Cringe Time

[Avon Royal]

To me, calling anyone a bastard is offensive

You boring bastard.

[scutterbucket]

20 years ago YOU BLACK BASTARD was heard every Saturday in virtually every football ground in the country. There was very little racism involved in that chant, it was just what the yobs shouted. They also shouted YOU DIRTY NORTHERN BASTARDS.

To me, calling anyone a bastard is offensive and I totally abhor this kind of numbskullery that many football supporters find so side-splittingly entertaining.

Seeing grown men chanting that sort of stuff is completely cringe-worthy.

If this wasn't so sad it would be hilarious.......

You must lead a very sheltered life....Racism is one thing and should never be tolerated, but where do you draw the line? What next poo, bum, willy.....FFS.....

Sorry, I know it's a bit deep, but I find it a little sad that you can't see that my underlying point here is that 20 years ago YOU BLACK BASTARD went unchallenged, now NORTHERN BASTARD goes unchallenged by so many.

Both are, and always were offensive and unnecessary and in 20 years time I suspect that neither will be heard in football grounds.

Poo, bum, willy? As you say.... FFS....

Policitical correctness now extends to geographical terms. Pathetic!

[Royal Lady]

Well, I for one, find it quite amusing when the Scottish bloke sat a row or two behind me, yells "you dirty northern barstewards" during games.

[working class hero]

Out of interest, should these ignoramuses bring back the chant "YOU BLACK BASTARD"? It was all part of exactly the same banter, no?

So calling someone a northern b@stard is just as offensive as calling someone a black b@stard is it?

Royal Rother - if he was made out of chocolate he'd eat himself.

What if either - or both - are true????

[floyd__streete]

God bless sensitive old Royal Rother having to share a stadium with the middle class heathens of Reading shouting a few nasty things at our ever-so-welcome visitors, themselves always so polite and humble . He really is the arch-purist, the Egon Ronay of football if you will, just as happy at a well constructed 5-man-move opposition goal as when Reading shin one home from 2 yards. Hurrah for both sides and may the best team win - he would seem about as partisan as 2nd world war Switzerland. You really have to chuckle at his ever so twee protestations on this thread when on numerous other discussions the likes of Alad and BBTSB bemoan what is more often than not a perceived convivial atmosphere inside the MadStad

[brendywendy]

cant believe this has run to four pages!
offensive chants rule, surely there can be no argument.


not singing DNB?! what on earth are you saying
i love that one,
you may as well start saying we can no longer abuse the referee by questioning his parentage, or any player with greasy long hair by saying hes prone to living in caravans, or anyone who was a bit tubby with who ate all the pies.

crazy talk

what about the time at elm park everyone was singing "whose the slapper in the white" to some big northern minger in the away end-even the away fans were laughing

and what about, "we're reading we're reading well kick your oxf*rd head in" readings only original chant (unless yeading sing it too) although i always felt a little daft singing it, cos clearly i wasnt about to do anything of the sort

and i agree about "you are getting wet"-that always made me laugh-just to show im not just into offensive chanting

[papereyes]

unless yeading sing it too)

They do and they did it first.

We are that plastic.

[RoyalBlue]

Sorry, I know it's a bit deep, but I find it a little sad that you can't see that my underlying point here is that 20 years ago YOU BLACK BASTARD went unchallenged, now NORTHERN BASTARD goes unchallenged by so many.

Both are, and always were offensive and unnecessary and in 20 years time I suspect that neither will be heard in football grounds.

Poo, bum, willy? As you say.... FFS....

Surely it is only offensive if the intended target finds it so. As I mentioned before, I'm sure that most football supporters would be more worried that the team they support were being called dirty or cheats than the fact they were being called bastards! So perhaps we ought to stop calling other teams cheats, dirty, boring etc. for fear of causing offence!

I can see it, Royal Rother (aka Flanders) sitting at the game on Monday night next to his wife (aka Maude). When the crowd starts singing "Dirty Northern Bastards", his wife claps her hands to her ears and complains to Flanders "The children, won't anybody think of the children!!!"

My god! I must be feeling unwell today! First I agree with Spacey and then I find something he has written funny (when he intended it to be so!)

Well, I for one, find it quite amusing when the Scottish bloke sat a row or two behind me, yells "you dirty northern barstewards" during games.

But he's not a northerner he's a sweaty! And I suppose I'm now more or less a Cockney bastard in the eyes of those from Birmingham northwards!

[brendywendy]

unless yeading sing it too)

They do and they did it first.

We are that plastic.

NOOOOOOOOOooooooooo!!!!!

[working class hero]

Remember Porridge when McLAren complained about being called a 'black Scottish bastard'?

As I recall Fletch pointed out that since his parents were not married, he was Scottish and quite clearly black he had no room for complaint. The context was different of course but if there is no intent then the offence should not be seen.

[Kajagoogoo]

Royal rother,you are just the sort of leftie liberal arsehole that i like kicking into next tuesday.If you dont like the chants,then do one.

[Royal Rother]

I'm sorry guys but you are, most of you, from different generations to me. I have an understanding of what makes human beings tick that you just don't have. Arrogant, patronising? Possibly, but I'm afraid it's true.

I was on the terraces for many years, witnessed the problems of the 70s and 80s, I have seen the reactions caused by certain chants, I have felt the animosity they cause and although it is of course possible that I am somewhat out of touch with what kicks things off these days, I doubt it has changed that much.

I simply cannot relate to the folly of human beings that makes them want to abuse each other, wave fists at each other, and all too often pick a fight, all because of the bloody football team they support. It simply does not make sense to me. I understand how and why it does happen, but the people who do it might just as well be aliens from another planet they are that far removed from my attitudes to life.

Call me a pacifist, a scaredy-cat, whatever label you want to pin on me, nothing will convince me that the chant DNB is not designed to get a reaction out of the opposing supporters and could be the spark to ignite trouble. It is also an awful example to set to youngsters coming to football matches. Whatever impression you have formed of me, it's probably wrong, but I can assure you that my 7yo son is in no way sheltered, and a perfectly normal, boisterous yet friendly little boy, but I do not want to take him into an atmosphere that is aggressive and would be unpleasant, if not scary, to a youngster. The fact that you lot think it is all part of the experience of going to a game is a shame because it really shouldn't be.

Now you guys should know that I exaggerate a bit on occasions to encourage a discussion (particularly on football related matters - hey, it's fun) but this post sums it up for me, without exaggeration. I should add that the word "bastard" does not actually offend me, but it isn't far removed from calling someone a cnut in my vocabulary.

And I do want Reading to win every game and I would rather we shin one from 2 inches than the opposition score a cracker from a well constructed 5 man move, but if the latter happened I would want to show my appreciation because I am a football supporter, not just a Reading supporter and I want to see quality football.

Hope this helps a bit.

[Royal Rother]

Royal rother,you are just the sort of leftie liberal arsehole that i like kicking into next tuesday.If you dont like the chants,then do one.

Look sonny, if a well constructed sentence is beyond your capabilities, maybe you could draw a picture.

[floyd__streete]

It is also an awful example to set to youngsters coming to football matches. Whatever impression you have formed of me, it's probably wrong, but I can assure you that my 7yo son is in no way sheltered, and a perfectly normal, boisterous yet friendly little boy, but I do not want to take him into an atmosphere that is aggressive and would be unpleasant, if not scary, to a youngster.

My dad had taken me along to EP by the time I was 7. I am sure I heard a lot worse than DNB at the time and on the many subsequent visits during my formative years. I am yet to serve a stretch in Bullingdon prison and the only Courts I have ever set foot in sold furniture.

[brendywendy]

Call me a pacifist, a scaredy-cat,

you scaredy cat

bloody pacifist bustard

removed from calling someone a cnut in my vocabulary.

what about king cnut, he was ok about it
and it didnt seem to hurt him much-becoming king and all that

[Royal Rother]

Righto.

[Royal Rother]

It is also an awful example to set to youngsters coming to football matches. Whatever impression you have formed of me, it's probably wrong, but I can assure you that my 7yo son is in no way sheltered, and a perfectly normal, boisterous yet friendly little boy, but I do not want to take him into an atmosphere that is aggressive and would be unpleasant, if not scary, to a youngster.

My dad had taken me along to EP by the time I was 7. I am sure I heard a lot worse than DNB at the time and on the many subsequent visits during my formative years. I am yet to serve a stretch in Bullingdon prison and the only Courts I have ever set foot in sold furniture.

And of course that was the direct parallel I drew wasn't it?

Expose a kid to a hostile environment with lots of swearing and it's a dead cert he'll end up in clink. Probably for murder.

[Dirk Gently]

FYI the next area to be challenged is homophobic abuse and homophobic chanting.

Steps are being taken to tighten up ground regs and stewards will be briefed etc - in the eyes of many, homophobia now is at the same stage racism was 20 years ago.

[Royal Rother]

...and that geographical stereotyping / abuse will be at in another 20 years... as predicted earlier.

Tut! Some people have no vision.

[floyd__streete]

...and that geographical stereotyping / abuse will be at in another 20 years... as predicted earlier.