19 replies to this topic

[FootyRamblings]

Just looking for some views on bad language in non-league football.  Do you feel it puts some people off?  As a bloke in his thirties I can live with it, but I imagine it may put some people with children off.  What do you think?

I've written a little about it here and looking for opinions.

http://footyrambling...nguage-barrier/

[RalphC]

Personally I think it needs to be controlled a bit.

If refs were to uphold the laws of the game and not allow it from the bench then this would help.

I would like to see any member of the bench who swears to be given a red card - I reckon it would stop overnight and parents who then be far happier bringing their children along.

[missunderstood]

IMO bad language is killing non league football, and until its completely eradicated attendances will continue to plummet. When I first started watching Romford in the late fifties if me or any of my mates started swearing there was always an old timer that would give you a clip round the ears, and tell you to stop swearing because woman and children were present. We used to get crowds of 3000 plus in those days, and now we consider it a good gate if we top 100, and kids are about as rare as hens teeth at most non league grounds.

I often watch  Dagenham and Redbridge if Romford are away and before the match they always announce that bad language in the family areas of the ground are not tolerated, and because of that they have a very good proportion of families and kids at their games.

The big problem in non league circles is that the leagues and most clubs don't take this issue seriously, and non league clubs in general seem to attract neanderthal idiots who think they have a god given right to behave as they please as they need to let of steam,  and they lack the intelligence to understand that this attitude is damaging the club they say they support.

I would like to see referees give red cards for first offence swearing on the pitch and dug outs, and if clubs have problems on the terraces they should be forced to employ stewards and pay for police to be in attendance, and if that does not work,  play their games behind closed doors.

Thanks for posting this subject on the forum, I doubt you will get to much support though.

Edited by missunderstood, 14 January 2012 - 06:52 PM.

[2ndYellow]

I agree, it's a problem. I do take my six year old along to the odd game on a Saturday but tend to try & stand/sit away from the hardcore supporters and the benches.

I honestly doubt it even occurs to most clubs that it's something they ought to be tackling.

[missunderstood]

2ndYellow, on 23 January 2012 - 08:11 AM, said:

I agree, it's a problem. I do take my six year old along to the odd game on a Saturday but tend to try & stand/sit away from the hardcore supporters and the benches.

I honestly doubt it even occurs to most clubs that it's something they ought to be tackling.

Judging by the number of posts this thread has attracted it seems most supporters don't accept there's a problem, even though the majority of non league clubs are struggling financially.

[Eastside Urchin]

Some grounds you hear it,others you don't.
You are never going to stop swearing,its too passionate a game and things are said in the heat of the moment.
Some fans can sit there and not get worked up,others simply can't.
If you ejected every person who swore you would be left with stadiums that are even emptier than they are now.
Swearing is not killing football though,if you don't like it simply don't stand where the majority of bad language comes from.
I have seen the politest,nicest little old men reduced to screaming blue murder and actually been shocked by what i have heard from them,so anyone can lose it.

[missunderstood]

Eastside Urchin, on 23 January 2012 - 10:07 AM, said:

I have seen the politest,nicest little old men reduced to screaming blue murder and actually been shocked by what i have heard from them,so anyone can lose it.

If football ever got to me like that I would have to pack it in, which is what hundreds of people at most non league clubs seem to be doing.

[Eastside Urchin]

But it does Alan,always has always will.
Life has changed since the 1940's / 50's
People are more passionate about the game,they work hard all week with all of modern lives pressures and want a release
Everything nowadays is geared towards winning not the old values of may the best team win etc etc.Doesn't exist anymore I am afraid.
Crowds are better than they were in the 80's by far,in fact better than they were in the 70's or 90's.Yes,some clubs are struggling but this is more to do with mismanagement than swearing

[careboy]

Ahh! I stand corrected then, Thanks for clearing that up.

[Eastside Urchin]

????

[AK11]

The only time it's bothered me was at our home game v Hyde.

Their fans were swearing and encouraging their own kids to swear.  Talk about being dragged up, instead of brought up!

Hope to God we move back South next season.

[careboy]

That is a great site! I saw the information is very usefule!

[Eastside Urchin]

spam

[WelshCelt]

I would agree that swearing at grounds is a problem and is not something that inspires me when I take my 5 year old daughter.  However, I do not think it is the reason for the dwindling attendances.  The reason that non league clubs (and indeed lower league clubs) are struggling to attract the numbers these days is because of tv and media.  Most people in Romford, for example, probably now support Manchester United.  In order to get people back through the gates, there either has to be a much stronger base of current supporters attracting friends who currently do not go to the games, or the media need to start producing a more balanced approach to tv coverage.  The latter is not going to happen, so it is down to the fans that do go to start inspiring others to start attending.

[Eastside Urchin]

While I dislike Romford with a passion,most of the plonkers round there support West ham then probably arsenal,this area seems to have escaped the "let's support man utd" campaign that the media want us to all adhere to.
Round here most of the Tobys stay in to watch west Ham on their laptops,to$$ers

[missunderstood]

Walking around Romford I probably see more Dagenham & Redbridge shirts these day than anything else. Thankfully Hornchurch shirts are still as rare as hens teeth.

[Eastside Urchin]

We dont suffer from a problem with Dagenham shirts,we have about 12 daggers fans locally but they are not newbies

We dont suffer from a problem with Dagenham shirts,we have about 12 daggers fans locally but they are not newbies,we have a bit of class round these parts which has always been lacking in Romford

[careboy]

He's the one on the right, twylight.  

[Pink Panther]

[censored]!

[careboy]

Think I may be in love with this