For 'abusing' an opposition player!!!
Not sitting in my normal East Stand seat a whole group of us sat near the halfway line about ten rows back. Great position for watching the game and of course a great position for the players to hear you.
As normal I decided to pick on the nearest Norwich player to me. I was giving him a lot of stick - you know the usual rubbish: 'You're useless Pattison', 'You won't get passed Mootoo, I'd give up now', 'God, you're ugly', 'mugged by a 16 year old Pattison, how bad are you', 'don't bother chasing him, with your little legs you couldn't catch a cold', 'yet another rubbish corner - can't you lift the ball past the box' and at the end of the first half 'I wouldn't bother rushing back to the changing room - you won't be on in the second half after that performance'. Childish I know - but I just know I was affecting his performance.
He didn't come out for the second half.
Now obviously he (and a lot of people around me) could hear me as clear as a bell. Good luck to him as he didn't respond and just got on with his game. I've deliberately quoted myself as I wanted to show that although I was verbally abusing the player, I didn't once swear. If I can affect the performance of an opposing player (and the lino) I will. I want to give my team as much of an advantage as I can.
Half an hour into the first half, the nearest pitch side gate steward came up the steps to me and threatened me with eviction unless I stopped 'abusing the Norwich player' 'How would you like it if someone was shouting those sort of things at you'!
I or course told him to go back to his post and do his job rather than making threats he couldn't fulfill and if he wanted to get rid of me he should get in touch with any of his superiors who would tell him just that. I continued the abuse and switched to Jon Ostemablar (sp) for my wrath in the second half.
My real point is that why is it once you put a high vis jacket on some muppet, give them a bit of authority, they have to find something to do to justify their position - in this case guarding a gate?
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LOL Most OTT post of 2009 and it's only Jan 4th. RIP Charlton Life.
I fact I saw Richard Murray giving the steward an extra £10 in his pay packet after the game for doing his job so well.
"That will teach that fat bastard Addickted to give me a hard time at Bromley Addicks" I overheard him mutter as he walked away cackling like the evil James Bond character he really is :- )
serious point though is that passion at home and away (and numbers) has reduced greatly over the last few seasons. this is largely due to the attritional effect of ground rules, ticketing etc.
after the exile years and the begining of the Curbs rebuild I knew that the old Charlton was back when over 5000 went to the cup tie at Bristol City without free buses etc and the noise and hostility inside and outside the ground sucked in a late equaliser. the fans were getting the team going
then after the sterility of the ground rules etc i also knew the club was on the way down again after the cup tie at Gillingham The few thousand tickets were all sold mostly to valley golders so i got a ticket in the Gillinghma area, expecting as in previous away games there that i would not be alone. I was and the noise from the Charlton fans was non existent.
to me to get the club going again will come, once the bottom of this decline is reached (hopefully only Division 1), from the renewal of the passion for the club from the fans. Target 40000, which was always a joke, should be replaced with target 2000 for a minimum away support at each game, with the younger fan encouraged. (obviously dependent on the size of the grounds we will now be visiting!)
find a few jokes in that!
I was pitch side watching the ground staff moving the goal posts off of the pitch. As they were moving the one in front of the North stand, they went to go past the tunnel. The said steward told them that while the players were getting ready in the tunnel, they could not pass it. He then refused to move out of the way, so they were stuck in the corner. After a minute or two Paddy walked over to find out what the delay was. They told him that he wouldn't let them past. Poor ol Paddy almost exploded. He told them to get it moving and ignore the steward as if it isn't moved, there wont be a ~~~~ing game. The steward again tried to stop them, but Paddy shouted that they will go past the tunnel, and they would run him over if he didn't move.
You could see that someone had given this steward a bit of power, and he was going to use it, it was just a shame it was on someone who didn't have to listen to him. Those of us watching laughed our socks off!
That really is pathetic by the stewards, can't beleive they wouldn't let a rattle in !! However if it has been to every cup game you / your dad has been to since the 1947 win then can it still be considered lucky, especially if you were at the Wycombe game? ;-)
That is an absolute joke - shocking.
In front of us yesterday a steward came along and took the top off of a kids fizzy drink bottle. Why? Crackers.
On the same point, I see that our old mate Rod Liddle was having another pop at us in the Times today. No wonder really when their is ammunition like this about to chuck our way.
So! you think it's o/k to abuse an opposition player? One of your insults was "God you're ugly" So if it fitted, you could say 'you're fat/short/tall/bald/hairy/myopic/stupid/crap' you get the idea? If he was of asian appearance would you say 'you look like a terrorist' ? If he was black, would you point that out? Would you dare say 'you're f*cking ugly'
Do you see where i'm heading? Either abuse is abuse, or we allow any abuse. It's difficult to draw the line, isn't it?
No, it's not difficult. As far as I am aware, calling someone "ugly" is not against the law - regardless of whether you shout or whisper it. However, abusing someone based on the colour of their skin is.
There you go, quite simple really.
Couldn't disagree more, Daggs. It's very easy to draw the line between spirited banter of the kind football crowds have indulged in since the game was invented and unacceptable abuse. Common sense is all that's required.
What about if he has one hand missing? can we call him stumpy?
you came on here looking for a reaction ("O/k this one will set you off!") -and you got what you were looking for.
As for ugly, remember the famous exchange between Churchill and Lady Astor :
Nancy Astor : ''Mr Churchill, I do believe you are drunk!''
Churchill : "And so I am. But you, Lady Astor, are ugly. And at least I shall be sober in the morning."
Did anyone take offence? Or did the just laugh their socks off - including Nancy Astor?
It seems 'ugly' is fine regardless of whether it hurts the player. But racism is a big no no. But what about all the other insults? where do they fit?
I bet 'Addickted' wouldn't say it to his face! So why is o/k during a match?
Where will i find a copy of the rules? so that i know which insult i can hurl at another human being and which i can't? And who drew up these rules?
Tell you what! i won't say any of them, then i'll be safe (is useless wanker permissable? i think that slipped out V Barnsley !!!!)
Black, Asian etc is an objective statement of fact
Ugliness is subjective in the eyes of the beholder eg "would yas!"
No idea Nige i wasn't there! But you've seen right through me, you scamp
If you don't know the difference between calling someone an ugly bastard and chucking a banana skin on the pitch at a black player then your IQ must measure in double digits.
Ah! So this will be in the rules then? Where are they written please, i can't find 'em!
Now Leroy! i bet you're not the real leroy Ambrose. You had better sit down, Oh! you probably are! (that was not intended to mock you're height)
This is going to surprise you. I actually have an above average IQ. Shocked? i was. But it's true. Perhaps it's that which makes me consider 'ugly bastard' (e.g. unnatractive/hideous looking illegitimate person) just as offensive as nigger.
Just a fat Eddy Murphy and Peter Reid's got a monkey's head and eats Bananas with his feet, should these be banned as well as I am sure Ed is not fat and if monkey's knew what we were saying there would be hell to pay.
Yes I do. Especially if it puts him off his game.
Yep - I get it exactly, the problem is you don't seem to. A lot of my 'banter' is self derogatory as I'm fat, tall, hairy, myopic and crap at football. That is not the point. The point is to attempt to affect the players performance.
The ethnicity of a player is irrelevant. Can I ask why you are bringing this into the situation? Would I call Matty Holland a terrorist just because he played for The Republic of Ireland?
I'd call them all short/fat/balding/ugly whatever - and I have done. And as I said before I did not swear once - so there was no need to type the word 'f' word to try and emphasise your example.
No, I have absolutely no idea where you are heading. I and a lot of people on here know exactly where to draw the line. You suggesting that each and everything we say should be sanitised just so we don't 'upset' someone is not only ridiculous but a cynical attempt to turn the verbal banter I gave to an opposition player into something it wasn't.
I made these posts to try and provoke thought.
'Addickted' by his own admission has spent the first half of the game V Norwich abusing one of their players. Then, when someone gave him a ticking-off he gets all indignant.
Surely sustained abuse at one individual is over the top, isn't it?
The occasional joky comment seems to be o/k and is often taken in the right spirit by the receiver. But maybe, just maybe 45mins of abuse is too much?
No? I'm still wrong? O/k i'll remain 'wrong' then, because i wouldn't do it.
Of course I wouldn't say it to his face - I'm about a foot taller than him and at least six stone heavier - I wouldn't want to intimidate him. I'm sure he is a lovely bloke and as I said, he took it with good grace. That doesn't change the fact that it probably affected his game. And as far as I'm concerned that's 'job done'.