Chants

CHANT

I was standing in the Kop, smelling the scents of a crowd enjoying themselves, looking up at a beautiful blue sky embracing a muscle warming sun, watching superb displays of sublime skills, youth football mixed with cup competition thrills, tension and chants of “We won it three times”.

The perfect afternoon of watching my clubs young boys run rampant across the deliciously manicured pitch was sullied, dirtied and smeared by THAT chant. Liverpool were playing extremely polished football.

The small away gathering boasted children, CHILDREN! Of all the sections of society to blood a social routine on, the groans were audible across the Kop. We knew what they were singing, we knew we could retaliate, yet we did not. Why? Is it due to our severe attitude to social convention? Were we more eloquent and chose to express ourselves in a less fervent fashion? Or was it because we didn’t want our children witnessing us, as parents, teachers of social niceties, how to behave like a torturous victim when faced with a wrong.

Those of you on Twitter who follow me know how wound up I get when I see abusive tweets about The Tragedies. A blatant ignorance pervades a place I frequent, a place I like to come to when I feel a little uninspired. Stories and statistics, friendships and national debate stimulate me but I fail to see why I would want to ingratiate myself to a section of society who feels the need to rush headlong into scar tissue that runs a mile wide.

Heysel, 26 years ago last month. I follow many Juventino, I know how hurt they still are, I follow hundreds of Liverpool fans, I know how ashamed they are. Yet, somehow the two clubs have come together, not perfectly, not entirely, but together. The chant that Manchester United fans sing, so loud and proud, is an insult to their lost ones. A birch on the hands held out for comfort. The chant affects the Liverpool fans too, nowhere near as much as Juventus fans, but a quick, sharp thwack on the back of fans who, even though they weren’t there, flagellate themselves yearly when the anniversary comes around.

I wonder if Manchester United fans are predisposed to hack away at the bandages of that horrific European Cup final? Obviously I’m generalising and I’ll be called out for that like a cheap hack with a clutch of gossip whispers. But am I onto something? Do we teach our future generation of fans how to hate, or at least emotionally injure? Are we directly responsible for the interpretation of banter becoming so leftfield from the original that we are looking at a phenomenon that is built from lust for humiliation?

These questions have been haunting me as I strive to make sense of that beautiful match day, the football and the restraint shown by players and fans of Liverpool was admirable and heart warming. Yet was I at an event that was unique? If I’ve seen the tweets from Manchester United fans then I have seen an equal number from the Liverpool fans. Appalling though it is to me, anathema almost, I feel there is a need to level the same desire for explanations at my own set of fans, more so. I say it is anathema, as to revel or exude delight in the hurt of others is utterly alien to me.

I have contacted the community spokesperson for Liverpool’s official website, I received inadequate responses from Matt. However, I’m more tenacious than a few emails, I wont be held to a response that places the responsibility of abusive chants and their after affects in the hands of the supporters. We, as bastions of representation, do have the ultimate accountability for our actions, our behaviour towards our fellow football fans, but the clubs have an immense amount of power in the responsibility they can show. Flexing a muscle would give the world a sharp reminder of how utterly devastating an institution can be when it wants to encase its reputation in a shell of respectability.

With the clutch of emails sent, I started to spread about the idea, on Twitter, of a supporter force or group, who can police or gather information from the terraces on suspected abusers. I also floated the idea of interclub match days based upon better relations for fans, education programs in schools, programs aimed at supporters leaving and entering the grounds. Victims groups having discussions with known offenders to re-educate them. There are a myriad of possibilities and each carries its own pitfall or an ability to offend.

The only way that a program of events and actions would succeed would be down to the supporters pressuring the club to help end the chants. Fans can help sway the boards decision in sacking a manager, they can turn on a player and see him sold soon after, they can become internet terrorists and shut off the supply of credit to two cowboys. Can they stop scenes like those on Match of The Day, were Liverpool fans, at Old Trafford, made aeroplane gestures with open arms and screamed with blood red faces, “Munich!”? Can we do that? Can we march around the club, can we boycott the merchandise and sing protest from the terraces? Somehow, something in me thinks it’s a no, but wouldn’t it be great if instead of one person emailing or writing to the stadium manager, it was two or three? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be unique and be the first club to eject and ban supporters who have chanted abuse, only letting them in when they complete a set amount of re-education programs?
I’ll march for that. Under a big banner that says, “No more shall I abuse, no more shall I chant, instead respect the opposition, for he is my fellow man.”

You can contact me on twitter @malbennett29

2nd Reply From LFC Concerning Abusive Chants

Hi Mal,
 
I think this may be something you’d need to write to the Club about as my remit only covers online communities and social media. From what you’ve told me I would direct my enquiries to:
 
Stadium Manager
Anfield
Anfield Road
L4 OTH
 
Hope this of help.
 
Kind regards,
 
Matt
 

BBC reply to complaint about Kelvin MacKenzie's appearance on BBC 2

Dear Mr Bennett

Thanks for contacting us regarding ‘The Apprentice: You’re Fired’ broadcast on the 1 June.

We understand you felt that Kelvin MacKenzie was an inappropriate choice of guest.

The programme is an entertainment show and our sole aim when making each episode is to provide enjoyment. Kelvin McKenzie is a public figure who regularly appears on entertainment and political shows and is a well-known radio broadcaster and columnist. We felt for these reasons, his inclusion was legitimate.

We take great care to try and make a good natured show, and it is certainly never our intention when making the programme to offend or upset our viewers.

We appreciate your views and we would like to assure you that we’ve registered your comments on our audience log. This is the internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily for all programme makers and commissioning executives within the BBC, and also their senior management. It ensures that your points, and all other comments we receive, are circulated and considered across the BBC.

Thanks again for getting in touch.

www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

NB This is sent from an outgoing account only which is not monitored. You cannot reply to this email address but if necessary please contact us via our webform quoting any case number we provided.

Kind Regards

BBC Audience Services

2nd Email To LFC Concerning Abusive Chants

Hi Matt.
     Appreciate you emailing back. I think I never clarified my query properly. I am asking if the club has a clear policy or plan to try and stop the chants. Something like CCTV use, phone line for anonymous reports and education programmes aimed at supporters and the wider community. 
     The reason I'm pursuing this is due to the scenes I witnessed at Youth FA Cup Quarter Final at Anfield earlier this year. The away Manchester United support, which included children, sang songs about Heysel. I feel that more than a token response about supporter intervention is required from the club that prides itself on community values.
     The determination that I have for this issue to be resolved is evident with the way in which the fan base boycotted spreadshirt and won the removal of the shirts. 

Mal Bennett 

Email To LFC Concerning Abusive Chants

Dear Sir/Madam,
As an active member of the fan base on twitter I often see abusive tweets about Hillsborough, Heysel and Munich. I was wondering if there is in place a group that tries to educate supporters about the tragedies and helps strengthen ties between the supporters base and the victims groups. I was an integral part in helping stop Republik Of Mancunia from selling his t shirts that displayed the 'We Won It Three Times Without Killing Anyone' chant. This site was powered by a successful t shirt company and by the power of using twitter and fan emails, we managed to have the site shut off the flow of that particular design. The point of the email is to ask if there is anything I can do to stop the repeat of footage of Liverpool fans singing Munich songs on Match Of The Day or of Manchester United fans singings Heysel songs whilst playing other teams? I would love to help the club become the first club to try and bridge that gap between rivalry and decency. Any role I can play would be done to the fullest. I look forward to a reply email.
Yours sincerely
Mal Bennett
Birkenhead
You'll Never Walk Alone

Email From LFC Concerning Abusive Chants

Dear Mal,
 
Thanks for your mail which a colleague at the Club forwarded to me. I’m the Community Manager at LFC’s Digital Media Dept.
 
Unfortunately I can’t be of help in regards to footage screened on Match of the Day and can only suggest writing to the BBC.  Certainly if any of this footage is posted on LFC websites we will remove it as soon as become aware of it. So reporting anything similar which you saw on The Kop for instance would be both useful and sincerely appreciated.
 
It’s difficult to advise you on how best to further your aims. Whilst media organizations and sports clubs have a role to play , ultimately it’s likely that the only people that could positively affect fan behaviour would be other fans. After the Hillsborough Disaster many of our own supporters made clear their distaste for songs which glorified in others death and tragedy. That happened through debate, argument and persuasion, so perhaps the independent fan sites may be one place to try to put this case?
Best Regards,

Matt