An amateur football cup final between two teams from the Turkish Community Football Federation at the New River facility in Wood Green London has made the news this week.
Not because anyone outside of this ethnic league (which by the way isn't racist for some reason which an English Community Federation would be for some other reason), cares who wins their cup final, but because of events at the end of the game.
In shocking, but probably not unique scenes, a video shows match official, the referee (who has tried to in vain to keep his name out of the story, and which I respect), being brutally assaulted by many players/officials from one, and possibly both teams.
From the web shots I have seen, Dumlupinar Yeni Malatyaspor are in white, and their players may have been defending the referee, from attacks by the beaten side GS FC's players in orange. Or possibly both sets of players are attacking the referee, as he had sent two players from both sides off during the game.
It reminded me of an incident from the late 1970's, early 1980's, when I was still a midfield dynamo (I wished), in the Manchester Amateur Sunday League. We were playing an ethnic minority team with an entirely Afro-Caribbean personnel. They were sweeping through the divisions, and were unbeaten in the league so far, when we met them in the third or second of the five divisions. They were the only team we had ever met who had brought supporters.
Until then, we had only ever seen teams supported by two bored girlfriends, the odd grandad and one man and his dog. They arrived with around forty supporters, all male, all under 30 and after 30 minutes all unhappy. We scored. We then scored two more, and won 3-0 despite it being like a scene from the Alamo as we defended our goal with our lives.
As the game came towards the end, it was obvious from the now swelled crowds threats, that the referee, and possibly us as well, were facing the serious threat of attack from the supporters, who were not happy at this unexpected set-back (they went unbeaten the rest of the season and beat us 10-0 in the return fixture ~ but we were promoted in second spot, as well). So the referee told our captain that we were to gather around him immediately he blew up for time. The message was passed round. He blew his whistle. We formed a ring round him, and marched off with him at the centre of a ball of sweaty but triumphant footballers.
Because our adrenalin was up after the game, I think we were just to big a target for attack, and although they swirled around us, pointing and shouting at the referee, they didn't get at him, and we marched into the dressing rooms where he locked himself in the refs room. Nothing is new under the sun, including bad behaviour at amateur football matches.
Oh and the referee being attacked in the incident in the pictures wasn't left with permanent injuries ... the Police, the Turkish Community Football Federation, the Referees Association and the Football Association have all promised action, or launched enquiries .... this one will limp on for a while.
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| Shameful Scenes After Game Finished .... |
Not because anyone outside of this ethnic league (which by the way isn't racist for some reason which an English Community Federation would be for some other reason), cares who wins their cup final, but because of events at the end of the game.
In shocking, but probably not unique scenes, a video shows match official, the referee (who has tried to in vain to keep his name out of the story, and which I respect), being brutally assaulted by many players/officials from one, and possibly both teams.
 |
| The Referee Starts Running As A Team Official Tries To Kick Him ..... |
From the web shots I have seen, Dumlupinar Yeni Malatyaspor are in white, and their players may have been defending the referee, from attacks by the beaten side GS FC's players in orange. Or possibly both sets of players are attacking the referee, as he had sent two players from both sides off during the game.
 |
| They Bring Him Down And Start Kicking Him .... |
It reminded me of an incident from the late 1970's, early 1980's, when I was still a midfield dynamo (I wished), in the Manchester Amateur Sunday League. We were playing an ethnic minority team with an entirely Afro-Caribbean personnel. They were sweeping through the divisions, and were unbeaten in the league so far, when we met them in the third or second of the five divisions. They were the only team we had ever met who had brought supporters.
Until then, we had only ever seen teams supported by two bored girlfriends, the odd grandad and one man and his dog. They arrived with around forty supporters, all male, all under 30 and after 30 minutes all unhappy. We scored. We then scored two more, and won 3-0 despite it being like a scene from the Alamo as we defended our goal with our lives.
As the game came towards the end, it was obvious from the now swelled crowds threats, that the referee, and possibly us as well, were facing the serious threat of attack from the supporters, who were not happy at this unexpected set-back (they went unbeaten the rest of the season and beat us 10-0 in the return fixture ~ but we were promoted in second spot, as well). So the referee told our captain that we were to gather around him immediately he blew up for time. The message was passed round. He blew his whistle. We formed a ring round him, and marched off with him at the centre of a ball of sweaty but triumphant footballers.
Because our adrenalin was up after the game, I think we were just to big a target for attack, and although they swirled around us, pointing and shouting at the referee, they didn't get at him, and we marched into the dressing rooms where he locked himself in the refs room. Nothing is new under the sun, including bad behaviour at amateur football matches.
Oh and the referee being attacked in the incident in the pictures wasn't left with permanent injuries ... the Police, the Turkish Community Football Federation, the Referees Association and the Football Association have all promised action, or launched enquiries .... this one will limp on for a while.
Amateur football refereeing safety is now an issue that could cause the amateur game to collapse. There are too many who don't respect the decisions and use violence to get revenge.
ReplyDeleteIts a part of the game that fans often don't think about. Thanks for the comment.
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