Today, as we all know, every football match at the senior level in the UK was cancelled this morning. Fans groups across the country are in uproar about it. In England, the Football Supporters Association made a statement.
“Our view, which we shared with the football authorities, is that most supporters would have liked to go to games this weekend and pay their respect to the Queen alongside their fellow fans. Not everyone will agree, so there was no perfect decision for the football authorities, but many supporters will feel this was an opportunity missed for football to pay its own special tributes.”
For other fans, and I include myself amongst them, the whole thing is a minor embarrassment. This nation should not be brought to a standstill for ten days for the death of a public figure whose claim to fame was being born into a particular family.
That the FSA communicated this to the football authorities and were ignored is not in the least bit surprising. Football treats fans with appalling and casual disrespect. But football authorities treat the individual member clubs in exactly the same way.
I am, as you all know, interested in language and how it is deployed, and I found the Celtic statement particularly fascinating. It was short and to the point, and at the top of it was a word that almost certainly is supposed to be read literally.
“We have been informed that following meetings this morning, the Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, Scottish Women’s Premier League, and Scottish Highland and Lowland Football Leagues have agreed that all professional football matches will be postponed this weekend as a mark of respect following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.”
The key word there is “informed.” Not consulted.
Not “after discussions in which we were a participant” but “informed.”
In short, we were told, “this is the arrangement.”
And Celtic is not trying particularly hard to hide its displeasure over this, the use of that word tells you that in no uncertain terms.
We were let know after the fact.
After the decision had been made.
That’s all the statement basically says.
It’s nothing but a dry summary, all except for that one word which stands out a mile.
The governing bodies took this decision without a proper discussion with the clubs.
This isn’t just fans being railroaded, this is some of the teams as well.
And Celtic wants you and me and all the other fans to know that. It doesn’t matter what our preferred option would have been; nobody asked us, our “leaders” just told us what was happening after the fact.
This is not the way that this should have been done.
If the clubs aren’t happy with these numpties in control they should do something about it; but they won’t.
The disgust we already have for the football authorities and political leaders in this country has now been magnified.
This is all down to the football authorities. Government statement passed the decision to them. Methinks some of the blazers want to be included in some honours list somewhere down the line.
It might actually do us a favour by giving us a rest before the Shakhtar game unlike last week.
Reading between the lines I think that informed actually means instructed, and that Celtic had no choice in the matter,
The comments now from everywhere in the UK not just us paranoid people is why football?
Everything else is going ahead.
Why was this knee jerk reaction made before the official guidance was made ie no need for any sporting events to be postponed!
State funeral it’s advised that any events may want to reschedule so as not to conflict with the actual service!!!
Rugby and cricket are fine on Saturday but boxing, football and racing are cancelled. Class system in action. Democratic country? You’re having a laugh!
Got to agree with this report! There is absolutely no need in this day and age, for such draconian actions. I know there is likely one club who will virtue signal this, but if the employees in Hampden are found to unjustly joined the grief police, surely it’s time to get rid of them?
Well said… ??. An absolutely shameful decision….. No thought whatsoever given to fans or even clubs…. The SFA and the other bodies, should be hauled over the coals for this arbitrary decision… It is nothing short of disgraceful….
Celtic must resign from sfa spfl immediately without hesitation and apply to another organisation you take a poll on this with every fan supporter Bhoy and ghirl out there 100% support for it
An utter disgrace to cancel all football games this week,golf is on,rugby is on etc,did the Queen cancel her activities when oldco died,NO,spare me the sevco bull,they were linked to oldco who stiffed Lizzie out of tax returns
This is turning into such a big deal.. the decision has been made, let’s just get on with it. I’m sure we can handle not having footy for a week or so, we do it every summer. And why is this queen thing been made into a sevco thing, she probably didn’t even know who they were. The pope has sent a telegram, and people all over the world, from Asia, the americas to Africa. Why are people on this site even mentioning the currant buns, it’s got nothing to do with them. Like a said the other day, the royal family, I’m neither for it, or against it, but I did respect the queen. So let’s just get on with it, and move on now.
?
Mibbies Celtic should apply to join and play in the League of Ireland where hatred of our club doesn’t exist. After all their league is obviously of a standard where they can knock out SPFL clubs and it’s not run by supporters of the DUP. Scotland will then get what Scotland deserves
They are all degenerates and should pay for the inconvenience and consequences that will follow this fixture back log from hell but as long as we mourn the reptile that she was than they couldn’t careless, jumped up celebrity is all she was, let the applause begin once the games start in a few days.