Two distinct and contrasting memories: Going to my first away game as a young teenager to Selhurst Park in the early ‘80s which was both exciting and terrifying in that unique atmosphere of intimidation and violence that typified football at that time; and then watching last year’s REMF match between Palace and Brighton fans played in a spirit of fun, respect and a combined quest to support a worthwhile cause.
One of the above is a memory of a time gone by that is, in hindsight and thankfully, consigned largely to history whilst the other is one that seems to fit with the better world that we all now live in. More importantly ,the thought of one being perpetuated fills me with shame and sadness whilst the other with hope.
As a lifelong Brighton fan I hope the intense rivalry with Palace continues forever – on the pitch. But maybe it is time to look at the example set by those involved from both sets of fans with the annual REMF match and find, off the pitch, our common ground. Crystal Palace and Brighton are ‘proper’ football clubs with ‘proper’ fans and are in truth of a similar size. Neither will ever have the stature whether in terms of finances or history of Arsenal, Man City or Chelsea but if I were to share a beer with a Palace fan I know we would get on and talk ‘real football’, something that all the Chelsea fans I have ever met cannot. To fans of clubs like ours success is rare (and Palace certainly have the bragging rights over us in recent years) but all the more valued when it comes. Most of the time it’s about survival and competing with ‘the big boys’. Palace have excelled at this recently and despite my instinct as a Seagulls fan, I have genuinely enjoyed seeing a proper football club competing against and beating clubs with levels of resource that our clubs will only ever dream of.
Maybe, just maybe, it is the right time for Palace and Brighton fans to stand together and be proud of our footballing rivalry , but off the pitch be proud that we stand in the way of Chelsea and others who would love to buy every fan in South London, Surrey, Sussex and beyond for themselves.
Of course most Brighton and Palace fans have long moved with the times. The key board warriors (on both sides) that perpetuate hate would run a mile if they accidentally actually said what they wrote to someone’s face! Those (again on both sides) that still actually play handbags in the street are mostly sad dinosaurs of a time gone by and are old enough now to know better.
Next season the rivalry gets going again and for me, and perhaps all genuine fans, it will be all about two games of football. It could be about so much more though – not violence and hatred but about mutual respect and friendship. Impossible? Trust me, when I saw lumps of concrete being thrown between the fans at that first away game, I would have said Palace and Brighton fans coming together for REMF was impossible.
It wasn’t.
One of the above is a memory of a time gone by that is, in hindsight and thankfully, consigned largely to history whilst the other is one that seems to fit with the better world that we all now live in. More importantly ,the thought of one being perpetuated fills me with shame and sadness whilst the other with hope.
As a lifelong Brighton fan I hope the intense rivalry with Palace continues forever – on the pitch. But maybe it is time to look at the example set by those involved from both sets of fans with the annual REMF match and find, off the pitch, our common ground. Crystal Palace and Brighton are ‘proper’ football clubs with ‘proper’ fans and are in truth of a similar size. Neither will ever have the stature whether in terms of finances or history of Arsenal, Man City or Chelsea but if I were to share a beer with a Palace fan I know we would get on and talk ‘real football’, something that all the Chelsea fans I have ever met cannot. To fans of clubs like ours success is rare (and Palace certainly have the bragging rights over us in recent years) but all the more valued when it comes. Most of the time it’s about survival and competing with ‘the big boys’. Palace have excelled at this recently and despite my instinct as a Seagulls fan, I have genuinely enjoyed seeing a proper football club competing against and beating clubs with levels of resource that our clubs will only ever dream of.
Maybe, just maybe, it is the right time for Palace and Brighton fans to stand together and be proud of our footballing rivalry , but off the pitch be proud that we stand in the way of Chelsea and others who would love to buy every fan in South London, Surrey, Sussex and beyond for themselves.
Of course most Brighton and Palace fans have long moved with the times. The key board warriors (on both sides) that perpetuate hate would run a mile if they accidentally actually said what they wrote to someone’s face! Those (again on both sides) that still actually play handbags in the street are mostly sad dinosaurs of a time gone by and are old enough now to know better.
Next season the rivalry gets going again and for me, and perhaps all genuine fans, it will be all about two games of football. It could be about so much more though – not violence and hatred but about mutual respect and friendship. Impossible? Trust me, when I saw lumps of concrete being thrown between the fans at that first away game, I would have said Palace and Brighton fans coming together for REMF was impossible.
It wasn’t.
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire