Kick it out? Sadly not
No place for racism in football. And homophobia. No place for it in any walk of life.
Read this earlier today: http://www.kickitout.org/news.php/news_id/4742
It irks me that Kick It Out have latched onto this 'story', considering that song and those charges were laughed at by a judge and thrown out of court because there was no case to answer for. You'd have missed that if you are a Daily Mail reader. In fact most of the tabloids were happy to post photos of the Spurs fans wanted for questioning but hardly reported on the fact that the two people (a father and son) who refused to accept the charges and fought on, won the day in the end. Not newsworthy enough for the agenda-obsessed media to print that as a follow-up with as much coverage as the initial witch-hunt.
Okay, that doesn't make much sense in context of the article linked above. I'm in full support of their (Kick it Out) campaign and awareness drive and I guess using the content they've used in their news article helps them raise some publicity and serves as a reminder for anyone who is stupid enough to consider doing anything stupid not to do it.
Let me explain my irkness.
It's Spurs who are saying they wont tolerate 'racist' abuse. But then Spurs and every club in the country don't and shouldn't tolerate this type of abuse, so its business as usual, no? The Daily Mail's report on this simply quotes a Spurs spokesmen talking about the NLD being high category and that there will be a police presence - no different to any other big game. Spurs are being sensitive to the potential hellmouth of bad publicity and will no doubt be relentless in removing anyone who over-steps the mark - which they have my full support of doing. No doubt one or two people might be removed for not over-stepping the mark, simply because the abuse is directed at a particular person out on the pitch. It's a thin line.
The usual propaganda rhetoric clouding the reality of the situation. There is sadly plenty of racism in football, but hardly any of it is ever directed 'him'.
Campbell is a liar, an ego-drunkard and a fantasist living in a Walter Mitty universe where he believes he has done no wrong and is above terrace chanting. I don't agree with the ambiguity 'that' particular song carries simply because its used by him and others as ammunition to deflect attention away and back on the 'bitter' fans who will never forget. It's a crude song, and it's embarrassing. You're asking for trouble if you sing it. Thankfully it's always been a minority. But ironically, a judge didn't deem it offensive. Which paints a picture of much confusion.
If you take yourself back to the very very first occasion he returned to WHL for the scum, after the game, he accused us of abusing him because of the colour of his skin. Us, Spurs fans, black and white on and off the pitch, racists - according to him. Yes, that's why we hate you Sol. Because you're black and not because you're a treacherous Judas (*sigh*). One or two radio presenters - one an ex-player and the same colour as Campbell laughed at this when it was once more repeated a few years back. But that's all nothing more than minor details lost in the sea of delusion that our protagonist is swimming in.
Somehow him swapping Lilywhite for period red was 'ok' in his books. He actually believes we owe him our blessing. He is actually angered by OUR reaction to him. Which is only going to incite our fans telling him exactly how we feel at every opportunity. Many of us have never let go. Something he hasn't done either.
If fans want to shout and scream at him, they should. Not because we still have sleepless nights about his crime. I don't. It was so long ago. But if screaming non-racist and non-homophobic abuse at him 'gets him rattled' then go for it. We do it to John Terry. Lampard. Bellamy etc etc.
There are plenty more footballers out there who are victims of torrents of abusive screams. Just ask Steven Gerrard and the welcome he gets from the Everton faithful. But he just gets on with it. Just ask Arsene Wenger. And yet there is Campbell, unique and special, forever bringing it to everyone's attention when perhaps if he acted the man and ignored it we wouldn't be talking about it.
And there you go. I always promise myself to ignore this bullshit and yet still end up having to jot a few thoughts down. Soz. I can't help but react to the Daily Mail.
Kick it out? Sadly not. We have to wait for him to retire first.
Back on topic tomorrow. FA Cup semi-final preview which then takes us nicely into next week and the NLD followed by another derby against that little club from Fulham.
