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FIGHT? WHAT FIGHT? DIDN'T SEE NOTHING 29-10-04
I'll never forget walking down Wembley Way for the very first time in March 1997. The atmosphere was scintillating, the weather was great and the camaraderie between the two sets of fans was out of this world. It was a pleasure to hear more than one person commenting on that day that the League Cup brought out everything that was good about English football.
This week, everything that is bad about English football manifested itself during the same competition. At Stamford Bridge, police in riot gear were confronted by West Ham fans and three Chelsea players were hit by missiles from the Hammers' crowd. After the match, the two sets of fans met at Fulham Broadway tube station, where the fighting continued.
 
Spot the difference. Left- Stamford Bridge, Tuesday. Right- The New Den, Wednesday
One night later, trouble also occurred at The New Den, home of the scummiest club on earth, Millwall. Millwall fans had allegedly taunted Liverpool fans with the chant, "You should have all died at Hillsborough". The Scousers understandably reacted. Let's have a look at what various spokesmen have said about the two unrelated but similar incidents.
"There was no chanting of this nature." Theo Paphitis, Millwall chairman.
"We are not prepared to be the scapegoats once again after all the work we have undertaken to try to put our own house in order." Paphitis again.
"I did not hear a single chant about Hillsborough or Boris Johnson. I've spoken to friends who were sat at various places around the ground and they didn't hear anything like that either." Joe Broadfoot of the unofficial Millwall fans' group The Lions Trust.
"It's a shame because I thought there was good English banter in the crowd. There's big rivalry between the two clubs and it is a shame if that's happened. From where I was standing I didn't see any trouble." Alan Pardew, West Ham Manager.
"I would rather talk about the football." Chelsea Assistant Manager Steve Clarke.
Talk about denial in the extreme. It is nothing short of disgraceful when people who hold responsible positions in the game decide to bury their heads in the sand when a contentious issue arises. It also adds fuel to the fire of the protagonists of such incidents, as they are seemingly defended by their club's officials and are as such given licence to continue. This creates a knock-on effect with the media as middlemen. When the club denials come, the media see fit to report the incidents the way they see it and perhaps add a little spice to counteract the cowardly official stance and in the end, nobody takes responsibility for the whole situation.
Fulham Broadway station
Now most of us are well aware that the spectre of football hooliganism has not died at all but has merely changed venue. Nowadays, sets of rival fans meet at pre arranged places situated well away from the stadia and the public glare to scrap it out. I can even tell you the name and drinking haunt of one of Boro's main participants of this fringe activity. Let them get on with it, is what I say because they're not hurting anyone else. In fact, why don't we encourage it, to keep it off the terraces? Because when it does happen there, others are getting hurt and that is not acceptable.
This encouragement could start with a little bit of organisation and in time, the whole thing could become big time TV viewing on Channel Five. The Hooliganism Championships could have regional heats with quarter finals, semi finals and a grand final to follow. Teams/ gangs of twenty or so would battle it out on waste ground and the team of the last man standing would be declared the winner. All manner of weapons would be allowed and in the event of a draw, the highest death toll would win the tie. As this activity grows in popularity throughout the season, the death toll would rise and in a short space of time, we would be free of the hooligan element in British football, whilst at the same time having provided tremendous family entertainment for genuine football supporters nationwide. You never know. It may just work.
On to the Boro and once again the injury toll is mounting. We have now sustained another serious injury in training with Stuart Parnaby becoming the third broken leg victim in a year. I attempted to be diplomatic about this scenario a couple of weeks ago but now is not the time for diplomacy. The following is simply crying out to be said.
"Why are we getting so many serious injuries in training? Just what the hell is going on down at Rockliffe Park, the training HQ that is supposedly the best equipped in the land?"
Get well soon Stuart
How many other clubs get even the odd injury in training, let alone the sorry collection that we have had? I cannot elaborate on the training ground methods practised by Boro but can state that it is very obvious that something is clearly wrong. No way can we say that it is unlucky because it has happened too many times to be coincidental.
Despite this catalogue of training groud catastrophe, I still retain 100% support for Steve McClaren and his management team but this situation needs to be arrested immediately as it is now threatening to destroy all of the good work that has taken place over the last three years. Sort it Boro - now.
Until next week...
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