggressive behaviour from family areas. No new issue here, I know people who were warned in the North Stand at Filbert Street.
Jackirius Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 The 'Enjoy the Match' campaign aims to ensure parents can take their children to matches in a family friendly environment. It will focus on removing abusive language and aggressive behaviour from family areas.No new issue here, I know people who were warned in the North Stand at Filbert Street. Yeh wat he sed
Head Honcho Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 I don't think I'll be going to football league matches for much longer! I think I'll be sticking to the TV at home where there will be more atmosphere - when will they be happy when it's akin to going to the pictures. Do they think these 'young' fans will suddenly start supporting football league teams as opposed to the big Premier 4 just because there's less swearing and aggressive behaviour. I'm not defending hooliganism, mindless abuse etc but aggression and swearing, letting off steam has always been a major part of the attraction of watching professional football. Unless you ban swearing and aggressive behaviour completely (is that possible) you cannot protect youngsters from it no matter where they sit in the ground. FOOTBALL LEAGUE FANS URGED TO ‘ENJOY THE MATCH’ The Football League has launched a new campaign, for the 2008/09 season, aimed at encouraging even more families to attend matches at their local League club. The 'Enjoy the Match' campaign aims to ensure parents can take their children to matches in a family friendly environment. It will focus on removing abusive language and aggressive behaviour from family areas. Each participating club will proactively steward family areas and display prominent signage discouraging ant-social behaviour. Additionally, clubs will play a PA announcement, voiced by local children, to encourage positive support before each match. In the run-up to the new season each club’s manager and playing staff will be will be underlining their support by signing a pledge board which will be displayed in the family area of the ground. Supporters are being encouraged to show their support for the campaign by signing the online pledge at www.enjoythematch.co.uk. The Football League is supporting the campaign with a range of club guidance & resources, matchday programme ads, viral video and a promotional campaign. Enjoy the Match has been introduced following a 'mystery shopper' exercise staged at all 72 League grounds last season. This exercise revealed that swearing formed a key negative impression on families at 46% of the 144 games assessed. In launching 'Enjoy the Match' Football League Chairman, Lord Mawhinney, said: 'Young supporters will be the lifeblood of our clubs in years to come. It is therefore vitally important that we encourage more parents to bring their children into our grounds by creating a vibrant, family friendly atmosphere at all matches.' So aggression and swearing are fine but not hooliganism!
davieG Posted 11 August 2008 Author Posted 11 August 2008 The 'Enjoy the Match' campaign aims to ensure parents can take their children to matches in a family friendly environment. It will focus on removing abusive language and aggressive behaviour from family areas.No new issue here, I know people who were warned in the North Stand at Filbert Street. In the scheme of things it's a hardly a problem in the family areas to warrant a whole costly campaign so the cynic in me believes its real aim is to remove all incidences of swearing and aggression. There also seems little point in putting all that effort into it if the family stand is situated next to a non-family stand, it's not as if grounds are designed with a big gulf between respective stands. Furthermore I'm sure little Jason or Kylie will be more intimidated/put off from attending by an aggressive away section than they are by the occasional home fan in the family area getting a bit animated. So why isn't their a campaign to move family areas to a 'safer' part of the ground?
davieG Posted 11 August 2008 Author Posted 11 August 2008 So aggression and swearing are fine but not hooliganism! Exactly singing something like your shit and you know you are in an aggressive manner without any real intent is not in the same league as hooliganism which from my understanding would involve physical violence and/or destructive activities. Hooligan: "a young violent, destructive or badly-behaved person" I'm not sure about the young bit
harpendenfox Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 I went with a group of mates in their 40s, 50s and 60s to the first day of the recent test match at Edgbaston. 10,000 crowd in a 20,000 ground and as well as being scanned on the way in, I reckon there were more stewards (orange team, green team, section supervisor, area supervisors) than crowd. It was an utterly low key atmosphere with about 28 people from South Africa in the ground. If you dare to stand up during an over you're pounced upon by a green team steward. Get this, some jolly lads were blowing up and letting off balloons for a laugh (its funny when you're drunk). The balloons were confiscated. As for the smoking areas, if you dared to venture out of them you were again pounced upon by smoking monitors. This is around the perimeter of the ground I might add, not in the stands. My pals and I resorted to pretending to smoke fags just to annoy the members of Hitler Youth in the stewarding team. The whole experience is extraordinary and makes stewarding at the Walkers feel like a laid back hippy fest. The stewarding of sporting events lacks one basic ingredient - the notion that people pay to watch sport in order to relax from their every day worries and responsibilities. At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old man (which I am basically....) it makes my blood boil. The patronising gits at Lords even warn you when it's sunny to drink lots of water and wear a hat. Nanny state anyone?
Head Honcho Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 I went with a group of mates in their 40s, 50s and 60s to the first day of the recent test match at Edgbaston. 10,000 crowd in a 20,000 ground and as well as being scanned on the way in, I reckon there were more stewards (orange team, green team, section supervisor, area supervisors) than crowd.It was an utterly low key atmosphere with about 28 people from South Africa in the ground. If you dare to stand up during an over you're pounced upon by a green team steward. Get this, some jolly lads were blowing up and letting off balloons for a laugh (its funny when you're drunk). The balloons were confiscated. As for the smoking areas, if you dared to venture out of them you were again pounced upon by smoking monitors. This is around the perimeter of the ground I might add, not in the stands. My pals and I resorted to pretending to smoke fags just to annoy the members of Hitler Youth in the stewarding team. The whole experience is extraordinary and makes stewarding at the Walkers feel like a laid back hippy fest. The stewarding of sporting events lacks one basic ingredient - the notion that people pay to watch sport in order to relax from their every day worries and responsibilities. At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old man (which I am basically....) it makes my blood boil. The patronising gits at Lords even warn you when it's sunny to drink lots of water and wear a hat. Nanny state anyone? Not meaning to hijack this thread but I came online tonight to buy 4 tickets for England v SA at Cardiff but at £50 a piece you can forget it
Corky Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 I wonder though, of the parents that complain about aggressive behaviour and bad language, do they do the same at home in front of their kids?
Guest Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 I'm not defending hooliganism, mindless abuse etc but aggression and swearing, letting off steam has always been a major part of the attraction of watching professional football. Unless you ban swearing and aggressive behaviour completely (is that possible) you cannot protect youngsters from it no matter where they sit in the ground. Yes it is possible, Public Order Act 1986 s5. 5.—(1) A person is guilty of an offence if he— (a) uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or (b) displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting, within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, thereby. (2) An offence under this section may be committed in a public or a private place, except that no offence is committed where the words or behaviour are used, or the writing, sign or other visible representation is displayed, by a person inside a dwelling and the other person is also inside that or another dwelling. (3) It is a defence for the accused to prove— (a) that he had no reason to believe that there was any person within hearing or sight who was likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress, or (b) that he was inside a dwelling and had no reason to believe that the words or behaviour used, or the writing, sign or other visible representation displayed, would be heard or seen by a person outside that or any other dwelling, or © that his conduct was reasonable. (4) A constable may arrest a person without warrant if— (a) he engages in offensive conduct which the constable warns him to stop, and (b) he engages in further offensive conduct immediately or shortly after the warning. (5) In subsection (4) "offensive conduct" means conduct the constable reasonably suspects to constitute an offence under this section, and the conduct mentioned in paragraph (a) and the further conduct need not be of the same nature. (6) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
Corky Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 Well, I'm sorry if I sound harsh, but if the kids cannot cope with a bit of swearing then they shouldn't be at a football match. It is no worse than what they'll hear on the field/playground at high school.
Fosse Boy Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 Do fathers not put their hands over their kids' ears anymore? Any time I sat in the Kop my dad would at seemingly random points during the game place his gloves over my ears, until the day he thought I was big enough to hear swear words at football. It's just common sense from a parenting point of view, surely? Also, what was the deal with that completely pointless announcement about football being a family sport which was read over the PA on Saturday?
GloverFox Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 Do fathers not put their hands over their kids' ears anymore? Any time I sat in the Kop my dad would at seemingly random points during the game place his gloves over my ears, until the day he thought I was big enough to hear swear words at football. It's just common sense from a parenting point of view, surely?Also, what was the deal with that completely pointless announcement about football being a family sport which was read over the PA on Saturday? ... I don't think it appropriate for anyone to be swearing in the family enclosure (that includes the kids, the mums or the dads etc) because it's been set aside as a safe area with kids in mind and is fair enough ... but I also don't think it appropriate to tolerate racial motivated or individually centred torrents of hate from individuals in a crowd of people using the game as an excuse to get one off on someone on the pitch (and please don't mistake this for just someone calling a player a willy puller for diving or committing a foul), but some people do go 'to far' with the rancid drivle! ... but the game will always cause outrage and frustration at times ... it goes with the passion for the game and boys will be boys and swear to vent the spleen (... trust me, my old spleen has been well vented at times!) ... but to demonise a supporter for the odd out-burst will certainly end in tears on many levels ... and ultimately what is wrong as Fox in Essex say's in the father, bigger brother or even Mum putting their hands over the ears of the youngsters and explaining the rights and wrongs of life (hell, I thought thats what 'elders and betters' were meant to do ... mine did and I didn't grow up to be a murdering, thieving scum-bag! .... trust me!)
leicesterseddon Posted 11 August 2008 Posted 11 August 2008 didn't realise the corny message before kick-off is going to be done before every match
Raj Posted 12 August 2008 Posted 12 August 2008 Swearing should be fcuking banned. Its stupid and immature and anyone who swears is a cvnt.
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