The Dingles

[Polky]

It’s always been strange to me that you would go to a match and deliberately want to have a fight.

I sit in the JW lower and when leaving Ewood I normally walk through the away fans leaving the ground and up Bolton Road to my car. Most of the away fans you meet will chat about the game regardless of the result, wish you well for the season and be on their way. Even after the drubbing by Preston at home, walking and talking with their lot was fine and amicable.
 

I don’t understand how you get to a point where you want to scrap with other fans over a game of football? 
 

I think policing has been very poor recently. Visiting Bloomfield last season, being kept in for 20-30 minutes for our own ‘safety’ to then be released into a stream of on-coming Blackpool fans.

Burnley away this season, they put the net up to prevent objects being thrown between the sets of supporters. I was sat probably 10/15 rows from the front where the netting ended and clearly wasn’t long enough. Things were being thrown by Burnley fans, which meant for their second and third goal I had to watch them celebrate to make sure I didn’t get a coin in eye 😂

But we also have our fair share of belters who follow Rovers home & away. Watford away, I had a bloke who clearly couldn’t handle his ale and ended up in an argument with a family as he’d shouted C**t in front their kids 3-4 times before the match had even started. Spent most of the match trying to hold onto my shoulder below as he kept stumbling. As I turned round he was covered in his own sick and didn’t know what day it was. 

Is it any wonder that Watford weren’t selling alcohol in the away end? 

Edited March 7, 2023 by BRFC_Polky

[R0verb0y]

1 hour ago, goozburger said:

The Manchester is a designated away pub. It begs the question what Tony Johnson was doing around there. When you learn that he was part of The Muckers, a group described as a "firm" on their forum, it starts to paint a somewhat different picture to the assumption that it was a drugged up or drunk Burnley fan looking for a fight and killing someone.

Ah, apologies; I didn't realise that when posting earlier.

(Memo to self: "Be in possession of all the facts before shooting your mouth off.")

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

10 minutes ago, BRFC_Polky said:

It’s always been strange to me that you would go to a match and deliberately want to have a fight.

I sit in the JW lower and when leaving Ewood I normally walk through the away fans leaving the ground and up Bolton Road to my car. Most of the away fans you meet will chat about the game regardless of the result, wish you well for the season and be on their way. Even after the drubbing by Preston at home, walking and talking with their lot was fine and amicable.
 

I don’t understand how you get to a point where you want to scrap with other fans over a game of football? 
 

I think policing has been very poor recently. Visiting Bloomfield last season, being kept in for 20-30 minutes for our own ‘safety’ to then be released into a stream of on-coming Blackpool fans.

Burnley away this season, they put the net up to prevent objects being thrown between the sets of supporters. I was sat probably 10/15 rows from the front where the netting ended and clearly wasn’t long enough. Things were being thrown by Burnley fans, which meant for their second and third goal I had to watch them celebrate to make sure I didn’t get a coin in eye 😂

But we also have our fair share of belters who follow Rovers home & away. Watford away, I had a bloke who clearly couldn’t handle his ale and ended up in an argument with a family as he’d shouted C**t in front their kids 3-4 times before the match had even started. Spent most of the match trying to hold onto my shoulder below as he kept stumbling. As I turned round he was covered in his own sick and didn’t know what day it was. 

Is it any wonder that Watford weren’t selling alcohol in the away end? 

 

 

 

 

They just want to have a fight, the fact that there’s a football match going on is just a convenient smokescreen.

[LDRover]

3 hours ago, longsiders1882 said:

 

You can see on the video, it’s a blow to the chest and he tumbled backwards, hitting his head on the floor that has done the damage, not a glass.

Still tragic no matter the circumstances.

But they weren’t attacked, they were the instigators and it led to this sad outcome. I understand this isn’t the first time this season, at this pub.
 

When will men and boys learn? I’m guessing never (as @goozburger said earlier)  but I have to hope. I have children - and grand children now - and I don’t want to worry every time they go to a match this might happen.

It's hard to pick out on the video, to be fair it looks like the bang to the head as he went down did for him

Agreed on the rest, just a tragic outcome.

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, BRFC_Polky said:

It’s always been strange to me that you would go to a match and deliberately want to have a fight.

I sit in the JW lower and when leaving Ewood I normally walk through the away fans leaving the ground and up Bolton Road to my car. Most of the away fans you meet will chat about the game regardless of the result, wish you well for the season and be on their way. Even after the drubbing by Preston at home, walking and talking with their lot was fine and amicable.
 

I don’t understand how you get to a point where you want to scrap with other fans over a game of football? 
 

I think policing has been very poor recently. Visiting Bloomfield last season, being kept in for 20-30 minutes for our own ‘safety’ to then be released into a stream of on-coming Blackpool fans.

Burnley away this season, they put the net up to prevent objects being thrown between the sets of supporters. I was sat probably 10/15 rows from the front where the netting ended and clearly wasn’t long enough. Things were being thrown by Burnley fans, which meant for their second and third goal I had to watch them celebrate to make sure I didn’t get a coin in eye 😂

But we also have our fair share of belters who follow Rovers home & away. Watford away, I had a bloke who clearly couldn’t handle his ale and ended up in an argument with a family as he’d shouted C**t in front their kids 3-4 times before the match had even started. Spent most of the match trying to hold onto my shoulder below as he kept stumbling. As I turned round he was covered in his own sick and didn’t know what day it was. 

Is it any wonder that Watford weren’t selling alcohol in the away end? 

We must have been close to you at Watford and witnessed the boorish behaviour of the few you mention. There was a family behind them and the woman with her kids screamed at them. Somebody said after one of them had peed where he was stood. After ten minutes we moved to get away.

[DaveyB]

We long ago allowed football tribalism to go too far and get too out of hand, and it seems almost impossible that incidents like this will ever stop following our beautiful game.

I saw someone post on this forum the other day that he and his mates 'hate' Burnley - and I realise that there's probably a bit of hyperbole in that statement, and I'm all for a bit of friendly rivalry, but it just seems like an odd thing for a grown man to 'hate' someone just because they support a different club (maybe that's just me)

It's not just at professional level either though - there's something about football that just seems to bring out the worst in people. I spent a long time watching my son play junior football, and coaching his teams for a bit too, and quite regularly you'd see parents getting angry with each other, with the kids, with the ref etc - and generally just displaying poor behaviour that wouldn't really be acceptable anywhere else.
My son has now grown up and these days I spend my Saturday mornings watching my daughter dance in ballet competitions instead - and it struck me the other day how inappropriate it would be if I acted there the way parents acted at their kids football matches - if I shouted disparaging remarks about the other girls whilst they danced, or screamed and shouted to put them off during their routines, or called the adjudicator every name under the sun for not awarding my daughter first place, people would rightly think I was off my rocker and in need of some serious mental help, but yet every week at football pitches up and down the ground, at each and every level, we just shrug our shoulders and tolerate it - in fact, we don't just tolerate it, we actively encourage it in the misguided pretence that we're 'supporting' our team - and then we wonder why some idiots, fuelled by beer and drugs and not too much between the ears, take it too far

[Mashed Potatoes]

11 minutes ago, DaveyB said:

We long ago allowed football tribalism to go too far and get too out of hand, and it seems almost impossible that incidents like this will ever stop following our beautiful game.

I saw someone post on this forum the other day that he and his mates 'hate' Burnley - and I realise that there's probably a bit of hyperbole in that statement, and I'm all for a bit of friendly rivalry, but it just seems like an odd thing for a grown man to 'hate' someone just because they support a different club (maybe that's just me)

It's not just at professional level either though - there's something about football that just seems to bring out the worst in people. I spent a long time watching my son play junior football, and coaching his teams for a bit too, and quite regularly you'd see parents getting angry with each other, with the kids, with the ref etc - and generally just displaying poor behaviour that wouldn't really be acceptable anywhere else.
My son has now grown up and these days I spend my Saturday mornings watching my daughter dance in ballet competitions instead - and it struck me the other day how inappropriate it would be if I acted there the way parents acted at their kids football matches - if I shouted disparaging remarks about the other girls whilst they danced, or screamed and shouted to put them off during their routines, or called the adjudicator every name under the sun for not awarding my daughter first place, people would rightly think I was off my rocker and in need of some serious mental help, but yet every week at football pitches up and down the ground, at each and every level, we just shrug our shoulders and tolerate it - in fact, we don't just tolerate it, we actively encourage it in the misguided pretence that we're 'supporting' our team - and then we wonder why some idiots, fuelled by beer and drugs and not too much between the ears, take it too far

A very good post and as you rightly say there is far too much hatred shown,obviously not just from supporters of our club.

Perhaps as a gesture towards improving things the moderators running this board could make it clear that it is no longer acceptable to refer to other clubs and/or their supporters as "scum".

[Hasta]

As tragic as it is for both families, I do find the memorial service involving the manager and representatives of the club, and the lighting up of the tower orange, all a bit odd when the guy has clearly gone looking for trouble 2 hours after a game.

There will be plenty of other tangerine fans who pass away and who don't go intentionally looking to fight with opposition fans who aren't afforded such recognition. Ultimately his actions should be condemned and serve as a warning to others.

Edited March 7, 2023 by Hasta

[CheshireRover]

25 minutes ago, Hasta said:

As tragic as it is for both families, I do find the memorial service involving the manager and representative of the club, and the lighting up of the tower orange, all a bit odd when the guy has clearly gone looking for trouble 2 hours after a game.

There will be plenty of other tangerine fans who pass away and who don't go intentionally looking to fight with opposition fans who aren't afforded such recognition. Ultimately his actions should be condemned and serve as a warning to others.

Completely agree with this - comes across as the club endorsed his particular way of supporting the club… Or is it a PR stunt? The cynic in me says the latter.

[longsiders1882]

Editing for harmony

Edited March 7, 2023 by longsiders1882

[smiller14]

2 minutes ago, longsiders1882 said:

I guess it has been easy for them so far - all the vitriol has been about Burnley. I’d seen the video and been given a corresponding version of events early on which is why I was keen to call it a tragedy without condemnation. 
 

Based on what I have seen I actually think there may well be no charges brought here, perhaps a few for affray. A number of online fans look a little silly now, I’ve even see one Rover and one Coventry fan on Twitter basically suggesting the club should be docked points, seemed desperate to me that one even under the worst possible version of these events. I’ve not seen them suggest the same for Blackpool since it’s become apparent their fans went to the pub to attack people who were exactly where they had been told to go, where it seems there will still families eating food etc. 

I believe the man in question has been charged with manslaughter - it's hard to tell on the video, but I think it's the man who punches him who 'knocks him out' initially - another man goes to kick him but think he's already out. As already noted, the bang to the head on the floor is what has likely done the damage. It appears to be an unfortunate incident - yes, the Burnley fan was definitely game for a scrap, and was in and amongst it all throughout the video. However, it is even more clear that Blackpool fans instigated the altercation, unless (and I find very unlikely) they happened to walk past and be set about by Burnley fans. All information I've seen suggested Blackpool fans attacked the pub, probably hoping numbers would be more favourable than if they'd tried that pre-game. 

From what I've seen, I wouldn't like to see the fella go down for manslaughter, but think the law is quite strict (and perhaps harsh) on cases like this. Someone with more knowledge of the law might help more on this. 

Coventry fans definitely have some brass neck suggesting that - my only experience of football violence was when being attacked by some of their idiots last year. And I've seen enough idiocy from Rovers fans, including some scrotes who were setting about some Wigan fans not too long ago.

I sincerely hope it's a wake up call for some. Some young kids seem keen to glorify and glamorise football violence, when the only results are lengthy (and perhaps unjust) jail sentences, banning orders, handing in your passport when England play and the risk of death or serious injury. 

[longsiders1882]

2 hours ago, smiller14 said:

From what I've seen, I wouldn't like to see the fella go down for manslaughter, but think the law is quite strict (and perhaps harsh) on cases like this. Someone with more knowledge of the law might help more on this. 

 

No matter what, 2 families lives are ruined because some blokes feel the need to go looking for fights on match days. It’s quite ridiculous - I’d happily meet people on here - with a few exceptions - post match to chat about the game etc without any desire to start punching people.

Edited March 7, 2023 by longsiders1882

[smiller14]

6 minutes ago, longsiders1882 said:

Editing my posts as frankly I can live without Gav constantly attacking.

No matter what, 2 families lives are ruined because some blokes feel the need to go looking for fights on match days. It’s quite ridiculous - I’d happily meet people on here - with a few exceptions - post match to chat about the game etc without any desire to start punching people.

Fair enough - I don't see any 'Tik Tok' detectives, this is people who have seen the footage in question and who have empirical evidence of what happened commenting on the media coverage and reaction to the incident. Nobody is trying to change the narrative either - I am just keen that this incident doesn't further poison the atmosphere when they come to Ewood, as I'd hate to see some innocent supporter fall victim and further exacerbate what is already a tragic incident. It only takes a few idiots to try and get retribution (and generalising Burnley fans as 'murderers' as some idiots have won't help with that), so see no harm in people commenting and trying to avoid further tragedy. 

As you've said, fighting at football is foolish and lives have been ruined. My best friend and soon to be best man at my wedding is a Dingle, and whilst I hope they lose every game for the rest of their existence I feel no need to resort to violence or wish physical harm on any of their supporters. 

Comparing it to the abhorrent Nicola Bulley online behaviour is absolute nonsense too. 

[longsiders1882]

2 minutes ago, smiller14 said:

so could be a classic case of 'Mutual Assured Destruction' resulting in an uneasy peace between the two of us 😂

Ahh but if was him I’d be thinking “once I’ve honoured the pact there is nothing stopping him breaking it” so I’d get my retaliation in first 😂. I’m sure you will both have a great stag/weeding day though and will ‘stick to the agreement’

[smiller14]

Just now, longsiders1882 said:

Ahh but if was him I’d be thinking “once I’ve honoured the pact there is nothing stopping him breaking it” so I’d get my retaliation in first 😂. I’m sure you will both have a great stag/weeding day though and will ‘stick to the agreement’

Don't worry, I'm an honourable man..... although you're giving me ideas 🤣

I do fear a potential pre-emptive strike. I'll be shocked if there isn't at least one dig in his speech.... his internet banking reference is '3-0 should have been 8' which tells its own story. The old 5-0 and 34 year digs certainly coming back to haunt me.

[K-Hod]

I’ve had far more reports than I’d like from this thread. Get a grip guys, for goodness’ sake.

[J*B]

21 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

I’ve had far more reports than I’d like from this thread. Get a grip guys, for goodness’ sake.

Agreed - this is absolutely tiresome now and the people responsible know who they are. The sniping has put the breaks on a thread which is current, important and worthy of discussion.

There's a mute button - use it. If you don't use it, don't blame us if we start handing out bans for constant sniping. 

[Andy]

18 hours ago, Gordon Ottershaw said:

I know a few Burnley fans. Some are ok, some have got a screw loose.  Also worked in Burnley in the 90s. I know we laugh about the place but there is a weird vibe about it. There seems to be a disproportionate amount of Not Rights there.

Agree with this; I've worked and lived over that way in the last 10 years (not now, thankfully) and it really is a town with a disproportionate amount of wrong 'uns.

As for anyone who chooses to punch another person in the head, because they support a different football team...honestly have no words.

Irrespective of whatever this chap may or may not have done, he certainly didn't deserve to lose his life.

[R0verb0y]

5 hours ago, smiller14 said:

.... .... .... ....

As you've said, fighting at football is foolish and lives have been ruined. My best friend and soon to be best man at my wedding is a Dingle, and whilst I hope they lose every game for the rest of their existence I feel no need to resort to violence or wish physical harm on any of their supporters. 

.... .... .... .... 

That's brilliant, @smiller14!! That's a really good situation to be in.

Guess you'll be getting wed during the close season?

[smiller14]

12 hours ago, R0verb0y said:

That's brilliant, @smiller14!! That's a really good situation to be in.

Guess you'll be getting wed during the close season?

Me saying 'soon' was over-egging it a touch, it's September 2024! It's on a Friday so sure my wife-to-be won't mind me nipping to the Rovers on Saturday....

[R0verb0y]

50 minutes ago, smiller14 said:

Me saying 'soon' was over-egging it a touch, it's September 2024! It's on a Friday so sure my wife-to-be won't mind me nipping to the Rovers on Saturday....

More sense than me then!

My Best Man - as diehard a Rover as me - and I always refer to my wedding day as, "The day Bas Rathbone broke his leg.", in a 4-2 defeat away to Sheffield Wednesday.

[sympatheticclaret]

I mentioned this on another thread some time ago, but it's worth a repeat .....

We have a Rovers supporting friend , rather younger than us, who got married in 2021 to a Burnley girl. For the last 10 years, my wife and I have shared our home and provided support with two Adult brothers who live with learning disabilities, under LCC's " Shared Lives " scheme. When Chris invited one of our gents, Keith, to be an usher, Keith started crying and explained " I never thought anyone would ever ask me to do something like that, because of how I am " ! They also asked him & his brother to compere a version of " Mr & Mrs ", at the Reception, which brought the House down ...

It was the week after Rovers had conceded 7 at home to Fulham, a result to which his Burnley inclined friends had made reference, as you'd expect. Of course, this group of us Burnley fans were put on table 7 at the reception but he had the last laugh. When the waiter came round and filled our Champagne flutes for the toast, he poured our entire table " 7up " from a litre bottle, with a message from the Groom .... " Seeing as you lot are that bloody keen on the number 7  " 😎

Billy Connolly on football rivalry ... " We've all got the football virus, some just have a different strain of it than others ! "

[smiller14]

3 hours ago, R0verb0y said:

More sense than me then!

My Best Man - as diehard a Rover as me - and I always refer to my wedding day as, "The day Bas Rathbone broke his leg.", in a 4-2 defeat away to Sheffield Wednesday.

My Dad used to always comment on how my sister being born made him miss a Shearer hat trick at home to Bolton.

Us football fans aren't wired up right are we? 😅

1 hour ago, sympatheticclaret said:

I mentioned this on another thread some time ago, but it's worth a repeat .....

We have a Rovers supporting friend , rather younger than us, who got married in 2021 to a Burnley girl. For the last 10 years, my wife and I have shared our home and provided support with two Adult brothers who live with learning disabilities, under LCC's " Shared Lives " scheme. When Chris invited one of our gents, Keith, to be an usher, Keith started crying and explained " I never thought anyone would ever ask me to do something like that, because of how I am " ! They also asked him & his brother to compere a version of " Mr & Mrs ", at the Reception, which brought the House down ...

It was the week after Rovers had conceded 7 at home to Fulham, a result to which his Burnley inclined friends had made reference, as you'd expect. Of course, this group of us Burnley fans were put on table 7 at the reception but he had the last laugh. When the waiter came round and filled our Champagne flutes for the toast, he poured our entire table " 7up " from a litre bottle, with a message from the Groom .... " Seeing as you lot are that bloody keen on the number 7  " 😎

Billy Connolly on football rivalry ... " We've all got the football virus, some just have a different strain of it than others ! "

Brilliant 🤣 had a great chuckle at this 

[R0verb0y]

1 hour ago, smiller14 said:

My Dad used to always comment on how my sister being born made him miss a Shearer hat trick at home to Bolton.

Us football fans aren't wired up right are we? 😅

Brilliant 🤣 had a great chuckle at this 

Depends how you define being "wired-up right", @smiller14. Are there really more important things in life than how your football team’s doing?! 😉

Semi-seriously, I know my mood's lifted when Rovers are doing well, and I've often used away games to catch up with family/friends who live near where that game's being played. (Mind you, the late Mrs R0verb0y and I had no children so I can be more flexible about away games in particular.)

[smiller14]

10 minutes ago, R0verb0y said:

Depends how you define being "wired-up right", @smiller14. Are there really more important things in life than how your football team’s doing?! 😉

Semi-seriously, I know my mood's lifted when Rovers are doing well, and I've often used away games to catch up with family/friends who live near where that game's being played. (Mind you, the late Mrs R0verb0y and I had no children so I can be more flexible about away games in particular.)

Very true! Shows the power of football and the other forces for good it can provide. 

Sorry to hear about Mrs R0verb0y.  💙

Edited March 8, 2023 by smiller14