3 hours ago, coco said:

Please don't sterilise the game completely, their is illegal abuse in the shape of hate crime as you say, but their is also the panto style banter, without hearing the exact words it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between the two. 

‘Banter’ is fine. It’s when you can see the visibly angry, foaming at the mouth, shouting and spitting (Harry Kane style) that is wrong and shouldn’t be accepted. 

50 minutes ago, RMH said:

 

I agree with you in that is a lot worse, but I have brought a banana from time to time to midweek matches. I normally bring some baguette and a piece of fruit, many times a banana, to keep me going until I get back home after midnight. I eat it and put it in the bin, like a normal person. Being Mediterranean I see normal that someone took a banana to have some fruit to eat at half time. Now, throwing it to the players, that is bad and I think it is worse than shouting abuse.

Ofc it's blatantly worse it's not even a competition, but because it's towards Aubameyang that is not an English international things got quiet very fast and the fan just needed to say something in the lines of "No, I'm not trust me" and it was over.
I still think that the video showed more than just 4 people shouting, there were more on the sides and some in the rows behind them, all somehow abusing Sterling and someone from the media took advantage of that to push the narrative that Chelsea is racist and just ignored the situation that led fans to react like that towards Sterling.

But Sterling responded with a clear message where he blames the media that also wrote about him in a bad way in comparison to somebody else that happens to be of a different skin color.

So it's safe to say that the media wants people to fight each other as they benefit from drama, I'm not saying that there is no racism, if anything racism has been on the rise in Europe and also the US where people openly support right winged public figures and call them by another name, but the media often has the agenda to be unfair and to just cause more trouble, they will never want to report that Roman and Chelsea as a club have been doing great work to fight antisemitism over the years and that as soon as you see a game at the Bridge the first thing you will notice is a banner that says about how Drogba is the King of Chelsea, they will ignore everything that doesn't fit their narrative and will always just look for things to make the club look bad, thanks to those overly angry fans in the front row their job got easier this time around.

9 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

‘Banter’ is fine. It’s when you can see the visibly angry, foaming at the mouth, shouting and spitting (Harry Kane style) that is wrong and shouldn’t be accepted. 

Their is no grey area between banter and hate crime, its a heavy bold line visible to everyone. It's always been accepted, because it's not illegal to shout at football games, in fact its what a lot of people pay their money to do.

Discriminatory abuse (or hate crime) has no place in football, not abuse itself. If someone tries to do one of our players or tries to gain an advantage by cheating I'll f**king well tell them so if I have the opportunity.

The dude in the green jacket with fur collar actually phoned up Talksport, and explained or tried to that it was after 'STERLING HAD DONE LUIZ' i think, and the first time they had been able to vent, you are never going to stop the swearing at players with the atmosphere and the very tribal thing of giving it the other team, but Racist abuse no way......if proven.

 He said with the noise he never heard a racist remark!

 

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2018/12/10/update-on-manchester-city-match-statement

Chelsea Football Club has suspended four people from attending Chelsea matches pending further investigations into allegations regarding the behaviour of supporters towards Raheem Sterling during our match against Manchester City on Saturday.
 

Our investigations into this matter are ongoing. We are fully supporting the police investigation and any information we gather will be passed on to them.

Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour abhorrent and if there is evidence of ticket holders taking part in any racist behaviour, the club will issue severe sanctions, including bans. We will also fully support any criminal prosecutions.

 

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2018/12/10/update-on-manchester-city-match-statement

Chelsea Football Club has suspended four people from attending Chelsea matches pending further investigations into allegations regarding the behaviour of supporters towards Raheem Sterling during our match against Manchester City on Saturday.
 

Our investigations into this matter are ongoing. We are fully supporting the police investigation and any information we gather will be passed on to them.

Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour abhorrent and if there is evidence of ticket holders taking part in any racist behaviour, the club will issue severe sanctions, including bans. We will also fully support any criminal prosecutions.

 

Life or temporary?

Amazing too bad none of the other f**king clubs in England had a problem with fans abusing John Terry for decades. I’m not condoning the racist moron, I’m talking about suspending fans for yelling at an opposition player because that sure seems to be the case with the other 3. 

I guess I’m confused why it wasn’t investigated that Oscar was verbally abused or John Terry after this match? No outrage at all after this abuse not racial which I’m flat out saying is awful, disgusting, and archaic but to suspend fans and jump on Chelsea because our fans yelled at an oppo player? 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3035905/John-Terry-shrugs-Loftus-Road-abuse-Charlie-Austin-Bobby-Zamora-quiet-Chelsea-extend-lead.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3035827/Chelsea-players-targeted-QPR-fans-appear-throw-objects-late-derby-defeat.html

 

Edited December 10, 20187 yr by IndianaBlue85

I had a whole post ready to type, but honestly, I just can't be arsed! Some people posting in this thread need to get some perspective! 

16 hours ago, Zola said:

Plays into the narrative very well of racist old Chelsea. 

The guys in that video all need to take a long hard look at themselves, regardless if they were being racist of not. Gammon faced 50+ year old men screaming blue murder at a 24 year old lad collecting a football. 

How grim must your life be to be that angry? I am all for banter and a bit of needle, but those guys looked absolutely pathetic and devoid of anything else in their life but Chelsea.

 

I tried to post something similar but put it nowhere near as well as you.

Often, when these things come out the perpetrators end up being regular guys, living sedate lives, family men, regular jobs. Yet for some reason they go to football and lose all reason.

My other point was the level of reaction just doesn't seem proportionate making me feel that there may be an additional Chelsea agenda at play. As i said in my previous post my previous player, Christian Mbulu was also abused on the same day, while playing for Motherwell, and apparently this isn't under investigation, its proven. Where is the three days' wall to wall coverage for Christian.

Christian isn't a cossetted superstar working his way through the Liverpool academy ranks and then moving to Man City. Always surounded by coaches, agents, advisors etc. Consultants helping to mould his image and to advise how to handle the more foul and disgusting elements of our society.

Christian played youth football for me in Essex. As a senior he got to play for Brentwood Town in the Ryman North until he got picked up by Millwall. Trialled and passed and got offered a pro contract. He lasted there a couple of years, playing for the u23's and captaining them at times. Eventually he inevitably got released and is now in Scotland plying his trade at Motherwell. No agents, no image consultants, no advisors help to counsel against racism and general foul abuse. He wasn't even on the pitch. He was warming up, a 22 year old kid just trying his best to get on the ladder. No controversy, no gun tatts, noting about this lad that any beer up clown could try to use as some ridiuclous justification for abusing a lovely, bright, well mannered, well spoken lad.

It's racism, its foul and its wrong. Its in a country, like ours, with an infamous record of alcohol fueled football violence, sectarianism and racism. But its not indicative. 99.99999% of Scots are excellent, wonderful people, in the same way that 4 morons doesn't define the entire Chelsea fanbase.

I just can't understand why Chelsea are gaining the entire limelight at the moment. Why isn't Motherwell also in the news. Hearts have already acted apparently, publicly. Whilst we wait to find out what actually was said, from the investigation, Sky Sports could actually spend a bit of time focussing on Christian's situation, but as has been mentioned perhaps this doesn't fit the narrative.

Does seem like everyone seems to believe Chelsea fans were abusing sterling because he was black. It was because he became the villain after the luiz foul.

Bit of a shame it wasn't David Silva who fouled luiz in the same way as then sterling would have been ignored like he always is. Although then we wouldn't have been able to identify the one racist fan.

10 minutes ago, benjsross said:

Does seem like everyone seems to believe Chelsea fans were abusing sterling because he was black. It was because he became the villain after the luiz foul.

The catalyst for the fans screaming abuse isn't important. 

The question at the moment is, whilst clearly extremely angry have any of the fans crossed the line and resorted to racist insults directed at Sterling? 

I understand fans being annoyed/angry at an opposition player hurting one of your own team and there will always be an element of pantomime to watching football. But it is completely unacceptable to use racist language and if that is what has happened then this isn't a witch hunt for Chelsea fans, this will be someone getting rightly punished for being a moronic neanderthal. 

1 minute ago, ForeverCarefree said:

The catalyst for the fans screaming abuse isn't important. 

The question at the moment is, whilst clearly extremely angry have any of the fans crossed the line and resorted to racist insults directed at Sterling? 

I understand fans being annoyed/angry at an opposition player hurting one of your own team and there will always be an element of pantomime to watching football. But it is completely unacceptable to use racist language and if that is what has happened then this isn't a witch hunt for Chelsea fans, this will be someone getting rightly punished for being a moronic neanderthal. 

True. You will see the exact same scenes of angry gestures, words etc at every football match in the  League. But if these guys are getting SO angry they are losing self-control to the point they scream the foulest (not to mention illegal) abuse they can imagine they really need to re-evaluate their lives.

Similarly to JT at Loftus Rd, and the Paris Metro incident, you can bet your bottom dollar in the coming weeks various other “  New Chelsea Race Storm” headlines will appear.

No doubt incidents fuelling these stories will be extremely trivial, but as in the media’s want the precursor will be “ in the wake of the Sterling Race Storm......”

Things that would not normally warrant attention will be highlighted due to the dreaded “ In the wake of” titter tattle bullsh*t.

Hate crime aside, the players themselves should take some responsibility when it comes to showing an example, how many times do we see players abusing officials and opposition players with foul language and angry verbal outbursts, not to mention inciting opposition fans with goal celebrations.

Apparently lost his job... That is a bit overboard if you ask me. Depends on what his line of work is...

Eurosport : Chelsea fan apologises, denies racially abusing Sterling - https://www.eurosport.com/football/football-news-chelsea-fan-apologises-denies-racially-abusing-raheem-sterling_sto7047513/story.shtml

7 minutes ago, evissy said:

Apparently lost his job... That is a bit overboard if you ask me. Depends on what his line of work is...

Apparently he had a job as a mime artist.

3 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

The catalyst for the fans screaming abuse isn't important. 

? The question at the moment is, whilst clearly extremely angry have any of the fans crossed the line and resorted to racist insults directed at Sterling? 

? I understand fans being annoyed/angry at an opposition player hurting one of your own team and there will always be an element of pantomime to watching football. But it is completely unacceptable to use racist language and if that is what has happened then this isn't a witch hunt for Chelsea fans, this will be someone getting rightly punished for being a moronic neanderthal. 

The catalyst shouldn't be important. But many pundits are openly criticising Chelsea fans for screaming at him and it happened purely because he plays in a different shirt and because the media have created a figure of hatred. Also without knowing the catalyst - i.e. assuming there was none in-game - it implies that anger was premeditated. That the fans went in with the intention of screaming at Sterling.  

The fans reacted, one fan reacted way too far (allegedly). It happens at every ground with every club. If the fan did say racist abuse then he gets banned for life. 

 

2 hours ago, evissy said:

Apparently lost his job... That is a bit overboard if you ask me. Depends on what his line of work is...

Eurosport : Chelsea fan apologises, denies racially abusing Sterling - https://www.eurosport.com/football/football-news-chelsea-fan-apologises-denies-racially-abusing-raheem-sterling_sto7047513/story.shtml

He's had his season ticket taken away too. Good. 

I took my girlfriend to see her first Chelsea games last season (Norwich and Atleti) and she was disgusted and astounded at the amount of abuse hurled from the stands at footballers. Most of it coming from middle-aged white men sat around us, i might add.

 I laughed it it off and said something along the lines of 'its part of the game, chill', before calling the ref a c*** about ten times for not booking one of the opposition's players for a nasty fowl on Hazard. In hindsight i'm questioning my response to her. Yes, it is part of the game, but should it be? Abuse, racist or otherwise is unacceptable. 

And if you're stupid enough to be standing front row, yelling right in a player's face whilst being beamed live around the world on tv, then you had it coming.

 

You will never, ever, ever, ever stamp out abuse/foul language at football. Never in a millions years will that happen and you’re delusional if you think otherwise. 

 

There is of course absolutely no place in any walk of life for racist language. But as I say, if words like ‘c**t’, ‘f**k’ etc bother you, I’d suggest staying at home as they will always exist at football and in most walks of life. 

 

If he has racially abused Sterling he deserves everything he gets, however if he’s not and he’s called him a ‘manc c***’ the witch hunt is a joke.

 

has he embarrassed himself? Yes

but is it crime of the century to call someone a c***? No.

 

it reminds me of one of my favourite phots of terry.

 

look at the anger in some of those faces. I doubt they’re screaming ‘have a good game mate’. There was no big debate about the abuse terry was receiving in this photo and if football fans should swear or he aggressive.

 

Just to reiterate - If he’s been racist then he deserves no sympathy whatsoever and the book should be thrown at him.

23 minutes ago, Blueblur said:

He's had his season ticket taken away too. Good. 

Good if he is guilty.

32 minutes ago, Blueblur said:

I laughed it it off and said something along the lines of 'its part of the game, chill', before calling the ref a c*** about ten times for not booking one of the opposition's players for a nasty fowl on Hazard. In hindsight i'm questioning my response to her. Yes, it is part of the game, but should it be? Abuse, racist or otherwise is unacceptable. 

Bit like the passion of the moment makes you lose yourself a bit hey. Good thing you weren't front row with a camera on you. Reading around this was just after Sterling had put in a rough tackle on Luiz.

33 minutes ago, Blueblur said:

And if you're stupid enough to be standing front row, yelling right in a player's face whilst being beamed live around the world on tv, then you had it coming.

None of this is a punishable offence and the only thing you should have coming is looking a bit silly.

Of course I have to preface with 'if he wasn't yelling something racist'.

37 minutes ago, Blueblur said:

He's had his season ticket taken away too. Good. 

I took my girlfriend to see her first Chelsea games last season (Norwich and Atleti) and she was disgusted and astounded at the amount of abuse hurled from the stands at footballers. Most of it coming from middle-aged white men sat around us, i might add.

 I laughed it it off and said something along the lines of 'its part of the game, chill', before calling the ref a c*** about ten times for not booking one of the opposition's players for a nasty fowl on Hazard. In hindsight i'm questioning my response to her. Yes, it is part of the game, but should it be? Abuse, racist or otherwise is unacceptable. 

And if you're stupid enough to be standing front row, yelling right in a player's face whilst being beamed live around the world on tv, then you had it coming.

 

 

What has the colour of their skin got to do with it?

Not being funny, but if you go to a football game you are probably going to hear a bit of "abuse" and it is not going to be confined to any one age group, sex or skin colour. So let's nip that in the bud now...

No offence, but I would suggest that watching football live is perhaps not for your girlfriend if she is "disgusted" by what she heard at SB. There is a lot worse at most stadiums. Bar a few idiots it's pretty much a family friendly day out these days.

58 minutes ago, Blueblur said:

I took my girlfriend to see her first Chelsea games last season (Norwich and Atleti) and she was disgusted and astounded at the amount of abuse hurled from the stands at footballers.

If you have taken your GF to pubs, clubs, gigs, festivals, and anywhere else they make money off the back of selling lots of alcohol, surely you would see that abusive behaviour is not unique to football stadiums.

29 minutes ago, mclovin83 said:

 

What has the colour of their skin got to do with it?

 

It's relevant to the Sterling Incident. The man who has lost his job and season ticket fits into the white, middle-aged category. I just thought I'd mention it.

36 minutes ago, Stim said:

Good if he is guilty.

Bit like the passion of the moment makes you lose yourself a bit hey. Good thing you weren't front row with a camera on you. Reading around this was just after Sterling had put in a rough tackle on Luiz.

Indeed. But because I am a pauper I was sitting right at the back of the MH, restricted view. What a lucky boy I am...

 

16 minutes ago, coco said:

If you have taken your GF to pubs, clubs, gigs, festivals, and anywhere else they make money off the back of selling lots of alcohol, surely you would see that abusive behaviour is not unique to football stadiums.

Correct. But my GF was more shocked about the abuse on this occasion mainly because of the amount of young children sitting around us, having the air turned blue around them by a bunch of hooligans, who cared not a jot. I'm guilty of it too, though I am going to be more mindful the next time I am at a game.