The Blades v Bradford in the Media

[COME BACK CHED]

I really wish United would stop banging on about that "Family Club" crap. It's an empty term which means fuck-all in reality.

.Yes a bit like Family shampoo , whats that all about .?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

This is utterly barking mad. They were the best set of fans this year. Plenty of them. Generally in good voice. Roygbiv's View From was excellent. They really added to the atmosphere, but reading this from the outside must make it seem like a Blades v Bradford war zone.

Guardian

Sheffield United to investigate ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by fans
• Bradford’s fans reported racist chanting at Bramall Lane
• Bradford chairman: ‘I thought we had gone beyond that stage’


The Bradford chairman, Mark Lawn, said: ‘I’d hoped stuff like that and monkey chants were a thing of the past’ after his side’s defeat at Bramall Lane. Photograph: Gary Calton for the Observer


Press Association

Wednesday 30 December 201516.11 GMTLast modified on Wednesday 30 December 201516.26 GMT

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Sheffield United have launched an investigation into allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” by a small section of fans during Monday’s win against Bradford at Bramall Lane.

Bradford’s travelling fans reported racist chanting from a small minority of United supporters, while the home striker Billy Sharp claimed he had coins thrown at him from the away end.

“The club has received complaints about both sets of fans from the fixture – including a number of contradictory reports,” read a club statement. “The Blades will take every step to track down and deal with those responsible for any inappropriate actions, which ruin the matchday experience for other supporters.

“Sheffield United is an inclusive family and community orientated club where everyone is made to feel welcome and it endeavours to improve on this principle year on year.”

United have taken steps to identify any offenders in response to comments made by the Bradford chairman, Mark Lawn, after the match. He told the Telegraph & Argus: “I thought we had gone beyond that stage in football. I’d hoped stuff like that and monkey chants were a thing of the past.

“I feel very sorry for the Sheffield United board because they must be embarrassed by the morons who do that. Unfortunately it’s difficult to stop something like that. We’d look on cameras and if we could prove they are doing it, then ban them from the ground.”

Sharp later made light of the alleged coin-throwing incident when he said on Twitter: “Cheers Bradford for the coins.”

A third thread, marvelous.

 

[grafikhaus]

I think the clue is in these 'press sources' - The Grauniad, The Stir and the Biased Brainwashing Corporation. We only need Radio Sheffield to pitch in (which they will) and you have four 'outlets' with axes to grind.

 

[west_yorks_blade]

This nonsense is now being reported on Radio 5 'sports' news. Twenty or so people slagging off Bradford fans with regards to ISIS is NOT racist.

My ethnicity is white British. If I wanted to maim and kill in the name of ISIS, I would be able to as long as I believe in their warped view of Islam. So this is not a racial thing at all.

The coin throwing - which could blind someone, would not even have been reported if this hadn't been blown out of all proportion.

So this is just another stick to beat our club with.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

It wasn't a few hundred. Mr Mohammed is doing nothing to quell the issue by lying about that. Perhaps he wants his 15 minutes on Jeremy Vine Monday lunchtime?

I know the Bradford chairmen didn't say there were monkey chants, he just used that as an example of behaviour he thought had died out but many will read it as him saying there were monkey chants.

That is very irresponsible by him and I hope the hierarchy at the lane are on to him to issue a clarification statement as that is defamatory to the club and us fans.

The football league should fine him where it hurts. No pies for 2 weeks.

He did nothing wrong at all. Any literate person reading his words knows he didn’t say that there were monkey chants. He cannot be held responsible for the fact that some morons can’t understand the English language then pass that message on to others.

 

[Bladepicker]

He did nothing wrong at all. Any literate person reading his words knows he didn’t say that there were monkey chants. He cannot be held responsible for the fact that some morons can’t understand the English language then pass that message on to others.

Disagree. Why mention monkey chants at all? in fact if you look at the quote:

“I thought we had gone beyond that stage in football. I’d hoped stuff like that and monkey chants were a thing of the past,” Mr Lawn said.

it insinuates that 'Monkey Chants' are also not a thing of the past in games that feature Bradford - therefore it could be interpreted that they were happening in this game. I (thankfully) can't remember the last time I heard Monkey Chants at the game so it is incendiary nonsense from someone in a position where he should think before he speaks.

 

[Bladepicker]

This nonsense is now being reported on Radio 5 'sports' news. Twenty or so people slagging off Bradford fans with regards to ISIS is NOT racist.

My ethnicity is white British. If I wanted to maim and kill in the name of ISIS, I would be able to as long as I believe in their warped view of Islam. So this is not a racial thing at all.

The coin throwing - which could blind someone, would not even have been reported if this hadn't been blown out of all proportion.

So this is just another stick to beat our club with.

The racial element is not about ISIS though. The racial element comes about because this was sung to Bradford fans (for the 2nd time this season) yet is not sung to any other fans. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out why it is sung to Bradford, and that (the perceived high proportion of brown people who live there) is why it is a racial thing.

 

[cahill]

He hasnt said there were monkey chants at the game

Welly he sort of implies it and anyone reading that might infer there were Monkey chants.

 

[cahill]

Disagree. Why mention monkey chants at all? in fact if you look at the quote:

“I thought we had gone beyond that stage in football. I’d hoped stuff like that and monkey chants were a thing of the past,” Mr Lawn said.

it insinuates that 'Monkey Chants' are also not a thing of the past in games that feature Bradford - therefore it could be interpreted that they were happening in this game. I (thankfully) can't remember the last time I heard Monkey Chants at the game so it is incendiary nonsense from someone in a position where he should think before he speaks.

I agree. He conflates the two in one sentence. Can he be asked to clarify his statement I wonder

 

[Bladepicker]

I agree. He conflates the two in one sentence. Can he be asked to clarify his statement I wonder

I'd hope that he is. I also hope that someone at Sheffield United is on to him to do it and, if he refuses, we should do it for him.

 

[Darthblade]

Ramon Mohamed, aged 55, of Totley, who has supported The Blades for more than 40 years, said it reminded him of the ‘dark ages’

Mr Mohamed has said he sent an email about the chanting to Sheffield United but has not received a reply.

He said: “It was more than just five or 10 fans it was more like a few hundred.

Judging from everything I've read here and my experience at the match this is just wrong and should be challenged.

I think somebody posted earlier that this chap is known to be politically motivated so this could, if true, explain the "over-reaction" to what was a minor if regrettable incident.

Clearly; the media have jumped on it as an opportunity to be sensationalist .....

UTB & FTP

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

I was on the BL upper corner and didn't hear any 'town full of ...' songs or monkey chants. Heard the 'Coutts' chant when he took a corner at the Kop end, is that where they've concocted the monkey chants from???

A general question ... is it classed as racist when England play Ireland and we get "No surrender ..." chants?

 

[HillmortonBlade]

A general question ... is it classed as racist when England play Ireland and we get "No surrender ..." chants?

I believe that is sectarian, rather than racist, which is still an offence north of the border.

However, if the chant was "Country full of PIRA" etc then it would be racist, to label the Irish as terrorists.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Disagree. Why mention monkey chants at all? in fact if you look at the quote:

“I thought we had gone beyond that stage in football. I’d hoped stuff like that and monkey chants were a thing of the past,” Mr Lawn said.

it insinuates that 'Monkey Chants' are also not a thing of the past in games that feature Bradford - therefore it could be interpreted that they were happening in this game. I (thankfully) can't remember the last time I heard Monkey Chants at the game so it is incendiary nonsense from someone in a position where he should think before he speaks.

Monkey chants are the form of racism most associated with the football terrorists. It was given as an example of the sort of deplorable racism that used to be common place on the terraces and what he thought we had moved on from. It shows the similarities between the actions of those on Monday and those from the Monkey chant days. He also points out it’s a minority and disassociates them from the club.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Welly he sort of implies it and anyone reading that might infer there were Monkey chants.

If they don’t have a good grasp of the English language perhaps. I say those United fans signing the racist chants are cunts. Someone with a poor grasp of English might think I’m calling all Sheffield United fans cunts. That doesn’t make it the case.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

. Heard the 'Coutts' chant when he took a corner at the Kop end, is that where they've concocted the monkey chants from???

Nobody has concocted any monkey chants or said there were any monkey chants at the game. Only a few of our fans who have misunderstood the Bradford chairman’s statement.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

I believe that is sectarian, rather than racist, which is still an offence north of the border.

However, if the chant was "Country full of PIRA" etc then it would be racist, to label the Irish as terrorists.

Remember being told a few years ago that Peterborough had suffered an outbreak of STIs thanks to a swinger bringing it back from Thailand, if United fans were to taunt our rivals on Saturday with "town full of STIs" is that racist?

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Remember being told a few years ago that Peterborough had suffered an outbreak of STIs thanks to a swinger bringing it back from Thailand, if United fans were to taunt our rivals on Saturday with "town full of STIs" is that racist?

I think not, but I do wonder if they might be able to sing it back to us (not speaking from personal experience, obviously...)

 

[sitwell]

Nobody has concocted any monkey chants or said there were any monkey chants at the game. Only a few of our fans who have misunderstood the Bradford chairman’s statement.

Absolute rubbish ,you know the reason he said and I do ,why are you so keen to vilify your club ?

 

[sitwell]

Can we stop trying to cover up our own fans racism please. Let them face the music.

And how do you suggest we do that ?

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co....__racist_chants__during_Bradford_City_defeat/


Lawn criticises "racist chants" during Bradford City defeat

Mark Lawn criticised the "morons" who were chanting

Simon Parker, Bradford City Reporter / Tuesday 29 December 2015 / Sport



CITY joint-chairman Mark Lawn has hit out over the alleged racist chanting that could be heard at the Sheffield United game.

Many travelling fans were angered by comments from a very small section of the home support at Bramall Lane.

Lawn said: “I thought we had gone beyond that stage in football. I’d hoped stuff like that and monkey chants were a thing of the past.

“I feel very sorry for the Sheffield United board because they must be embarrassed by the morons who do that.

“Unfortunately it’s difficult to stop something like that. We’d look on cameras and if we could prove they are doing it, then ban them from the ground.

“All you can do is try and get stewards and police involved to identify these morons. It’s beer and sheep – they drink too much and then copy other idiots but it’s very sad.”

There were also reports of coins being thrown from the away end at Blades striker Billy Sharp, scorer of their opening goal.

He later made a joke of it on Twitter and said: “Cheers Bradford for the coins.”

When asked today, Sheffield United did not want to comment.

 

[northsomersetblade]

If Mark Lawn had have been there, the chants of who ate all the pies would have surely drowned out everything else. He's just pissed off because we did them, again. Seriously, this is just bollocks isn't it? I've heard just about every chant going and I've never heard Blades fans being racist. We've been Cockney-ist, Welsh-ist, Geordie-ist, you name it, and I've heard and read some pretty vile songs by other clubs (Hitler anyone?, the Munich air crash, looking in dustbins for food) - and I've never seen any media campaigns about the clubs who's fans sing those, we all know who they are don't we? (let me guess - they would ban the media from their clubs on the spot if targeted).

Town full of isis is just British humour under the circumstances imho. At least the people singing weren't planting iuds, beheading people of different religious views and suicide bombing the innocent, now that really is offensive behaviour in my view.

 

[South London Blade]

Fat Ken Livingstone, you're just a fat Ken Livingstone...

 

[Golden Gordon]

The racial element is not about ISIS though. The racial element comes about because this was sung to Bradford fans (for the 2nd time this season) yet is not sung to any other fans. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out why it is sung to Bradford, and that (the perceived high proportion of brown people who live there) is why it is a racial thing.

Be careful! That might upset some people.

 

[SandyMcBlade]

Well I've heard southern clubs fans singing " You can shove your Yorkshire pudding up your arse".
Is this racist and should I be offended ?.....

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Well I've heard southern clubs fans singing " You can shove your Yorkshire pudding up your arse".
Is this racist and should I be offended ?.....

Only if being from Yorkshire is a race. Which it's not.

 

[blade too long]

Only if being from Yorkshire is a race. Which it's not.

THA NOOERS NOWT
WE ARE A BREED APART , HAPPEN

 

[Bladepicker]

Monkey chants are the form of racism most associated with the football terrorists. It was given as an example of the sort of deplorable racism that used to be common place on the terraces and what he thought we had moved on from. It shows the similarities between the actions of those on Monday and those from the Monkey chant days. He also points out it’s a minority and disassociates them from the club.

I get that is what he meant (I think) but he certainly doesnt catergorically say that and, unlike in the example you gave it could easily be interpreted as him saying there were monkey chants.

I also don't think you can say people with a basic grasp of English should be able to interpret what he says, it is simply not clear. For example, imagine for a second there were Monkey chants at the game as well as the Isis stuff then read his quotes again. It would still make sense.

I don't know why you are defending him when he has clearly been irresponsible at the detriment of our club? Do you own the company that supplies his local Greggs or something?

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Absolute rubbish ,you know the reason he said and I do ,why are you so keen to vilify your club ?

I don't think I've said anything at all that vilifies our club on this matter. If you disagree, please show me where I have. The only people I have vilified are a minority of our support and those defending them. I have defended Ramon Mohamed and the Bradford chairman because I genuinely don't believe they have done anything wrong. The Bradford chairman made it clear it was a minority of idiots and that it was difficult for the club to deal with and expressed sympathy with our board. Mr Mohamed was, I believe wrong in his assertion about the number of fans singing that song but I don't think either was in any way wrong to come out and condemn them and it feels like a lot of the criticism aimed at both is more an attempt to deflect attention from the morons in question.

For what it's worth, I've acknowledged the good side shown in our support in shutting up the idiots and nipping it in the bud and defended the club in acknowledging that the actions of a few idiots are largely beyond their control and in no way representative of SUFC

 

[Robby Blade]

Ramon Mohamed, aged 55, of Totley, who has supported The Blades for more than 40 years, said it reminded him of the ‘dark ages’

Mr Mohamed has said he sent an email about the chanting to Sheffield United but has not received a reply.

He said: “It was more than just five or 10 fans it was more like a few hundred.

Judging from everything I've read here and my experience at the match this is just wrong and should be challenged.

Mr Mohamed is a fucking idiot. Big Blade, so fucking big that when he was playing football in the schoolyard he would be Tony Curry. Well that is what it says on his website.
It is only my opinion of course.