Pitch invasions

[the_anticlough]

I won't consider that cause then, and view protests (and the weak responses) as being another symptom of some deeper causes.

Obviously, these pitch invasions are not protests but 'celebrating' has not stopped some appalling treatment, including assault, of the professionals they've paid to watch. Yes it's a minority, but it's popping up all over the place so can't just be dismissed as isolated incidents.

As I said, it's a terrible reflection on us. We're into the 13th year of Tory government. Is there any sense that there can be a start in steering us in a better direction during this parliament?

[slack_pie]

I won't consider that cause then, and view protests (and the weak responses) as being another symptom of some deeper causes.

Obviously, these pitch invasions are not protests but 'celebrating' has not stopped some appalling treatment, including assault, of the professionals they've paid to watch. Yes it's a minority, but it's popping up all over the place so can't just be dismissed as isolated incidents.

As I said, it's a terrible reflection on us. We're into the 13th year of Tory government. Is there any sense that there can be a start in steering us in a better direction during this parliament?

How about personal responsibility? It doesn't matter who's in government, assaulting a footballer - or anyone for that matter - is unacceptable. We should increase policing at big games and hand out lifetime bans + prison sentences for those that do it.

[upthemaggies]

Before my time, but I have a keen interest in 1960s football and I believe pitch invasions first became an issue when kids started running onto the pitch when their team scored a goal around 1961ish, TV commentator Ken Wolstenholme called it out as a stupid new trend, I think it was at Millwall of all places but probably TV had a lot to do with it, either with people seeing it as an opportunity to get themselves seen on television (a big deal in those days) or TV facilitating a copy cat phenomena. A bit of both probably.

Saturday 2nd December 1967, another televised match (London region) Fulham v Liverpool, a spectator runs onto the pitch and strikes a player, Jimmy Conroy. By the mid 1970s, following the "legitimised" violence, disruption and destruction of 1968 with police brutality as well police being attacked, we've got segregation coming in - that is to say sections being fenced off at the sides rather than perimeter fences - and we've got reports of fans then charging across parts of the pitch to leap into and get involved in fights in other stands.

So we then go to perimeter fences with more and more police, which only helps create a more menacing atmosphere and we climax with 97 dead in one single incident, all of whom would have walked out of that ground alive had those fences not been there.

So where are we going with this?
If we're saying we have to allow people on the pitch to celebrate or protest, then you're going to get everything that goes with it.
If not, what do we do to stop it?

I really don't know. Perhaps we should just play politics with it and blame the other side.

[Old_pie]

Before my time, but I have a keen interest in 1960s football and I believe pitch invasions first became an issue when kids started running onto the pitch when their team scored a goal around 1961ish, TV commentator Ken Wolstenholme called it out as a stupid new trend, I think it was at Millwall of all places but probably TV had a lot to do with it, either with people seeing it as an opportunity to get themselves seen on television (a big deal in those days) or TV facilitating a copy cat phenomena. A bit of both probably.

Famously "There are some people on the pitch, they think it's all over - it is now"

My contribution to vandalism was to jump up then land hard on the wooden framed armchair and broke it when our 3rd went in. Mum was not well pleased.

[upthemaggies]

Famously "There are some people on the pitch, they think it's all over - it is now"

My contribution to vandalism was to jump up then land hard on the wooden framed armchair and broke it when our 3rd went in. Mum was not well pleased.

Ha.
Danny Baker tells a story about that particular goal, he didn't see it. His dad absolutely hated Wolstenholme and blamed him for tempting fate for West Germay's last minute equaliser, his dad was raging on and on and becoming scary to the point of reducing young Danny to tears and he ended up running out of the house to one of his mates houses to watch it there. By the time he got there, England had restored the lead.

He also mentions getting a colour TV new year 1970 and that he remembers it so well because, a day or two later his favourite programme was on. "Lost in Space", first time in colour and his parents had also bought a brand new cream coloured sofa which his dad must have bought with the Xmas work bonus. So there he is all happy on the brand new sofa, watching his favourite TV show, forgetting he'd got a black felt tip tucked into the back pocket of his trousers. About 2 hours later he's upstairs and he hears his mum scream at the top of her voice "DANNNNNY!!!!!!! GET DOWN ERE". You can imagine the scenes.

His description of being caught naked in bed with a next door neighbour by his mum when he was 15 is off the scale.

[Old_pie]

Ha.
Danny Baker tells a story about that particular goal, he didn't see it. His dad absolutely hated Wolstenholme and blamed him for tempting fate for West Germay's last minute equaliser, his dad was raging on and on and becoming scary to the point of reducing young Danny to tears and he ended up running out of the house to one of his mates houses to watch it there. By the time he got there, England had restored the lead.

He also mentions getting a colour TV new year 1970 ....

It was several years after '66 that I saw clips in colour and hadn't realised we'd played in red.

Brings to mind another famous quote:

Snooker commentator, the late Ted Lowe, uttered the immortal phrase, "and for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green" during one of his Pot Black commentaries.


I think I watched that too at the time.

[the_anticlough]

How about personal responsibility? It doesn't matter who's in government, assaulting a footballer - or anyone for that matter - is unacceptable. We should increase policing at big games and hand out lifetime bans + prison sentences for those that do it.

Yeah good one SP, personal responsibility too, it goes without saying...But if there are problems to address, is that happening? That's what I'm asking.

Assaults by fans (physical or verbally, face-to face) on players at our National Sport's big games, televised across the nation and around the world, is a serious issue - as most seem to agree on this thread.
What are the causes? And what's the Govt doing, are legitimate questions to ask, especially of one that's been in power for 13 years and counting.

[upthemaggies]

And what's the Govt doing, are legitimate questions to ask, especially of one that's been in power for 13 years and counting.

Please don't.

[slack_pie]

Yeah good one SP, personal responsibility too, it goes without saying...But if there are problems to address, is that happening? That's what I'm asking.

Assaults by fans (physical or verbally, face-to face) on players at our National Sport's big games, televised across the nation and around the world, is a serious issue - as most seem to agree on this thread.
What are the causes? And what's the Govt doing, are legitimate questions to ask, especially of one that's been in power for 13 years and counting.

Apologies, I thought you were saying that 13 years of Tory rule had somehow resulted in this kind of behaviour being more prevalent. I agree that more should be done by those in power to stop the type of scenes we've been seeing the last few weeks and protect players on the pitch. Nobody should have to go to work and feel in danger of being assaulted.

[Big J]

I won't consider that cause then, and view protests (and the weak responses) as being another symptom of some deeper causes.

Obviously, these pitch invasions are not protests but 'celebrating' has not stopped some appalling treatment, including assault, of the professionals they've paid to watch. Yes it's a minority, but it's popping up all over the place so can't just be dismissed as isolated incidents.

As I said, it's a terrible reflection on us. We're into the 13th year of Tory government. Is there any sense that there can be a start in steering us in a better direction during this parliament?

What the hell has the Government got to do with it?