Children of Bolton, look away now
Tuesday August 11th, 2009
The Bolton News should be ashamed of itself for condoning such terrible photography
Now this is a picture (from abudardak, some rights reserved)
Violence is a cancer that has long afflicted football, and sadly we got a glimpse of it again at the weekend when fighting broke out between rival gangs of Wanderers and Hibernian fans following Jussi Jaaskelainen’s testimonial.
Worse still, it appears that as well as their inability to get on swimmingly with each other, football fans are not very good at citizen journalism either.
Yesterday The Bolton News published some shocking pictures of the violence. The photos, which were available for anyone to view without any warning as to their graphic content, show groups of men standing around, apparently doing not very much, as several police officers (recognisable only because of their colourful attire) walking towards what appears to be another group of men (although it’s difficult to say because they’re quite blurred).
It really is shocking stuff. So shocking in fact that I’m frankly surprised The Bolton News was willing to expose our vulnerable young people to such shocking examples of photography.
The reader who sent in the pictures asked not to be named, presumably out of embarrassment at being so close to the action and taking such terrible pictures of it.
A picture paints a thousand words, but if you’d like to shed some more light on what happened then please use the comments box below…
BWFC News, BWFC People, Jussi Jaaskelainen
4 Comments to Children of Bolton, look away now
It was the worst crowd I’ve ever seen. We were sat underneath the big screen, opposite where our season tickets are. I always thought the banter was pretty good over there, I didn’t think they would lower themselves to nationalism and sectarianism. “F*ck the Pope and the IRA” was just embarrassing, as were the renditions of “God save the Queen” and even “Swing low, sweet chariot”. I heard one guy say: “I don’t come here for the football, I only come here for the banter”, which seems like a hell of a lot of money to shout at other people. Therapy is probably cheaper.
We left before the end of the match, it was getting so bad we couldn’t watch the match anymore (not that we missed anything). The Hibs fans for the most part were great; they were just provoked by stupid, drunk Bolton fans. First time I’ve ever been embarrassed at a football match.
JesusAugust 11, 2009
They shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey. (Isa. 5:29)
Thanks Ben. Reports I’ve read have mostly blamed Hibs fans, so interesting to get your perspective. Nothing wrong with a bit of banter of course, but to me that implies a certain amount of intelligence and wit – qualities clearly lacking in the people you describe.
HappytrotterAugust 15, 2009
It’s young num p****d up kids that are the worst. Watched ‘Football factory’ too much.
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August 11, 2009