Comments on: The Sweeper: Club Prevents Supporters from Kicking Racism Out of Football http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/10/22/the-sweeper-club-prevents-supporters-from-kicking-racism-out-of-football/ Exploring football culture around the world Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:39:16 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Adrian Ludbrook http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/10/22/the-sweeper-club-prevents-supporters-from-kicking-racism-out-of-football/comment-page-1/#comment-10119 Adrian Ludbrook Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:02:25 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=3895#comment-10119 Once again 'modern football' kicks the fans in the nuts - get the businessmen, the nanny state and the parasites (agents, I'm looking at you) out of the game and bring common sense back to our sport, the sport of the British working classes. Only a businessman with no understanding of the game could have responded in such a way to Bristol Rover's G.I.F.T.'s noble gesture. I always thought the lower leagues escaped the worst of the modern disease with their terraces and less financial incentive for a suit to come and ruin it all but after Notts County's big money buyout and now this at Bristol Rovers I'd also like to report something from League 1's (England's 3rd teir for our US readers) Huddersfield - flags have been banned from the stadium. Anyone hanging a flag is thrown out at the minimum and risks a banning order - 3 years for hanging a flag. The reason - they're a fire risk. What, like the clothes people in the stadium wear? Even a certified fireproof flag (as most flags are) wasn't allowed. The irony, the Galpharm Stadium is shared with Huddersfield Rugby Club whose fans can happily hang flags at games. Football's really going through the mill here in the UK, the FA are more interested in the US and Asian media markets for the EPL than the long suffering supporter who actually goes to games. The atmosphere's dead, you can't fart in the stadium, the tickets are overpriced and at certain grounds in London (including Arsenal, Chelsea and Crystal Palace (yep, odd I know) you can be legally stopped and searched by the Police thanks to a manipulation of anti-terror laws. Anyone seen V for Vendetta? NO AL CALCIO MODERNO! Once again ‘modern football’ kicks the fans in the nuts – get the businessmen, the nanny state and the parasites (agents, I’m looking at you) out of the game and bring common sense back to our sport, the sport of the British working classes. Only a businessman with no understanding of the game could have responded in such a way to Bristol Rover’s G.I.F.T.’s noble gesture.

I always thought the lower leagues escaped the worst of the modern disease with their terraces and less financial incentive for a suit to come and ruin it all but after Notts County’s big money buyout and now this at Bristol Rovers I’d also like to report something from League 1’s (England’s 3rd teir for our US readers) Huddersfield – flags have been banned from the stadium. Anyone hanging a flag is thrown out at the minimum and risks a banning order – 3 years for hanging a flag. The reason – they’re a fire risk. What, like the clothes people in the stadium wear? Even a certified fireproof flag (as most flags are) wasn’t allowed. The irony, the Galpharm Stadium is shared with Huddersfield Rugby Club whose fans can happily hang flags at games.

Football’s really going through the mill here in the UK, the FA are more interested in the US and Asian media markets for the EPL than the long suffering supporter who actually goes to games. The atmosphere’s dead, you can’t fart in the stadium, the tickets are overpriced and at certain grounds in London (including Arsenal, Chelsea and Crystal Palace (yep, odd I know) you can be legally stopped and searched by the Police thanks to a manipulation of anti-terror laws. Anyone seen V for Vendetta?

NO AL CALCIO MODERNO!

]]>