Homophobic Chanting - The FA's reply

[NMH]

I only hope this doesn't come to the point where some fans feel the need to sing Tom Robinson songs

 

[Superphil]

Drive my truck midway to the motorway station
Fairlane cruiser coming up on the left hand side
Headlight shining, driving rain on the window frame
Little young Lady Stardust hitching a ride...

and it's....

 

[Blackadder]

Two years ago at QPR away one of the QPR subs gave a homophobic gesture to me and some other Brighton fans, I tried to complain to two nearby met policeman. As I approached them they grabbed my arm up behind my back, frog marched me to the back of the stand and threw me down a stairwell then pinned me up against a wall by the throat. As I protested they accused me of spitting at them and to shut the f** up, by now 3 stewards appeared and started swearing at me.

I was then thrown down another stairwell and kicked out the ground, my knee had been damaged and I could hardly walk. I then saw a transit full of policeman outside and tried to complain, I was to told to f** off. I spent the next 3 months with a swollen knee and was too scared to report the incident as I did'nt think I'd get anywhere.

I was'nt drunk or abusive, just wanted to make a complaint about homophobic abuse. Needless to say I hate the police now and its made me think twice about going to Albion away games

And you paid to go in for the Privilege !
That doesn't surprise me with QPR. Never found the people there to be pleasant.

 

[Simster]

Christ, not this again.

We all join in with the "sheepshagger" and "Pikey" chants..is anyone seriously offended by the Gay stuff?, It has gone on as long as I have followed the Albion, and is part and parcel of supporting the club.

Brighton is well known as a haven for Gays, with a highly visible and voiciferous Homosequal community, what the hell do we expect?, some knuckle dragger from Doncaster or Crewe to ignore this fact?

What else will they chant?, I personally think that it shows them up as the pricks they are when Albion fans come back with "Youre too ugly to be Gay", in the same way that Tottenham have turned the anti jewish thing into a joke on their opponents.

Grow up FFS.

word

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I'd have thought it all depends on the context.

I doubt many people, and I'm sure some of the gay posters on here would vouch for this, would be offended by the odd "Does your boyfriend know you're here" song. Maybe in 20 years time it'll have died out anyway, like certain racist comments did 20 years before now.

On the other hand a couple of drunk blokes screaming about "faggots" and singing songs about dying of AIDS, as I've heard a couple of times, most definitely would be construed as offensive, and I guess the perpetrators would be dealt with accordingly. I'd guess that's the sort of thing the FA are claiming they want dealt with.

Get it in proportion.

 

[Pavilionaire]

If the FA really decided to clamp down on gay chants then we the Albion would be fined more than anyone else because we always (and quite rightly) come back with gay retorts of our own.

If I wanted to watch football with no atmosphere I'd stay at home and watch it on the telly. One of the few reasons to actually go to a game is atmosphere, of which chants and remarks are an integral part.

I like the gay chants, I like the anti-Welsh chants, sheepshagger chants etc.

 

[NMH]

I'd have thought it all depends on the context.

I doubt many people, and I'm sure some of the gay posters on here would vouch for this, would be offended by the odd "Does your boyfriend know you're here" song. Maybe in 20 years time it'll have died out anyway, like certain racist comments did 20 years before now.

On the other hand a couple of drunk blokes screaming about "faggots" and singing songs about dying of AIDS, as I've heard a couple of times, most definitely would be construed as offensive, and I guess the perpetrators would be dealt with accordingly. I'd guess that's the sort of thing the FA are claiming they want dealt with.

Get it in proportion.

Exactly. And coming from someone who is probably quite familiar with over-dramatic complainants - the sort that 'cry wolf' and dilute it for the people with more tangible cause for complaint.

There has to be perspective and reasonable understanding about massed football fans in an arena sport environment - and that's what makes for GOOD policing and stewarding.

 

[pasty]

If necessary a report can be made direct to The FA after the match on 080 085 0508 or email FootballforAll@TheFA.com although its much easier for evidence to be gained and action taken if it is reported at the time.



Kind regards,

Kinda easy to get this over and done with in one foul swoop then......



Dear Mr FA.

I would like to report occurances of homophobic chanting by the supporters of Bournemouth, Bristol Rovers, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Doncaster, Gillingham, Hartlepool, Huddersfield, Leeds United, Leyton Orient, Luton, Millwall, Northampton, Nottm Forest, Oldham, Port Vale, Southend, Swansea, Swindon, Tranmere, Walsall & Yeovil

Yours
A Brighton Fan

 

[bhaexpress]

Kinda easy to get this over and done with in one foul swoop then......



Dear Mr FA.

I would like to report occurances of homophobic chanting by the supporters of Bournemouth, Bristol Rovers, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Doncaster, Gillingham, Hartlepool, Huddersfield, Leeds United, Leyton Orient, Luton, Millwall, Northampton, Nottm Forest, Oldham, Port Vale, Southend, Swansea, Swindon, Tranmere, Walsall & Yeovil

Yours
A Brighton Fan

Actually that was the jist of what I wrote to the FA

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Exactly. And coming from someone who is probably quite familiar with over-dramatic complainants - the sort that 'cry wolf' and dilute it for the people with more tangible cause for complaint.

There has to be perspective and reasonable understanding about massed football fans in an arena sport environment - and that's what makes for GOOD policing and stewarding.

My God, I'm agreeing with NMH on something

Think of it this way, if it's something you'd be likely to find yourself arrested for if you were doing it on the street, then it's the sort of thing you'll be kicked out of football for and probably nicked too.

S5 Public Order Act: Using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour, or displaying any writing, sign or visible representation within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby.

Singing about boyfriends knowing you're here is unlikely to be considered abusive or insulting, yelling about faggots would tick the boxes. It' s not specifically a football thing, it's a human decency thing surely.

 

[burrish gull]

And you paid to go in for the Privilege !
That doesn't surprise me with QPR. Never found the people there to be pleasant.

Yes real nasty bunch there (remember the fight with the Chinese national side?) in my opinion, they remind me of a slightly larger Brentford. Makes you glad you support the Albion, it really is a decent club run by decent people.

 

[smudge]

It's never going to stop. We just have to deal with it. In my career when people ask where I'm from I have to put up with all the usual grief. Not just from people from the UK either; I get stick currently from my German boss, who didn't like my reply of "but you're a sausage eater aren't you?".

At football, they will always use it to try & get a wind up. The best reply as mentioned before is to use it to our advantage. Like at West Ham when we won in the league. 1-0 to the Nancy Boys was hilarious when we all camped it up with the limp wrist salute as well. I'll never forget those Grant Mitchell lookalikes sat there fuming as we laughed our arses off.

 

[SussexHoop]

Two years ago at QPR away one of the QPR subs gave a homophobic gesture to me and some other Brighton fans, I tried to complain to two nearby met policeman.

I spent the next 3 months with a swollen knee and was too scared to report the incident as I did'nt think I'd get anywhere.

Needless to say I hate the police now

That doesn't surprise me with QPR. Never found the people there to be pleasant.

Yes real nasty bunch there (remember the fight with the Chinese national side?)

they remind me of a slightly larger Brentford.

Makes you glad you support the Albion, it really is a decent club run by decent people.

I was going to respond to each of those comments but if you re-read them, you may just understand why one of our lot thought you were a bit of a nancy!

 

[Yorkie]

My God, I'm agreeing with NMH on something

Think of it this way, if it's something you'd be likely to find yourself arrested for if you were doing it on the street, then it's the sort of thing you'll be kicked out of football for and probably nicked too.

S5 Public Order Act: Using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour, or displaying any writing, sign or visible representation within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby.

Singing about boyfriends knowing you're here is unlikely to be considered abusive or insulting, yelling about faggots would tick the boxes. It' s not specifically a football thing, it's a human decency thing surely.

Exactly.

Someone posted here a few months ago that during the Northwich Vic game an away fan spoke to his young son (they were going into the toilets) and warned him about the paedo queer fans.
Do any of you think it is acceptable for an away fan to say that to a 5 year old?

 

[burrish gull]

I was going to respond to each of those comments but if you re-read them, you may just understand why one of our lot thought you were a bit of a nancy!

Does'nt change the fact I was assaulted by 2 met police and some of your stewards, I won't be going to west london again and yes I REALLY do think your not much bigger than Brentford.

 

[NMH]

Exactly.

Someone posted here a few months ago that during the Northwich Vic game an away fan spoke to his young son (they were going into the toilets) and warned him about the paedo queer fans.
Do any of you think it is acceptable for an away fan to say that to a 5 year old?

Better that he be warned, than find out 'the hard way'

 

[smudge]

A QPR fan once called me a Brighton Gay boy. I knocked him out.

 

[SussexHoop]

Does'nt change the fact I was assaulted by 2 met police and some of your stewards, I won't be going to west london again and yes I REALLY do think your not much bigger than Brentford.

You complain cos someone gestures at you but fail to do anything about an alleged assault that leaves you with an injury for 3 months? As a result of what happened to you, you hate the police! :thud:

We're not a big club, some of our stewards are twats, some of our fans are too? That covers the majority of football clubs outside the Premier League, including your own.

We're bigger than Brentford, kind of like Fulham but with a minus sign at the front of the finances, a lot smaller than Chelsea these days, twice the size of Chelsea when they were shit! Like yourselves we've seen better days.

As for the Chinese, I believe they didn't manage a game without a scrap, just that we were the only ones to allow cameras in ... and put one of them in hospital ... nasty old QPR.

 

[SussexHoop]

I knocked him out.

Rohypnol?

 

[Yorkie]

Better that he be warned, than find out 'the hard way'

You havne't got children of your own have you?