Last night, watching the play-off fixture between Northampton and Mansfield, we were treated to yet another exhibition of flare throwing.
Back in January, I published an article – how-and-why-is-this-happening – asking how flares continue to be smuggled into the ground, has security laxed so much with flares now becoming even more common-place?
But what we’ve also seen this week is the joyous pitch invasions focussed on courtesy of several idiots being intent on causing carnage.
On Monday night, as Huddersfield Town supporters celebrated sealing a place in the Championship Final, at Wembley, things started to turn ugly as a group decided to bombard the Luton support resulting in the 85-year-old Luton supporter, Trevor Emery, being bloodied by a thrown coin.
On Tuesday night, as Nottingham Forest celebrated attaining a place in the same final, some lunatic thought it would be the sensible thing to do and headbutt, from behind, the Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp.
Now Sharp was merely standing on the touchline ushering his teammates towards the tunnel.
Like our own Mr Emery, Sharp was also bloodied in the shameful incident.
But credit to the Forest faithful who, upon hearing what had happened, decided to raise some money for Billy Sharp to donate to a charity.
The initial target was £500 but the last I heard more than £9000 had been raised, a remarkable achievement and one we, here at Vital Luton Town, applaud.
Now wouldn’t it have been nice if the Huddersfield Town support had decided to do something similar for Mr Emery!
COYH’s
Which Area Should Luton Look To Improve Most?
Defence!
Midfield!
Attack!
Previous article by Mad Hatter
Luton – Is This The Answer To One Problem
Firstly fair dues. Last month we were treated well there. And before the game I had a nice drink with an HTAFC fan and we ate in a restaurant with others without bother.
But not enough Huddersfield fans think any of their lot has done anything wrong. Quiz them and they’ll throw out excuses like:
1. We are sour – if I’m sour about being pelted with coins, bottles, other things while watching staff and players getting shoved around or hit round the head like Bree, fine. They’re all better humans than me if they would have not been sour about that.
2. It was only a minority and you’re tainting us all – it was over a 1,000 I would wager that came up to us. And none of us has said it was everyone. But even if it was just one person who threw flare, pushed the players and coaches, lobbed shit at us and caused an 85 year old to bleed, that’s 1 far too many.
3. What about blah blah blah – as Jones pointed out every club has twats. He didn’t say it was just HTAFC fans.
I have pointed out our failings against York and Brighton at home many years ago. I complained to the club about those, the fighting amongst ourselves in the family area of Man City when we lost to wimbledon, the racist, sexist and homophobic chanting, the attendance of SYL at Carlisle and Accrington etc. I and lots of sensible people did that because we care about our club and it’s reputation. The club has acted because it cares about us and it’s reputation.
This idea Huddersfield we’re singled out is ludicrous. Forest, QPR, the Met police, MK Dons, England and lots of others have been called out. To be called out for the idiocy of others in your wider group is not a criticism of you unless you do nothing about it. If you love your club you must act against thuggery.
4. It was only celebrations – if we didn’t want to see it we should have left. Despite the shit policing and the shit behaviour of a lot of fans, staying behind was possibly safer than leaving. If you aren’t safe in a ground, how do you know you’re safe outside where there could be even less police and stewards?
Plus, it was the players and staff’s place of work for the day, and we’d paid to be there. We all have a right to be safe. And we all have a duty to ensure others are safe too.
And if you celebrate by lobbing crap at people and shoving them around, you need to learn a better way to celebrate. You are a twat. You’re also a twat who has hurt a 85 year old and could have hurt a lot more.
The twats with flares as well? One barely made it to the track at the back of the pitch. That means it only barely missed hitting Huddersfield fans and causing potentially life changing injuries. Friendly fire? Hmmm.
4. It would have been the same at Luton – as said, I’ve called it out when I’ve seen it at Luton. I’d fucking complain at the top of my lungs to our club if I saw it ever again. Anyone that wouldn’t needs to consider whether they really love our club or whomever they support.
The fact we’ve had no apology from HTAFC yet, or the west Yorkshire police, or from any fans groups of HTAFC is almost the saddest indictment of what we’ve come to expect away from home too often this season. “Your a guest in our house so shut the fuck up and accept our shit hospitality”. If an apology comes now, if I was the old boy or the club I’d be in 2 minds as to whether it was too late.
My hope is we rise above and make Luton the best place for away fans next season, whatever the result. And I hope other clubs heed the call and make sure all away fans, staff and players are welcome. It’s a better game when they’re there in numbers.
great post Jim