Segregation in football stadiums

[Blackadder]

You shouldn't confuse emotion and passion with violence, they're not the same thing.

Good Point.

I recall the bad old days of aggro when you had to hide colours (most of us didn't bother in the end).

Many matches had hoolies (from both sides) just looking at each other and not watching the game at all! These people used to admit that they HATED football. It was just a vehicle to have a punch up!

Used to speak to other Albion fans on the coach on the way back from an away game. "Thought Nobby played well" Or "Maybank should have buried that sitter!" the reply was invariably "Dunno mate, but did you see me hit that kid with that (insert other teams name here) scarf on!"

 

[perseus]

Emotions get heated. It did not work very well against Villa in 1971 at the Goldstone or against Spurs in the late seventies. Or at Reading at Elm Park in the seventies (M got attacked by a Reading Pensioner three times, we won 3-2). But this was standing in capacity crowds. One push and the adrenalin rush of even the most placid can escalate.
However, as every pub goer knows, there are some types where the threshold of anger is much lower. I have found rugby fans worse than football fans as a general tendency.

 

[Paddy B]

However, as every pub goer knows, there are some types where the threshold of anger is much lower. I have found rugby fans worse than football fans as a general tendency.

Are you sure? I regulary go to Rugby Union games (Wasps and England) and never seen anything more than banter.

For instance during the England NZ game at Twickenham last Nov, there were a couple of passionate (loud mouthed!) Kiwis and there was plenty of "fairly" good natured abuse flying around during the game but after the game it was handshakes all round.

 

[getreal1]

Are you sure? I regulary go to Rugby Union games (Wasps and England) and never seen anything more than banter.

For instance during the England NZ game at Twickenham last Nov, there were a couple of passionate (loud mouthed!) Kiwis and there was plenty of "fairly" good natured abuse flying around during the game but after the game it was handshakes all round.

Exactly - in other sports, the fact that you were close to or involved in a fight as a supporter would be a matter for shame - football fans think it's great to boast about how they were in a scrap or how it 'got a bit tasty' etcetera.