Somewhere between the family-friendly,Mexican wave, need geeing up by the team atmosphere of Wembley this evening, and the poisonous atmosphere at many of the men’s matches in England over the last 40/50 years, is an ideal which is partisan, noisy, edgy, irreverent, but at the same time recognises that we are all football fans. To see England and German supporters together, each supporting their team, is a reminder that the idiots who believe you have to fight the opposition fans are missing out on one of the pleasures of a sport - enjoying a rivalry about what Klopp very eloquently described as the most important of the unimportant things in life. And those who make this impossible should think about what they are missing: the pleasure of standing (or sitting, nowadays) on the Kop at Hillsborough when Utd win a local derby there. Imagine enjoying Duffy’s goal there without fearing for your life. You just have to be able to also take the misery of being there when Utd lose.
This is quite a new thing. Football hooliganism has gone on for decades but you could still mix inside the ground with little segregation.
In the 1979 Boxing Day match I was stood right at the back of Wednesdays Kop.
I didn't wear a scarf but remember seeing the odd red and white scarf (teenagers) on their Kop for that game.
Also in 1992 I was a season ticket holder in the seats at the back of the John Street stand.
I saw quite a lot wearing blue and white Wednesday scarves sat around me.
Also saw plenty of fans wearing blue and white scarfs sat on our South stand too.
In the Data Zenith Cup 1st round (think that was in 1993 too) I was sat in the middle of the North stand amongst Wednesday fans.
When United scored (think we won 3-2) I jumped up and cheered and there were loads of Blades fans on their North stand cheering our goals.
United and Wednesday fans mixing and no trouble at all. Think the rules were you can mix but behave, don't take liberties and goad opposition fans.
Fast forward to a game in 2003 ish, it was night match with the Michael Brown goal and there was a fight at the back of the Kop.
I asked a steward what has happened. He told me it was a gang of Blades fighting another gang of Blades
and both accusing each other of secretly being Owls and infiltrating our Kop.
Regards the women's tournament, enjoyed it, some really good football played in a good atmosphere,
Although I'm on the fence. Do I prefer a sanitised family style US style atmosphere or an intimidating 80's style bear pit atmosphere?
Probably the preferred atmosphere is somewhere in the middle.
