Football fans enter the public spending debate
I was supporting Manchester United at the League Cup game at Barnsley last night, where eight fans were arrested after trouble and violence.
In the second half a long line of police appeared in front of the United end, dressed in full flourescent riot gear and helmets, and accompanied by several nasty-looking police dogs.
Many United supporters were unaware of the trouble that had occurred elsewhere at half time, and felt this sudden police display just in front of them was a gross over-reaction by the forces of law and order.
So the following response suddenly erupted from United fans:
"We pay for your hats. What a waste of council tax!" they chanted. "We pay for your hats!"
And later, a modification on that:
"We pay for your dogs. What a waste of council tax! We pay for your dogs!"
So the political debate about public spending priorities even seems to have entered the consciousness of football fans!
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 28th Oct 2009, Phillip wrote:What we need to know Michael were you singing these songs?
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Comment number 2.
At 28th Oct 2009, bookhimdano wrote:and when football matches are on its impossible for anyone else to get a policeman?
if the football crowd is so smart why do they need minders? because given half a chance they will rampage through the streets in a drunken orgy of violence?
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Comment number 3.
At 28th Oct 2009, DebtJuggler wrote:Just wait until the time comes when the football crowd can't afford to pay to watch the football anymore...and, in fact, won't be able to afford to pay for anything!
Then the real violence will start...aided and abetted by the BNP.
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Comment number 4.
At 29th Oct 2009, balancedthought wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 5.
At 29th Oct 2009, barry white wrote:You went to Barnsley, living in London and supporting Man U?
A true supporter then.
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Comment number 6.
At 29th Oct 2009, leftieoddbod wrote:What a shock..to learn that Michael is a Manc supporter and him with such a shrewed political brain and an aptitude for getting an answer on delicate issues. Can he ask Sir Alex if he has ever met a ref who had two legitimate parents or that the Stretford end might, just might be biased. I am naturally suspicious being an ardent Liverpool fan and I can only recall the halcyon days when United went without for twenty six years whilst we were winning everything...still they are paying us back, bigtime so if it keeps a smile on his face, good luck to him, and anyway we always beat them but they keep winning the IMPORTANT things, cheers, Mike
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Comment number 7.
At 30th Oct 2009, stanilic wrote:So the man on the street now understands that there is far too much government taking his money for no other purpose than to push him around.
This is bloated government starting to eat itself in some Dali-esque surreality as it foolishly hangs the value-adding sector of the economy out to dry in the cold breeze coming from the City.
This goes a lot farther than anything Gordon or Dave is currently thinking. I fear the political class are going to have to become a bit more nimble on their feet in the months and years to some. How are they going to get the country out of this dreadful mess? I don't know; and perhaps more significantly, neither do they.
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