Banter or Hate?

Dear Bluebirds,

I’m a Wolves fan – I know we’ve had our differences in the past but I’m coming in peace and hoping you can help me out…

I’m a senior Lecturer at Birmingham City University, writing academic papers as part of my PhD portfolio (Koln University). My research has a focus on the language used by football fans at games – for some people it’s ‘banter’ and for others, it has become a ‘hate crime’. It is a complex, emotive issue and one in which Wolverhampton Wanderers have recently incurred a £100,000 fine from the FA, due to chants aimed at Chelsea fans during the Wolves vs Chelsea game earlier this year.

I want to find out what you think of the language used – I want you to be honest.

The questionnaire is entirely voluntary and completely anonymous. I will only use the data I obtain for academic papers and once complete I will share the data with you on this forum. I have ethical approval granted from Koln University.

I will be comparing your answers with those from supporters of Arsenal, Watford, Plymouth, Ipswich, Chelsea, Brighton, Bolton and Newcastle.

The questionnaire should only take you a couple of minutes and I would like to thank you in advance. Here is the link:

https://questionpro.com/t/AX3LcZyJou

Kind regards,

Pete Evans

Completed for you Pete

Good luck this season

Wiggy

Completed.

Cheers

Thank you, keep them coming please and best wishes for the new season...it looks a tough division this year!

All sorted Pete, good luck with your PhD.

All done ,

Completed, all the best

All honestly done Pete

All done

Very thought provoking survey. Done

Done. Don’t forget to let us know your findings when you’re finished!

Done, good luck with your PhD and to your team this season

All done, have a good season.

Survey done

Survey done

Seconded

Done

Done for you, would love to see the results of the survey

Fantastic response from you Bluebirds to my questionnaire so far, thank you....

Done for you, would love to see the results of the survey

It'll take a few months but I will do...

Dear Bluebirds,

I’m a Wolves fan – I know we’ve had our differences in the past but I’m coming in peace and hoping you can help me out…

I’m a senior Lecturer at Birmingham City University, writing academic papers as part of my PhD portfolio (Koln University). My research has a focus on the language used by football fans at games – for some people it’s ‘banter’ and for others, it has become a ‘hate crime’. It is a complex, emotive issue and one in which Wolverhampton Wanderers have recently incurred a £100,000 fine from the FA, due to chants aimed at Chelsea fans during the Wolves vs Chelsea game earlier this year.

I want to find out what you think of the language used – I want you to be honest.

The questionnaire is entirely voluntary and completely anonymous. I will only use the data I obtain for academic papers and once complete I will share the data with you on this forum. I have ethical approval granted from Koln University.

I will be comparing your answers with those from supporters of Arsenal, Watford, Plymouth, Ipswich, Chelsea, Brighton, Bolton and Newcastle.

The questionnaire should only take you a couple of minutes and I would like to thank you in advance. Here is the link:

https://questionpro.com/t/AX3LcZyJou

Kind regards,

Pete Evans

All complete, good luck with your project, looking forward to hearing the results. best wishes Billy Banter

done

All done, have fun sorting this lot out

All completed, good luck to you.

It's always amused me that both Brighton and Chelsea fans complain about these certain songs being sung by opposition fans, yet we have "sheep sh##gers" sung at us at virtually every game home and away and we take it as banter and will continue to do so

Sorted

Completed

Perhaps I'm a bit old school but football seems to have been a bit of a target for certain groups of society over the past decade. Simon Jordan speaks a load of sense on this topic in my opinion.

Brighton have always been a bit of a wet club but do we really think Chelsea fans consider that a hate crime against them, do me a favour ! I've never got remotely upset about any anti Welsh stuff the clubs throw at us.

It was like when the Institute of Black Lawyers (what the f**k they have to do with football is anyone's guess) came out with a statement around warning Spurs fans singing Yid Army.

One of the biggest 'supporter group' flags inside the CCS is a Proud Bluebirds flag donned with the LGBTABCDXYZ+@ colours (I say this partially in jest, its reach seems to broaden every year but we get to celebrate it over the whole of a month of the year, one day for those who have fallen protecting the country) . The FAW are also continually promoting that type of inclusion.

I have no issue if a gay guy / women wants to go and watch a game of football, but lets not impose your cause on the majority of fans who use football as an escape from the day to day shit we have to put up with.

On the Rent boy chant, given homosexuality is now widely accepted in the UK, surely the offensive bit anyway is the accusation of money for said services, a bit like rocking up at a womens game and calling the keeper a prostitute after taking a goal kick (not likely to happen). Hate crime - I don't think so.

Completed

Perhaps I'm a bit old school but football seems to have been a bit of a target for certain groups of society over the past decade. Simon Jordan speaks a load of sense on this topic in my opinion.

Brighton have always been a bit of a wet club but do we really think Chelsea fans consider that a hate crime against them, do me a favour ! I've never got remotely upset about any anti Welsh stuff the clubs throw at us.

It was like when the Institute of Black Lawyers (what the f**k they have to do with football is anyone's guess) came out with a statement around warning Spurs fans singing Yid Army.

One of the biggest 'supporter group' flags inside the CCS is a Proud Bluebirds flag donned with the LGBTABCDXYZ+@ colours (I say this partially in jest, its reach seems to broaden every year but we get to celebrate it over the whole of a month of the year, one day for those who have fallen protecting the country) . The FAW are also continually promoting that type of inclusion.

I have no issue if a gay guy / women wants to go and watch a game of football, but lets not impose your cause on the majority of fans who use football as an escape from the day to day shit we have to put up with.

On the Rent boy chant, given homosexuality is now widely accepted in the UK, surely the offensive bit anyway is the accusation of money for said services, a bit like rocking up at a womens game and calling the keeper a prostitute after taking a goal kick (not likely to happen). Hate crime - I don't think so.

The problem is you (and I) are looking at this through our own (I’m assuming straight) lenses.

Would I want to be a gay/black guy attending a football match with some of the things that are said? No I wouldn’t.

It’s much bigger than, “oh come on it’s only banter”

Done

Completed

Perhaps I'm a bit old school but football seems to have been a bit of a target for certain groups of society over the past decade. Simon Jordan speaks a load of sense on this topic in my opinion.

Brighton have always been a bit of a wet club but do we really think Chelsea fans consider that a hate crime against them, do me a favour ! I've never got remotely upset about any anti Welsh stuff the clubs throw at us.

It was like when the Institute of Black Lawyers (what the f**k they have to do with football is anyone's guess) came out with a statement around warning Spurs fans singing Yid Army.

One of the biggest 'supporter group' flags inside the CCS is a Proud Bluebirds flag donned with the LGBTABCDXYZ+@ colours (I say this partially in jest, its reach seems to broaden every year but we get to celebrate it over the whole of a month of the year, one day for those who have fallen protecting the country) . The FAW are also continually promoting that type of inclusion.

I have no issue if a gay guy / women wants to go and watch a game of football, but lets not impose your cause on the majority of fans who use football as an escape from the day to day shit we have to put up with.

On the Rent boy chant, given homosexuality is now widely accepted in the UK, surely the offensive bit anyway is the accusation of money for said services, a bit like rocking up at a womens game and calling the keeper a prostitute after taking a goal kick (not likely to happen). Hate crime - I don't think so.

The problem is you (and I) are looking at this through our own (I’m assuming straight) lenses.

Would I want to be a gay/black guy attending a football match with some of the things that are said? No I wouldn’t.

It’s much bigger than, “oh come on it’s only banter”

On the flip side though, would you be offended by someone singing “ you’re straight/white and you know you are”

Completed

Perhaps I'm a bit old school but football seems to have been a bit of a target for certain groups of society over the past decade. Simon Jordan speaks a load of sense on this topic in my opinion.

Brighton have always been a bit of a wet club but do we really think Chelsea fans consider that a hate crime against them, do me a favour ! I've never got remotely upset about any anti Welsh stuff the clubs throw at us.

It was like when the Institute of Black Lawyers (what the f**k they have to do with football is anyone's guess) came out with a statement around warning Spurs fans singing Yid Army.

One of the biggest 'supporter group' flags inside the CCS is a Proud Bluebirds flag donned with the LGBTABCDXYZ+@ colours (I say this partially in jest, its reach seems to broaden every year but we get to celebrate it over the whole of a month of the year, one day for those who have fallen protecting the country) . The FAW are also continually promoting that type of inclusion.

I have no issue if a gay guy / women wants to go and watch a game of football, but lets not impose your cause on the majority of fans who use football as an escape from the day to day shit we have to put up with.

On the Rent boy chant, given homosexuality is now widely accepted in the UK, surely the offensive bit anyway is the accusation of money for said services, a bit like rocking up at a womens game and calling the keeper a prostitute after taking a goal kick (not likely to happen). Hate crime - I don't think so.

The problem is you (and I) are looking at this through our own (I’m assuming straight) lenses.

Would I want to be a gay/black guy attending a football match with some of the things that are said? No I wouldn’t.

It’s much bigger than, “oh come on it’s only banter”

On the flip side though, would you be offended by someone singing “ you’re straight/white and you know you are”

I wouldn’t, but no one has ever had an issue or oppressed me for being white and straight.

Completed

Perhaps I'm a bit old school but football seems to have been a bit of a target for certain groups of society over the past decade. Simon Jordan speaks a load of sense on this topic in my opinion.

Brighton have always been a bit of a wet club but do we really think Chelsea fans consider that a hate crime against them, do me a favour ! I've never got remotely upset about any anti Welsh stuff the clubs throw at us.

It was like when the Institute of Black Lawyers (what the f**k they have to do with football is anyone's guess) came out with a statement around warning Spurs fans singing Yid Army.

One of the biggest 'supporter group' flags inside the CCS is a Proud Bluebirds flag donned with the LGBTABCDXYZ+@ colours (I say this partially in jest, its reach seems to broaden every year but we get to celebrate it over the whole of a month of the year, one day for those who have fallen protecting the country) . The FAW are also continually promoting that type of inclusion.

I have no issue if a gay guy / women wants to go and watch a game of football, but lets not impose your cause on the majority of fans who use football as an escape from the day to day shit we have to put up with.

On the Rent boy chant, given homosexuality is now widely accepted in the UK, surely the offensive bit anyway is the accusation of money for said services, a bit like rocking up at a womens game and calling the keeper a prostitute after taking a goal kick (not likely to happen). Hate crime - I don't think so.

The problem is you (and I) are looking at this through our own (I’m assuming straight) lenses.

Would I want to be a gay/black guy attending a football match with some of the things that are said? No I wouldn’t.

It’s much bigger than, “oh come on it’s only banter”

I'm not sure what part of the ground you stand / sit in but I can count on one hand the number of times I have heard anything openly racist at Cardiff. My first proper season attending was in 1998. I don't think anyone is looking to pass racism off as banter and its not at all referenced in the survey.