Another year, another witch-hunt on active support.
You would think that with the booming growth of Australian football our most boisterous fans would not be anchored down. Wrong.
First, the Melbourne Victory a few seasons back and now the Western Sydney Wanderers, number one and two respectively in terms of membership tally, and arguably the best two atmospheres in the country.
New South Wales Police intend to enforce a long list of regulations on the Wanderers active supporter group known as the Red and Black Bloc, which include:
- Banning the traditional march by the RBB through the Parramatta CBD to Pirtek Stadium;
- The RBB won’t be allowed to display any banners that are considered to be provocative;
- There will be a zero tolerance for swearing;
- RBB supporters will be ordered to remain in their seats and to not ‘compress’ [stand shoulder-to-shoulder and jump and clap their hands above their heads ] when they chant;
- Only one person, designated by the club, will be allowed to take a megaphone into the stadium; Flares will not be tolerated. The police intend to ensure the rules are followed.
In other words, NSW Police are politely asking the RBB to sit quietly in their seats and raise their hands if they wish to speak, or god forbid, chant.
“Zero tolerance for swearing”…really? Not an attack on the sport, but try going to an AFL match with the family and have a listen at the colourful ‘commentary’ from the fans.
It is ludicrous.
Credit to the Wanderers who have come out and clarified their position; they are staunchly defending their supporters and the restrictions asked of them.
John Tsatsimas, the CEO of the Western Sydney Wanderers said in a statement: “The Western Sydney Wanderers since the end of last season has attempted to mediate the relationship between NSW Police and our active supporter group, the RBB.”
The statement read on:
For the past five months we have met with Police and RBB in attempts to arrive at a position that will maintain the atmosphere & enjoyment
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) September 25, 2015
The Club has opposed the severity of the proposals and what we believe is excessive & we feel compromises the enjoyable football experience
— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) September 25, 2015
The integral elements of active support will not be compromised — WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) September 25, 2015
We will do everything within our means to ensure that the atmosphere of the Wanderers remains central to our purpose — WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) September 25, 2015
It is an appropriate and welcoming response for a club which obviously values its fans, and it has perhaps learned from the Melbourne Victory a couple of seasons back. They failed to adequately defend their active group known as the North Terrace who were in a similar predicament.
The most worrying aspect of all of this is the thought of Victorian Police licking their lips to employ similar restrictions in Melbourne should their NSW counterparts be successful.
It goes without saying that in both Victoria and NSW, football is unfairly targeted as a ‘hooligan’ sport – the agenda against football is blatantly obvious, but it is purposeless.
“In other words, the NSW police are politely asking the RBB to sit quietly in their seats and raise their hands if they wish to speak, or god forbid, chant.”
If anything remotely suspicious or ‘dangerous’ happens in active supporter areas, you would know about it, both via the police and through the dissemination of mainstream media. The AFL and NRL generally get off scot-free.
It is just the way things are, which are ridiculous.
The last thing our game needs is bad press and with less than two weeks until the new season is upon us, we are here yet again discussing negative stories to do with active support.
There are always going to be ‘hardcore’ fans within an active supporter group, but 90% of the fans are well behaved.
Where do we go from here? Let’s just hope the Wanderers continue to hold firm and defend the fans that make this game so great.
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