Win or lose, on the boos

I've not failed to notice that crowd behaviour is something of a hot topic; and no-one can say my finger's not on the pulse, so this post is all about the English football fan's new favourite pastime, booing. This subject certainly belongs in the West Ham section because Upton Park is home to some of the nation's most seasoned booers. And I find that very embarrassing.

I have booed at a paid-for public entertainment event, but I was four years old and the object of my spleen was a man dressed as a wolf. Since then, I have sat and stood next to grown men booing other grown men in complete seriousness, and the thing I can't help thinking is: how do they describe this activity when they get home to their wives?

I imagine the conversation goes a bit like this:

"Good game dear?"

"Yes love. We won 2-1 with both home goals coming from set pieces. The left back had a poor game so I booed him on and off for approximately 15 minutes."

"Did you dear? That's nice. You like a good boo, don't you? Who else did you boo?"

"I also booed the manager for a substitution I considered to be unjustified and in any case 12 minutes too late. I also booed an unused substitute for his noncommittal demeanour as he warmed up. And one of the ballboys got the wrong end of a big boo when he fumbled a return at a critical throw-in. Next time, I am considering booing Herbie the Hammer as he has been well off the pace in recent weeks."

This week, I've heard a fair few people justifying the abuse doled out to players, and I'd like to take this opportunity to scorn and ridicule them. Here's a good one:

"I heckle at the comedy club, why shouldn't I boo at the football?"
Well... see... comedy – like pantomime – is an interactive entertainment. You're supposed to get involved. The performers incorporate your feedback and improvise around it. Apart from one unforgettable moment – Eric Cantona's seminal leap into a Crystal Palace fan's throat in 1995 – footballers don't really weave crowd response into their art. There's no comeback. It's like heckling goldfish. Also, comedy show hecklers are tossers.

"Players are overpaid, overprotected primadonnas"
Yes, they are, but so what? Was there a particular figure you had in mind, above which you were going to break open your six-pack of boos? Let's not forget that we're the ones making these people rich. Surely a more sensible, adult response to the greed and gluttony would be to stop buying tickets, stop paying our Sky subscriptions, and stop gawping at Steven Gerrard's new holiday home in OK magazine.

"Ashley Cole is a nasty person"
Yes, he might be, if you believe half of what you read in the newspapers. But don't you think you know too much about his personal life? He's a footballer, remember? Why would anyone bother to judge a professional sportsman by moral standards. What other profession would you heckle on the grounds of their personal behaviour?

"There goes Dr Dingle. He cheated on his wife. Boooo!! Oi, Dr Dingle, over here! BOOOOOO!!!!!"

There's only one other class of person who regularly gets booed in public: suspected murderers as they're ferried in and out of court in police vans. And even that seems a bit infantile to my mind.

"I've paid for my ticket, I've got a right to express my opinion"
Yes, you have bought a ticket, and yes you have got the right to express your opinion. But not like a child. Vent your spleen in the pub afterwards. Phone a radio show. Write something on a fans' forum even. (They're really good.) Just don't turn a football match into a pantomime show. Just remember – the person next to you has bought a ticket too.

Douglas Carter

Comments

[Harry Boulton]

And another thing, yes it is "your right" to express yourself. You are "entitled" to express your feelings. But then I'm "entitled" to be rude to everyoine I meet, if I chose to be. But I'm not, because it woulda) mark me down as a prat and b) it's socially unacceptable. See my point. Just because you're "not breaking any laws" doesn't make it right. I wouldn't breaking the law if I was to spit on the foot path outside my local, but it would be idsgusting and unacceptable and I'd be made to clean it up.

[Harry Boulton]

Some peoples self-righteous belief of entitlement is amazing? Because they were stupid enough, yes that's stupid enough, to pay upwards of £50 for a ticket and a tenner for fish and chips etc, they think they're entitled to a perfect display? That somehow they didn't get what they paid for when Ashley Cole made a MISTAKE? If you want entertaining people, then go to the cinema, the opera or the ballet please. But do not go and watch your national team play and heckle and boo when a player who has otherwise had a solid game, makes one crucial mistake which cost is nothing. If you go to sports event, then support the side. That's why you went, wasn't it? To support the team? Did Chelsea fans boo Terry when he made a mistake in the CL final? Did Utd fans boo Ronaldo when he missed his penalties against Barcelona and Chelsea? No, they didn't because booing a player who is playing for your side is a no branier - something only the most narrow minded would ever indulge in. Can the thicko's who booed give me one single way in which their booing helped the side or the player? Can anyone give me an example of when booing a player playing for your side ever helped the team or the player? Right, well screw your stupid heads on, engage brain, and try to think next time rather than indulging in an axctivity which, quite frankly, you should all be ashmed of. Cole might not be the ncest guy in the world, but who are we to judge? Saints? I think not. The self-righteous people who judge wihtout being judged do my head in.

[Alozie Edozie]

Douglas, you sure have a scholastic way to express you views, but you really do miss the point. A crowd of over 20, 0000 booing English men aren't simpletons. Has it ever occurred to you that such a crowd has the capacity to be the most effective twelve player if well nursed? People are just people; & their pliable moods SHOULDNT be dissected on the laboratory of 'refined' journalism like yours.
I am a Nigerian & our fans are famous for booing our own team or players when they are unimpressive. The press understands. The players understand & apologize & the game goes on... Thats what fans are for: highs & lows. And thats the beauty of the game. The English fans are so fervent. I love them. They did boo Beckam once & yet they made him footballs greatest ambassador. There's is always a price to pay for the spotlight. How about telling us here: 'Dont give a hoot about the private life of your prime minister; dont be CHILDISH!'
You know that would be a silly thing to say, Douglas. I think you need some booing too.
Fans are normal people. Dont ask them to behave like robots. They are the reason the English team is now a great team (my favourite team really). Even our Great Okocha was once booed in Nigeria, yet we love him the most, still.

I don't see any team beating this 'booed' English team in awhile. Do you wanna bet?

Alozie Edozie (lagos, Nigeria)

[Stoney]

OK, you paid to go. Booing a player on the team you 'support'? A no brainer for no-brainers. Typical of fickle English support. You're not fans-you're a disgrace and should be banned from the ground-no matter who the player is. The comments like 'twerp' and 'prancing dandy' are typical of what is wrong with our support.I have no voice after most games, but I'm afraid booing your own is, frankly, unbelievable. Have you ever heard this anywhere, anywhere else in the world? I bet they're playing it over the globe in disbelief.

[Phil]

Douglas Carter, aww diddums, don't you like the nasty man next to you booing?

Intelligent though your counter-arguments are ("comedy club hecklers are tossers"), it sounds to me like all this booing is interrupting the enjoyment of your prawn sandwich. Maybe football would be better off if you stayed at home and stopped trying to ruin it for the rest of us.

It's great that in this country you're still (normally) allowed to express an opinion - in many despotic countries around the world, the only terrace chants allowed are religious ones (otherwise you get arrested). Perhaps you'd be happier watching your football in Tehran?

I will boo whom I wish when I wish, and when that's not allowed any longer I hope my death is quick and painless. Long live freedom of speech, terrace humour and expression, and ya-boo to people like Douglas who are desperate to reduce all football stadia to the silent prawn-sandwich cathedrals of the Emirates, Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford.

[Simon]

Looks like most of those on here defending the booing of Cole have got things mixed up, what they really mean is that he is everything in a modern footballer they are jealous of. Let's face it, there's a moronic culture in this country that loathes others' success.

There's plenty of footballers who are paid ridiculous amounts, engineer moves away from their clubs etc who don't receive this kind of abuse. Sad really how easily these so called 'fans' are manipulated by the bile printed in red tops.

[Rocket Gopher]

Might also point out that most of those who've commented on Cole's reputed poor character probably learned about it by reading the Sun.

[James]

I can understand supporters booing opposition fans, but booing your own players does not help the team. I think fans still have the right to boo. Personally, I would never boo any Liverpool player during the match. I would support the team for whole 90 minutes.

[Shaun]

The only time I would justify a boo is if a person taunted the crowd by swearing at them or throwing something at them. That kind of behaviour isn't acceptable. Otherwise, booing is ridiculous. If you don't like what you see, don't go again, quite simple.

[Chase]

You 'Boo boys' are idiots of a special kind. I can't fault you for not liking a player and waiting for an opportunity to want to lash out at him. But to do it on the national stage? To go after him while you play another country? How do you think the Kaz. players felt? Good! they felt good. When you should be creating fortress like atmosphere, you aim the dagger at one of your own. Mindless

[steve h]

how many of the pay to boo brigade are high aspiring, earning, performing individuals themselves?

hmmmm - i thought as much...

take a good look at yourselves and channel your energy into improving your own miserable lot - surely!

[jlnoiiol]

It's shocking the number of comments supportive of yobbish chav behaviour on this blog. And you wonder why England is going down the ***hole.

[Micky Dee]

Cole probably got what he deserved for the way he acts like a **** all the time. Craig Malpas, you have a great point, he should've been booed before the ridiculous pass. Doing it after he makes a mistake just shows how much spite you have.

But, just remember England fans, it doesn't take much to swing a game. Imagine if Khazakstan (or in a similar game like the final game of qualifying where the three lions had to win and they) had equalised and held on to the draw, then what would we all think about Cole? Idiotic passes by players of that level could mean the same fate England got in not making the European Championships. Kind of like France in 1992 and 1994.

[Chris]

When I pay to go to a football match, it's because I'm partisan - I want my team to win.

I don't care if we win ugly, win by a dodgy penalty, or win with a bunch of thick, overpaid tossers wearing the shirts. All irrelevant to me. Most proper supporters would agree.

Booing doesn't help the players to win. Ergo - I don't boo.

[Shane]

Of course you have the right to boo. But having the right to do it doesn't change it into something other than a crass and childish tantrum. It's akin to pitching a fit of screaming and cursing road rage behind the wheel. You'd never think to be so crude and harsh in a face to face situation, but nestled behind your anonymity it makes you feel better. Similarly if you were spectating at your youngster's football match you wouldn't go into fits of booing. But in the anonymity of a 60,000 person crowd it's easier. And how much more so if a thousand others join you. It's still rude.
The situation is simple. You're either a supporter for your club/country or you're not. If you are, you cheer the ups and suffer the downs with a quiet groan and hope for the future. If your support has waned to the extent that you can't get through a mistake or a bad run of form without spouting off your displeasure, then just don't show up. Without your booing to drag them down, the team might even perform better. There's a thought...

[getiton98]

Ashley Cole is disliked and boo'd as he is the perfect representation of modern football and everything the average fan dislikes. He is highly disliked for his arrogance, celebrity status, model wife that he cheats on and his blatant desire for all things commercial. His mis placed pass just gave the crowd the opportunity they had been waiting for. Cole will recieve the boos where ever he goes this season as he did last season

[lex]

you do have a nice educated writing style but i think all of your points are wrong. they all seem to come from the school of "buy your ticket, sit down and shut up" which is a rotten philosophy and completely mis-represents the average fan.

if you can't cope with noise and banter at a match then watch it on sky (or setanta)

this creeping fawning sycophantic nonsense that suggests we suck up to the players all match long is most un-british.

if you don't like a player then carry on venting i say.

not that i do it of course, i love the lads, but i would support my fellow fans right to boo and jeer for ninety minutes if that's what they want to do.

honestly this whole debate is crazy and really weird. are you a football boy or a prancing dandy???

[John]

The article was written by someone who just doesn't understand the passion and intensity of football and football fans.

[Bill]

By and large I agree with the majority of the points made in the article, and found it amusing.

However regarding - 'what other profession would you heckle on the grounds of their personal behaviour?' - clearly the answer is none.

That said it is equally clear that this is an unfair comparison.

Football is the national game, generating an enormous interest all the way from the lower leagues up to the national team. This interest borders upon the obsessive, indeed it is the only thing that some people have. It is a common interest, a glue that binds people, maybe even communities together. How many other professions could you say that about? Why for example would you strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, let alone your friends about how well your doctor had been perfoming? Or be bothered about whether or not he'd had an affair? You wouldn't, quite simply, because you don't care.

And by comparison a great deal of people do care, or at the very least show an interest in the soap opera that is the life of the modern day footballer.

Football fans watch these professionals every week either at the games themselves or live on TV, they read about them everyday in the newspapers, and more prudently, they read about their personal lives in their so called autobiographies. If players are willing to further strip back the layers of their already public lives (presumably for financial gain, or to further their fame) they open themselves up to public opinion, which in turn can lead to criticism. And thats fair enough.

Booing, heckling, jeering - its all part of the game - indeed its a good test of a players capacity to deal with the psychological aspect of the game. That said, when its directed at your own team, I'm not really sure what that is about.

[jim]

"Well... see... comedy – like pantomime – is an interactive entertainment. You're supposed to get involved. The performers incorporate your feedback and improvise around it...footballers don't really weave crowd response into their art. There's no comeback."

Never have less true words ever been written. Ever notice how teams do better at home, sampled atmospheres at Anfield etc. Ever cheered a player on after a burst up the touch line to see him reward you with his boost in confidence and another run later that leads to a goal. Apparantly not, players aren't intrested in our feedback and don't incorporate it apparantly, might as well stay at home and watch the match's on TV then.

[getiton98]

What a load of garbage this is. Booing jeering is all part of the game. Cashley Cole is a grade a ***** hated by the majority of the nation. his misplaced pass gave everyone the opportunity they had been waiting for. The problem is people like cole and lampard are despised by the majority of football fans who are quite within their rights to boo if they want to

[James]

Well said. England fans have a ridiculously low "boo threshold" and it barely seems to take anything to set them off. Lampard has been getting it for two years, and there was the ridiculous and venomous orchextrated booing aginst Andorra under McLaren. Plus sportingly booing opposition national anthems such as Germany and Croatia (yeah very intelligent lads, why not provide motivation for the opposition as well while you're at it).

[Chad Johnson]

Typical of the Sky Sports 'support your team or don't turn up' fans that have only liked football for a decade. Should we all stay at home & the phone radio shows to cheer and applaud if we hear on Sky Sports Saturday that somebody has just scored?

[Craig Malpas]

Cracking article, couldn't have put any of this better myself.

I am a Man United fan and dont care much for Ashley Cole, the booing was pathetic though. I too have heard numerous explanations why the boos were justified - Cole is accused of being overpaid, over-rated, nasty and selfish - why didnt they boo before the mistake then?

[isi_777]

Great article...

Generally speaking, there is far too much favourability given to football 'fans' nowadays. Thuggish and agressive behaviour (sometimes verging on assault) is far too often justified by out of context phrases such as 'the fans pay the players wages and have a right to express their opinion' etc. As you rightly say, Douglas, yes people do have a right to an opinion... but there are plenty of channels in which people can express themselves without acting like animals. Plus some people are too thick that there opinion shouldn't actually count, but that's another point altogether...