A football Moan

Guys tell me what you think!
Gordon Brown (Scottish) is to ban all large screens in city centres watching the European Champions league final next week following a small group of mindless 'SCOTTISH' football 'FANS' who taunted police before running riot through Manchester city centre. Dont get me wrong but was there any restrictions on Scotland when we (England) were banned from euro football in the 80's (which i agreed with)... I think this country are just soooo into Political correctness and trying to do the 'RIGHT' thing to realize that we are not all bloody thugs. How can a small group ruin what would be a great night. (up to 400 people rioting when there were 140,000 people football related in Manchester last night)
This is not a knock at scottish football or people just me getting something off my chest!
Or am i just being stupid!!!! :eek:

 

Agree, a typical nanny state knee jerk reaction.... No shock though, just what one comes to expect from the labour party,

 

Hmm! Probably the politicians reaction. "I must be seen to be doing something" without giving any thought to the realities of the situation. Instant answers probably aren't the best. Maybe should have asked the troops on the ground (Police, ambulance staff etc.) We had the same reaction after the Dunblane tragedy. Kids are still getting killed with firearms. Knee-jerk isn't the best response.
PG, I dislike all politicians, have you, as an adult, ever lived under a right-wing government as an adult?

 

just some of the views in manchester

I don't see why the officials who blundered their way through this are still bending over backwards in order to defend the people who just wrecked our city.

It's always a "small group" of fans that cause trouble - but no-one cares about that when its fans from anywhere else.

If the same thing had happened with supporters from Italy, Turkey or indeed England, the condemnation would, quite rightly, be universal.



Whilst I agree that most of the time the atmosphere has been light hearted and fun during the past couple of days . . . and yes, I do mean couple of days . . . when I came across town on Tuesday at 8am there were Rangers fans drinking heavily even then, it must be clear to see that the result of a drinking binge which was approaching 36hours for some so called fans could only be trouble. I strongly disagree with the comments made that the organisation of the events was a shambles, the screen failing was obviously an unexpected technical error, surely this one fault cannot be deemed representative of the whole of the operation. And what about the response of the "fans" to this? Did they offer a well thought out and reasoned response? No, they did the only thing they know how to do. . . they rioted, destroyed the city centre and chanted Manchester is sh*t while they were doing so - these guys were actually enjoying themselves. These animals are not football supporters, they're louts and idiots who came here for one reason only, to get drunk and cause trouble. It's 9am now on the day after. I'm sat in my office at Piccadilly Gardens looking out on the carnage. What else can I see? Rangers hooligans stood on the street drinking vodka out of a bottle while they're waiting for the pub to open. . . .great. Same story tonight as well then. Well done Scotland, you should be proud.


i would like to apoligize to the poeple of manchester, who put on a great occasion for us. i used to be a proud rangers fan, not anymore, this behaviour is disgraceful makes me sick. considering how many fans were there is WAS a minority but still 1 person acting like this is out of order. again i'd like to apoligize to everyone in manchester.


THE breakdown of the big screen in Piccadilly has been blamed for sparking the violent scenes between the police and the Rangers fans.

The chaos which followed the failure has led the council to cancel plans to show next week's Champions League clash between Manchester United and Chelsea on big screens in the city centre.

While the "minority" responsible for the ugly clashes have been blasted for their behaviour, police say there was very little trouble until those who had gathered to watch the game on the big screen realised there was a problem.

Although fans quickly became frustrated when they realised the game had started and a screen saver image remained on display,about 11,000 followed instructions to head for a replacement screen at the velodrome, in East Manchester on council buses or on foot.

However trouble erupted after the 10,000 remaining began pouring out of the gardens, frantically trying to find somewhere to watch the game.

Pubs and bars nearby were already overflowing with fans and turned the increasingly furious crowds away.

Attacking
Violence followed after a minority of fans then started attacking police, who had formed a cordon across Oldham Street. Senior officers sent in riot squads to control the crowd and 15 officers were injured, at least one was left needing surgery overnight, and ambulance crews had to wait for escorts before answering calls in the city centre.

Despite the angry scenes health chiefs say there were very few serious injuries although emergency workers treated hundreds of walking wounded in one of their busiest ever nights.

City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said: "We had appalling scenes in Manchester last night, but we have to put that into context.

"The estimates vary between 100,000 and 200,000 Glasgow Rangers fans that we had in the city.

"Whatever that number, it's an unprecedented movement of people."
He added: "We did have a technical problem in the city but, even then, we had a contingency plan.

"We bussed people to that other screen."

Coun Leese said he believes only a minority of fans stayed in the city centre, however, the MEN understands many fans didn't arrive at the velodrome until the end of the first half.

Under fire
Workmen called out to fix the problem are understood to have come under fire by fans throwing bottles, forcing them to abandon the job. It is understood they refused to return to the screen despite concerns that trouble would escalate.

A police source said: "There were some of the fans who acted like absolute animals that night, but there is no doubt that the failure of the screen was the catalyst for the trouble."

At a press conference today, GMP assistant chief constable Justine Curran said the police's behaviour had been "necessary and proportionate".

Quizzed on whether her officers had over-reacted, she said: "I watched in [command] and saw officers chased up the street by a baying mob of 200 people.

"When trouble breaks out we have to respond.

"The vast majority of people who came experienced light touch policing."

Asked why they had not arranged a park or other open air venue for fans, ACC Curran said their research had showed people would not have been prepared to travel outside the city centre.
2,000 calls
Ambulance bosses took 2,000 calls between 7pm and 7am.

They treated around 500 people overnight but had to withdraw from parts of the city centre at 8pm when the violence began and then worked with police escort.
There were no problems at the other two fan zones in Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens. Police say until violence flared at Piccadilly there had been only eight arrests, they praised the rest of the fans for creating a carnival atmosphere.
Today Eddie Smith, managing director of Lightmedia Display, of Bradford, which provided all the screens used for the fan zones, said a â??technical signalling problemâ? was to blame for the glitch in the Piccadilly zone.
He said: â??We deeply regret and are very disappointed at the failure of the signal to the screen in Piccadilly Gardens last night - it was due to a technical signalling problem that we are still investigating.
â??Despite all our efforts to strengthen the signal to the screen it proved impossible. Our other screens in the city worked perfectly. We are extremely sorry and we fully recognise what a blow this was to the thousands of fans hoping to watch the match.â?


i have no comment as i have been to scotland with england and i have seen 5,000 english do a lot worse than that in 5mins

 

Cajary, no.

My first vote was in 2001 aged 18, I voted conservative.

 

Close call then Pro:rolleyes:

 

Guys
Labour is the new Conservatives as the Conservative's are new Labour e.t.c and so it has always been. It doesn't mean much apart from who gets the better pay packets! Budgets have to be met and were paying even if they waste all the money in Foreign conflicts etc. its always been this way. Early 70's the 3day week, 80's Maggie selling the county, 90's onwards we have been sucking up to America. :(