Criticising "fans" is the new anti-semitism

[ShockingBadBuy]

Yesterday's spectacular fuckwittery in the away end at Rochdale, and some of the responses to it on here, perfectly illustrate what is becoming a major problem at our club. It's becoming impossible to say anything remotely critical about some of our "support", without others jumping straight in with automatic bullshit along the lines of, "It must be the fans fault"', etc.

Reminds me of the way anyone daring to comment negatively on Israel is automatically accused by some of anti-semitism.

It's nonsense. It obscures valid concerns. It is the logic of bullies, ideologues and narcissists.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

It's the fans' fault

 

[mattbianco1]

Twats a lot of them. Problem is a lot of the younger ones haven't experienced away days outside League 1 so think all grounds are crap and you can get away with it.

Get promoted. Proper league. Proper grounds. Proper stewards. Proper CCTV to catch the mongs.

 

[mattbianco1]

It's the fans' fault

Trying to 'steal'!? the pitch cover yesterday. Set of idiots.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Imagine some of the vitriolic abuse our players must endure when they take a throw-in near our 'fans'.
All that geese philosophy will turn to dead ducks.

 

[maxtheblade]

Yesterday's spectacular fuckwittery in the away end at Rochdale, and some of the responses to it on here, perfectly illustrate what is becoming a major problem at our club. It's becoming impossible to say anything remotely critical about some of our "support", without others jumping straight in with automatic bullshit along the lines of, "It must be the fans fault"', etc.

Reminds me of the way anyone daring to comment negatively on Israel is automatically accused by some of anti-semitism.

It's nonsense. It obscures valid concerns. It is the logic of bullies, ideologues and narcissists.

Not just our club sadly, plenty of calls on Pig Heaven last week about similar behaviour from Wendy fans at Preston. Smoke bombs on the concourse, criminal damage, scared kids etc.

Seems to be on the rise and yet another thing fuelled by social media. When will the first chant of 'our dickheads video on YouTube is better than yours...'

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Trying to 'steal'!? the pitch cover yesterday. Set of idiots.

If it bothers you so much, I'll take it back to Rochdale this afternoon.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Twats a lot of them. Problem is a lot of the younger ones haven't experienced away days outside League 1 so think all grounds are crap and you can get away with it.

Get promoted. Proper league. Proper grounds. Proper stewards. Proper CCTV to catch the mongs.

Yes agree . In twat hooligan talk , our younger ones who like to create unessary trouble have never met real proper hardcore opposing supporters , with the exception of Millwall and Port Vale in this league .

**** is a word you should have not used in your post to be fair .

A lot of things are wrong with our club , which does eminate from the field of play and results. Perhaps we do need a clean sweep throughout this summer .

If it's not the football it's the fans . We have to break the viscous circle . McCabe is here to stay . Should we bite the bulletin and get rid of Adkins at the end of the season . It's got to be on a board meeting agenda.


UTB

 

[ScoobBlade]

I think getting rid of Adkins would be ludicrous as he was clearly the best man available and virtually everybody was happy with the appointment. On the idiots from yesterday, they simply make the club look pathetic and tin pot. If anyone on here ( I'd like to think there won't be ) was involved in the embarrassing scenes yesterday you are only hurting the clubs image and you deserve to be banned for a long time.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Yesterday's spectacular fuckwittery in the away end at Rochdale, and some of the responses to it on here, perfectly illustrate what is becoming a major problem at our club. It's becoming impossible to say anything remotely critical about some of our "support", without others jumping straight in with automatic bullshit along the lines of, "It must be the fans fault"', etc.

Reminds me of the way anyone daring to comment negatively on Israel is automatically accused by some of anti-semitism.

It's nonsense. It obscures valid concerns. It is the logic of bullies, ideologues and narcissists.

Really well put.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

On the idiots from yesterday, they simply make the club look pathetic and tin pot.

Yeah. Well put. As do the voices trying to justify or excuse them on this forum.

 

[Coily]

Yesterday's spectacular fuckwittery in the away end at Rochdale, and some of the responses to it on here, perfectly illustrate what is becoming a major problem at our club. It's becoming impossible to say anything remotely critical about some of our "support", without others jumping straight in with automatic bullshit along the lines of, "It must be the fans fault"', etc.

Reminds me of the way anyone daring to comment negatively on Israel is automatically accused by some of anti-semitism.

It's nonsense. It obscures valid concerns. It is the logic of bullies, ideologues and narcissists.

It should be easy for folks to deduce that there are two separate issues. One being the results and performances on the pitch, which can't be the fans fault. You might argue we could get behind them more, but we're not automatons and cheering some of the trash displayed this season would put asylums on alert. Nor is it the fans fault that we've signed crap managers, crap players and the like. That we still watch in the numbers that we do is to our credit.

However, the behaviour of the fans (some of them at least) is another matter, and some the fuckwittery displayed yesterday was totally unacceptable. These actions, laughably described as "passion" on this very forum, make the club and Sheffield United fans look like fools. It can't be too much to ask that you can go to a game, have a good time and not be a total pain in the arse to authorities and fellow fans.

Hopefully this is something that can be nipped in the bud quickly, it is simply adding to the poisonous atmosphere at the Lane.

 

[Blade56]

Yesterday's unacceptable scenes were just the next inevitable sign of a club imploding. When all is lost the rebels fighting for better turn on themselves, it's 'uman nature.

Or to put it simpley the fans fault.

The owners will love yesterday's distraction, it takes the focus off them!

 

[spongebobblade]

Yesterday's spectacular fuckwittery in the away end at Rochdale, and some of the responses to it on here, perfectly illustrate what is becoming a major problem at our club. It's becoming impossible to say anything remotely critical about some of our "support", without others jumping straight in with automatic bullshit along the lines of, "It must be the fans fault"', etc.

Reminds me of the way anyone daring to comment negatively on Israel is automatically accused by some of anti-semitism.

It's nonsense. It obscures valid concerns. It is the logic of bullies, ideologues and narcissists.

Totally agree. Yesterday's knobhead mob has made it harder for the genuine fans frustrations and concerns to be heard. It takes the emphasis away from what is still (despite a good first half) a very poor United side that just isn't good enough.

 

[mattbianco1]

**** is a word you should have not used in your post to be

****. Short for mongrel. Clearly not thoroughbred United fans, clearly mixed with something.

What did you think I meant?

 

[Ecco1889]

Just stop smashing stuff up ffs...but never stop showing your emotions and speaking your mind..thank you

 

[Northyorksblade]

For nearly thirty years, I have LOVED away days. The us versus them attitude, the singing and supporting from first to last minute, the humour, banter, so different to home games. Well sod it, I'm done with it.

 

[PeteBlade]

Brushing to one side the ridiculous comparison with anti-sematism I think most people are;

A: Sensible enough to realise that the actions of a small minority of fans yesterday was both embarrassing and unacceptable

AND

B: Not even close to being 'one of the biggest problems affecting the club at the moment'

Perspective is needed.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Oh dear! Such a silly O/P (from an otherwise top-class poster).

It's a forum, folks hold differing views. Some chose to linger on events in the stands at Rochdale & hand-wring over them. Some saw those events, relatively-speaking, as an irrelevance. It's hardly the Intifada.

But, on a more serious note, isn't labeling those who don't happen to agree with your own views as pseudo-PC freaks, bullies, ideologues, narcissists every bit as bad as what's being complained about here? And it doesn't the easy flinging of such accusations suggest that it's hardly a situation whereby poor wilting violets are having their views obscured by nasty bullies.

It seems that those condemning the actions of some fans at Rochdale yesterday were in a significant majority on here & on social media more generally. Now, it seems that the "moral majority" insist on nothing less than total agreement with their views, if this plaintive, victimised cry is anything to go by.

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Oh dear! Such a silly O/P (from an otherwise top-class poster).

It's a forum, folks hold differing views. Some chose to linger on events in the stands at Rochdale & hand-wring over them. Some saw those events, relatively-speaking, as an irrelevance. It's hardly the Intifada.

But, on a more serious note, isn't labeling those who don't happen to agree with your own views as pseudo-PC freaks, bullies, ideologues, narcissists every bit as bad as what's being complained about here? And it doesn't the easy flinging of such accusations suggest that it's hardly a situation whereby poor wilting violets are having their views obscured by nasty bullies.

It seems that those condemning the actions of some fans at Rochdale yesterday were in a significant majority on here & on social media more generally. Now, it seems that the "moral majority" insist on nothing less than total agreement with their views, if this plaintive, victimised cry is anything to go by.

Is there a line to be drawn though, when seeking to justify criminal activity? I'm not getting into the specifics, but if a poster defends say, criminal damage being caused, that's a lot different to a "Clough was great/toss" debate?

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Is there a line to be drawn though, when seeking to justify criminal activity? I'm not getting into the specifics, but if a poster defends say, criminal damage being caused, that's a lot different to a "Clough was great/toss" debate?

But, being fair Hills, has anyone justified or defended criminal activity? That's not really what's at issue here. It's more about moralising or not moralising when it comes to fellow Blades (yes, fellow Blades) who went a bit over the top in the context of a heightened atmosphere.

And what damage was actually done, exactly (or criminal activity indulged in)? Does it compare with what, say, the notorious Worcester City mob carried out during their jolly up at the Lane earlier this season*?


(*To be fair to Worcester fans, they did have the humiliation of dealing with losing to a side as shit as us to deal with.)

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

But, being fair Hills, has anyone justified or defended criminal activity? That's not really what's at issue here. It's more about moralising or not moralising when it comes to fellow Blades (yes, fellow Blades) who went a bit over the top in the context of a heightened atmosphere.

And what damage was actually done, exactly (or criminal activity indulged in)? Does it compare with what, say, the notorious Worcester City mob carried out during their jolly up at the Lane earlier this season*?


(*To be fair to Worcester fans, they did have the humiliation of dealing with losing to a side as shit as us to deal with.)

Were you at the game?

 

[Gordon cowans]

Drunken teenagers abusing players/fellow blades & wrestling over pitch covers is a total embarrassment & blitch on our club,dont wrong me,we have hardened criminals intent on causing mayhem at certain fixtures who latch to the club but this is another problem,shouldn't be too hard to find,charge & ban?!?

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Were you at the game?

Yesterday? No.

What was the tangible criminal damage/activity? - how did it compare to events amongst away fans at the Lane at certain times this season?

 

[sheffielder]

Trying to 'steal'!? the pitch cover yesterday. Set of idiots.

You really think they were trying to steal the pitch cover?

 

[Grey Blade]

You really think they were trying to steal the pitch cover?

The clue is in the ' '. Doubt any of the numb skulls gave much thought to what they were doing. More on the lines of a toddler throwing a tantrum because they couldn't have a sweetie

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Yesterday? No.

What was the tangible criminal damage/activity? - how did it compare to events amongst away fans at the Lane at certain times this season?

This might sound hostile, arrogant, and/or dismissive - it's not meant to.

Anyway...I didn't think so. Imo this is the only plausible explanation for your position.

I think any reasonable person who witnessed what happened would not reflect on it in this way.

It really was extremely ugly.

I think elsewhere you referred to an otherwise excellent poster overreacting. What if that otherwise excellent poster had posted another excellent post, and it genuinely reflected events yesterday?

It was like being transported back to some of the worst excesses of the 80s (when football was on its deathbed?).

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Yesterday? No.

What was the tangible criminal damage/activity? - how did it compare to events amongst away fans at the Lane at certain times this season?

I've been trying to think of parallels.

I vaguely remember L***s fans ripping out seats at the Bramall Lane end and chucking them on the pitch.

And then there was the notorious Millwall(?) seat chucking televised nationally.

At the time I'd grown up in football and couldn't see the reason for all the fuss.

Blades and Bradford fans chucking rocks at each other all game at Valley Parade.

Whilst nothing quite that serious happened yesterday it was back down towards that dark end of the spectrum.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

This might sound hostile, arrogant, and/or dismissive - it's not meant to.

Anyway...I didn't think so. Imo this is the only plausible explanation for your position.

I think any reasonable person who witnessed what happened would not reflect on it in this way.

It really was extremely ugly.

I think elsewhere you referred to an otherwise excellent poster overreacting. What if that otherwise excellent poster had posted another excellent post, and it genuinely reflected events yesterday?

It was like being transported back to some of the worst excesses of the 80s (when football was on its deathbed?).

But, I ask again: was there any criminal damage or other forms of criminal activity? Were there (m)any arrests? How much in the way of actual fighting was there? How does it compare with certain away fans on certain occasions at Bramall Lane - how exceptional was it? Can the wider events the club is embroiled in at least partly explain what went off?

Seems to me (& admittedly I wasn't there to witness it all first hand, so realise I may be talking bollocks) that there is a hell of a lot of hyperbole being used to describe events yesterday. "Back to some of the worst excesses of the 80s" - really??

As for the otherwise excellent poster overreacting (indeed involving himself in the hyperbole I mention), I stand by that claim. He offered a wild opinion; I totally disagree with it. No more, no less. But it was an (opinionated) opinion that we're talking about, not a neutral reflection on events.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

Brushing to one side the ridiculous comparison with anti-sematism I think most people are;

A: Sensible enough to realise that the actions of a small minority of fans yesterday was both embarrassing and unacceptable

AND

B: Not even close to being 'one of the biggest problems affecting the club at the moment'

Perspective is needed.

Oh dear! Such a silly O/P (from an otherwise top-class poster).

It's a forum, folks hold differing views. Some chose to linger on events in the stands at Rochdale & hand-wring over them. Some saw those events, relatively-speaking, as an irrelevance. It's hardly the Intifada.

But, on a more serious note, isn't labeling those who don't happen to agree with your own views as pseudo-PC freaks, bullies, ideologues, narcissists every bit as bad as what's being complained about here? And it doesn't the easy flinging of such accusations suggest that it's hardly a situation whereby poor wilting violets are having their views obscured by nasty bullies.

It seems that those condemning the actions of some fans at Rochdale yesterday were in a significant majority on here & on social media more generally. Now, it seems that the "moral majority" insist on nothing less than total agreement with their views, if this plaintive, victimised cry is anything to go by.

Comparison wasn't with anti-semitism. Comparison was between those who try to shut down any critique of Israel by a reflex response of "anti Semite", and those who try to shut down any critique of some of our supporters with a reflex response of, "oh, it must be the fan's fault then". That was the comparison. Exactly the same principle. Looks fair enough to me.

It's everywhere, all over this forum. It never used to be. Like I said, the logic of bullies.