We need to talk about England fans.

[chicoazul]

There’s a discussion going on in the Euro Knockout thread but that will close and this is a wider, long standing issue.

During this tournament we’ve witnessed their own players being booed for taking a knee, others national anthems roundly booed, ticket gates being stormed, scores of anti social behaviour committed in this own home city and so much racial abuse handed to their own and others.

As their detractors will point off this is not one off, it’s a continual theme and wider scale than pretty much anyone else so whataboutism simply doesn’t work. As it’s consistent, widespread and seemingly embarrassing to other England fans we can only assume the decent fans must be in the minority and unable to look after their own.

Measures need to be taken to change the direction and send a clear message this behaviour will not be tolerated again. Perhaps a ban from a tournament or two may give people some thinking time and encourage other fans to finally own the problem.

 

[tim gabbott]

 

[f.t.r.s]

I wouldn't ban that national side....

But I'd definitely consider banning fans....
We all saw the same behaviour by kopites in Athens but did anything happen? Nope

I also agree with zaha that there's no point in taking the knee anymore...
It's become a political, empty gesture...
More effort needs to be done in dealing with offenders...

At it's core it's basic, embarrassing behaviour....but what do we expect when our media pushes racism and xenophobia every day?
Guarantee you won't open a newspaper without at least one story about Muslims, or immigrants etc being shown in a negative light....
Racism and xenophobia keeps people apart...and we all know people divided are easier to control in the long run..

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Bring back national service. People in this country need to learn discipline and respect.

 

[jaycee]

Does this translate to other sports? I dont watch cricket or rugby, I have seen clips of the barmy army in Australia singing about convicts, so is it a football,working class problem or is it highlighted more because it's the nation game

 

[Simon Buttle]

I don't know if it has any bearing on things, but one thing you always notice with England fans is that it's not ever really PL fans (I'm sure there some that follow the national team) When you see all the flags in the crowd it's all for stuff like Luton Town, Mansfield, Keely Town (no idea who they are tbf) Northampton, Wealdstone FC, I think WBA was the most notable team flag I saw. It's like all these lower league fans come out and are looking for something to cling on to as they know there own team will never do anything so they just go mental.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

Does this translate to other sports? I dont watch cricket or rugby, I have seen clips of the barmy army in Australia singing about convicts, so is it a football,working class problem or is it highlighted more because it's the nation game

We've done far worse in Australia than sing about convicts tbh mate. Were they offended by those chants though ? cos as I remember they all thought them to be hilariously banterish & befitting of ringing out from Yabba's Hill, in a way that pays homage to the man the hill was named after.
It's cos they arent soft arse offended by anything's down there.
If 'we came here with backpacks... you in balls & chains' is offensive now then the world really is broken.

 

[kev]

Does this translate to other sports? I dont watch cricket or rugby, I have seen clips of the barmy army in Australia singing about convicts, so is it a football,working class problem or is it highlighted more because it's the nation game

It's a disgrace and it's a national problem, nothing whatsoever to do with sport or 'class'

 

[chicoazul]

The longer heads are planted in the sand every time this happens the more it will continue. Decades and counting, it’s no wonder the English are widely despised.

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

A blind man on a galloping horse could've seen this events unravelling.
Wembley obviously isn't fit for its purpose.
Don't blame the stewards on minimum wages.
Shut Wembley down?(Corruption at its best,along with the Olympic stadium and that millennium dome).
England's shame?

 

[Baines' left foot]

I’ve never felt like an England fan. The way they behave screams Brexit Tory Britain. No accountability, they do whatever the f*** they want, and laugh in your face whilst doing it. They steal tickets and seats from their own fans, boo anti racist movements, call little girls slûts and spit in the faces of women.

I never want to be associated with that. No other nation’s teams behave like that anywhere to the scale that these freaks do. But is it really that surprising when we have a right wing government in charge? This is what happens when there’s no accountability for awful behaviour.

In a way I’m very glad Italy won, as it’s helped direct a giant spotlight on the abhorrent behaviour of Neanderthals and thanks to the power of social media the whole world can see it. Hopefully the police spend months using various footage to arrest and punish these low lives.

 

[jaycee]

We've done far worse in Australia than sing about convicts tbh mate. Were they offended by those chants though ? cos as I remember they all thought them to be hilariously banterish & befitting of ringing out from Yabba's Hill, in a way that pays homage to the man the hill was named after.
It's cos they arent soft arse offended by anything's down there.
If 'we came here with backpacks... you in balls & chains' is offensive now then the world really is broken.

Yeah what I'm saying is that's the only time I have heard similar in other sports, like I said I dont watch them,I don't know if the Aussies were offended or not,it was just an example ,I have never noticed other sportsmen/teams get the abuse that regularly happens in football and that's the point I was trying to make

 

[jaycee]

It's a disgrace and it's a national problem, nothing whatsoever to do with sport or 'class'

Where have I said it's not a disgrace,I asked why it only seems to raise its ugly head at football,traditionally a working class game

 

[Dixie_Toffee]

No bans have ever sorted out anything. It's just a way for the federations and authorities to claim that they did something when actually it's 100% boll-ocks with no effect.

 

[degsy]

There’s a discussion going on in the Euro Knockout thread but that will close and this is a wider, long standing issue.

During this tournament we’ve witnessed their own players being booed for taking a knee, others national anthems roundly booed, ticket gates being stormed, scores of anti social behaviour committed in this own home city and so much racial abuse handed to their own and others.

As their detractors will point off this is not one off, it’s a continual theme and wider scale than pretty much anyone else so whataboutism simply doesn’t work. As it’s consistent, widespread and seemingly embarrassing to other England fans we can only assume the decent fans must be in the minority and unable to look after their own.

Measures need to be taken to change the direction and send a clear message this behaviour will not be tolerated again. Perhaps a ban from a tournament or two may give people some thinking time and encourage other fans to finally own the problem.

While we might watch the later rounds on tv, all the recent carry on proves we were right to swerve the whole En-ger-land / london centric thing.

Edit; in the brief clip I saw on the news a couple of plastic screens on a stand, like a 6ft fire guard doesn't seem proper ticket security