NL News: Fury as BNP backs pub's football team

[Guest]

Story:

The British National Party have sparked outrage by sponsoring a West Midland's pub football team. The Tipton Boilers, based at The Lagoon pub, in High Street, Princes End, Tipton have signed a season-long deal with the extreme right wing group which includes wearing a striking red, white and blue kit with BNP emblazoned on the front. The team plays in the local Sandwell Premier and District Sunday Football League.

The move has sparked waves of anger from community leaders who say it has damaged race relations and in the game. Tipton Green councillor Ian Jones criticised the deal. "It is extremely disappointing," he said.

The Labour councillor and cabinet member for education added: "There was a rule that political parties did not get involved in sport. The FA recently had a campaign entitled 'Kick Racism Into Touch', this now seems a backward step."

West Midlands organiser for the BNP , Simon Darby said he expected a certain amount of criticism but defended the relationship between the team and the party. He also said he would fight any moves by the local Sunday league to scupper the deal or boot the team out of the league.

Mr Darby said: "For a lot of people in Tipton the BNP is their party. If the league try to do anything about it we have the European Commission of Human Rights legislation. If they try to ban the team from displaying the right to be sponsored by the BNP, I'm afraid they are in for a nasty surprise."

Mr Darby said the deal was worth hundreds of pounds. He added the team had already played against sides with black and ethnic minority players, and there had been no problem.

A spokesman for the pub said the licensees had very little to do with the team. She added she left the running of the team down to the players.

It is understood that the FA have informed the club that they cannot play any further games until the logo is removed as it contravenes their rules, that no political message, or indeed any message that causes an offence may be displayed on players strips.

 

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What do you think about this story? Post your comments below.

[Graham S]

Simon Darby is trying it on big time & he knows it.

 

At the end of the day there is absolutely no way the European Court of Human Rights will support a racist organisation, however hidebound things may appear to be initially.

 

Make them them remove the logo; then alert all other teams in their league as to their 'philosophy' - for want of a better term. Then see what happens.

 

On many things I'm cynical. On this I'm certain. Once the truth about this team is known it will wither & die.

 

Thank God

[Vogue]

News from The Midlands:

 

The team has removed its logo from their shirts AND even better than that an Asian businessman (whose name I forget, but deserves immense amount of praise) has come in and sponsored them. It's cost him about £400. It's also made headlines in the local news here - and he has come out as a top bloke. (And probably already regained the money he has invested - though I'm absolutely convinced this wasn't the reason he did it).

 

I would like to say though that the BNP or any racist groups haven't made any issue about this. They haven't come out as big or clever (or for once) haven't made the "we're hard done by", which perhaps too could be to their credit. Don't get me wrong, I detest the BNP and all they stand for - but they could have really forced this issue here and got a lot of cheap publicity, which I suppose in a way they have - but they could have gained even more if one of their idiot leaders had come to the press and spoken out on it.

I hope I'm making sense here, bcoz it's difficult to put into words - but this COULD have had massive race implications here in the Midlands. And it hasn't. It's been sorted out really sensibly. If anything - it's improved race relations and shown how sensible people can sort things out.

The Asian businessman deserves a medal for having the vision to harmonise the Community and make a real positive step for society.

Bugger it - I'm going to look the bloke's name up now and get back to the Forum to give him a tiny pieces of publicity here. He deserves all he gets.

Vogue

[Vogue]

And his name is.......

 

(Incidentally - on Friday night, the team appeared on local TV with Mr Singh sporting the new kit - and there were no racist remarks, or any apparent racism within the team).

 

BBC Quote:"An Asian businessman has now made a new strip for the team, who are based at the Lagoon pub in the West Midlands town of Princes End.

 

George Singh, director of Wolverhampton company Magneticjewellers.com, said he had "no problem" with the team and did not want the players to have to give up their football.

 

The team, who play for Sandwell Premier and District Sunday Football League, hope to wear the new strip for their next match - against Khalsa Sports at Tipton on Sunday.