Hillsbrough. Munich. Gas ovens and, yes, paedophiles. All of these subjects are covered in songs belted out by fans trying to bait their opponents, trying to get some advantage by the sheer nastiness of the content.
To create an atmosphere. To stir things up. By upsetting and intimidating opposing fans and players can an advantage be handed to those you support? Be it Tottenham fans to AW, be it MIBS at Anfield or even Kopites taunting United followers. Or as is being suggested in the media this morning, is it utterly unacceptable? Should the Feds be allowed into grounds to arrest singers, close down parts of the ground and hit offending clubs with fines?
(By the way, why has the widespread disorder between City and United fans — sparked, I am told by Munich-taunting City supporters after the semi-final win at Wembley — been largely ignored by the media?)
And don’t think for one minute Gooners aren’t as bad. Every bit as bad actually. Yes, the ‘bag of sweets’ song is horrible but, let’s be honest here, joyously celebrating those who died in the Holocaust is hardly a Sunday morning hymn is it? Try walking around one of the death camps or the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam and come back and chant that.
But once the 90 minutes is up how many of these supporters, caught up in the moment and venting their spleen in a hideous and vile way, walk away from the ground and never ever utter any of the views contained in the songs again? Until, perhaps the next game against a particular opponent? Isn’t all about being caught up in the moment? Is there a balance to be struck? Is it banter or beyond that?
By cracking down on these taunts will we be close to completely santising the game completely? All-seater stadiums, prawn sarnie brigades and even the middle-class lady behind me one game last season who was doing her knitting (no, I am not kidding) have already taken some of the edge from the voluminous atmospheres we find at many top flight clubs…especially ours.
It is a tough one because I want rivalry to flourish but there is a line. Yet where can it be drawn? Yes, the songs are disgusting. Yes, they are celebrating death, inhumanity, tragedy. But isn’t that life itself? They are only songs. Sticks and stones and all that. Whatever your view it will, I have no doubt, provoke ungratifying discourse. The debate will, no doubt, rage on…
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