AIBU to think parents like these are an utter disgrace and ruin youth football?

[user47]

AIBU to think parents like this are the reason so few volunteers come forward to run grassroots football clubs?

https://x.com/any_spare/status/1832789074437894624?utm_source=www.upshot.email&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=i-ll-give-them-a-slap&_bhlid=bd8309d26d9ebd36aa96921b4ba3d32c07709d2f

It always amuses me on these threads when some posters display a lack of critical thinking and label all football fans as 'yobs'.
As someone who has been around football all my life I have seen some horrendous behaviour from parents (both mums and dads) and also players.
I've also seen and been part of some wonderful, life affirming experiences.
Not all of us are yobs, and interesting enough a friend of mine refuses to work at the local stadium for the local rugby derby (the stadium shared with the football team) due to the behaviour of the supporters- just for that one match. I could use that as evidence that all rugby fans are yobs, but I don't, because they aren't.
The last player who I heard of getting banned for verbally abusing a ref is someone who went to school with my son and was constantly being suspended for his behaviour. It wasn't the sport he was playing it was him.

why does it matter? Fighting over anything is not ok!

Football is a beautiful game, and one that can be played on the street with a bundle of rags for a ball. DH (who has ASD) and I have traveled and his "must take" items are 3 footballs and a pump. He has never failed to make a bunch of instant 'mates' and he always leaves the balls (branded club ones) with local kids. Football is a unifying force in so many ways, the minority of scumbags ruin some aspects of it yes, but it is a minority.

Of course it matters. I don't like to form opinions without knowing the facts.

this post says a lot more about you than anyone who enjoys watching football.
The irony of someone who clearly thinks they are intellectually superior considering the word 'morons' appropriate to use in 2024....

(I've never watched a game of football in my life btw so not defending it as a fan of the sport, just think your comment is disgusting)

The fact being a bunch of idiotic parents started a fight at their children's football match? What context could make it acceptable or change your opinion on their conduct?

Completely agree with this. Football has been such a unifying force over the years, in many situations for me, my father, my siblings, my husband and now my DC's. The minority who give football a bad name and ruin the experience for others upset me because of the bad name they give the sport.

I have a very poor view of football due to repeated bad behaviour at any level from the antics of professionals down to parents at kids games. I was at Sheffield station a few weeks ago when crowds of football fans were being herded onto trains by police. The behaviour was awful, like some sort of riot was going on. Screaming and shouting at the other fans across the tracks, animal noises, disgusting lewd songs and comments and gestures towards women. I took my cue from the police who seemed relaxed but the atmosphere was very loud and intimidating, my kids didn't like it. I want as much distance between them and that sort of thing as possible and if that makes me some sort of snob then so be it. It's a pity because I know there are decent people who like football, my grandad was one of them (he ended up with a broken arm in a surging crowd at a match when he was quite elderly and vulnerable) and they get a bad name. Luckily my kids aren't interested in sport so it's not an issue I'm expecting to face.

Both my DS and DD play football and the only time I have encountered physical fighting was between 2 groups of mums (who seemed drunk @ 11am) at a tournament and the matches all had to be stopped so it could be dealt with!

U15 girls today. The men in charge of visitors were utterly awful. Told side line man to stop coaching and he shouted at us, said nobody should speak to officials. It was a disgrace though. They were literally telling the girls to cheat, slowing down play, time wasting by distracting the ref. And it made my blood boil. So I can see how it happens! Then the girls were hurting our girls and the teenage ref didn’t step up & send the girl off. Too intimidated I expect.

I've witnessed two women have a fight at a kids football match, was horrendous and embarrassing. Thankfully we aren't in that league anymore!