Aussie fans are a credit to their nation

[flanflinger]

well we'll find out in 2007 won't we

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Originally Posted by Rachael

Looking through the barmy army lyrics one finds equally grotesque abuse.. much of it personal (especially in relation to Shane Warne)

It is awful rach.....but hardly new. Does anyone rememer the 1998-99 premiership season were supporters welcoming Mr beckham and asked in unison "does she take ** ** *** ****?" Alex ferguson (who could have taught the good people of troy about a siege mentality) never took his team off, or complained to the FA. they did, howeveer wipe he floor with everyone that year. And while we're at it, its wrong for 500 people to call warne a fat ****, but Ok for a comentator to rip into someone (tresco "mentally deficiant ?") and tell millions ?. Which is worse ? And lets be honest, england is a pretty easy target and only the aussies seem to have any response.

Someone sould email warnie and ask him which he prefers NOT to hear

[Rahul_Dravid_is_No.1]

Originally Posted by dagonz

How do you think the general public, Australia in particular, will take the chants from the barmy army if England start winnig ashes battles? We donn't know yet because we haven't seen it.

yeah a fair point
i suppose the aussys don't really mind because they know they will win anyway! if england kept winning, plus kept up the songs, might be a bit of a different story

[Beny]

I think the Barmy Army add character and a sense of fun, even when losing.

I think Bart Simpson is heilerious. However if I had to live with the little ****, then I might think differently. You can have a sense of fun and character without being rude and raucous.

At the same time I think the Barmy Army is ussualy ok. I've never heard of them being too bad.

BTW Why are you disscussing this in the Aussie Fourm?

[flanflinger]

Beny, don't know....but a thread has now started up on the England Forum, so you will be left in peace.

Funnily enough the Barmy Army don't normally pitch up on mass at England's home games (Tickets have to be bought in advance, with a seat number and a limit of ten tickets per customer) so they are actually more likely to affect Australian, South African and West Indies Test matches, if you see what I mean?

[Chuck Palumbo]

Originally Posted by Maranello

Precisely my point! These Pakistani supporters (with their incessantly blaring horns and soccer style team T-shirts) have a right to enjoy cricket as they please but you and I have a right to not be intimidated. Personally I would find the horns from the Pakistani fan as annoying as the songs of the English supporters. However, as the Pakistani fans would not be drunk or dressed like football supporters, I believe they offer a much lesser physical threat to you or I.

The point though is that you should not have to put up with all that if you find it abhorrent or annoying, and there should be separate enclosures to cater for all tastes, as there are in the sub-continental grounds. If there are no separate enclosures, then everyone needs to be more empathetic to how others might perceive them.

They choose to dress like football thugs, chant like them, act like them... for an outsider, the comparison in appearances is obvious.

Right let me go through Pakistan fans history when playing in England:

- They caused 2 games to be a abadoned during the 2001 Natwest series when invading the pitch and nearly killed a steward

- One of their "fans" threw a full beer can onto the Aussie balcony during the 2001 Natwest final which hit Michael Bevan full in the face.

-They give personal abuse to England players on the boundary when playing in England- Darren Gough said the abuse from these so called "fans" was the worst he has experienced at any cricket ground.

- A group of Pakistan fans surrounded Dominic Cork after an Edgbaston ODI game and threatened him because during the game Cork had a confrontation with their star player Inzamam Ul Haq.

But this is all alright because they "are not drunk and dressed like Football fans" whereas England fans just singing is wrong isn't it?

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Chuck Palumbo

But this is all alright because they "are not drunk and dressed like Football fans" whereas England fans just singing is wrong isn't it?

Chuck,

Have to say I am with you there. There is never any real threat from England fans, but some fans from sub-contient countries do have a real history of disturbing games when they are not going as they would like.

When Pakistan last toured the ECB was forced to devise a plan for pitch invasions, this does not happen when Australia, SSouth Africa, New Zealand or the West Indies tour.

When was the last time a footbal-like English lout ran onto the pitch and disrupt a Test away from home?

[Chuck Palumbo]

Originally Posted by Maranello

This is a very stange post, but I will give it the benefit and reply to the one substantive point made.

It is the Barmy Army type fans who dress and act like BNP supporters or football hooligans and hence my remark about these wannabe-thugs.

Right, I understand what you are saying but you won't get no one like that following the England cricket team- They may wear replica England football shirts or have the flag of St George draped across them but you will find the same with any country- they are just partiotic.

What do BNP supporters dress like anyway?

P.s Football hooligans now wear very stylish clothes in an attempt not to be spotted by rival fans so I'm sure the Barmy army won't be turning up in the blistering heat of SA or Australia wearing burberry hats and coats.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Maranello

Chuck and FF, it appears that you are speaking from a position of knowledge, as insiders who join these people or at least know them and their behaviour. Based on that, you have very favourable impressions of the Barmy Army.

M,

I am certainly not a card carrying memember. Nor do I wear a football shirt nor do I carry at Flag of St George everwhere I go. I do like a beer and find some of the songs hilarious (they are meant with a hint of irony - unlike football songs which lack that)

Maybe it's a clash of Culture, but I would ask you not to think that just beacuse I am a proud England supporter that I am also a member of the BNP, and I certainly do not wish to be assosiated with those bunch of bigotted racists.

[Andy Mellon]

So, Maranello - I often wear my Essex replica top. Does that make mean I'm on the verge of becoming an Essex Cricket Thug?