Election Year or Fear!

[swaledale]

Both sides should be let into Villa park before the game and left to battle it out amongst themselves!!

[Andy_Faber]

Both sides should be let into Villa park before the game and left to battle it out amongst themselves!!

But which sides? MTB thugs v Leftie rent-a-cause folk v Local Muslims v queers for Palestine v Patriot trouble makers v blah blah with true Villa fans watching?

[Andy_Faber]

That’s a fair point, so taking into account the likely potential presence of ‘ordinary’ football hooligans (from both sides), Israeli supporters with a reputation for militancy and disgruntled Palestinian sympathisers in a city with a significant Muslim community…what do you think should happen?

Ban MTB fans, ban any further groups forming within a mile of the ground

[MadAmster]

In the past 2 years Maccabi fans have been somewhat less than welcome guests in both Athens and Cyprus. They have form, not just in Amsterdam.

[ramAnag]

In the past 2 years Maccabi fans have been somewhat less than welcome guests in both Athens and Cyprus. They have form, not just in Amsterdam.

Perhaps the scenes involving Maccabi fans at the (postponed) Tel Aviv derby yesterday provides some additional perspective. Convenient? Probably. Logical reasoning for retaining the ban? Regretfully I’m coming round to that way of thinking.

[Andy_Faber]

Perhaps the scenes involving Maccabi fans at the (postponed) Tel Aviv derby yesterday provides some additional perspective. Convenient? Probably. Logical reasoning for retaining the ban? Regretfully I’m coming round to that way of thinking.

Regardless of any political shenanigans, I think the big danger is that ?something will kick off? bigger than the police can handle. And Villa fans deserve it to be played at VP. What would be (seen as) unfair would be if antisemitic protest was still allowed IMO

[ramAnag]

Regardless of any political shenanigans, I think the big danger is that ?something will kick off? bigger than the police can handle. And Villa fans deserve it to be played at VP. What would be (seen as) unfair would be if antisemitic protest was still allowed IMO

Inclined to agree. Hope the political **** stirrers keep their mouths shut from here on in.
In view of all that’s happened there’s bound to be some reaction - anti aspects of Israeli behaviour rather than antisemitic imo.
Doubtless if the Russian sides hadn’t actually been banned they too would have been booed (at least) as (stupidly imo) have the Argentinian, German and Scottish national sides on the basis of conflict from decades or centuries ago.
Anyway, agree that Villa fans deserve it to be played at VP and that there is a danger of something kicking off that the police can’t handle. Local people shouldn’t have to experience that imo.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Booing Scottish fans/teams on the basis of previous conflict?? Get real, I'll grant you Germany and Argentina but Scotland is a local derby. Both sets of fans have the same view about each other - remember Andy Murray and "anyone but England'...

Next you'll be telling me that our fans boo Forest because the Sheriff of Nottingham once slaughtered some Derbyshire peasants

[MadAmster]

Next you'll be telling me that our fans boo Forest because the Sheriff of Nottingham once slaughtered some Derbyshire pheasants

Maybe the bloke was hungry?

[ramAnag]

Booing Scottish fans/teams on the basis of previous conflict?? Get real, I'll grant you Germany and Argentina but Scotland is a local derby. Both sets of fans have the same view about each other - remember Andy Murray and "anyone but England'...

Next you'll be telling me that our fans boo Forest because the Sheriff of Nottingham once slaughtered some Derbyshire peasants

So predictable. Rather than comment on the real issue you pick up on the tiniest detail just for the sake of it.
Silly of me to suggest that modern animosity - faux or otherwise - between the Scots and the English could in any way originate from battles such as Bannockburn or Culloden, or folk heroes such as Robert the Bruce, Rob Roy and Bonnie Prince Charlie.