Inappropriate Language

[Art Game]

Unfortuanatley this has come to the fore again. Now I am no Mary Whitehouse but I agree that in todays society the increase in inappropriate languague has increased and is now expected as the norm.

 

Therefore, I am delighted that the stewards will escort the persistent perpertrators of this crime from the ground and they will recieve a 6 match ban (which I believe is in compliance with the ground regulations).

 

The only problem I can see is will the referee allow the stewards on to the pitch and escort the players off it and, will the clubs be willing to enforce the 6 match ban.

[Dutch_Mike]

And wouldn't it be nice if said rule was applied to everyone, not just a small group?

[Dutch_Mike]

http://forums.footballwebpages.co.uk/forum.jsp?id=8&article=33462

 

Last 'main' paragraph makes interesting reading.... can't say I remember any incident?

[JohnF]

http://forums.footba...8&article=33462

 

Last 'main' paragraph makes interesting reading.... can't say I remember any incident?

 

 

I can tell you exactly what happened. After we (Hendon) scored our third goal, one of our supporters in his exuberance chanted a couple of times "you were 2 up and then f***** it up" or something similar. This caused one of the stewards to come galloping over and demand who was swearing. The 'offender' readily owned up without being offensive. The steward then issued him a warning about swearing. The supporter did not respond verbally but the steward took exception to the look of astonishment (my reading of the expression) on his face and demanded that he leave the ground. This the supporter ignored and the steward went away to get additional stewarding support, calling the supporter a p***k (!!!!) as he went. The steward then came back with a second steward, by which time the game must have been in injury time, and after a discussion with the supporter (I didn't overhear the conversation) went away and got even more stewarding support. The final whistle went with 4 stewards approaching and demanding the the supporter leave the ground, which he did.

 

To myself and (I believe) the other 20 or so Hendon supporters in the vicinity, this was totally over-the-top behaviour by the steward. I'm sure many Margate fans would have done something similar if had been in a similar position coming back from 2 goals down. The initial warning, with your policy on swearing, was more than enough. You might think from this account that there was more to it but there wasn't.

[Porka]

Would be interested to meet you on Tuesday night Art Game and see what you make of recent events.

[Coffin Ender]

Sorry to hear that John F. I know Hendon fans are a peaceful bunch so this does indeed seem over the top. Goading and wind-ups have always been a key part of football supporting, long may it continue. I can't believe that anyone who is genuinely offended by that kind of stuff would go to a football match in the first place.

[Brickie]

With this new clampdown in force how about we revive an old favourite in honour of Stubbsy?

 

"He's here, he's there, we're not allowed to swear... Danny Stubbs, Danny Stubbs"

[WelshBob]

Give some [censored] an ounce of power and look what happens. Offensive language is everywhere, and especially in football, from managers to players to fans. Depending on what company I'm in, admittedly I don't like to hear it but if I go to football game I know the enviroment and what to expect. Anyway, what's the worst thing about being offended-you're offended, that's it. You can't get ill or die from being offended, it's not painful, ok it's not pleasant but if you're at a football match with blokes who may or may not have had a couple of beers it's gonna happen. If you don't like go to the ballet instead. And if you still don't like it, well, just f()ck off!

 

PS The club has always treated it's own fans like sh!t - they're just extending it to others now.

PPS To the blokes in the orange jackets, show some common sense and stop being pricks.

Edited February 8, 2010 by WelshBob

[Dutch_Mike]

With this new clampdown in force how about we revive an old favourite in honour of Stubbsy?

 

"He's here, he's there, we're not allowed to swear... Danny Stubbs, Danny Stubbs"

 

Priceless!

[Brickie]

Maybe we should give it a run-out tonight in honour of our double winning MOTM, eh?

[blueblood]

My first experience of the over policing by stewards was at a game between Stoke and Westbrom at the old hawthorns. it was the same time as Carlton Palmer was just starting out as a youngster. Stoke scored , i jumped up(I could do that in those days) out of my seat and threw my clench fist skyward in celebration. I was lept upon by 2 stewards, supported by a constable and warned to calm it or else. I had paid a £5 to get in plus the cost of the 120 mile round trip. For me the game was spoiled. Though I do not condone the use of excessive bad language football, lets not forget football is a working mans sport. The reason I go to a match is to enjoy the football and as an escape from the mundane realities of the real world for a couple of hours.

[BlueGate Alan]

Thought I would get this thread going again because any Margate fans who were at the Hornchurch game must have been appalled at the behaviour of that group of 30 youngsters who constantly swore throughout the game, coming across to the Margate fans in second half to taunt them and, at one stage holding Aarons shirt as he was taking an extra long run up to take a throw. At end of the game they followed some of our fans swearing and taunting them with nobody around to stop them.

 

I bring this up to show that whatever we think of Peter and his stewards re swearing this would never happen at our ground. As we have always got on so well with, what I call, the REAL URCHIN FANS , this episode soured my day somewhat.

 

So lads and lasses let Peter and his stewards do the job as I know they only act on swearing when a complaint is made.

[ramsgate60]

Thought I would get this thread going again because any Margate fans who were at the Hornchurch game must have been appalled at the behaviour of that group of 30 youngsters who constantly swore throughout the game, coming across to the Margate fans in second half to taunt them and, at one stage holding Aarons shirt as he was taking an extra long run up to take a throw. At end of the game they followed some of our fans swearing and taunting them with nobody around to stop them.

 

I bring this up to show that whatever we think of Peter and his stewards re swearing this would never happen at our ground. As we have always got on so well with, what I call, the REAL URCHIN FANS , this episode soured my day somewhat.

 

So lads and lasses let Peter and his stewards do the job as I know they only act on swearing when a complaint is made.

 

 

Alan have you made HX aware of this, im sure (rightly) they be apalled as well, some good people up there, seem they getting a few undesireables in ,...we had a few idiots at the derby with you, (if you remmeber) who were not fans of Ramsgate, but clearly tried to stir trouble,.... as with stewards i feel they always going to be in a non win world, dammed if they do and dammed if they dont,....(bit like us Mod's

[BlueGate Alan]

Yes Colin it was mentioned, also by KP. I know true Urchins wouldn't haver done it Colin but as they are let these youngsters in ground without an adult they must try and ensure, somehow, that they behave appropriately.

[Iris's Tea Hut]

Ths will rumble on....

 

For me, the problem comes not so much with the words (barring the most severe), but the context they are used in. And this is therefore contradictory and impossible to police.

 

My kids don't like to come as often as they used to, but if they do, I have no problem with a song such as the words for 'You'll never be Dover scum', etc etc. But when someone nearby shouts out 'Wilson you're f@@@ing s@@t!' at a missed pass, or yelling 'paedophile' at the opposition manager, then its a problem them hearing that - Paedophile isn't even a swearword. Or W@@@er' as the goalkeeper goes for a kick (Did it EVER put anyone off?).

 

I'm not suggesting that they have never heard the words before, nor that any harm will come to them if they hear them again. They are sensible kids - I don't imagine by them hearing these words that they now run around the playground at school yelling them.

 

Therfore my reasons for this viewpoint are two-fold:

 

1. Kids aren't kids for long - not long enough. If the kids aren't there, fill your boots.

 

2. A well-crafted song shows humour and possibly intelligence. A profane insult thrown at a player (even in frustration) shows a lack of intelligence and articulacy in my opinion. This has been shown by some of the posts above by using humour to get around the problem, whilst being able to have a tongue-in-cheek pop at the cursing ban.

[BlueGate Alan]

Good post ITH, Peter and his men do only act if someone complains or personal insults are being hurled at players or even other fans.

[Franny]

I cant agree with 'If the kids arent there fill your boots ' stuff. As someone said at the end of the day everyone knows what kind of language is going to be audible at a football ground whether it be Margate or Man Utd , so if its not what you want you or your kids to hear dont take them . Im not condoning the language dont get me wrong but I take my son whenever I come to watch Margate knowing full well what he's going to hear not only from the fans but the players and management of both teams as well. Players and managers are always using the F and C words and im sure kids would take more offence hearing it from them than us drunken old fools on the terraces . Besides I bet they hear a lot worse in the playground but you wouldnt stop sending them to school would you ?

[Chris1]

Who at a football match is offended or likely to be corrupted by a chant containing the f-word? Certainly not junior fans. Youngsters of both sexes use the word so much these days that it has no shock value whatsoever. In any case, you usually hear more swearing from the players than from the fans.

 

Threats and incitements to violence (whether or not swearing is involved) are more serious and should be treated accordingly.

 

Stewards need to distinguish between genuine offensive behaviour and harmless use of certain words.

[Iris's Tea Hut]

That's my point, is it the job of a steward to use his discretion in this way? I think in an ideal world he should but that's too much to ask in my opinion. But if so, just as a referee gets it wrong when assessing a situation and interpreting it, so too will a steward.

 

In response to Franny, with respect, you are condoning it (no criticism, obviously you are entitled to do so as you wish). But if you thought for one minute it was normal for a six year old to run around calling another a c@@@sucker in the playground then I don't think you would've been so eloquent in your response.

 

Maybe its my fault for taking them along so young. And not being a cool enough dad to accept it!

[Franny]

That's my point, is it the job of a steward to use his discretion in this way? I think in an ideal world he should but that's too much to ask in my opinion. But if so, just as a referee gets it wrong when assessing a situation and interpreting it, so too will a steward.

 

In response to Franny, with respect, you are condoning it (no criticism, obviously you are entitled to do so as you wish). But if you thought for one minute it was normal for a six year old to run around calling another a c@@@sucker in the playground then I don't think you would've been so eloquent in your response.

 

Maybe its my fault for taking them along so young. And not being a cool enough dad to accept it!

When did I say I thought it was for one minute normal for a 6 year old to run around saying those type of things ? Im afarid inappropriate language is EVERYWHERE these days so IMO opinion you have to be realistic about these things. You can wrap them up in cotton wool if you like but if thats the case then dont take them to football grounds , in pubs , shopping centres (usually full of chavs), and even the school playground etc because theyll hear exactly the same things. I also think that the bad language issue is worse at non league grounds as there are less people and less background noise to drown it out. Ive been taking my son (now 13) to football matches since he was 4 , from Cup Finals/Margate/ sunday league football etc so believe me he's heard everything that doesnt mean hes going to run around saying those things. And its nothing to do with being cool enough to accept it, I am in no way a lazy parent who cant be bothered to do anything about it but I am very comfortable in the knowledge that I have raised him to set his own high standards and that although he WILL here this type of language everyday there would never be any need to use it himself and if he did his feet wouldnt touch the ground .... Im not insecure enough in my parenting abilities to think he will hear some bonehead swearing at a football match and decide to use that in his own vocabulary.

As someone else said swearing is to be expected at a football ground, threatening and abusive behaviour is a different story.