Post by .: SWP :. on Dec 1, 2005 14:51:39 GMT
I was at the United game last night, and felt an overwhelming feeling of unity between the United fans. Everyone with their posters in the air, singing for Georgie all night (including the walk out of the stadium and down to the metrolink, and on the metrolink to home), encouraging everyone to sing louder, jumping up and down, arms around complete strangers. It was really special.
At a few points during the game, the posters were held up again, and I looked over to see all the West Brom fans doing the same. They were as silent as all the United fans during the minutes silence, and my friend who was sat closer to the away fans said they were singing some of the Georgie chants as well at times.
At the end of the game, I went back to where all the tributes had been left (I'd gone there on Friday night) and they'd multiplied ten fold. Pictures, scarves, shirts banners, flowers. But what really struck me was the amount of different teams shirts. City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Villa, West Brom, Oldham, Portsmouth shirts with messages to GB, and they're just the ones I saw/can remember.
Now, even on football forums, we've seen the way team affiliation can separate people, cause arguments, and in real life, can causing proper beatings and a lot worse (My brother was stabbed by an Arsenal fan not so long ago after an argument on football!). But just like when England are playing and we unite then, it was nice having another reminder of the humanity in football fans last night. There are plenty of people who have bad words to say about George, but it was powerful that they were silenced last night, and that people who may have hated United, or hated George for ripping apart their team on the pitch in the 60s, could be bigger than team rivalries... and unite.
At a few points during the game, the posters were held up again, and I looked over to see all the West Brom fans doing the same. They were as silent as all the United fans during the minutes silence, and my friend who was sat closer to the away fans said they were singing some of the Georgie chants as well at times.
At the end of the game, I went back to where all the tributes had been left (I'd gone there on Friday night) and they'd multiplied ten fold. Pictures, scarves, shirts banners, flowers. But what really struck me was the amount of different teams shirts. City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Villa, West Brom, Oldham, Portsmouth shirts with messages to GB, and they're just the ones I saw/can remember.
Now, even on football forums, we've seen the way team affiliation can separate people, cause arguments, and in real life, can causing proper beatings and a lot worse (My brother was stabbed by an Arsenal fan not so long ago after an argument on football!). But just like when England are playing and we unite then, it was nice having another reminder of the humanity in football fans last night. There are plenty of people who have bad words to say about George, but it was powerful that they were silenced last night, and that people who may have hated United, or hated George for ripping apart their team on the pitch in the 60s, could be bigger than team rivalries... and unite.