The English Crowd

[fredfertang]

what would Yabba have had to say about such behaviour?




"I wish you were a statue and I were a pigeon."

[jondavluc]

Originally Posted by fredfertang

what would Yabba have had to say about such behaviour?




"I wish you were a statue and I were a pigeon."

[Jungle Jumbo]

Originally Posted by four_or_six

The crowds can be pretty unpleasant, but I think it's worse for the other punters than the players. My Gran and Grandad won't go to tests any more because of the language and drunkenness, which I think is really sad actually. And there was a poor girl when I went once, she was pretty good looking and every time she stood up there was lots of lecherous jeering. She got her boyfriend to go get drinks all the time in the end and she looked a bit upset, I felt sorry for her. Mostly it's fun, but it does go OTT sometimes when it's spoiling things for other people.

Yeah I saw a bit of that on Sunday/Monday as well, so much so that me and my mate who was watching with me agreed that we'd never bring girls to the cricket. But we should be able to.

Some of the stuff is genuinely funny and good-natured - one bloke who gave the Fanatics (or the 'Pathetics', as he liked to call them) a fair few humorous insults throughout the day went and bought them some beers after tea and then went and sat with them. And there were chants of 'We love the Aussies...' towards the end of the day. There is no real problem between the supporters. Speaking to some on-duty policemen on Sunday during tea ('Overtime at Edgbaston? Five days? Ashes Test? No problem...'), they said that they'd only had a handful of ejections during the game and one scuffle between an Australian and an Englishman, who were taken out of the stand, shook hands, and were allowed back in.

As sledger said, the people I feel sorry for are the paying spectators who want a quieter day at the cricket. If you don't want to put up with the banter and chanting, you shouldn't have to. Possibly there should be some kind of disclaimer when buying tickets? There was an elderly couple sat right next to the Fanatics, and I felt pretty sorry for them.

[sledger]

Tbh when I went to Lords in 2005 there was some old nice old couple sitting just a few seats away from me who got into an argument with some dickhead lords member who insisted they were sat in his seats. They said no, very politely, and showed him their tickets to show him that they were indeed sat in the right spot. Of course the idiot was having none of this, and starting shouting and getting very animated and aggressive, which was completely out of order, and the old couple looked upset and uncomfortable. In the end some people went and got a steward, who after inspecting the old couple's ticket and the member's ticket directed the member to his correct seat, which was about two rows behind where the old couple was sitting, the **** didn't even apologise, wanker.

[sledger]

BBC SPORT | Cricket | Headingley boosts Ashes security

Sounds like that ought to cut down on some of the antisocial behaviour at least.

[Uppercut]

Originally Posted by Jungle Jumbo

As sledger said, the people I feel sorry for are the paying spectators who want a quieter day at the cricket. If you don't want to put up with the banter and chanting, you shouldn't have to. Possibly there should be some kind of disclaimer when buying tickets? There was an elderly couple sat right next to the Fanatics, and I felt pretty sorry for them.

Haha, Edgbaston isn't the place to go for those folks.

A lot of those I've spoken to quite enjoy the atmosphere though, even if they don't exactly join in.

[Burgey]

Originally Posted by Jungle Jumbo

Yeah I saw a bit of that on Sunday/Monday as well, so much so that me and my mate who was watching with me agreed that we'd never bring girls to the cricket. But we should be able to.

Some of the stuff is genuinely funny and good-natured - one bloke who gave the Fanatics (or the 'Pathetics', as he liked to call them) a fair few humorous insults throughout the day went and bought them some beers after tea and then went and sat with them. And there were chants of 'We love the Aussies...' towards the end of the day. There is no real problem between the supporters. Speaking to some on-duty policemen on Sunday during tea ('Overtime at Edgbaston? Five days? Ashes Test? No problem...'), they said that they'd only had a handful of ejections during the game and one scuffle between an Australian and an Englishman, who were taken out of the stand, shook hands, and were allowed back in.

As sledger said, the people I feel sorry for are the paying spectators who want a quieter day at the cricket. If you don't want to put up with the banter and chanting, you shouldn't have to. Possibly there should be some kind of disclaimer when buying tickets? There was an elderly couple sat right next to the Fanatics, and I felt pretty sorry for them.

This. Nothing wrong with some good natured banter between fans imo, provided it doesn't develop into something nasty.

Comments like the Yabba one quoted above are just funny imo. Likewise, if it's a panto boo I don't see a problem. If it's a "we're gonna jump the fence and get ugly" boo, obviously different.

[duffer]

AUSTRALIAN players are privately seething at the antics of fan group the Barmy Army, which mercilessly taunted them at Edgbaston.

I love how newspapers can make these type of statements yet every quote from the players seems to suggest it's water off a duck's back to them.

If they are bothered by it then it'd be htfu time but I'd suggest trying to find a way back into the series is more concerning to the team than a few drunk Englishmen who are just enjoying themselves.

[Jungle Jumbo]

TBH even if the Australians are being affected by it, they're not stupid enough to say so...

[duffer]

Yes, but even if it is burning them up inside they should have more important things to be concerning themselves with. Like getting their **** together on the field.

[zaremba]

Originally Posted by Burgey

Nothing wrong with some good natured banter between fans imo, provided it doesn't develop into something nasty.

Comments like the Yabba one quoted above are just funny imo. Likewise, if it's a panto boo I don't see a problem. If it's a "we're gonna jump the fence and get ugly" boo, obviously different.

I agree with all of this, echoes my thoughts exactly. We've all seen the odd bit of nasty stuff but it's very much the exception; by and large the banter I've experienced at the cricket, Ashes games especially, has been exceptionally good natured.

Beyond this, though, I've got bloody heaps to add (mainly about why St Ricky is singled out for this treatment) but this is maybe not the best place for it. I might post an article in the Ashes blog about it if someone can tell me how I go about doing it.

[zaremba]

Originally Posted by Uppercut

Haha, Edgbaston isn't the place to go for those folks.

A lot of those I've spoken to quite enjoy the atmosphere though, even if they don't exactly join in.

Having just sat through the Test there I'd say that the Edgbaston atmosphere is fantastic for a day or two, but after that it does get a bit tiresome.

[Pothas]

Originally Posted by sledger

Tbh when I went to Lords in 2005 there was some old nice old couple sitting just a few seats away from me who got into an argument with some dickhead lords member who insisted they were sat in his seats. They said no, very politely, and showed him their tickets to show him that they were indeed sat in the right spot. Of course the idiot was having none of this, and starting shouting and getting very animated and aggressive, which was completely out of order, and the old couple looked upset and uncomfortable. In the end some people went and got a steward, who after inspecting the old couple's ticket and the member's ticket directed the member to his correct seat, which was about two rows behind where the old couple was sitting, the **** didn't even apologise, wanker.

Yeah he was an obnoxious toad if ever I saw one, of course he would be the sort to complain about the sort of crowd mentioned in this thread. I do actually find that the most rude individuals are often his type, worst customers are always middle age women of a certain class. To be fair though the atmosphere that day was generally superb, a cricket crowd at its very best.

[ripper868]

Originally Posted by Langeveldt

Well at Joburg we sung "The Roof, The Roof, the Roof is on Fire.. We don't need no Aussies, let those Mother*****rs burn" - in relation to the fires that were going on there at the time.. Obviously Ponting thought that wasn't bad as a few drunks booing him to the crease.. In fact I think they were going on about how hospitable we were?

Terrible form, all involved can **** off and die.

[GotSpin]

Originally Posted by Langeveldt

Brought about by this story

Barmy Army deny Ponting abuse | Cricket News | The Ashes - England v Australia 2009 | Cricinfo.com

To be honest, I'm not sure what all the fuss is about.. Since when has booing been abuse, and since when has anyone been able to take a bit of moral high ground and complain about it?

When I saw the Aussies in Johannesburg, there were 43 thousand people chanting, "Siddle is a Wanker" as he ran into bowl.. To his credit he didn't get all precious about it and complain, he instead fired up the crowd and bowled like an absolute demon all day.. So I might not like the guy, but I have heaps of admiration for him.. Ditto I'd imagine I guy like Warne, who is enough of a champ to realize that it's part of the game, and if he wasn't so good, the crowd wouldn't be so vocal against him..

We tore into the Australians, and it got pretty nasty a number of times actually.. I don't see what their gripe with a few hundred drunks is.. Perhaps thats another of their "Auras" being lost.. No more thick skin and a big dose of metrosexuality.. Maybe they could tell the Sydney hill or whatever it is called now to stay quiet and only applaud during the designated times..

I don't see Ponting complaining at all...? Isn't it mainly the officials