Racism in Football

[Zatman]

I couldnt find a thread for this previously but has been 2 high profile incidents in the Premier League in last 2 weekends and I was wondering if this was something that people do hear at games even at Villa Park. Its an issue in some countries but it always seemed cleaned up in England especially in the Premier League with the media all over it. 

I also don't believe Brexit is the reason for this and thats a lazy excuse by journalists to cover themselves and also would you say something to somebody if you heard abuse. As a photo is circulating of a steward laughing while Sterling is being abused, the steward is also black.

[villalad21]

I don't think it's a problem. There will always be that tiny minority that will do something really stupid, but as a whole for the majority of people racism is a non issue.

 

[Stevo985]

It's less of a problem, but it definitely still exists.

It's rare that you hear it in the stands. In all the times going to Villa I've only heard it once, and that was away at the Emirates. I heard some word removed shouting from somewhere behind me at Alex Song that he was a dirty animal. 

I think the issues that Sterling has highlighted recently are absolutely true. It's undeniable that the media treats black footballers differently, even if a lot of the time they don't even realise they're doing it.

 

Brexit isn't the cause. Brexit is just another symptom that goes hand in hand with Racism. The media isn't the only cause, but particularly outlets like The S*n and the Daily Mail have a LOT to answer for on both Racism in Football and Brexit. They both stem from the same anti-immigration, little England, brown people are bad mindset that those papers help to push.

[villa4europe]

it still exists but i think its less accepted then it is in every day life, somebody shouting something racist inside VP is certainly less likely to be tolerated than a racist joke in an office for example

i think you could make a case for it being less prevalent in football* which considering the gang mentality and some of the utter dregs that football attracts is pretty good going, i dont think the tag of "racism problem" is always fair

* by that i mean top level football, im sure when they put the stats together they add in lower league and sunday league, i can imagine there are some proper horrible ignorant bastards playing in sunday leagues who spout all kinds of bile 

[StefanAVFC]

Brexit didn't cause it but it empowered idiots who held those views anyway, that they can do or say what they want.

[YLN]

This guy Colin Wing released a statement today. He's pictured shouting abuse at Sterling at the weekend. 

"I’m deeply ashamed by my own behaviour and I feel really bad, but I didn’t call him a black c***, I called him a Manc c***," he said.

 

"I was completely out of order, but I’ve lost my job and my season ticket now so everybody’s got what they wanted. So why can’t they leave me alone?"

Can't help but feel a little sorry for him. Yeah he's obviously an idiot, but there's a lot worse being shouted further up in the stands. Lost his job and season ticket. An example has been made. It's the kind of witch hunt though that could ruin his life completely. Death threats etc. 

[lapal_fan]

13 minutes ago, YLN said:

This guy Colin Wing released a statement today. He's pictured shouting abuse at Sterling at the weekend. 

"I’m deeply ashamed by my own behaviour and I feel really bad, but I didn’t call him a black c***, I called him a Manc c***," he said.

 

"I was completely out of order, but I’ve lost my job and my season ticket now so everybody’s got what they wanted. So why can’t they leave me alone?"

Can't help but feel a little sorry for him. Yeah he's obviously an idiot, but there's a lot worse being shouted further up in the stands. Lost his job and season ticket. An example has been made. It's the kind of witch hunt though that could ruin his life completely. Death threats etc. 

Yea, I have sympathy, but he was old enough and stupid enough to know better. 

But to completely ruin his life is stupid.  But if he worked for your company, would you want him representing you and your companies values?  Probably not. 

[YLN]

23 minutes ago, lapal_fan said:

Yea, I have sympathy, but he was old enough and stupid enough to know better. 

But to completely ruin his life is stupid.  But if he worked for your company, would you want him representing you and your companies values?  Probably not. 

Definitely I think him being sacked was inevitable. Whether the punishment fits the crime is irrelevant; anyone associated with him, especially in business, needs to be seen to distance themselves or they get caught up in this man's dreadful next few months until it all blows over. 

I think the attention being drawn to forms of racism that aren't as obvious as someone having a racial slur screamed in their face is a good thing. Comparing how Raheem and Foden are treated by the same newspaper is quite enlightening. The Daily Mail doesn't run stories like that [only] because they are inherently racist. They are a business first and foremost and they know that there is an appetite for stories that paint black players in a negative light, and by contrast white players in a positive one. If they didn't think their readers wanted to have confirmed for them their prejudices about young black English footballers and their lifestyles, they wouldn't post these articles.

 

[Mark Albrighton]

Don’t believe I’ve heard any racism at Villa Park. I have a mate who claims he heard something said 10-15 years ago by an individual. Not sure exactly what he thinks he heard, but he said the person was asked to repeat what he said and the reply was something less offensive. 

I find I’m more likely to overhear a racist comment if there’s a televised match on in a pub.

[villa4europe]

i've never heard any

and i think it would take a brave soul in the holte end to shout you black word removed at a player, i genuinely think people wouldnt stand for it and you would get a shoeing, it wouldn't be accepted

[LakotaDakota]

Another trial by twitter/media on this guy, Nobody will ever know if he says manc or black and there is a huge difference but it doesn't matter now as it has already been decided he is guilty and newspapers are putting photos of his house online...

I'm betting every single person on here has shouted abuse at a player at some point, Imagine if this was you because you shouted F**king Snake word removed or some such thing at Delph and someone caught it on tv and accused you of saying black instead of snake...

Go to any non league game upwards and there are loads of people hurling abuse at opposition/their own players every single game.

Every single corner/throw in is the same and Villa Park is no different. If clubs threw everyone out for shouting and screaming at players there would be some very empty grounds.

Not heard anything colour based but have heard loads of Welsh/Irish/Scottish/Spanish/French C**ts etc everywhere including overseas games.

 

As for the banana guy i honestly think he just had it in his hand and chucked it in the direction of the Aresenal players celebratig in front of him knowing it wouldn't cause any harm if it hit someone. Look at the photos, Sure Aubameyang is there but so is Ramsey is jumping on his shoulders and Bellerin/Mkhitaryan are both there piling on when they guy chucked it.

He would have thrown it anyway regardless of Aubameyang being part of the celebration or not.

 

We have had people throwing vegetables at our own manager this year and some of the things screamed at Bruce are not for the feint hearted, and as for the stuff online/twitter etc......

Would nobody be allowed to shout at him if he was black?

Wait until West brom start getting hammered and the fans decide that they have had enough of Darren Moore...

Edited December 11, 2018 by LakotaDakota

[Dr_Pangloss]

Some seem to be inferring that shouting at black players is 'racism', this is simply wrong, players of all colours get dogs abuse, it's worrying that this argument seems to have legs tbh. 

[Mark Albrighton]

I think if you throw anything onto the pitch, you deserve what’s coming to you. If you throw a banana and you have no idea of the racial connotations of doing that, then you’re a ****ing moron.

I’ve shouted abuse at players.  It’s never been directly in front of a player’s face like the Sterling incident, it’s typically thirty rows away. I don’t think I’d ever say anything to a player if he was in ear shot, or would want to. Maybe a playful “wahey!!” if he slipped or something. 

As for content, wordsmith that I am, it’s never been more than a concise  “**** off”. Regardless of their race.

Edited December 11, 2018 by Shropshire Lad

[a m ole]

It’s pretty clear to me that in the video he says ‘black’ and the ‘manc’ line is damage limitation.

[AVFC_Hitz]

Around ten years ago I heard some horrific stuff at a Chesterfield match. It involved the word monkey and the N word and went on until a steward escorted him out. It was strange because no one stopped him, but as he was 20m further on down the stand it was then that people shouted "**** off you racist clearing in the woods".

Which comes on to..would you confront someone being openly racist at a game?

 

[Keyblade]

4 hours ago, LakotaDakota said:

Another trial by twitter/media on this guy, Nobody will ever know if he says manc or black and there is a huge difference

Well Sterling heard it, and his reaction seems to indicate he didn't say 'Manc'. 

Absolutely no sympathy from me. **** a racist, especially a grown ass man shouting abuse at a young lad doing his job.

I don't get the point you're making. Everything you mentioned is bad and shouldn't even take place in football in the first place, so I'm not sure how it excuses what this Chelsea fan did?

[Zatman]

Dave Kitson on talksport has said Sterking social media activity has led to this. He has been understandably slaughtered with Tyrone Mings cancelling an interview with station. 

This is the same Dave Kitson who thought ginger abuse should be considered racist 

[Keyblade]

27 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Dave Kitson on talksport has said Sterking social media activity has led to this. He has been understandably slaughtered with Tyrone Mings cancelling an interview with station. 

This is the same Dave Kitson who thought ginger abuse should be considered racist 

Meanwhile, on Kitson's Instagram

 

There's always an excuse for racism isn't there. 

[blandy]

14 hours ago, YLN said:

Whether the punishment fits the crime is irrelevant;

I don’t think it is. It never should be. I’m not defending the utter tube, but I’d rather he be treated appropriately than some public court of this moments outrage. Racism is just sick, as is racist abuse, yet punishment should still fit the crime, and education should be part of that. 

[Keyblade]

20 minutes ago, blandy said:

I don’t think it is. It never should be. I’m not defending the utter tube, but I’d rather he be treated appropriately than some public court of this moments outrage. Racism is just sick, as is racist abuse, yet punishment should still fit the crime, and education should be part of that. 

I don't really see it as punishment, more that a company is making the business decision to no longer associate with an individual that hurts their image.

Most companies advocate for inclusivity and against discrimination nowadays, so harboring a publicly outed racist would obviously go against that.