Forget those violent racists, the true England fans have a desire to unite, not divide
THE last thing you would have expected the FA to be doing after that trip to Seville was apologising.
A superb performance by the youngest England side this century, a typically humble response from their manager and Eric Dier taking out Sergio Ramos like Bambi’s mum.
What’s to apologise for? Oh, yes, the fans. Or rather a minority of drunken inadequates who chose to rearrange bar furniture, vandalise cars and abuse passers-by while singing No Surrender and
F*** the Pope in a Catholic country, which drew the riot police.
And this FA statement: “We condemn the unacceptable behaviour and urge those following the team to respect our hosts.”
Funny how they didn’t need to condemn anyone in Russia, a country where the hosts threatened to attack first and ask questions later in hospitals or gulags. Hard lads, them.
The truth is, no matter how well the majority behave, there are always some who want to confirm the stereotype of the violent, racist English football fan.
Last weekend, the selfstyled Democratic Football Lads’ Alliance had their own ugly clashes with the police, in London, as they protested “returning jihadists, AWOL migrants, rape gangs and groomers”.
They’re a bunch of neofascists looking to recruit white, working-class football fans the way the National Front did in the 80s when they leafleted outside grounds. But they couldn’t be less representative of today’s fan bases where there is a growing desire to unite, not divide, communities. Take Fans Supporting Foodbanks, who tomorrow hold their second annual conference, discussing ways they can get more supporters helping the poor at a time when austerity has pushed many families into despair.
More than 100 fans, from clubs including Newcastle, Huddersfield, West Ham, Liverpool, Everton, Manchester United and Sunderland will meet in Liverpool’s St George’s Hall, to celebrate the effectiveness of fan activism in the local community and how to extend it. The idea started across the Mersey divide when Spirit of Shankly’s Ian Byrne and Blue Union’s Dave Kelly were horrified at the queues they were witnessing outside local food banks. They started putting wheelie-bins outside pubs on match-days, adopted the slogan “Hunger Doesn’t Wear Club Colours”, promoted themselves on social media and soon Everton and Liverpool were on board, with staff and players promoting the scheme. Backed by the Football Supporters’ Federation, other foodbanks were set up at clubs across the land and the concept has now spread to Ireland. They have no paid workers, but simply rely on the generosity and time of fellow fans to make it work. And it has worked. The Liverpool and Everton matchday foodbanks now provide more than 20 per cent of North Liverpool’s total supply, while Newcastle United’s contribute more than 30 per cent of their city’s.
During the World Cup, Dave and Ian approached Liverpool’s Muslim leaders, who agreed to set up food banks in the Abdullah Quilliam mosque during screenings of evening games, inviting fans of all races and religions to come together to watch football while helping the hungry.
It was an attempt to pull down the walls of racism and show what unites footballlovers is far more important than what divides us.
Fan groups inspired by the initiative have taken the lead on other social issues, such as period poverty and mental health. As Ian Byrne says: “With brutal council cuts football fans are becoming the safety net for the most vulnerable. We’re putting into action what David Cameron’s Big Society was supposed to be about. Who’d have thought that?”
The people at tomorrow’s conference deserve our praise and support for seeking to bring the best out of fellow fans by helping to unite their communities. As opposed to the far-right groups attempting to bring the worst out of them by preying on the fear and hatred that divides us.
I know who represents me most – and every other fan I go to matches with.