AFTER much apparent progress to kick sectarianism off the terraces at Northern Ireland football matches, it looks like some fans just can’t keep their bigotry to themselves outside the stadium. Many fans have voiced their disgust at some of the singing in the Botanic Inn and elsewhere, and the whole sorry episode has caused a stir in Our Wee Country.Getting off a flight at Aldergrove yesterday, there were a few NI supporters just arrived back from Manchester and in fine voice. However, they stuck to the traditional songs from the glory days of NI’s infamous world record losing streak – ‘It’s just like watching Brazil’ and that other classic, ‘We’re going to win 5-4’.
It’s a shame this good-natured and often self-deprecating humour isn’t setting the standard everywhere, though the sectarianism seems (from what I can tell) to be largely gone from the ground during matches. Has the IFA taken it’s campaign to tackle bigotry as far as it possibly can? It looks like the responsibility rests pretty much entirely with the fans from here on. But what can genuine supporters do? Would telling the Bot what you thought of the singing make any difference?
On a lighter note, not everyone was singing – anyone care to name and shame the ‘talented’ lady who has become known as ‘The Baps in the Bot’ on the BBC?!
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