I hate Arsenal, I have no love for Wenger or the club he manages, that must be clearly understood before I make my next incoherent rant. Jack Wilshere was charged by the FA this week for misconduct after singing ''offensive'' songs in Arsenal's FA cup parade. These were ''offensive'' songs that are sung regularly by Arsenal fans on the terraces and he mentioned the word 'shit' in relation to their local arch rivals Spurs. 'Shit'. One thing we have seen in the past two decades in sport is a campaign to rid participants of personalities, you see it in FA charges and the way sports such as F1 is being run, remember when F1 drivers were cool?...where are the spontaneous revelry of the past that made these sporting behemoths seem human? These days because of corporate sponsors and anal organisations in charge we have all but killed characters on and off the pitch...If you and I were good enough wouldn't we be drooling to rub the scousers nose in it on a victory parade? Wouldn't we want to join in and sing the new terrace favourite George Best tribute song...wait that has the word 'piss' in it so that's an FA charge right there. Wilshere did nothing that a normal fan would do, he clearly has a bond with the fans and has a connection to the club, he takes a huge amount of 'shit' off the terraces each week from rival supporters yet these same supporters would apparently be horrified if he gave a little piece of it back?
It's the same scenario with when a player scores a goal, league, important cup match or whatever...excitement kicks in and they celebrate in a way that instinctively kicks in. They get booked. It is this kind of bullshit where we try to smother the passion from the likes of Wilshere and yes even Gerrard and Gary Neville that is taking the game away from the typical terrace fan and instead we should be appreciating when a player feels a connection to a club and it's supporters for more than just the pay-check and wants to celebrate with them and as one of them. I am sure some FA prat will say the term 'shit' used by Wilshere would drive away sponsors and fans because you always see people leave grounds in droves when songs with even more offensive words are used in them are sung....don't they? Or could it be that some people find the term 'shit' way too offensive in a world where football matches are broadcast in the afternoon and you can clearly hear far more severe terms from loud mouthed supporters? Two wrongs don't make a right but if you either go along to an environment where they is a large gathering of football supporters then you WILL hear swearing at the very least, and if anybody was offended then they clearly should 'fuck off' back to their armchair and watch their Sky sports with the volume down. If Wilshere is suspended by the FA then they need to hang their heads in bloody shame.
It's the same scenario with when a player scores a goal, league, important cup match or whatever...excitement kicks in and they celebrate in a way that instinctively kicks in. They get booked. It is this kind of bullshit where we try to smother the passion from the likes of Wilshere and yes even Gerrard and Gary Neville that is taking the game away from the typical terrace fan and instead we should be appreciating when a player feels a connection to a club and it's supporters for more than just the pay-check and wants to celebrate with them and as one of them. I am sure some FA prat will say the term 'shit' used by Wilshere would drive away sponsors and fans because you always see people leave grounds in droves when songs with even more offensive words are used in them are sung....don't they? Or could it be that some people find the term 'shit' way too offensive in a world where football matches are broadcast in the afternoon and you can clearly hear far more severe terms from loud mouthed supporters? Two wrongs don't make a right but if you either go along to an environment where they is a large gathering of football supporters then you WILL hear swearing at the very least, and if anybody was offended then they clearly should 'fuck off' back to their armchair and watch their Sky sports with the volume down. If Wilshere is suspended by the FA then they need to hang their heads in bloody shame.
This one some of you may or not have read about, a lower ranking referee named Craig Langton has been fined and suspended for making a remark to a woman on twitter. The woman in question had mentioned that somebody was selling tickets to a Hillsborough memorial service...disgusting actions indeed right? Langton tweeted the woman, whose father died at the tragedy and I include it below -
Now of course that was what we call 'pub or terrace banter' and there is a time and place for near the knuckle comments such as that. Some people will be up in arms about what I am saying but show me someone who hasn't made a sarcastic or near the knuckle remark about Princess Diana dying, 9/11, Titanic, the Black death or any other even in history where people suffered and/or died and I will show you a liar. The difference is you only indulge in remarks such as that in an environment where you know offence won't be caused or you know it won't be taken to the extreme...and no, just because you make a banterous remark does not mean you believe or support the comment. it is banter, comedy or rather an attempt at it...and Craig Langton's choice of audience was bang out of order, unfair to the lady in question and distressing I imagine. The woman in question reported the tweet to the FA and they investigated, Langton was charged - In a statement posted on its website, an FA spokesman said: ''FA Level four referee, Craig Langton, has been suspended for eight weeks, fined £100 and warned to his future conduct after being charged with Misconduct under FA Rule E3 – Improper Conduct – after posting offensive comments on Twitter.''
So, Langton was fined by the FA and banned. Okay? Well no because the lady in question then reported him to the Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service where Langton had been employed for many years. She claimed she didn't want him fired or to lose his livelihood...good I suppose because that impacts on his family as well as him surely? But if she didn't then why report it to his place of work? Through his union, the FBU, he apologised, again I question his judgement as he should have done it personally to the lady in question but seeing as she has taken it to his place of employment I can understand at least why he has gone through his Union. Langton has also received personal abuse at home from those outraged at his mocking a Liverpool disaster, those same outraged people were silent when the Spirit of Shankley were singing Munich songs at a Christmas party...the footage of which is still on you-tube. Were they vocally opposed and outraged before Hillsborough when large sections of Anfield taunted the Munich disaster with songs and chants? Would we find any tweets from the offended parties in question when the official Liverpool football club twitter account re-tweeted a mocking song play list that for the Anfield DJ that featured songs which was a clear attempted at mocking the Munich disaster? Liverpool realised the error of their ways and removed the tweet and apologised, no Munich survivors or relatives of the dead made complaints. I can fully understand the lady in question being offended by that tweet to her when she was clearly pointing out a few vermin trying to profit from a memorial service, but he has been punished, apologised and faced more than enough abuse for his poor actions.
Just food for thought before the baying masses jumping on this bandwagon carry on their crusade for Mr Langston's blood...
So, Langton was fined by the FA and banned. Okay? Well no because the lady in question then reported him to the Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service where Langton had been employed for many years. She claimed she didn't want him fired or to lose his livelihood...good I suppose because that impacts on his family as well as him surely? But if she didn't then why report it to his place of work? Through his union, the FBU, he apologised, again I question his judgement as he should have done it personally to the lady in question but seeing as she has taken it to his place of employment I can understand at least why he has gone through his Union. Langton has also received personal abuse at home from those outraged at his mocking a Liverpool disaster, those same outraged people were silent when the Spirit of Shankley were singing Munich songs at a Christmas party...the footage of which is still on you-tube. Were they vocally opposed and outraged before Hillsborough when large sections of Anfield taunted the Munich disaster with songs and chants? Would we find any tweets from the offended parties in question when the official Liverpool football club twitter account re-tweeted a mocking song play list that for the Anfield DJ that featured songs which was a clear attempted at mocking the Munich disaster? Liverpool realised the error of their ways and removed the tweet and apologised, no Munich survivors or relatives of the dead made complaints. I can fully understand the lady in question being offended by that tweet to her when she was clearly pointing out a few vermin trying to profit from a memorial service, but he has been punished, apologised and faced more than enough abuse for his poor actions.
Just food for thought before the baying masses jumping on this bandwagon carry on their crusade for Mr Langston's blood...
Blackpool Chairman Karl Oyston has admitted an FA charge of misconduct after branding a supporter a 'retard' a 'sad act' and 'educationally subnormal'. This is the same Karl Oyston that sued fans for Libel recently...seems he can give it but can't take it.