There’s a minority of idiots who tarnish Vale’s name with idiotic actions
OVF editor Rob Fielding was disturbed to read reports of highly offensive behaviour by a group of Port Vale “fans” – here’s his response.
Rob Fielding writes…
It was pretty disturbing stuff to read an open letter on the OVF forum describing the actions of a number of Port Vale “fans” on a tram following the game against Bury. Vale fans subjected an Asian teenager to chants about being a “suicide bomber” and upset other passengers on the journey with songs about paedophiles. When a Vale fan tried to intervene he was accused of being part of the “PC brigade”.
That fan wasn’t being “politically correct” he was simply being “decent” – a word that seems to have escaped your attention…
Well, I’m sorry to disappoint those of you involved in the abuse, but that fan wasn’t being “politically correct” he was simply being “decent” – a word that seems to have escaped your attention.
If you were involved in that abuse you should be ashamed of yourselves and your families should be ashamed of you too. And yes, of course, Port Vale FC, the club you purport to support, is ashamed of you too. Your actions were pathetic, childish, ignorant and wrong. You’re a disgrace.
Your actions tarnish the standing of a club that once sent a team of footballers to Czechoslavakia to support the “Lidice lives” campaign. It was a stand taken against violence, racism and oppression (the Lidice Lives campaign was a reaction to Nazi soldiers summarily executing the population of an entire Czech village and razing the buildings as a deterrent and reprisal) – standing up for values that you poured scorn on.
This football club neither needs your support nor wants it…
Your actions tarnish the memory of club greats such as Ian Taylor and Robbie Earle. Do you think either of those great players would appreciate and applaud your pathetic racist jibes? Do you think the current crop of overseas signings will be happy to learn that you pick on people (like you did with that teenage lad on the tram) because of the colour of their skin?
Your actions tarnish the reputation of a club that has already suffered greatly over its history. This football club neither needs your support nor wants it.
But that’s enough time and energy wasted on idiots. I doubt any of them got past the picture at the top of the page anyhow. What can right-thinking fans do to combat these idiots?
Well, there is actually some things you can do.
- The first and most obvious is simply to report it.
- If you have a smart phone you may want to download the Kick It Out app. Search for “Kick it out” in your app store. It’s free and allows you to confidentially report any racist or discriminatory behaviour. Video footage is a great way of getting offenders identified and banned.
- If you haven’t downloaded the app, you can still report the incident later by going to the Kick It Out website and clicking on this link
- I also rather liked this graphic. It was posted to show how to counter Islamaphobia but it works for other incidents of discrimination too.
Despite the odd trial and tribulation along the way, Port Vale is a great club with some fantastic fans. Let’s try and keep it that way and do our best to prevent these idiots tarnishing our club’s name with their idiotic actions.