Crowd violence behaviour at the MEN

[banjo]

Honestly, there are so many morons in Britain.

I'm reading this thread with dispair.

I remember when I came back to the UK for a week last year, and I was shocked after only a year out of the country to see charvas on the metro and on street corners. They were there when I left, of course, but I'd grown up with them. Coming back, though, I'd almost forgotten they existed. They are so thick, and completely useless for anything bar causing bother, sponging money of family and the state, and mouching about. You could just tell that not a single one of the b;starts was going to lead a productive life.

Does that sound snobbish or unforgivably right wing? I really don't mean it to, but the whole thing just came as a shock to me.

Moscow is, in theory, a far more violent and dangerous place than Newcastle -- and certainly there are some pretty tough people here. But I'll tell you what, there simply isn't the electic feeling that trouble could break out at any minute on a Friday and Saturday night. Kids don't bother you. People who drink on street corners or in metro underpasses are there to have a drink and a chat with mates on the way home from work, not to hassle and intimidate passers by.

It's just a different world. And it's not poverty, either, because while there are plenty of millionaires and billionaires, the gap between rich and poor is massive, the median wage is much lower than in Newcastle, and the poor are much, much poorer.

I was trying to explain to a friend what Whitley Bay is like on a Friday, Saturday or Bank Holiday, and how there are hundreds of fights every night there, and people here just don't get it.

Neither do I, to be honest.

Honestly, we're turning into a nation of dimwitted fcuking troglodytes.

Suppose it depends on which town/city, this place(Southport) used to be full of skinheads, scousers, mancs and all the other riff raff looking for a fight at weekends. The improvement since then has been dramatic and now you get the odd flare up every so often but not the running street battles that we had here in the 90's which left the town centre looking like a bomb had hit it.

[mickey1975]

Really ?
That's news to me. How do you know they were Matthews fans (hardly any came because the fight was made the week of the fight) and there were Rhodes fans involved ?
Are you sure you're not getting this mixed up with the trouble involving Terrace Gaskin's mob ?
I 'm gonna make some enquiries.
Like I said earlier they get no defence if identified.
We can all go on forever mentioning individual instances.
Take Khan's debut for instance.
The Pimlico lads were out in force to support Dave Bailey - and my did it kick off.
There was no bomb scare here - the cops let the alarm off on purpose cos they couldn't stop the fighting, even after sending the dogs in.

to be honest,i think they were there to support gaskin,and im not sure if the victims had travelled to support matthews but they were black and cheered when he won

[twenty six]

Glad we got that cleared up Mickey.
Gaskin's fans caused a lot of bother that night.
Beaten by none other than - Dave Coldwell !
No Rhodes fans were involved in anything.
We were all too distraught.

[EddieShredder]

[banjo]

As an aside I was at the O2 for the Haye-Barrett fight, one guy on a higher tier was a right drunken tit, shouting, screaming, abusing people, he then decided to amuse his mates by jumping a nearby barrier, pity he was too drunk to realise there was a sheer drop below it, onto a concrete floor an' all. Cue a, I presume, very damaging fall. I shouldn't laugh, but I did.

[jim wright1]

He's got a bloody nerve, mused big Jim as he exhaled a big toxic cloud of smoke from his imaginary pipe.

[DavidPayne]

Honestly, there are so many morons in Britain.

I'm reading this thread with dispair.

I remember when I came back to the UK for a week last year, and I was shocked after only a year out of the country to see charvas on the metro and on street corners. They were there when I left, of course, but I'd grown up with them. Coming back, though, I'd almost forgotten they existed. They are so thick, and completely useless for anything bar causing bother, sponging money of family and the state, and mouching about. You could just tell that not a single one of the b;starts was going to lead a productive life.

Does that sound snobbish or unforgivably right wing? I really don't mean it to, but the whole thing just came as a shock to me.

Moscow is, in theory, a far more violent and dangerous place than Newcastle -- and certainly there are some pretty tough people here. But I'll tell you what, there simply isn't the electic feeling that trouble could break out at any minute on a Friday and Saturday night. Kids don't bother you. People who drink on street corners or in metro underpasses are there to have a drink and a chat with mates on the way home from work, not to hassle and intimidate passers by.

It's just a different world. And it's not poverty, either, because while there are plenty of millionaires and billionaires, the gap between rich and poor is massive, the median wage is much lower than in Newcastle, and the poor are much, much poorer.

I was trying to explain to a friend what Whitley Bay is like on a Friday, Saturday or Bank Holiday, and how there are hundreds of fights every night there, and people here just don't get it.

Neither do I, to be honest.

Honestly, we're turning into a nation of dimwitted fcuking troglodytes.

Yes, the UK drinking and fighting 'culture' is severely degenerate.

Same thing with Cali in Colombia - many murders, but just isn't that kicking off for nothing culture. Same with every country I've been to. It almost seems it is only the UK where this happens.

By the way, could you warn Russia I'm coming.

Yes, that's right, I'm heading East for work. I expect Robbie Coltrane, a range rover and muggings on every corner.

[mahatma]

someone on here probably knows the man who hit the bloke and his girlfriend,hes a disgrace and should be banned from all future matches, as they do in football.
The people hit should report to the police as it may be on either cctv or tv coverage and he could get convicted.
as a londoner i often get banter with manc fans but most of it is good natured, when at a fight.i went to college in manchester and found the place a fun,friendly and great place to spend 3 years....dont let one thug tarnish a citys reputation, as thugs like the one we are talking about are unfortunately everywhere in the country

[doctorboxing]

I took a mate along to see Ricky Burns - Michael Gomez in Glasgow, his first small hall show (he'd been with me to see Calzaghe in Cardiff before). He certainly got a bit of a shock at the type of people there.

First of all, I sit down at a seat and get informed by the drug addled Amy Winehouse lookalike and her boyfriend that they don't want a beardy pudendum like me sitting beside them (I hadn't shaved for a week or so, not exactly santa claus yet - plus I wasn't aware there ever has been a discrimination towards people with beards at boxing!). Obviously I sit there anyway, without shaving first.

Then the guy on the other side asks my friend (of Pakistani descent) if he remembers the name of that n*gger that Joe Calzaghe fought last - a nice way to refer to Roy Jones Jr!

Then during the main event, the drunks beside me were banging into us and throwing their imaginary punches as if they were practicing for their main event outside the kebab shop in a few hours. I was used to this having been at plenty of shows before but I have never heard my friend so quiet or look so bemused in his life. Surprisingly he didn't fancy any of the other small hall shows I have invited him to since.

It's a real shame that some of the people that follow boxing are the type that should be subjected to compulsory sterilization and ruin it for others, or put the non-delinquent fans off of going.

[JDC]

These things are disgusting.

I think Greater Manchester police should have a look at this thread.

Stewards can't be expected to do the polices job. If I were a low payed steward, looking arround at the stewards I was working with, I would be extreamly scared of interviening in a major scuffle with a fat old woman as my backup.

Why not take the same root as football and charge to venue for sufficient policing to work in conjunction with the venue?

[Carbo]

Honestly, there are so many morons in Britain.

I'm reading this thread with dispair.

I remember when I came back to the UK for a week last year, and I was shocked after only a year out of the country to see charvas on the metro and on street corners. They were there when I left, of course, but I'd grown up with them. Coming back, though, I'd almost forgotten they existed. They are so thick, and completely useless for anything bar causing bother, sponging money of family and the state, and mouching about. You could just tell that not a single one of the b;starts was going to lead a productive life.

Does that sound snobbish or unforgivably right wing? I really don't mean it to, but the whole thing just came as a shock to me.

Moscow is, in theory, a far more violent and dangerous place than Newcastle -- and certainly there are some pretty tough people here. But I'll tell you what, there simply isn't the electic feeling that trouble could break out at any minute on a Friday and Saturday night. Kids don't bother you. People who drink on street corners or in metro underpasses are there to have a drink and a chat with mates on the way home from work, not to hassle and intimidate passers by.

It's just a different world. And it's not poverty, either, because while there are plenty of millionaires and billionaires, the gap between rich and poor is massive, the median wage is much lower than in Newcastle, and the poor are much, much poorer.

I was trying to explain to a friend what Whitley Bay is like on a Friday, Saturday or Bank Holiday, and how there are hundreds of fights every night there, and people here just don't get it.

Neither do I, to be honest.

Honestly, we're turning into a nation of dimwitted fcuking troglodytes.

Yes, the UK drinking and fighting 'culture' is severely degenerate.

Same thing with Cali in Colombia - many murders, but just isn't that kicking off for nothing culture. Same with every country I've been to. It almost seems it is only the UK where this happens.

By the way, could you warn Russia I'm coming.

Yes, that's right, I'm heading East for work. I expect Robbie Coltrane, a range rover and muggings on every corner.

Are you going to that region in the Caucuses we spoke about a while ago? If so, there'll be plenty of the above -- and more.

The Caucuses is flaring up nicely at the moment, with a massive outburst of assasinations in Dagestan (which borders Chechnya and is almost as troubled) that has of late seen police chiefs, judges, mayors, former mayors, governors, chief prosecutors and various others swimming with Luca Brazi and the fishes. Meantime, Chechnya has started kicking off again, and Kadyrov, the Kremlin endorsed thug who rules the place with an iron rod, bragging that he "has blood on his hands up to his elbows". And there's always Ossetia and Georgia to add some further spice -- we are approaching war season, afterall.

But, honestly, I still feel safer than in Whitley Bay or the Bigg Market on a Friday night.

[saturday_kid]

These things are disgusting.

I think Greater Manchester police should have a look at this thread.

Stewards can't be expected to do the polices job. If I were a low payed steward, looking arround at the stewards I was working with, I would be extreamly scared of interviening in a major scuffle with a fat old woman as my backup.

Why not take the same root as football and charge to venue for sufficient policing to work in conjunction with the venue?

That would mean a price hike in boxing tickets just because a minority of nobheads cant behave. I'd say a stewards scheme like football could work well (after all most security inside football grounds is down to stewards and theres hardly any trouble inside) and the main detterant I believe (like football) is to track down any offender via CCTV charge him with assault, affray etc. You throw any sort of punch at a football ground and are caught on CCTV believe me your going to jail, should be the same with boxing.

[Khaosai-Galaxy]

These things are disgusting.

I think Greater Manchester police should have a look at this thread.

why, did someone post a pic of a 15 year old in the nude, or something?

[Lightsoot]

Agree with the consensus that the MEN Arena is becoming a hotbed for drunken violence to provide entertainment for local scum.

I have to say that having been there myself with my Mrs it was apparent to me that there is a growing minority of genuine anti Khan, anti Asian supporters who turn up, half cut, baying for the "p a k i" to be taken out. I'm surprised that no one else who was there has commented on this because it was so apparent to my wife and I.

This, however, is a reflection of society, NOT BOXING. Without the ignorant gangs who frequent such shows in drove the Arena would look far sparser as a result.

[Spud]

Agree with the consensus that the MEN Arena is becoming a hotbed for drunken violence to provide entertainment for local scum.

I have to say that having been there myself with my Mrs it was apparent to me that there is a growing minority of genuine anti Khan, anti Asian supporters who turn up, half cut, baying for the "p a k i" to be taken out. I'm surprised that no one else who was there has commented on this because it was so apparent to my wife and I.

This, however, is a reflection of society, NOT BOXING. Without the ignorant gangs who frequent such shows in drove the Arena would look far sparser as a result.

Yep got to agree with your post Ben!!! - these people should be routed out!!

However - its not all one way traffic - it always seems to be - the racists have to be white - why is that? - I fully realise that is opening up a can of worms but its a true statement to make!!

Are racists only white?

I fully concur with your statement - racists have no place in boxing or in society - but that statement includes ALL racists!!

[Lightsoot]

Hi Spud,

Hope you're okay. Yes, I agree with your sentiments. Generally, the MEN security need to step up.

[whicker]

These things are disgusting.

I think Greater Manchester police should have a look at this thread.

Stewards can't be expected to do the polices job. If I were a low payed steward, looking arround at the stewards I was working with, I would be extreamly scared of interviening in a major scuffle with a fat old woman as my backup.

Why not take the same root as football and charge to venue for sufficient policing to work in conjunction with the venue?

That would mean a price hike in boxing tickets just because a minority of nobheads cant behave.

It wouldn't necessarily mean a rise in ticket prices. If people feel boxing is safer for families etc, then they are more likley to go to the event- so more ticket sales.

If people are worried about violence in the crowd, and so stay away, then less tickets are sold.

[oliverfennell]

Moscow is, in theory, a far more violent and dangerous place than Newcastle -- and certainly there are some pretty tough people here. But I'll tell you what, there simply isn't the electic feeling that trouble could break out at any minute on a Friday and Saturday night. Kids don't bother you. People who drink on street corners or in metro underpasses are there to have a drink and a chat with mates on the way home from work, not to hassle and intimidate passers by.

Sounds exactly like my impressions of Bangkok vs home. The image of Bangkok is of a more dangerous place than London but I have NEVER felt threatened or intimidated here, even in the poor areas and/or as the only white face, at any time of day or night. Can anyone honestly say the same of London or even any British town over a certain size? Here, if you see a group of youths drinking outside a convenience store, it's just because they're socialising and it's cheaper than going to a bar. In the UK, if you see that scene, you cross the street.

I've been in Thailand for 15 months now and I've only seen three drunken fights on nights out (I go out at least once or twice a week), and guess who was involved in each incidence? That's right, British blokes.

[m1kee50]

I've been to shows around the country and Manchester and Watford are the two worst places I've been to, Watford was the worst, and I live here in Manchester.

At Farnell-Groenwald 1 I was called a 'c*nt' for pointing out that Arnie was losing going into round 12, fair dues, I am a 'c*nt', but I was speaking to my sister, not the poop-for-brains townies sat next to me. I was right as well, as I pointed out when the results came in (sorry Arnie). It was my sister's first fight, I told them this, they were Ok after that, they can process basic kinship structures, helps them avoid shagging their own mams, some of the time. They went a bit mental when Magee floored Hatton, as we were sat just below the NI contingent, who were decent guys, they made me laugh, I got called an "F-ing traitor." I thought I was at a fight, not in the Somme.

At the weekend I was in block 115, a few rowdy Irish Hall fans to the left, poop for brains Khan fans just below, the Hall fans made a few remarks as we passed, but they were of the cheeky variety, but they were generally Ok. Hall came and joined them after his fight, and was happy to pose with the many Khan fans who approached him. I was impressed with that.

As we left, after the main event, shamefully, the police and security were sprinting to sort out some crowd trouble, or maybe the food court had called for last orders, I don't know.

Manchester fight nights always attract townies, lower-middle class yobbos, and people from Greater Manchester (who are all townie lower-middle class yobbos), groups of complete ass clowns who think that smoking weed at your seat is an act of Rawlsian civil disobedience. Throw in a minority of Khan fans, the ones who act like 13 year old girls, and it is a rum mix.

Before anyone pipes up with "You've got a bloody nerve" I lived in Gorton for half of my life, I currently live in Ardwick, so I'm not some student complaining about the herd, this is a minority of people who think that attending a boxing match makes them hard cases, some of them may well be, but there is nothing tough about 20+ guys screaming, "What are you F-ing looking at?!" when Stevie Wonder 'eyeballs' them.

As an aside I was at the O2 for the Haye-Barrett fight, one guy on a higher tier was a right drunken tit, shouting, screaming, abusing people, he then decided to amuse his mates by jumping a nearby barrier, pity he was too drunk to realise there was a sheer drop below it, onto a concrete floor an' all. Cue a, I presume, very damaging fall. I shouldn't laugh, but I did.

Watford was an F-ing nightmare, some ponce and his minging bird, who compounded her facial drawbacks by dressing like an whore, nicked the press seats. They then sat there happily abusing a photographer, who turned around and said some very bad things to the women, then he glared at her bloke, who shrank into his seat, grumbled racial epitaphs, in a very low voice, then 'volunteered' to move. I looked at the photographer, one thought in my mind, 'rizpec'!'

It is a male tribal thing. I used to go out for a beer and watch the footy, I like United, but they lost a CL game once to a hilarious goal, I laughed my head off, had bottles thrown at me, and was called a 'Scouse lover' by two guys. They then followed me out when I went to piss against the wall (don't ask) and stared at me for a bit, I told them that "Canal street is down that way mate, but thanks for having my back when I have a piss, that is real to me...

...Rizpec'!"

We a need class for these people. "Ok, this is a two-way sporting event, that happens a lot, now, brace yourself, but other people may cheer for the other participant(s), this is not code for 'Ere, you want a fight or what?' Nor is it an open invitation to smack a woman. Comprende? Ok, lesson two, how to avoid sleeping with your own mother..."

Who knows, I am just killing time before my tea break, but townies beware, F*ck with me and I will bleed all over your Rockports.

This post was delivered like an Anthony Small post-fight interview, without pause for thought, or regard to the thoughts of other people.

Peace!

you should send that in intact to Boxing News, Terry. Quality.

[oliverfennell]

Wasn't somebody killed after a Hatton fight years back before he became famous? Don't know if it was his fans or fans of another boxer on the same card.

That must be Jason Matthews v Silky Jones that you're thinking of, in Oldham (great Manchester, again). I certainly don't remember any deaths surrounding a Hatton fight.

[Carbo]

Ok, lesson two, how to avoid sleeping with your own mother..."

You have to know who your mother is, for a start.

[banjo]

Moscow is, in theory, a far more violent and dangerous place than Newcastle -- and certainly there are some pretty tough people here. But I'll tell you what, there simply isn't the electic feeling that trouble could break out at any minute on a Friday and Saturday night. Kids don't bother you. People who drink on street corners or in metro underpasses are there to have a drink and a chat with mates on the way home from work, not to hassle and intimidate passers by.

Sounds exactly like my impressions of Bangkok vs home. The image of Bangkok is of a more dangerous place than London but I have NEVER felt threatened or intimidated here, even in the poor areas and/or as the only white face, at any time of day or night. Can anyone honestly say the same of London or even any British town over a certain size? Here, if you see a group of youths drinking outside a convenience store, it's just because they're socialising and it's cheaper than going to a bar. In the UK, if you see that scene, you cross the street.

I've been in Thailand for 15 months now and I've only seen three drunken fights on nights out (I go out at least once or twice a week), and guess who was involved in each incidence? That's right, British blokes.

No surprise really though is it? I mean men from this country have been going abroad and having fights for centuries.

[banjo]

Wasn't somebody killed after a Hatton fight years back before he became famous? Don't know if it was his fans or fans of another boxer on the same card.

That must be Jason Matthews v Silky Jones that you're thinking of, in Oldham (great Manchester, again). I certainly don't remember any deaths surrounding a Hatton fight.

Maybe it was that fight then, although if I remember Hatton was on the undercard of that fight and I think he mentioned it in a magazine interview or something. It was a long time ago anyway.

[davidas]

These things are disgusting.

I think Greater Manchester police should have a look at this thread.

Stewards can't be expected to do the polices job. If I were a low payed steward, looking arround at the stewards I was working with, I would be extreamly scared of interviening in a major scuffle with a fat old woman as my backup.

Why not take the same root as football and charge to venue for sufficient policing to work in conjunction with the venue?

That would mean a price hike in boxing tickets just because a minority of nobheads cant behave.

It wouldn't necessarily mean a rise in ticket prices. If people feel boxing is safer for families etc, then they are more likley to go to the event- so more ticket sales.

If people are worried about violence in the crowd, and so stay away, then less tickets are sold.

Its British Transport Police who are responsible for the Arena. GMP just provide a little bit of cover. As my point before I feel GMP are more experienced with events/public order and should take over the policing of it. Also there will be more tickets sold and a better atmosphere - and I cant see how it could be a price hike when plenty of police officers can be paid by football teams to police 20,000 people but not enough to police 10,000 at the men when the majority of tickets are double the price of those at say BWFC.
Would just mean the promoter taking a slightly smaller cut. But with more fans attending then it would probably work out more cost effective. As I said Im a boxing fan and will not be going to the MEN arena until the situation changes after what I saw at the Barrera fight, there must be thousands of boxing and casual fans who feel the same.

[Carbo]

Moscow is, in theory, a far more violent and dangerous place than Newcastle -- and certainly there are some pretty tough people here. But I'll tell you what, there simply isn't the electic feeling that trouble could break out at any minute on a Friday and Saturday night. Kids don't bother you. People who drink on street corners or in metro underpasses are there to have a drink and a chat with mates on the way home from work, not to hassle and intimidate passers by.

Sounds exactly like my impressions of Bangkok vs home. The image of Bangkok is of a more dangerous place than London but I have NEVER felt threatened or intimidated here, even in the poor areas and/or as the only white face, at any time of day or night. Can anyone honestly say the same of London or even any British town over a certain size? Here, if you see a group of youths drinking outside a convenience store, it's just because they're socialising and it's cheaper than going to a bar. In the UK, if you see that scene, you cross the street.

I've been in Thailand for 15 months now and I've only seen three drunken fights on nights out (I go out at least once or twice a week), and guess who was involved in each incidence? That's right, British blokes.

X2