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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be disgusted by my own city?

303 replies

DelRaya · 07/07/2018 23:02

Seen lovely footage of fans “celebrating” by smashing up a taxi ... jumping up and down on it, completely smashed the windscreen. All done with a large crowd watching them and singing.

Jumping up and down on bus shelters, again smashing them to pieces.

I’m so utterly disgraced with my hometown.

OP posts:
PomBearWithoutHerOFRS · 08/07/2018 00:03

A relative of mine is a probation officer and apparently the levels of domestic violence, as well as several "petty" offences go through the roof when England play.
She is hoping for wins though because "less permanent damage/death" to the partners happens when they winSad whereas when they lose, their office expects at least two deaths Sad

crazycatgal · 08/07/2018 00:05

@RainbowsAndSmiles It was 11.30 and they were shouting for around 15 minutes whilst walking through a residential area. Of course that's a bad thing, it's hot, people have their windows open and want to sleep.

And yes my part about the drunk yobbos ruining stuff is based on more than shouting. Articles and pictures of criminal damage have already been shared on this thread. These aren't isolated incidents.

WrongOnTheInternet · 08/07/2018 00:05

Following Rainbows and Helena, there have been a few other mumsnet threads on the bloody football. Such as this one www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3297156-To-be-sick-of-this-its-coming-home-nonsense

The number of people coming on to tell those of us that make the obvious link between football and violence or complain about the overpowering presence of one bloody stupid game that we were just unpatriotic (well, they got that right: patriotism and patriarchy have the same root so I don't feel particularly obliged) misery guts who shouldn't spoil other people's fun was quite astonishing.

wakemeupbefore · 08/07/2018 00:07

Such is the - deserved - image of an Englishman nowdays. No longer gentelman abroad, the wit, rancoteur, the noblesse oblige.... a hooligan and a lout Hmm.

MissVanjie · 08/07/2018 00:09

Totally agree with justtheonequestion

It’s embarrassing.

SarfE4sticated · 08/07/2018 00:12

I hate it too Itchy. No matter how nice some football fans might be individually, they really put the wind up en masse.

NeffSaid · 08/07/2018 00:13

PomBear Sad Gosh that’s just awful to think about.

I’m English but live in Scotland. Several of my friends here have expressed surprise that I was supporting Sweden today, but this thread is why.

madamginger · 08/07/2018 00:13

Manchester council have refused to show the match on the big screens for this very reason. They’ve said they are unwilling to pay the cost for all the extra security and police needed for crowd control and excessive drinkers.
Good on them I say, but the locals are going mad and the local paper is ‘campaigning’ to get the semifinals shown.

RainbowsAndSmiles · 08/07/2018 00:14

A relative of mine is a probation officer and apparently the levels of domestic violence, as well as several "petty" offences go through the roof when England play

You'll always get dickheads with everything. What do you do, ban it for everyone because of the actions of a knobhead minority?
Plenty of football fans out there who can appreciate and follow it nicely and not get pissed up and go on the rampage.

WrongOnTheInternet · 08/07/2018 00:16

They are not a small minority. Manchester, Derby and Nottingham have been mentioned. Every single football game in England requires extra policing. Violence and football go together like fish and chips.

Sorry for the shouting but I am seriously getting sick of minimised violence. Ched Evans anyone?

RainbowsAndSmiles · 08/07/2018 00:17

@RainbowsAndSmiles It was 11.30 and they were shouting for around 15 minutes whilst walking through a residential area. Of course that's a bad thing, it's hot, people have their windows open and want to sleep

We live near a town centre. It stands to reason on a weekend when people are walking home from a night out they're going to be loud coming down our street. We've got windows open as it's bloody hot here tonight.
If all they're doing is singing loudly and celebrating I don't see the problem. I like hearing people happy.

IsabelleSE19 · 08/07/2018 00:18

Just throne question You don't know much about Italian football fans then?!

Justtheonequestion · 08/07/2018 00:19

It's just the fucking ridiculous noise they make when they open their mouths, like they're trying to sound deliberately thick. Then followed by some shite such as 'ooh ooh ooh' and random clapping followed by a group of males making bonding noises.
Honestly I'd rather spend a night with the apes in our local zoo. It appears the demographic for supporters tonight is low intelligence, low class, men with no aptitude for basic English except to grunt and swear and pour pints down their throats. It really is awful. My nephew plays football for a team and the dads are the same on the side lines. It's like testosterone gone wrong.

Want2bSupermum · 08/07/2018 00:19

I'm in America and have avoided coming home this weekend and next weekend. I live in a town known for its drinking. Paddys Day has been shut down and Super Bowl is heavily policed. We don't have these problems of ambulance and police vehicles being damaged because they are arrested well before it gets to that stage. The punishments are also very harsh. Kid caught drunk and urinating in public was given 1000 hours of community service as it was his 2nd offense and his lawyer tried to get him off.

The problem is the complete lack of police.

Justtheonequestion · 08/07/2018 00:19

They don't act like total chavs Isabelle. Whomever called them 'gammons' had it bang on.

RainbowsAndSmiles · 08/07/2018 00:19

Ched Evans anyone?

That wasn't a football game or their supporters. That was an individual footballer and his horrible antics.

Justtheonequestion · 08/07/2018 00:21

The problem is the complete lack of police.

No, the problem is English men making the choice to intoxicate themselves and behave in an antisocial way, because they use football as an excuse to adopt such behaviour thus creating a group identity whereby it becomes acceptable inside the culture to reject all basic social norms and behaviour expectations 'because of the match'.

WrongOnTheInternet · 08/07/2018 00:22

It's normal! Wake up and smell the coffee! It's endemic in the game. Endemic in men in this country to be honest - it's not just the lack of police. Disgustingly toxic masculinity in this country.

Anyway I'm off to bed so I'll leave you all to enjoy the alpha male shit slinging if they actually do win this bloody trophy they go on about. Goddess help us all.

FreeofPills · 08/07/2018 00:22

@Want2BSupermum

I agree but I do also think they're not terribly worried about it - even before police cuts you'd be hard pushed to get any police concerned about public urination.

do the teams ever make statements encouraging fans not to be utter wankers? that might help.

crazycatgal · 08/07/2018 00:24

@RainbowsAndSmiles They weren't singing, they were just repeatedly shouting 'Eng-er-land' at the top of their voices and sounded quite drunk.

If you're happy to listen to that then that's fine, but I'm not and I'm allowed my own opinion. I don't live in a town centre either.

WrongOnTheInternet · 08/07/2018 00:27

Hadn't quite gone (will shortly): Pills I have heard such statements from teams in the past. Not stopped has it? I've also heard adverts from the police over the radio recently asking football fans to cease and desists from DV. That's how strong the link is. When have we ever needed such things for any female sport, or tennis, or cricket. It's laughable how much in denial some people are - at least it would be if there weren't such consequences. I think the denial and minimising is getting worse at the moment. Anyway, g'night.

RainbowsAndSmiles · 08/07/2018 00:28

If you're happy to listen to that then that's fine, but I'm not and I'm allowed my own opinion. I don't live in a town centre either

Fair enough, but they're not kicking off. Just singing loudly from what you said. Before midnight so not anti social hours either.

HelenaDove · 08/07/2018 00:28

crazy...........earlier today there were grown men of 30s upwards kicking and throwing balls about and running about drunkenly in the way of traffic. Living a fantasy that they are actually running about kicking a ball on a field in Russia They need to grow up . They were kicking them with a lot of force.

Justtheonequestion · 08/07/2018 00:29

That wasn't a football game or their supporters. That was an individual footballer and his horrible antics.
There are loads of footballers who have group raped women, and who think it's fair game to stick their penis into one just because someone else just has. Unfortunately most haven't been charged however it is incredibly common for footballers to act like sexual deviants and think they are above the law.