Leading Port Vale Supporters Club official: please stay calm and show respect during

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Malcolm Hirst, vice chair of the Supporters Club has appealed to Port Vale fans to avoid discrimatory behaviour during the match against rivals Crewe. Malcolm Hirst writes… It was great to see the new diversity boards going up at Vale Park proclaiming ‘Football has no gender’. It is so important that these are in place […]

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[smithie]

Cheers Malcolm whoever-you-are. "We don't want to sanitise football but"....

 

That's exactly where this is heading, and already has in the Premier League. Barely a week goes by without some cause using football to promote their own agenda.

 

I don't need telling what's funny to chant and what's not, I'll make my own mind up if that's OK. Nor do I need a T-shirt to let people know I'm not a racist.

[Santa]

Generally speaking I’m happy that the club takes a strong anti-discrimination stance and I’m all in favour of using football as a tool to leverage greater awareness.

 

With regard to the incident at the Crewe away game in September (which I couldn’t attend) I’m told that the incident with the female liner was down to the actions of one lone weirdo so I’m a bit surprised that we’ve all been selected for some collective reeducation.

 

If the actions of one rogue individual result can result in such initiatives, I’m looking forward to Crewe holding a ‘don’t **** kids day’ at Gresty Road soon.

[cheshirevaliant]

Top bloke Malc is. However, even taking aside the other points he raises, has a team ever been given a point deduction as a result of fans behaviour? It seems to be used as a deterrent by nearly every club, yet I can't remember this punishment ever being meted out.

 

I'm talking in the era of all seater stadiums, before someone says "Heysel".

[robf]

Cheers Malcolm whoever-you-are. "We don't want to sanitise football but"....

 

That's exactly where this is heading, and already has in the Premier League. Barely a week goes by without some cause using football to promote their own agenda.

 

I don't need telling what's funny to chant and what's not, I'll make my own mind up if that's OK. Nor do I need a T-shirt to let people know I'm not a racist.

 

Considering the amounts of incidents Vale have been involved in in recent years, I think it's totally reasonable and responsible to issue such a piece ahead of a potential flashpoint game. It gives a stark reminder of what the idiots could cost the club.

 

It's odd that Crewe and the local media have been (rightly) hammered for their "fingers in ears" pretend it isn't happening approach to the Bennell issue but when Vale try to directly approach the issue of poor fans' behaviour they are seen as being overbearing.

 

What sort of approach do you want from your club:

 

1. We have a problem, we're on a final warning let's not sweep this under the carpet and address it in an adult manner.

 

2. Let's copy Crewe and pretend the issue doesn't exist.

 

I know which one I prefer and if you don't need the message then just don't read or dwell on the reminder to those who do

[NLVMalc]

Santa, sadly it was not down to one person. Education is certainly the way forward, I’m not sure I was advocating some kind of collective re-education, rather merely giving voice to the silent majority.

 

CV - you are right, as far as I’m aware, with the assertion that no club has ever been given a points deduction. However, it was pointed out to me that it was not normal for an away club to be charged for not controlling fans, they thought it might have been a first. Diversity is a hot topic at the moment and the spotlight is on the footballing authorities and how lenient they have been in the past. If I was to take a punt on it, I’d say a lower league club rather than a Premier League club is more likely to be the first team hit with a points deduction.

[smithie]

It was probably some busybody being offended on her behalf at Crewe.

 

Out of interest what's the politically-correct term for someone running the line these days? Gender-neutral linesperson?

[smithie]

Considering the amounts of incidents Vale have been involved in in recent years, I think it's totally reasonable and responsible to issue such a piece ahead of a potential flashpoint game. It gives a stark reminder of what the idiots could cost the club.

 

It's odd that Crewe and the local media have been (rightly) hammered for their "fingers in ears" pretend it isn't happening approach to the Bennell issue but when Vale try to directly approach the issue of poor fans' behaviour they are seen as being overbearing.

 

What sort of approach do you want from your club:

 

1. We have a problem, we're on a final warning let's not sweep this under the carpet and address it in an adult manner.

 

2. Let's copy Crewe and pretend the issue doesn't exist.

 

I know which one I prefer and if you don't need the message then just don't read or dwell on the reminder to those who do

 

That really depends on what you call "recent" because I can't think of anything significant in the last three years or so.

[Santa]

Out of interest what's the politically-correct term for someone running the line these days? Gender-neutral linesperson?

Liner, or 'love'.

[toyahw]

Referee's assistant? The irony is she was much better than the idiot on the other side.

[smithie]

Liner, or 'love'.

 

I'm only half-joking when I say that before long, anyone caught shouting that would get a banning order and name-hate awareness sessions.

[yoblet]

With Artell a few yards away from the Lorne street I think we will have enough to shout about,I just hope he's been told to behave.

[robf]

That really depends on what you call "recent" because I can't think of anything significant in the last three years or so.

 

The fact that the actual piece mentions a recent event shows that you really read the article then...

 

According to reports - three were arrested after last season's fixture.

 

How about the 21 fans charged after Grimsby in 2018?

 

Or this report - https://theovertake.com/~racism-and-football/home-truth/ - showing where we stand nationally.

 

So all of the above reference the last two years and show that sadly we have one of the worst records in terms of racist and indecent chanting.

 

And yet despite all that - there's still offence being taken at someone who volunteers his time to help the club politely appealing for reasonable behaviour ahead of a clash that in recent years has attracted headlines for all the wrong reasons. I would have thought that having the embarrassment of being one of the country's leading offenders for racist chanting we would be applauding the diversity efforts of the Supporters Club to the rafters...

 

Unbelievable!

[Jacko51]

It was probably some busybody being offended on her behalf at Crewe.

 

 

If you were at Crewe you will remember that the liner changed sides at half time so I suspect it wasn't someone being offended on her behalf. Stop living in the past, smithie. There are plent of ways you can have a laugh at the game without resorting to stupid, offensive comments.

[smithie]

I was at Grimsby and Crewe, and the former had nothing to do with racist chanting. To lump in one incident of indecent chanting (whatever constitutes that) to the rap sheet is over the top.

 

Probably not going to agree on this, but it's safe to say that in the near future football will be totally sanitised. Whether that makes it more enjoyable as a spectator will be for individuals to decide.