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So who are these 'fan groups'?



wellquickwoody

Many More Voting Years
NSC Patreon
Aug 10, 2007
13,585
Melbourne
The report about homophobic abuse has been rehashed by BBC Southeast this morning. It was claimed that Albion fans have been 'victims' of anti-gay chants from opposition supporters in around 50% of matches this season, personally I would of expected this figure to be higher. Anyway, it was also stated that two seperate fans groups would be handing a report of their findings over to the FA today.

My question is, just who are these fan groups? They seem very reluctant to step forward and speak up about their findings publicly, why? And why are the BBC promoting the views of an anonomouus group of people, whilst at the same time failing to air the opposing opinion from what appears to be the majority of Albion fans that it is not a major issue?
 


Commander

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Apr 28, 2004
12,787
London
It's the same old people I expect, the ones that think they speak for all the fans. The ones that advised the police that we should be held in the ground for an hour after the game at Selhurst (because they can just hop straight on a coach outside the ground afterwards and go straight home).

I don't understand why all of a sudden people are claiming to be so offended by the gay stuff, it was never an issue a few years ago. It's like people have read that they should be offended by it so they've convinced themselves that they are.
 


Titus

Come on!
Feb 21, 2010
2,873
Up here on the left.
The supporters club is one and rightfully so. Sarah Watts has an open letter published in the Argus today. It also states that Kazim Richards is waiting to hear from the crown prosecution service about his indiscretion.
 


wellquickwoody

Many More Voting Years
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Aug 10, 2007
13,585
Melbourne
The supporters club is one and rightfully so. Sarah Watts has an open letter published in the Argus today. It also states that Kazim Richards is waiting to hear from the crown prosecution service about his indiscretion.

Rightfully so? Have you read today's Arsegas? I guess that it quotes from this report, but it includes complaints including the following, 'a player was said to have rubbed his hands up and down his backside in front of Albion fans', and that 'at Blackburn two Albion fans were said to have been attacked although no action was taken'. WTF? Perhaps the player was wiping mud off his hands, probably not, but Jeez we sound a soft bunch of liberal idiots. Fans said to have been attacked but not even officially reported I guess. So no proof of attack but it was linked to homophobia in what way exactly?

Perhaps fans in the Northwest should claim some kind of hate crime when we call them lazy, workshy thieves? Or those fans following Bristol or East Anglican clubs should waste police time by complaining about being stereotyped as country bumpkins?

Personally I am fed up by the likes of Sarah Watts and Liz Costa claiming to speak for the majority of Albion fans. They are living in the past when they were loud voices in a small number, when their views were more representative of a small fan base. Now their friendly supporters group are no longer relevant to the majority of Albion fans who have more important things in life in life to be 'furious' about than a couple of hundred opposition fans singing songs at the other end of the ground in response to our chants about them.

If I get flamed I couldn't care less. Carry on now.
 


Titus

Come on!
Feb 21, 2010
2,873
Up here on the left.
Perhaps fans in the Northwest should claim some kind of hate crime when we call them lazy, workshy thieves? Or those fans following Bristol or East Anglican clubs should waste police time by complaining about being stereotyped as country bumpkins?

I don't call opposition fans anything. Perhaps you're not very bright.
 




Rightfully so? Have you read today's Arsegas? I guess that it quotes from this report, but it includes complaints including the following, 'a player was said to have rubbed his hands up and down his backside in front of Albion fans', and that 'at Blackburn two Albion fans were said to have been attacked although no action was taken'. WTF? Perhaps the player was wiping mud off his hands, probably not, but Jeez we sound a soft bunch of liberal idiots. Fans said to have been attacked but not even officially reported I guess. So no proof of attack but it was linked to homophobia in what way exactly?

Perhaps fans in the Northwest should claim some kind of hate crime when we call them lazy, workshy thieves? Or those fans following Bristol or East Anglican clubs should waste police time by complaining about being stereotyped as country bumpkins?

Personally I am fed up by the likes of Sarah Watts and Liz Costa claiming to speak for the majority of Albion fans. They are living in the past when they were loud voices in a small number, when their views were more representative of a small fan base. Now their friendly supporters group are no longer relevant to the majority of Albion fans who have more important things in life in life to be 'furious' about than a couple of hundred opposition fans singing songs at the other end of the ground in response to our chants about them.

If I get flamed I couldn't care less. Carry on now.

A little sexist there woods???
 








pork pie

New member
Dec 27, 2008
6,053
Pork pie land.
Rightfully so? Have you read today's Arsegas? I guess that it quotes from this report, but it includes complaints including the following, 'a player was said to have rubbed his hands up and down his backside in front of Albion fans', and that 'at Blackburn two Albion fans were said to have been attacked although no action was taken'. WTF? Perhaps the player was wiping mud off his hands, probably not, but Jeez we sound a soft bunch of liberal idiots. Fans said to have been attacked but not even officially reported I guess. So no proof of attack but it was linked to homophobia in what way exactly?

Perhaps fans in the Northwest should claim some kind of hate crime when we call them lazy, workshy thieves? Or those fans following Bristol or East Anglican clubs should waste police time by complaining about being stereotyped as country bumpkins?

Personally I am fed up by the likes of Sarah Watts and Liz Costa claiming to speak for the majority of Albion fans. They are living in the past when they were loud voices in a small number, when their views were more representative of a small fan base. Now their friendly supporters group are no longer relevant to the majority of Albion fans who have more important things in life in life to be 'furious' about than a couple of hundred opposition fans singing songs at the other end of the ground in response to our chants about them.

If I get flamed I couldn't care less. Carry on now.

Agree with that. Every time I see her at away matches she is giving stewards in our end hassle about their teams' fans' "homophobic"chants. Looks like she has found some "Gay Football Supporters Network (GSFN)" to join her according to Sky et al today.

There are some very nasty cases of almost violent "in your face" verbal assaults by other teams fans, that go way beyond "banter". I was subjected to some by Orient fans at Withdean some years ago when my then very young son was a little scared and cuddled up to me. But the light hearted stuff from most other teams' fans is, as has been said, no different to our "in your northern slums" or "sheep, sheep, sheep shaggers". Just banter.

I remember her having a go at a Sheffield Wednesday steward about "general banter" from some fans to our left that you could hardly hear and was far from agressive.

As a hetrosexual male, I must confess I hate our fans being tainted with this "gay" image. However, I think that it far worse that we are now being used by some militant "gay" group to further their agenda. It should be very interesting when that lot turn up at the World Cup in Qatar!
 




Commander

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Apr 28, 2004
12,787
London
Rightfully so? Have you read today's Arsegas? I guess that it quotes from this report, but it includes complaints including the following, 'a player was said to have rubbed his hands up and down his backside in front of Albion fans', and that 'at Blackburn two Albion fans were said to have been attacked although no action was taken'. WTF? Perhaps the player was wiping mud off his hands, probably not, but Jeez we sound a soft bunch of liberal idiots. Fans said to have been attacked but not even officially reported I guess. So no proof of attack but it was linked to homophobia in what way exactly?

Perhaps fans in the Northwest should claim some kind of hate crime when we call them lazy, workshy thieves? Or those fans following Bristol or East Anglican clubs should waste police time by complaining about being stereotyped as country bumpkins?

Personally I am fed up by the likes of Sarah Watts and Liz Costa claiming to speak for the majority of Albion fans. They are living in the past when they were loud voices in a small number, when their views were more representative of a small fan base. Now their friendly supporters group are no longer relevant to the majority of Albion fans who have more important things in life in life to be 'furious' about than a couple of hundred opposition fans singing songs at the other end of the ground in response to our chants about them.

If I get flamed I couldn't care less. Carry on now.

I can't find a word I disagree with in that.
 








The tall one

Banned
Jan 2, 2007
197
Whether you careless about the abuse or not, it is still abuse and homophobia is against the law and should be dealt with accordingly.
 




mikeyjh

Well-known member
Dec 17, 2008
4,473
Llanymawddwy
I'm instinctively liberal on such matters but I think you have to be very careful about what you describe as abusive and what you should 'ban'. If there are genuinely offensive chants (difficult though it is to define), then action must be taken but once you start if anyone starts trying to compare 'does your boyfriend know you're here' with chucking a banana at a black player, you've lost my support. I suspect that there are very very few people actually offended by such chants and such faux offence opens the door to the health and safety* gone mad bridgade.

*That bit was a joke, some will get it.
 


Careful, boys and girls. There is a serious risk that any opinion expressed on this thread might be picked up by the Argus or BBC as "representing the views of Albion fans' group, North Stand Chat".
 


keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,630
Whether you careless about the abuse or not, it is still abuse and homophobia is against the law and should be dealt with accordingly.

Indeed. It's against the law, and the FA are trying to crack down on it. You could argue if someone see's it then they have a duty to report it, like you would if you saw someone burgling a house.
It might not affect you personally but i'd suggest it reflects pretty badly on someone who get's wound up because other people have reported alleged homophobic abuse.
 


Arthur

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
8,537
Buxted Harbour
Rightfully so? Have you read today's Arsegas? I guess that it quotes from this report, but it includes complaints including the following, 'a player was said to have rubbed his hands up and down his backside in front of Albion fans', and that 'at Blackburn two Albion fans were said to have been attacked although no action was taken'. WTF? Perhaps the player was wiping mud off his hands, probably not, but Jeez we sound a soft bunch of liberal idiots. Fans said to have been attacked but not even officially reported I guess. So no proof of attack but it was linked to homophobia in what way exactly?

Perhaps fans in the Northwest should claim some kind of hate crime when we call them lazy, workshy thieves? Or those fans following Bristol or East Anglican clubs should waste police time by complaining about being stereotyped as country bumpkins?

Personally I am fed up by the likes of Sarah Watts and Liz Costa claiming to speak for the majority of Albion fans. They are living in the past when they were loud voices in a small number, when their views were more representative of a small fan base. Now their friendly supporters group are no longer relevant to the majority of Albion fans who have more important things in life in life to be 'furious' about than a couple of hundred opposition fans singing songs at the other end of the ground in response to our chants about them.

If I get flamed I couldn't care less. Carry on now.

No flaming from me. 100% spot on!
 




Brovion

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 6, 2003
19,322
Whether you careless about the abuse or not, it is still abuse and homophobia is against the law and should be dealt with accordingly.
How is it homophobic? the chant "Does your boyfriend know you're here" (mentioned in the BBC report) could be aimed at our female fans (My daughter often replies "Yes, he does actually!"). Likewise "We can see you holding hands", well my wife and I often hold hands. Even the more crude ones about sexual practices aren't necessarily homophobic as heterosexual couples also often partake of those activities. (I won't repeat them here)
 


If we are trying to banish homophobia, there's surely no harm in a public debate about what it is, how prevalent it is at football matches, how affected football fans are when they encounter it, and what should be done about it?
 



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