6 February 2008

Shh!

Geoff Bent, 25
Roger Byrne, 28
Eddie Colman, 21
Duncan Edwards, 21
Mark Jones, 24
David Pegg, 22
Tommy Taylor, 26
Liam 'Billy' Whelan, 22

And to the other 15 men who lost their lives in the crash of flight 609 ZU at snow-covered Munich Airport on February 6th 1958: rest in peace.

As a football fan and a human being - notwithstanding the fact I support one of Manchester United's biggest rivals and was born a dozen years after the Munich air crash - I will mourn the 50th anniversary of the destruction of the Busby Babes with the respect that any human tragedy deserves, and I sincerely hope that everyone who attends games this week at which a minute's silence will be observed will do likewise.

Terrace banter and witticisms have their place in football. But not here.

I can stomach much of the foul, sometimes slanderous abuse which is part and parcel of the atmosphere at football grounds (although I choose not to join in with the more distasteful chants). I personally abhor the growing trend to boo during the opponent's national anthem at England games. But I reserve a special place on my blacklist for anyone - and I should acknowledge that we are talking about the smallest of small minorities here - who considers it clever to shout out during a minute's silence. I have been present at perfect you-could-hear-a-pin-drop silences at sporting events a number of times; I have also been unfortunate enough to be part of poorly observed ones. The former is uplifting, life-affirming and unbelievably moving; the latter leaves one thinking that the bad reputation football fans have long been saddled with is not entirely unfair.

Without wanting to sound overly melodramatic (I know, I know: too late), the behaviour of spectators tonight and this weekend will be a window into the soul of contemporary football fans. I hope we like what we see.

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