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An American view of football







Tyrone Biggums

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2006
13,498
Geelong, Australia
I posted something in the other thread along the lines of not understanding the whole segregation mentality.

It seems Football is one of the few sports where the fans are required to be split up.

From someone who attends a wide range of other sports where fans of both sides are not segregated it seems rather childish in its modern day context.

Is segregation something which still exists because there's a small minority who are too immature to attend a sporting event without causing trouble?
 


seagully

Cock-knobs!
Jun 30, 2006
2,953
Battle
I posted something in the other thread along the lines of not understanding the whole segregation mentality.

It seems Football is one of the few sports where the fans are required to be split up.

From someone who attends a wide range of other sports where fans of both sides are not segregated it seems rather childish in its modern day context.

Is segregation something which still exists because there's a small minority who are too immature to attend a sporting event without causing trouble?

Without segregation, the atmosphere would die. I would not want to attend a game mixed in with fans of the opposition, it would lead to a very sterile atmosphere IMO rather than much trouble
 


HawkTheSeagull

New member
Jan 31, 2012
9,122
Eastbourne
Without segregation, the atmosphere would die. I would not want to attend a game mixed in with fans of the opposition, it would lead to a very sterile atmosphere IMO rather than much trouble

This, though I'd love to see them try a Brighton/Palace game where were all mixed !! A few other games could be rather tasty too !!
 


piersa

Well-known member
Apr 17, 2011
3,155
London
I posted something in the other thread along the lines of not understanding the whole segregation mentality.

It seems Football is one of the few sports where the fans are required to be split up.

From someone who attends a wide range of other sports where fans of both sides are not segregated it seems rather childish in its modern day context.

Is segregation something which still exists because there's a small minority who are too immature to attend a sporting event without causing trouble?

That makes sense, which is unusual for you :)
 




Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,133
Surrey
Without segregation, the atmosphere would die. I would not want to attend a game mixed in with fans of the opposition, it would lead to a very sterile atmosphere IMO rather than much trouble

I largely agree, although I'd quite like to see neutral areas made available. Often there are matches that are very much family affairs in the stands - I'm unlikely to want to slap my brother or my dad when we play Southampton, for example.
 




Arthur

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
8,546
Buxted Harbour
This, though I'd love to see them try a Brighton/Palace game where were all mixed !! A few other games could be rather tasty too !!

Dagenham tried it a couple of years back. They were playing someone daft like Accrington or similar (someone from miles away who would have bought 50 fans top). Accrington scored a last minute winner, their fans who had gone on stood on the popular terrace on the side celebrated and there was a punch up!

So it doesn't have to be a game with allot riding on it or a local rivalry. Passions will run high what ever the game. Take that out of the game and what will you have?? Rugby! **** that!

Interesting article though, discredited a bit as they used Mark "rent-a-quote" Perryman. If anyone wants a definition of a plastic football fan it's him!
 




Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
61,727
Location Location
What a great article. Excellent read, thanks for posting it. It does give the impression of every game being like a warzone, which obviously these days it isn't, but its fascinating to read their perspective on our game.

"People go into this crazed tribal mode, and you can get this mood of hate,” said John Carlin, an English journalist who writes frequently about soccer. He described the way fans celebrate goals as “orgasmic rage.”

Orgasmic rage, thats a perfect description. :lolol:

Its the rarity value of a goal that gives the celebration its intensity, being as you go to the game not even knowing if you're going to see one. American sports, on the whole, have "points diarohhea", the team always scores at some point, often frequently, so a score in an american sport is never quite such a big deal as a goal in football. I can well see how an american would stand there completely bemused at how absolutely MENTAL we go when a goal is scored.

Having shown and described our football with an american, it was the fan culture which she found the most amazing thing. The chanting, the abuse, the pisstaking - americans really do find it incredible how football fans here behave, the intensity of the atmosphere at games is something that just does not happen in american sports, its totally alien to them. All they do at their sports is cheer and get behind their team, the concept of a crowd actually openly abusing opposition fans or teams/players en-masse simply does not exist. When I took the missus to her first ever game at the Goldstone, and she's never been a football fan, it wasn't the match she was interested in, it was the banter between fans. She was absolutely curling up at the chanting (some of which I had to decipher for her).

Football is so bloody great, I think we forget that sometimes.
 


Publius Ovidius

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
45,964
at home
that is quite a brilliant article...the newcastle 3 course meal....a pie, a vodka based drink and a twix...hahahahahahaha
 






withdeanwombat

Well-known member
Feb 17, 2005
8,694
Somersetshire
Yes,but............

Football was even better in the sixties and seventies,when you had terraces,tackles, a proper offside rule,football specials,mud,orange balls in the (health and safety free) snow. Food poisoning from hotdogs and burgers made from pig snouts and offal. Open, cold,windy terraces. Northampton on bleak February Wednesday evenings. Latrines behind the stands,or that wall....The ref put a few names in his book and often you didn't know. Added time ? You jest ! Ten minutes of solid whistling when you were one up at 4.30 on a Saturday. Match of the day. Saturday at 3.00. No Sky.
 


Gazwag

5 millionth post poster
Mar 4, 2004
30,122
Bexhill-on-Sea
Its no surprise Americans don't understand "soccer" crowds, their chanting consists of "Let's Go "insert team nickname" Let's Go", a few organ recitals and a bit of hankerchief waving. Stadiums are filled with 99.999% home fans and the game is just a thing going on whilst the fans are eating and drink for a couple of hours.
 


Tyrone Biggums

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2006
13,498
Geelong, Australia
Without segregation, the atmosphere would die. I would not want to attend a game mixed in with fans of the opposition, it would lead to a very sterile atmosphere IMO rather than much trouble

Why would it die?

Other sports around the world show you can have a brilliant atmosphere with fans of both teams sitting among each other.

Surely these very same football fans help create the atmosphere at rugby matches, cricket matches etc
 




seagully

Cock-knobs!
Jun 30, 2006
2,953
Battle
Why would it die?

Other sports around the world show you can have a brilliant atmosphere with fans of both teams sitting among each other.

Surely these very same football fans help create the atmosphere at rugby matches, cricket matches etc


For me, a large part of the atmosphere is created through the tribal nature of the sport-banter between opposing sets of fans. I can't see how this would carry on if segregation was removed. The last thing I would want in a football stadium is an atmosphere akin to a cricket or rugby match.
 


red star portslade

New member
Jul 8, 2012
1,882
Hove innit
Even though it's about Pompey, it's a great read from an Americans perspective.

download (23).jpg
 


Gazwag

5 millionth post poster
Mar 4, 2004
30,122
Bexhill-on-Sea
Surely these very same football fans help create the atmosphere at rugby matches, cricket matches etc

You don't get forced segregation BUT the vocal fans of each team sit together, therefore segregate themselves, in effect.

I think there is confusion between actual segregation due to the law (football matches) and natural segregation.
 


W.C.

New member
Oct 31, 2011
4,927
Quite liked this :

'One man sitting near me was uttering a torrent of profane anti-Wenger imprecations in a low monotone, in the manner of a psychotic cattle auctioneer narrating a pornographic movie. '
 




Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
50,092
Goldstone
Good article.
I posted something in the other thread along the lines of not understanding the whole segregation mentality.
Most games in the US are so far apart they have a tiny away following, and therefore they never have any chanting at the opposition, or violence. They don't need segregation. Thankfully it's much better over here.

Without segregation, the atmosphere would die. I would not want to attend a game mixed in with fans of the opposition, it would lead to a very sterile atmosphere IMO rather than much trouble
Exactly.

Why would it die?

Other sports around the world show you can have a brilliant atmosphere with fans of both teams sitting among each other.

Surely these very same football fans help create the atmosphere at rugby matches, cricket matches etc
Atmosphere at cricket matches? That's a new one on me. Cricket, Rugby, and US sports need goal music etc, because without it they're completely flat.

Without the atmosphere you might as well watch the game at home - which is exactly what most people do with rugby, cricket, and US sports.
 
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seagully

Cock-knobs!
Jun 30, 2006
2,953
Battle
Atmosphere at cricket matches? That's a new one on me. Cricket, Rugby, and US sports need goal music etc, because without it they're completely flat.

Without the atmosphere you might as well watch the game at home - which is exactly what most people do with rugby, cricket, and US sports.

This.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good cricket match but the 'atmosphere' can hardly be likened to a football match.
 


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