just read this article just goes to show how the english arent as inocent as you think even at that game Quite simply, the "monkey chants" by a minority of Bulgarians was ugly and has no place in football, whatsoever!
But as an Englishman living in Sofia who sat in the "English lion's den" at many times during the match I was mortified and disgusted at the clearly racist and fascist chants and comments which were hurled in full volume at the Bulgarian fans.
These included gypos (gypsies), paki bastards (reference to Pakistani nationals) - absolutely no connection with Bulgarian culture or heritage. Also, very ugly comments about Bulgaria such as it being a "Third World country", where "everybody shits in a bucket", and Sofia is "a shithole full of gypsies."
I'm confident you will agree these comments are clearly racist and fascist.
I do not understand why the Bulgaria media or FA have not thought it a good idea to make a complaint against the English fans. Is this because perhaps very few people actually understand the comments and language used?
I was sat in the England section with my Bulgarian partner, and it was at frequent times a scary place to be listening to this racism. Yes, I am English and proud, but I could never be proud about such ill educated disillusioned primarily racist minority of fans.
70's and early 80s was terrible at the Valley for racism and I am very proud of the way the ars****es have been rooted out. Maybe a combination of society moving on and the work of the club.
I'd like to think they have been rooted out but unfortunately they are still there....but just not so loud.
Sadly, I fear that is true about the entirety of the population, not just football fans.
There's a distinction between "travellers" (often Irish) in the UK and eastern European Gypsies or Roma. Remember this was in Bulgaria where the abuse was being thrown about.
They have their own language and culture so yes they are an ethnic group.
Gypsies/Roma are very obviously a race, just as much a the Jews (and hundreds of thousands of them were killed in the holocaust). They are a subgroup of the Romani, originally from India.
Does anyone really say "political correctness gone mad" any more? Even using it ironically is tired.
[UK] England players reiterate support to campaign
Monday 5 Sep 2011
England's players have this morning (5 September) reiterated their support to Kick It Out by donning the campaign's wristbands at the squad's open training session at Wembley.
The move comes on the back of alleged racist chanting aimed at them by a section of Bulgarian supporters in Friday's European Championship qualifying match in Sofia.
Lord Herman Ouseley, Chair of Kick It Out, said: "This sends out a positive and powerful message that we need to remind ourselves that the game is open to all people from all backgrounds and nationalities, and to keep our behaviour in check even in the white heat international football can generate."
Wayne Rooney commented on the issue after the game: "As players we can hear it on the pitch. It has been going on for years and it is not right. It needs to stop and hopefully something will be done about it."
Some England supporters were also accused of responding with anti-Roma chanting during the match.
Ouseley continued: "There are issues we are still grappling with and anti-Traveller chants is one of them."
UEFA will wait for the report of Belgian referee Frank de Bleeckere before deciding whether to act.
Of course racism hasn't been completely rooted out but it is much better now than it was in football. In the ground (The Valley) it is not deemed acceptable where as people of my age (40s) will be able to testify that it was all over the ground in the 70s and early 80s. I remember bananas being thrown at Ian Wright at Palace and a significant proportion of the crowd thinking it was funny. I was disgusted and I was seriously considering giving up going to matches at that point, but it is important for rauism to be challenged and those that oppose it shouldn't run away from something they love doing because of it. Gradually things improved to the point where it is rare to hear racist remarks and you never see what you used to.
It is difficult to pin point when it stopped but I think it helped having balck players and it's great to have a black manager who is universaly loved by Charlton fans - I wouldn't have believed it had you told me that would happen in the darker days.
Comments
just read this article just goes to show how the english arent as inocent as you think even at that game Quite simply, the "monkey chants" by a minority of Bulgarians was ugly and has no place in football, whatsoever!
But as an Englishman living in Sofia who sat in the "English lion's den" at many times during the match I was mortified and disgusted at the clearly racist and fascist chants and comments which were hurled in full volume at the Bulgarian fans.
These included gypos (gypsies), paki bastards (reference to Pakistani nationals) - absolutely no connection with Bulgarian culture or heritage. Also, very ugly comments about Bulgaria such as it being a "Third World country", where "everybody shits in a bucket", and Sofia is "a shithole full of gypsies."
I'm confident you will agree these comments are clearly racist and fascist.
I do not understand why the Bulgaria media or FA have not thought it a good idea to make a complaint against the English fans. Is this because perhaps very few people actually understand the comments and language used?
I was sat in the England section with my Bulgarian partner, and it was at frequent times a scary place to be listening to this racism. Yes, I am English and proud, but I could never be proud about such ill educated disillusioned primarily racist minority of fans.
They have their own language and culture so yes they are an ethnic group.
Get on with your work!
:-)
Does anyone really say "political correctness gone mad" any more? Even using it ironically is tired.
[UK] England players reiterate support to campaign
Monday 5 Sep 2011
England's players have this morning (5
September) reiterated their support to Kick It Out by donning the
campaign's wristbands at the squad's open training session at Wembley.
The move comes on the back of alleged racist chanting aimed at them
by a section of Bulgarian supporters in Friday's European
Championship qualifying match in Sofia.
Lord Herman Ouseley, Chair of Kick It Out, said: "This sends out a
positive and powerful message that we need to remind ourselves that the
game is open to all people from all backgrounds and nationalities, and
to keep our behaviour in check even in the white heat international
football can generate."
Wayne Rooney commented on the issue after the game: "As players we
Some England supporters were also accused of responding with anti-Roma chanting during the match.can hear it on the pitch. It has been going on for years and it is not
right. It needs to stop and hopefully something will be done about it."
Ouseley continued: "There are issues we are still grappling with and anti-Traveller chants is one of them."
UEFA will wait for the report of Belgian referee Frank de Bleeckere before deciding whether to act.
Of course racism hasn't been completely rooted out but it is much better now than it was in football. In the ground (The Valley) it is not deemed acceptable where as people of my age (40s) will be able to testify that it was all over the ground in the 70s and early 80s. I remember bananas being thrown at Ian Wright at Palace and a significant proportion of the crowd thinking it was funny. I was disgusted and I was seriously considering giving up going to matches at that point, but it is important for rauism to be challenged and those that oppose it shouldn't run away from something they love doing because of it. Gradually things improved to the point where it is rare to hear racist remarks and you never see what you used to.
It is difficult to pin point when it stopped but I think it helped having balck players and it's great to have a black manager who is universaly loved by Charlton fans - I wouldn't have believed it had you told me that would happen in the darker days.