Anthony McIntyre ⚽ In a world where identity politics continues to obscure, without managing to erode or alleviate, the universal primary societal cleavage - the structural antagonism between capital and labour - one of the more palatable forms of identity is that of the soccer fan.
 |
| Philip Dooley's unused seat in Milan |
In soccer fandom, things are much less complicated than they are in, say, the cultural battlefield where the Trans war is fought out. Liverpool fans never imagine themselves to be Manchester United fans and vice versa. Same with Rangers and Celtic. They can find lots to bicker and squabble over but never that. Not that it much matters to me what views people have of themselves so long as they don't inflict them on the rest of us, demanding that we think of them what they think of themselves. Informed by the science rather than prejudice, equal rights for all should mean we can all think what we want of each other and not be forced to pretend to think something else. Man wants to think he is a woman, fine by me even if I don't think it. But a Liverpool fan thinking he supports Manchester United, not sure what form of mental illness category that would fall under.
Don't imagine for a nanosecond that over the years a lot of hatred has not made its way into the world of the soccer fan. At times there has been so much hatred it could fill an evangelical megachurch. Soccer fans have frequently been subjected to the same intense loathing as Trans, Gays, Jews, Muslims or immigrants. And by rival fans, not people who despise the sport of soccer. A bit like the way people of different religions can hate each other: followers of the duck god want to burn followers of the rabbit god for not believing in the one true god. Fans who did not believe in the one true team have on occasion found themselves murdered as once happened to two Leeds United supporters in Istanbul. Young Celtic fans have had their lives cut short for wearing the wrong colours. Memories plucked from my head, for sure, but the phenomenon is considerably wider.
 |
| John Burns |
Gloom invariably descends each time I learn of people going to a soccer match but not retuning home. The big disasters stand out and endure in the memory such as Hillsborough, Ibrox, Bradford, Heysel, Kanjuruhan. Many lives were lost in each. Yet, when it happens on an individual basis - when a few years later only family and friends will remember the event - we are still reminded of the trying vagaries and vicissitudes of life with its lack of certainty other than that it will end at some point.
Last weekend a young Celtic fan, John Burns, died after Celtic took on Hearts. He was trying to reach his bus, having initially boarded the wrong one, when he was hit by a vehicle. The following Tuesday Philip Dooley, in an accident eerily similar to the Scottish one, lost his life crossing a Milan road while in the city to watch Liverpool launch their Champion's League campaign against AC Milan. He was trying to make it to his hotel.
It matters not who they supported. They were both part of the diffuse soccer fan community. Riven by division over many things, in death - apart from the true believer in hate - it unites to mourn the loss of those who died and with whom there is a strong identity by the mere virtue of being fans.
 |
| Philip Dooley |
As was posted on a Celtic Fan's group page 'no one should ever go to a game and not come home, no one.'
That applies to every soccer fan, not just those who follow the same clubs as ourselves. No one left behind.
 |
| ⏩Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre. |
No comments