Club statement

[The Godfather]

If you want a stress free game, take up watching bowls!

[diamond.diva]

If you want a stress free game, take up watching bowls!

Is that sarcasm or humour? ;) I'll keep watching football thank you!

There was I trying to finish the day on a calm, positive note!

[rushdenshireelite]

I think that was a general statement of fact rather than a dig

[Oundle Diamond #2]

It's a delicate trade-off, with the club inevitably wanting to promote a community place for children etc, whist at the same time not being able to control these chants from loyal & fee-paying supporters, no matter how vile their language is. A debate about swearing is therefore a pretty pointless one, given that no matter who has the more convincing arguments, those who want to swear will swear, and those that don't won't. Breaking news! ;) The idea of eradicating swearing from terraces is quite frankly utopian.

For what it's worth, my view is that swearing is all part of the fun and banter of football. I never heard anything worse on the terraces, than I heard growing up on the school playground from the age of 8. Saying that, I too have a particular tendency to cringe when I hear the "c" word...especially so audibly and unnecessarily at low-key UCL matches, but in the words of Nietzche, "You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist."

Any community in any context bridging a whole vast of socio-economic and generational backgrounds, will always have grey-areas as to what's appropriate and inappropriate. Let's stay united the best we can

[Pigman]

I think the point of the thread has been lost really - the fact that someone has immediately defended swearing thinking that is what the official statement was about kinda shows that they know it's wrong.

All I say is put yourself in the shoes of the board (which I am no longer on) who give hours of their time to run this club. If they then have to deal with complaints from other fans and from official sources, that takes up even more of their time, then they'll soon get fed-up, then where will you be?

No-one is expecting a utopian state with no swearing - but in moderation guys. Are you really saying you can't get behind the lads and create an atmosphere without becoming abusive? That's quite sad really !!

I've seen on other social media what folk are saying, they don't get it!! If you drive families with kids away, if you drive volunteers away - you will kill this club ultimately. We all support the same club and need to meet each other half way at least.

We're not Leeds or Chelsea (thank god) and because we only have 500 or so watching the minority that do it are heard quite clearly. Its embarrassing to stand with officials from the fa or sponsors putting money into the club and hear some of the abusive stuff chanted, it's also hard to defend.

Anyway, the thread was about an incident at the end of the game and not about swearing - good debate about people's thoughts on the issue and what their values are though.

[Drunken Debanker]

Can I just point out that on here and on AFC R&D twitter and our manager all praised the support they received at Market Harbourgh just over a week ago!! Then a week later when a horrible Steve Evans clone of a man was in the dugout, suddenly families are going to stay away and were going to have to pay for strict stewards (who were so strict they let St Andrews/Leicester fans take the piss all game and were frankly a waste of money).

[diamond.diva]

Can I just point out that on here and on AFC R&D twitter and our manager all praised the support they received at Market Harbourgh just over a week ago!! Then a week later when a horrible Steve Evans clone of a man was in the dugout, suddenly families are going to stay away and were going to have to pay for strict stewards (who were so strict they let St Andrews/Leicester fans take the piss all game and were frankly a waste of money).

No one is doubting the passion of those fans, no one is saying that the singing doesn't add to the atmosphere and can bring humour to the game. I have already voiced my views in this thread & don't intend doing so again.

The manager in question certainly deserved stick for comments he had made & his actions on the day but my point was they were verbally 'over the top'.

Anyway as Pigman says the original thread wasn't about this so this is my last comment on the subject.

[sussexdiamond]

How anybody can defend the "c" word is beyond me. I don't know what school some people went to but even a bloody or a bugger would have got me the cane, and I don't think my mum would have been too pleased either.

I get really disgusted by tv continually using the "f" word ever other word for no apparent reason other than to be thought clever, and even the "c" word. It just shows a complete ignorance of how beautiful our language can be and is extremely bad manners.

Does everyone on tv or at a football match have to be a Russell Brand or Jonathan Ross.

[BartonRaz]

We're in danger of silencing the singers which in my opinion would be more detrimental than singing a few swear words. Still, you're never going to please everyone and frankly I don't think any single one of us would agree across the board regarding which words/songs are appropriate and which aren't.

It's a delicate trade-off, with the club inevitably wanting to promote a community place for children etc, whist at the same time not being able to control these chants from loyal & fee-paying supporters, no matter how vile their language is. A debate about swearing is therefore a pretty pointless one, given that no matter who has the more convincing arguments, those who want to swear will swear, and those that don't won't. Breaking news! ;) The idea of eradicating swearing from terraces is quite frankly utopian.

For what it's worth, my view is that swearing is all part of the fun and banter of football. I never heard anything worse on the terraces, than I heard growing up on the school playground from the age of 8. Saying that, I too have a particular tendency to cringe when I hear the "c" word...especially so audibly and unnecessarily at low-key UCL matches, but in the words of Nietzche, "You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist."

Any community in any context bridging a whole vast of socio-economic and generational backgrounds, will always have grey-areas as to what's appropriate and inappropriate. Let's stay united the best we can

You're reading too many books. ;)

[Frogerz]

Did all these people that are kicking off with a bit of swearing ever hear any at Nene Park?