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WOODGATE - NO ISSUE 11-9-06
Udayan Mukherjee
As news of Boro's dealings in the transfer market broke last week, many people in the Teesside region thought one thing: "Ideal". Jesus Christ, perma crocked superstar Johnny Woodgate has signed! We even pushed the boat out and signed German international centre back Robert Huth and Jason Euell. The signings are exactly what we need, at least for this particular season.
After the Porstmouth debacle, new blood was demanded and duly delivered by Gareth, Gibbo and Keef Lamb. Two of the signings seemed like immediate and perfect stop gaps and the Woodgate deal may even be made permanent, as declared a justifiably smug looking Keef, the best Chief Executive in the Premier League.
Certain contributors to Boro message boards and phone-ins immediately took issue with the signing of Woody, not necessarily all of them of a certain religious persuasion.
As I am probably the only ever MFC related columnist who is a little, shall we say, brown, I have been asked my thoughts and opinions on the signing.
In the first instance, it must be said that at Woodgate's trial in 2001, the judge and jury categorically stated that the attacks were absolutely not racially motivated but some members of the Asian community still refuse to acknowledge that.
Racism is an aspect of modern culture that fluctuates in intensity. When I was in school I was accepted and liked by say, 98-99% of people, and those that didn't like me did not not necessarily do so through racially motivated disdain.
Recently however with the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the subsequent 'war on terror' I have felt a kind of nervousness around me on trains, busses, planes, especially if I am carrying a back pack of some kind. Its not racism, it's the sign of heightened tension, which to be fair is justified.
The signing of Jonathan Woodgate raised some eyebrows among certain aspects of the community because of those allegations from the past, but why did he get tarred with the racism brush in the first place? Did he have a fight because the lad in question was an Asian or simply because of normal aggravation that we always see in town and city centres?
It is clear that the racist views are unjustified and that certain factions of society are using this as a poor excuse and a straw to clutch at in order to heighten racial tension.
I can't pretend to speak for all of the Asian community in Middlesbrough, perhaps primarily because I don't live in the area where the most sizeable majority is but I can say that the way that most balanced people in any community feel is that we are primarily from Middlesbrough, proud Smoggies who positively contribute to society and this is first and foremost.
Of course there are people in Middlesbrough who are madder than hatters, but it ranges across race, age, sex barriers. Of course we are proud of the culture we are from, but we are just as proud to come from an area where the people are as friendly as you could ever wish for.
When those players cross that white line, they represent me and you. We have been there before this group of players, and we will be there afterwards, regardless of the performances. When we score we go mental because we feel that tribal sense of victory in battle. It is as if we, as Middlesboreans have earned a personal victory.
I don't personally believe that Woodgate is a racist and the judge and jury reiterated that so the time has come for those who still persist with those ridiculous notions to stop. The bullshit political correctness that has crept into society pisses me off just as much as it may do all of you. It is a by product of faceless bueurocrats who don't live in the real world and has become a tool for certain factions to use to their advantage.
If I go out on a night out and annoy a big bloke for no reason and get a good kicking, it isn't racism: its simply me getting my just desserts for being an arsehole.
Whether this was the case in the Woodgate and Bowyer incident, I don't know. However the attack was against an Asian so it got immediately denounced as racist. Had they attacked a white guy, it would have been simply dismissed as a drunken brawl.
I repeat, again, the judge and jury stated categorically that the attacks were not racially motivated and those who still persist with those allegations should cease immediately on that basis alone.
To me, the real question is not whether the Asian community will be outraged at the signing of someone who has been wrongly branded a racist but if Jonathan Woodgate can play regularly in a way that does himself and Middlesbrough Football Club justice.
Woodgate is a classy centre back who at least for this season will plug that ridiculously massive hole at the back. He has the presence of mind that keeps him one step ahead, much like our manager, allied to some semblance of pace and in short he is possibly the third or fourth best centre back in the country, if he stays fit.
It is imperative that all communities and members of society remove any thoughts about his history and accept him as one of our own for as long as he is a Middlesbrough player. As long as he produces the goods then he will be a tremendous (© Steve McClaren) acquisition to the ranks, with the added bonus of him being a smoggy through and through.
Come on Boro.
That's all folks.
NOW HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE NEW HOLGATE FORUM
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