Why I'm glad football isn't coming home after appalling behaviour of England fans: Yorkshire Post Letters

From: Richard Wimpenny, Fixby, Huddersfield.
Piles of rubbish left behind by partying England fans in Leicester Square, central London, ahead of the England football team playing in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA WirePiles of rubbish left behind by partying England fans in Leicester Square, central London, ahead of the England football team playing in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
Piles of rubbish left behind by partying England fans in Leicester Square, central London, ahead of the England football team playing in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

So it is not “coming home” after all. Whatever “it” is, and wherever “home” might be.

The nation should now be allowed a period for grieving – at least a week, during which time any employer insisting on those working for him returning to work can be prosecuted for gross inhumanity.

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This may well conclude the process of wrecking the UK economy started by the Covid virus, despite the beer-swilling mini-revival.

Stewards replace barricades after they were knocked over by supporters outside Wembley Stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (AP Photo/David Cliff)Stewards replace barricades after they were knocked over by supporters outside Wembley Stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (AP Photo/David Cliff)
Stewards replace barricades after they were knocked over by supporters outside Wembley Stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (AP Photo/David Cliff)

What are the reasons for this unprecedented disaster? Perhaps we are not paying our leaden-booted football warriors enough to reward their lack of effort.

A few extra million pounds might enable them to enjoy a more congenial life style – faster sports cars, more accessible “dolly birds” and even more idiotic hairstyles.

Not everyone is enamoured at the sight of balls being kicked, batted or thrown around whenever they turn on their TV sets.

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The page after page of newspaper coverage and the tedious inane chattering of the army of TV pundits has catapulted jingoism to new heights.

On any other subject, those churning out their bilge would be facing charges of gross xenophobia.

And next year the World Cup is looming like some giant vulture.

But perhaps all is not lost. Any nation which encourages its citizens to continuously boo its opponents, to abuse small children seen crying when their team has lost, and shining lasers into faces of opponents should be banned from participation in further competitions.

Then perhaps sanity may once again prevail.

From: Roger Crossley, Fall View, Silkstone, Barnsley.

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As a decades-long football supporter, I sadly cannot share Christa Ackroyd’s enthusiasm in her recent column (The Yorkshire Post, July 10) regarding England’s “exploits” in the Euros.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand, and respect Christa’s feelings, but I am now coming from a different mindset regarding modern day football.

It saddens me greatly that “drawing the foul” has become a normality, and accepted as part of the game now.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this “skill” isn’t actually coached at clubs, and even, heaven forbid, in schools.

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Today’s footballers, especially attackers, are very clever. They “back up”, supposedly protecting the ball until they “create” contact with the defender, then fall forward.

They know how to make contact with a trailing leg with a defender, then go down.

Christa may or may not be aware of these tactics. Anyway, surely “our boys” wouldn’t indulge in such skulduggery. However, does it matter? If we don’t do it, the opposition surely will. Best to get in there first.

Well for me, I think it does matter, because it encourages the idea that cheats actually do prosper. Surely not a message for our youngsters.

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Christa doesn’t strike me as someone who would support that, but for me there is a broad line between enthusiastic patriotism and turning a blind eye to cheating.

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

Perhaps I am alone in thinking that all we got out of the frenzy over the European football was a rise in the number of Covid cases and a huge fine for the stupid fans shining a laser in the face of the Denmark goalkeeper and booing national anthems. At least it’s all over until the World Cup.

From: Jon Marcus, Lightwater.

I would be happy and proud to support any home nation which reached the final of a major sporting championship. It is a pity that so many Scots have a caber-sized chip on their shoulders about England.

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