We deserve everything we get

Ever since the return of English clubs to European competition following the post-Heysel ban, the stereotype of our fans as yobbish, unsophisticated, moronic hooligans has proven difficult to shift. The provocation of rival fans - I'm thinking particularly of those in Italy and Turkey, most specifically Roma - has not helped. Nonetheless, I think it is fair to say that at times we - by which I mean a tiny, tiny minority - have not done much to help ourselves.

Last night's friendly international at Wembley was a case in point.

Yobbish? I don't know exactly how many idiots there were who decided to shout out during the minute's silence in observation of the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash - not a Manchester United tragedy, or even a footballing one; simply a human tragedy. It may have been as few as three or four: even so, that would have been three or four too many. The authorities had threatened to ban anyone who interrupted the silence; sadly, I doubt they were able to enforce that.

Unsophisticated? The booing - again, a minority of the crowd, albeit a significant one - which accompanied a patient England passing move which probed the Swiss defence, from side to side, backwards then forwards again, for not being direct, exciting or 'English' enough. You would think years of watching England teams pumping aimless long balls forward while their opponents run neat passing triangles around them would have educated the screaming hordes who seem to believe that 'up-and-at-'em' remains a viable tactic in the modern game. Apparently not.

Moronic? How about the chant of 'There's only one David Beckham' that rang out when his replacement, the younger, fitter and arguably equally talented David Bentley misplaced a pass? I've said it elsewhere and I'll say it again here: just because a player is on 99 caps does not automatically grant him the right to his 100th; caps should be earned on merit, not handed out like a present at a retirement party. And as for getting at Bentley: yes, I know there is some 'previous' because of the way he ducked out from an under-21 tournament last summer, but the lat time I checked the point of supporters is that they support their team, not tear strips off them at every opportunity. As it was, Bentley has a thick enough skin to ignore the boo boys and ended up having a pretty good game: promising.

Hooligans? Thankfully there was none of that on show last night, although I'm not sure how anyone could get riled up enough to pick a fight with the peaceable Swiss.

Thank heaven for small mercies, I suppose. Even so, it's hard to argue that England (and English) fans don't deserve their bad reputation on the basis of last night's evidence. It leaves me dreading what might happen when they attempt the minute's silence at this weekend's Manchester derby, a situation which will be much more emotionally charged.