McBurnie In away end

[Sabella's Socks]

Wilder doesn't give a shit. What a surprise

I'd go further than that - Wilder does give a shit. He thinks it's a good thing. So do I.

Reminds me of those stories of players in the "Good Old Days" getting the bus to the match along with the fans. Though I suspect McBurnie might well have hung out on the back seat on the top deck and rung the bell repeatedly to annoy the driver.

Imagine that followed with written warnings from the FA, "Let's have a heated debate," on Talkshite, and a Twitter Pile-On.

 

[AWetFlannel]

You just don't get it mate do you? You and quite a few others.

He's not just a football fan - he's a representative of Sheffield United Football Club. Try and understand that bit first and when you've grasped it, go back and read some of the other threads which explain very clearly why it reflects on the club.

But I'm a representative of the University of Sheffield and Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust. I've done wanker signs at matches before, so what?

That people choose to shine a bigger spotlight on footballers because they get paid loads doesn't mean they ought to act like an MP.

What I don't understand about all this is the desperation from some fans to treat footballers (mostly uneducated, working class lads) like royalty and to expect so much from them. Leave him alone ffs.

 

[KiwiBlabe]

Passion is one thing, calling other fans wankers while acting a wanker himself is another and that's not what football is about. Drink driving is the lowest of the low, acting a wanker at a game isn't great, especially when you're caught on camera but it's more than forgivable. What's his next stunt going to be..? CW can't let it slide if it becomes a common occurrence. Let's hope we get into Europe and can bring better strikers in who act classier when out with friends.

I'm not condoning the drunk driving, though he is pleading not guilty so let's see what happens there.
He is at a game that is against their most fierce rivals and gave them the wanker sign. Big fucking deal, when we play Weds or Leeds do you sometimes act in a way you might not in other circumstances? I do, just last week here in NZ I had the neighbour complaining at my language (and the volume) when Snodgrass apparently equalised.
I don't apologise for it, this is why I love football. It stirs emotions in me (playing or watching) that little else does. I see myself in Oli's behaviour and unashamadely back him for doing it.

 

[AWetFlannel]

Years ago I used to work for a very large and well known international company. One of the guys that worked for me had organised a 5 a side football tournament for charity and was planning to name his team after the company we worked for. The tournament was fine, the cause was a good one, and there was no problem at all with those aspects - but he was absolutely not allowed to use the company's name for his football team. Why?

Because of the reputational risk to the company. I appreciate this may be difficult for some folks to understand if they don't have a business background, but put simply, anyone representing the company has to behave, at all times, (whether at work, or not at work) in a way that must not bring any shame, claim, or embarrassment to the company, or raise questions about the standards, integrity or conduct of the company.

So, this was just an "innocent" game of football - and the guy was just wanting to name his team after our company, for a bit of fun. What could possibly be wrong with that?

Well, what if someone on his team got into a fight, or broke another player's leg? What if his team got expelled from the competition for cheating? Or what if there was a discrepancy in the amount of sponsorship they raised and that which actually got paid to the charity?

Any of these things had the potential to reflect badly on the company - even though his 5 a side team had nothing to do with the company at all - and he was the only employee playing in it.

He was refused permission to use the company name in this way. The risks of something going wrong may have been extremely remote, but if they did then reputational risk has the potential to literally wipe millions off the value of the company.

I'm not suggesting for one moment that McBurnie's "laddish" behaviour has the potential to cost our club millions in lost revenues. But, there's a principle here and it's about behaving in a way that reflects the way your employer would wish to be perceived publicly. And neither Sheffield United Football Club or the English Football Association wish for their "ambassadors" - which is what McBurnie is, whether he likes it or not, to behave in what is considered to be an unsporting way.

I don't find this hard to understand at all tbh and I think Wilder has handled it well.

Ah now I get it. We must bow to our corporate masters and live in a way that dares not risk their image.

If anything, my principles tell me to act and expect from people what I'd expect from myself, not to some bullshit standard that protects a corporation's 'values'.

God forbid people think Sheffield United FC is indifferent to its ambassadors using potty language in an away end.

 

[Sabella's Socks]

Passion is one thing, calling other fans wankers while acting a wanker himself is another and that's not what football is about. Drink driving is the lowest of the low, acting a wanker at a game isn't great, especially when you're caught on camera but it's more than forgivable. What's his next stunt going to be..? CW can't let it slide if it becomes a common occurrence. Let's hope we get into Europe and can bring better strikers in who act classier when out with friends.

Did I miss something? Has he been convicted of drunk driving?

Classy. As in middle-classy?

Yes that's what we all need. Sanitise the Game. Purge the Plebs!

 

[Hamburg Blade]

What he did though is no different to 90 percent of our own fans.

I'm fine.with it, chris is fine with.it, the fa arent too bothered by it...

No issues

I have never made wanker signs to opposition fans. I'm happy to be in that small minority of the fans you speak for.

 

[Hamburg Blade]

I'd go further than that - Wilder does give a shit. He thinks it's a good thing. So do I.

Chris Wilder has not said McB making wanker signs is a good thing.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Did Mike Dean get an FA letter after his appearance in the Tranmere end last year? Bringing attention on himself, standing on the railings clearly in breach of stadium safety regulations etc?

Or did everyone just not overreact and enjoy it for what it was?

 

[Birdwell Blade]

I played in a charity game organised by my company. Got into a scrap, sent off for allegedly head butting someone. Got sacked.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I played in a charity game organised by my company. Got into a scrap, sent off for allegedly head butting someone. Got sacked.

Did the company’s share price collapse though?

 

[Birdwell Blade]

Did the company’s share price collapse though?

No I don’t think it affected it much.

 

[Deleted member 1486]

some bullshit standard that protects a corporation's 'values'.

 

[bypassblade]

Drink driver = alcohol over limits breathalyser confirms = not me guv = he’s an idiot

I know what a drunk driver is, I'm saying he is denying it and the law in our land says "innocent till proven guilty", keep smart arse comments to thisen.

 

[Whiston Blade]

Did Mike Dean get an FA letter after his appearance in the Tranmere end last year? Bringing attention on himself, standing on the railings clearly in breach of stadium safety regulations etc?

Or did everyone just not overreact and enjoy it for what it was?

I didn't see the game but did Mike Riley give the opposition fans wanker gestures?

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I didn't see the game but did Mike Riley give the opposition fans wanker gestures?

I don’t know – was Mike Riley there too?

 

[AWetFlannel]

Exactly what I was thinking of!

 

[Sean Thornton]

I don’t know – was Mike Riley there too?

He was getting tossed off by a Wendy on the Kop.

 

[SELondon_Bladette]

I played in a charity game organised by my company. Got into a scrap, sent off for allegedly head butting someone. Got sacked.

but more importantly... did you WIN?

 

[bromtom]

Wanker is also about the tamest insult around. It's barely swearing.

Hope the FA don't sit too close to the pitch because I've heard players swearing! Ban them all!

 

[Pedro Verde]

I know what a drunk driver is, I'm saying he is denying it and the law in our land says "innocent till proven guilty", keep smart arse comments to thisen.

He will be trying to get off the charge through a technical loophole that some very expensive smart arse brief has
suggested may get him found not guilty
I very much doubt the CPS would prosecute him if the breathalyser and later blood sample test didnt prove positive for being over the drink drive limit

 

[Whiston Blade]

I don’t know – was Mike Riley there too?

My bad, was Mike Dean there giving wanker signs to the opposition fans?

 

[bypassblade]

He will be trying to get off the charge through a technical loophole that some very expensive smart arse brief has
suggested may get him found not guilty
I very much doubt the CPS would prosecute him if the breathalyser and later blood sample test didnt prove positive for being over the drink drive limit

Yes Pedro that is quite obvious mate look how Saunders avoided jail, it does seem to be a thing with footballers

 

[LoughboroBlade]

My bad, was Mike Dean there giving wanker signs to the opposition fans?

As far as I’m aware no, as I’m sure it would have been covered in the press at the time. Standing on the rails though was a far greater offence by Dean I hope you’d agree – the potential to injure someone (or himself) was far more than the potential damage to one of McBurnie’s mate’s eyes by McBurnie doing a wanker gesture near their face.

 

[Birdwell Blade]

but more importantly... did you WIN?

I don’t even know. Had to go to hospital for stitches at half time, got punched in the back of the head when I wasn’t expecting it.

 

[Pedro Verde]

Yes Pedro that is quite obvious mate look how Saunders avoided jail, it does seem to be a thing with footballers

So to all intents and purposes he will be a driver that has driven over the legal limit
So that crap you posted about being innocent until proven guilty is complete bollox apart from the in the eyes of the law if he gets off on a technicality

 

[bypassblade]

So to all intents and purposes he will be a driver that has driven over the legal limit
So that crap you posted about being innocent until proven guilty is complete bollox apart from the in the eyes of the law if he gets off on a technicality

God you're so polite I just posted what is true he's not guilty yet I don't say he didn't drink and drive, but if it suits you to stick to digs then that is your prerogative. I have zero sympathy for anyone drink driving and they deserve the full weight of the law at them, but as it stands he thinks he can get off, if he is banned he get's no sympathy from me nor does anyone.