to quote a so called fan "I hope your kid dies of cancer." (Football in General)

Name: deets

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Product:	Football in General
Date:	20/12/01 (365 review reads)
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Repugnant actions in the title huh? Well this is just an example of the topic i am writing on, the nasty side of football. To be honest I really wasn't sure if I should use this in the title, it really is that offensive, but as it was an example of the abuse directed towards David Beckham and I thought it went to shows extremely well the levels that football sometimes sinks to. I don't care what he did during the last world cup, no human should have to put up with abuse like that, and it wasn't just the odd voice, it was said by hundreds, if not thousands of so called football fans. He also had to deal with his effigy being hung from pub signs across the country, may not sound too harsh but imagine it actually happening to you. Its actions like this that make me shake my head and wonder what the hell has happened to us.

Another example is the recent treatment of Sol Campbell on his return to Spurs ground as an Arsenal player in the recent London derby. Someone had gone to the lengths to make up "Judas" balloons to float around the stadium before the game. Sol showed his class though by not letting it get to him, god only knows how he did that. I am totally aware of the London rivalry between spurs and Arsenal, I am from London stock who lived just yards from Highbury, Arsenals ground for those that don't know, but I was a minor spurs fan until the recent incidents. I just gave up, got sick of it, there was no point supporting a team when things get taken to this level. A bit of fun and harmless booing is to be expected, but it was carried on much further than that and to a player who had served spurs so well. It wasn't just abuse for Sol during the game, the Arsenal team bus was also attacked after the game as well, not something I expect was too pleasant for those involved. Now luckily I wasn't a crazed "fan" who had to stick with spurs no matter what, in fact most of the matches I used to go and see were Arsena

l, but now I just watch whoever is playing and just enjoy the football being played, I have given up following anyone team.

Of course its not just domestic football that shows the nasty side of the game, the embarrassing scenes of over weight men throwing chairs at rival fans these last few tournaments has also shown the dark side to the sport. Maybe this summer things will be okay, the distance of the world cup (Japan and Korea for those living under their floorboards) plus the extreme cost of beer (think I saw £6 for a Guinness) will hopefully prevent the usual activities of certain young men who like to try and smash the heads in off the opposing teams supporters before and after a game. Ill be the first to admit that the problems of violence seem to be getting less and less, but you just know that these pillocks are always just lurking behind the scenes, never going too far and always come out to play their tribalistic macho games whenever England is in the international spot light again. Every time I spoke to a football fan while I lived in the US, the first thing they mentioned was the English hooligan problem, it really does seem to have stuck with us. Which is a shame, but we cant blame anyone but the thugs that fought in an England shirt at all of the major tournaments we have been in for the last few years.

I just don't get it. I have friends the same age as me who just turn into what can only be describe as as*holes when they get wound up about football. I remember watching the European cup final from a couple of years ago when Manchester United came back from 1-0 to score 2 goals in the final minutes to win the European cup, for me this was one of the best nights of European football I can remember (partly thanks to the lengthy ban of English teams during most of my childhood). My brother and I were running about screaming when they scored the second goal, it was truly amazing. Yet the next day when i spoke to my friend, he was
extr
emely upset about it. He hates Manchester United with this strange passion, why I do not know, at first I thought he was kidding, but he was truly upset that they had won. I do not get this mentality, an English team had just won the most important club cup in the world (arguably) but due to his unexplainable dislike of Manchester United, he seriously wanted Bayern Munich to win and in my opinion didn't share one the best highs I have experienced through watching football. How can a real football fan do this? Manchester United has given us some of the highest quality football I have seen and have raised the profile of the English game across the world. Now not liking them is one thing, but to hope they loose to a foreign team is just crazy.

Now I also want to balance this up a bit to be fair. Its by no means all football supporters who take their support to such levels, most fans go along and watch the game and get passionate about it and go home after a good days entertainment. But it doesn't take many to spoil it. The last match I went to at Arsenal I had a sweet old lady behind me who as soon as the match started used vocabulary more akin to the film Goodfellas and at the volume of someone who was good at shouting very loud. Now I expect to hear colourful language at a game, but even this bothered me somewhat, to this day its actions like that that have put me off taking my girl to see a game. Anyway, ballsack I digress; I was supposed to be being fair! Well I don't know exactly how many fans go and watch football each week, but I would guess 99% of them go and see the game and come back without causing any problems and I am sure most grounds are a lot more family friendly than they were 10 years ago. I'm not having a crack at those who have supported their team for years and scream and shout week in and week out, its those who let their so called "love of the game" allow themselves to hate and be so scarily negative t
owards other people
.

I know football is just the outlet and really its a social problem, young men and alcohol and the frenzy of the group can lead to nasty problems. But its more out of the ground you see it, so many people consumed with hate and negativity towards another team for whatever reason, it cant be good for people. I know this might get some flack, especially as I seem to be sticking up for Manchester United and this alone will probably get my some "not useful" ratings, but i wanted to voice my opinion about a sport I otherwise love. I only hope its taken in the manner which it was inteded, its not a dig at the regular fan. I wish I had some solutions to the problem and I can only hope that things keep going in the right direction and one-day England and English teams are only remembered for their actions on the pitch rather than for the thugs off it.

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