Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Defender of banned football fans at Villa, what say you now?

34 replies

ColadhSamh · 17/12/2025 21:19

When Maccabi Tel Aviv fans were banned from their game against Villa in October there was uproar from politicians and many more establishment figures.
Some posters on here refused to acknowledge that the fans were well known thugs who had a reputation for racism, violence, attacking women, indeed doing whatever the hell they wanted to do as long as it was offending someone.
The accusations of the ban being anti sematic was a constant from some with a refusal to accept that the fans were guilty of anything other that being Israeli.

Guess what? These righteous, law abiding fans attended a game when their team played Stuttgart last week. They were beaten on the pitch and UEFA were not pleased with the fan behaviour. UEFA have fined Maccabi Tel Aviv £17,500 and given them a suspended away supporter ban due to "racist and/or discriminatory behaviour" The club's away ticket allocation ban is suspended for two years.
Shame on all those who refused to acknowledge the truth about these thugs.
Keir Starmer, Lisa Nandy, Kemi Badenoch, Karen Bradley and of course all their supporters on here.
Supporting and defending racism.

OP posts:
NotAnotherScarf · 14/01/2026 15:41

murasaki · 07/01/2026 12:04

To be honest, WM police have been dubious for years on many fronts, (Birmingham 6, anyone?) so grilling them is a good thing. As I said, they probably were anti semitic and overly influenced, but the fans were still awful so I was pleased they weren't there. It was always going to be a clusterfuck and all the teams that didn't draw them will have been sighing in relief. We just got the short straw. It was never going to go well.

You should try being a football fan going to matches policed by them:
Unprovoked attacks on fans by police.
Keeping fans kettled for long periods unnecessarily.
Unable to get parts of grounds open despite possible repeat of Hillsborough
Stopping vehicles some distance from grounds for no legal reasons and arresting fans on false charges... released after the game "no further action"

Just a few of my personal experiences.

murasaki · 14/01/2026 15:44

NotAnotherScarf · 14/01/2026 15:41

You should try being a football fan going to matches policed by them:
Unprovoked attacks on fans by police.
Keeping fans kettled for long periods unnecessarily.
Unable to get parts of grounds open despite possible repeat of Hillsborough
Stopping vehicles some distance from grounds for no legal reasons and arresting fans on false charges... released after the game "no further action"

Just a few of my personal experiences.

Several of my friends have said the same (I moved away so rarely go now). For that kind of event, the MET, while also awful in many levels, aren't so bad.

Kingscallops · 14/01/2026 15:56

Agree with both of you @NotAnotherScarf and @murasaki police can always seem to find the riot gear when it comes to footy fans.

Everanewbie · 14/01/2026 16:01

Came here to say the same.

murasaki · 14/01/2026 16:02

I was kettled once at a protest I didn't intend to go to, or indeed knew was on, having nipped out for lunch with a colleague in Central London. It was terrifying. Luckily we had an understanding boss who sent us home when we got back and she saw how shaken up we were. There's just no justification for it, 99% of the time.

Kingscallops · 14/01/2026 16:17

murasaki · 14/01/2026 16:02

I was kettled once at a protest I didn't intend to go to, or indeed knew was on, having nipped out for lunch with a colleague in Central London. It was terrifying. Luckily we had an understanding boss who sent us home when we got back and she saw how shaken up we were. There's just no justification for it, 99% of the time.

That was nice of your boss x

murasaki · 14/01/2026 16:20

Yes, she wasn't all bad! It was horrible, and we'd literally wandered in by mistake.

Boomer55 · 14/01/2026 16:33

Before the Russian invasion, the Ukraine fans were looked on as violent, right wing, racist, thugs. Often banned from grounds.

After the invasion, they were suddenly lovely people. 🙄

Kingscallops · 14/01/2026 16:45

Boomer55 · 14/01/2026 16:33

Before the Russian invasion, the Ukraine fans were looked on as violent, right wing, racist, thugs. Often banned from grounds.

After the invasion, they were suddenly lovely people. 🙄

Edited

Your point being? You're likening the two sets of fans? It's not the fans who were the problem in this situation as the West Mids Police commissioner is just being reminded.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page