History Of Hatred And Abuse From Fans At Matches.

(make a brew, its a long read, but hopefully an interesting one)

The big question, which is very hard to answer, is where did it all start, this hatred and sick chanting?

These post-Hillsborough inquiry calls for an end to all the hatred between certain clubs fans is long overdue. But when did it all begin?

Certainly, if you look back at the history of the game, there have been many incidents throughout the history. Back in the late 20’s/early 30’s, Everton’s legendary forward William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean, was involved in an incident not unlike that which took place in 1995 at Crystal Palace, when after much abuse, Eric Cantona of Manchester United, sought retribution with a loud mouth lout who had insulted his mother, and was duly sent to court, given community hours, and a lengthy ban from the game. Accounts from years ago tell us that Dean was being racially abused (due to his dark skin) by a Tottenham supporter during a game at White Hart Lane. At the end of the game, he climbed onto the terrace and punched the perpertrator right under the watching eye of a Police Constable, who is said to have commented “well done, he deserved that”. Oh how times change, eh?

There were probably incidents before that as well, as I seem to remember something happening with Preston player Arthur Wharton, who was one of the first black players ever to play in England, back in the early 1900’s. However if we are talking about abuse born on the back of tragedy, it is a jump forward to 1958 and the Munich Air Disaster.

I know what you will be thinking “yes, Liverpool and Leeds fans have been guilty over the years of singing sick songs and making gestures about Munich”. You would be correct in saying that. However you may be shocked to discover the actual origins of the ‘Munich songs’. The Munich Air Disaster happened on February 6th 1958. 8 United players died, 3 club officials, and the majority of the North West’s football journalists were among the 23 victims. By March of 1958, United had built a scratch team up to fulfil their fixtures. In March, they faced West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford in an FA Cup Replay. During that game, a mere month after the Disaster, West Brom fans were heard to sing about ‘Man-ure’, a play on the fact that the press had started to label them ‘Man Utd’. Even worse, the ditty they chanted actually went on about “Man-ure…Duncan Edwards turning to it in his grave.” In any situation, that would be extremely bad taste. But add the fact that Edwards came from Dudley, which is as near to West Bromwich as you can get, and that in one vile chant. Especially for 1958. Ok, he played for United, not Albion. But to many, he was still their local idol, and a major star for the England team looking to win the 1958 World Cup. Other chants were heard at that game as well.

In the aftermath of the Munich disaster, it appears that whilst many climbed on the sympathy ‘bandwagon’, there were others who got sick of it. I have heard stories about Bolton fans bemoaning in the press the fact that they were sick of the sympathy given to United, as they prepared to face them in the cup final. I have also heard stories about City fans hearing the news of the crash and rushing to the pub to celebrate. This seems unbelievable, due to the fact that one of the journalists who died was none other than ex City keeper and club legend, Frank Swift. But it is possible.

Where do Liverpool come into it? I’m not sure. Was the hatred there in the sixties? Where did it all start? I have asked this question to a staunch Liverpool supporter. I pointed out that I seem to remember some footage from around 1969, when United trounced Liverpool at Anfield, and when Bobby Charlton fired a shot into the net at the Kop end, you could see many behind the goal applauding. He said that he has no memory of the Kop applauding Charlton’s goal. However, LFC supporting journalist Brian Reade mentions the same game in his book ’43 years with the same bird’, and the grudging admiration of that United team, and especially George Best’s talents. And let us not forget, the United manager at the time of Munich was none other than Matt Busby, a former Liverpool (and City) player. It is well documented that after Bill Shankly became manager of LFC in 1959, he struggled for the first few years and would ring his old friend Busby up for a chat, with Busby encouraging him to ‘stick at it’. He did, and look what happened? Bob Paisley, Shankly’s replacement, was also a great friend of Busby’s.
And if we look to more recent times, the 80’s and 90’s. The rivalry turned to real hatred, with incidents of golf balls with nails stuck in, and darts being thrown into opposing fans. It was evil, make no mistake about it. The incident at Anfield in 1985 when the United players were attacked with CS gas as they left their team coach, showed just how much things had descended. Then when Sir Alex Ferguson took over at United in 1986 and stated he wanted to “knock Liverpool off their perch”, it did much to swell that hatred, at least from a Scouse perspective. But of course, then came the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989, and even the most naive of people probably thought ‘United fans will definitely use that for retribution over Munich songs’, and so it proved. The fact that our two biggest and most successful of football clubs have suffered such tragedies as Munich and Hillsborough, is such a tragic coincidence. Liverpool fans have fumed about the United fans singing about Hillsborough. But maybe they sometimes forget that their neighbouring Everton fans are also guilty of the same, though in perhaps a toned-down way with ‘murderers’ being an often heard chant at recent derby games. Everton fans are also very bitter at missing out on a chance of playing in the European Cup, with the ban that was brought in, post Hysel.

But when the city of Liverpool is attacked, they all unite. They always have done and always will. The dockers, the riots, the redundancies, in many ways, Scousers are a persecuted breed. They felt highly ‘shat on’ by consecutive governments, especially that of Thatcher. But then again, unless you lived in rural Surrey, you were probably also ‘shat on’ by her and her government. The North West in particular, seemed so far removed from her and her little world, and yet when she spoke out after Heysel in 1985 and remarked that “the city of Liverpool has an especially violent way” she did little to improve her image in the eyes of anybody in that city. Furthermore, the failings of the government after Hillsborough are only just coming to the fore. You could argue the point of saying ‘it’s over 20 years ago now, let it go’. But would anybody feel like that if it was YOUR son, daughter, or husband who had died?

I asked another LFC supporting friend, and Hillsborough Justice Campaign member only last year the question “not being funny, but can you just tell me what justice people actually want?” It was a sincere question. I really wasnt sure what the campaign hoped to achieve after all this time. My friend answered “the feeling is that nobody has ever been held to account for what happened, such as the Police, or rather David Dukinfield who was in charge that day. It was his first and last football match and they retired him with a massive pay-off the following year”. When you think about this, the revelations of last week go at least some way to someone actually being held to account, though you can also see the legal implications and in reality, it could still take years to properly get to the bottom of it all. (And in the huge outpouring of grief after Hillsborough, it is still a little known fact that Alex Ferguson himself, actually visited Anfield to pay his respects.) The Press we too busy releasing sensationalized headlines. Even as a Wigan fan, I would NEVER buy The Sun. I believe that that could’ve been any teams fans that day, and their sesationalized lies were potentially an attack on ALL football supporters. Remember, this was during the time of Thatchers condemnation of football supporters. Her puppet (Colin Moynihan) was charged with bringing in a membership scheme to combat hooliganism. In many ways, Hillsborough was the cherry on top of their cake. Granted, without hooliganism, perhaps it wouldn’t have happened, as there wouldn’t have been the fences. But the way Thatcher and co responded, they basically made it clear that they considered ALL football fans to be parasites.

I’ve gone off on a bit of a Hillsborough tangent, but the fact that United fans saw it as a chance to ‘get even’ in the sick chanting stakes is well known. I myself went to a game back in 1995. It was Everton V United at Goodison Park, and I sat with my Everton supporting mates in the Gwladys Street. Sure enough, 2 minutes into the game the song fired up “Who’s that dying on the runway? Who’s that dying in the snow? Oh it’s Busby and his boys, making all the f***** noise, ’cause they couldn’t get the airplane to go”. I was sickened really. It wasn’t nice sitting amongst that. But if you look at that sick little rhyme….”Busby and his boys”…that wording, it comes from a different time. The 60’s? I presume so.
I could explore the Leeds and West Ham history of sick chants, but I really can’t be bothered. Leeds are a club who got famous by kicking decent teams off the park, whilst West Ham, who at one time were most peoples favourite second team (the 60’s) were never an amazing side really. Both teams supporters have had ideas above their status over the years. Leeds fans still sing “European Champions” even though they lost the 1973 European Cup Final. (Robbed they may have been…but they still lost) The hatred from Leeds to Manchester United stems from the late 60’s, we know that much. West Ham? United won the league in 1967 with a 6-1 win down at the Boleyn Ground. They were hardly competitors in the sense that United and Chelsea are today, were they?

So the cause of these sick chants and songs? Jealousy? Bitterness? On pitch rivalry? They are all factors. Blind stupidity and lack of brain cells? They are two more. I know they are hoping for an incident free day at Anfield on Sunday, with the United fans behaving themselves. I can’t see it happening though, sadly. Human society shows us that there will be at least one total idiot who has to be noticed, has to be the one who stands out. Why? Because we live in a society where people seek fame, for whatever reason. Be it infamy. How amazing would it be if both the United and Liverpool ends displayed banners which said something like “Munich 58 and Hillsborough 89. Two great clubs, Two awful Disasters. Respect. JFT96”? It would possibly be the day that football, this great game that we love, actually regained some self-respect, instead of being in the gutter all the time. But will it happen?

“Rivalry is healthy. Hatred isn’t”.

Addendum- I’m thinking Leeds V Bayern Munich was actually in 1974, NOT 1973 (wasnt that Ajax’s year?) as I said. Can’t be bothered googling it. Feel free to do so!