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Post by oldgas on Apr 23, 2018 14:35:27 GMT
I don't want to start any controversy here, but last Thursday was the Diversity in Football meeting at the Mem, featuring Anwar Uddin, Tom and Ellis. There have been no reports on the forum about what was said/decided etc etc. The only thing I saw was an article in the Evil which was a Q & A between the paper, Tom and Ellis. They seemed to pose pretty standard questions which both players answered, their answers being that they had never really felt picked on because they were Welsh and black, and if they were to hear anything they would ignore it. I would also think that if anyone were to racially abuse them from our fans they would be fired out in double-quick time by other fans.
I thought the purpose of this meeting was to identify how BAME people could be encouraged to attend football matches. Was anything forthcoming from the meeting?
Finally, I went to Rotherham on Saturday. They had nearly 8,000 home fans. As far as I could make out, hardly any of them were from the BAME community, and Rotherham has a goodly percentage of these people resident. I think, as I've said before, various other cultures just aren't interested in football.
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Post by Henbury Gas on Apr 23, 2018 14:37:23 GMT
I don't want to start any controversy here, but last Thursday was the Diversity in Football meeting at the Mem, featuring Anwar Uddin, Tom and Ellis. There have been no reports on the forum about what was said/decided etc etc. The only thing I saw was an article in the Evil which was a Q & A between the paper, Tom and Ellis. They seemed to pose pretty standard questions which both players answered, their answers being that they had never really felt picked on because they were Welsh and black, and if they were to hear anything they would ignore it. I would also think that if anyone were to racially abuse them from our fans they would be fired out in double-quick time by other fans. I thought the purpose of this meeting was to identify how BAME people could be encouraged to attend football matches. Was anything forthcoming from the meeting? Finally, I went to Rotherham on Saturday. They had nearly 8,000 home fans. As far as I could make out, hardly any of them were from the BAME community, and Rotherham has a goodly percentage of these people resident. I think, as I've said before, various other cultures just aren't interested in football. BAN !  |
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Post by I Voted For Kodos on Apr 23, 2018 15:13:41 GMT
I attended the meeting last week but had held off from reigniting the debate on the forum.
The debate kind of went beyond just about encouraging attendance at matches and touched on a few other areas of diversity within football. I'd have preferred a more focussed discussion, but the points raised were good.
The headline figure for me was from Adam Tutton that 16% of Bristol's population is BAME, but a (non-scientific) survey they did on a matchday showed our fans are 0.2%. Clearly there is some disconnect there.
Anwar Uddin spoke very well all evening and the point he was most passionate about was the example of the Bangla Bantams. This is a fan group specifically for the Asian community in Bradford. In about 4 years, they now have over 200 members and 60 season ticket holders. These are people who are bringing extra revenue to the club who would have previously been dismissed as not liking football.
Though not on the panel, former player Devinder Singh was there and spoke about how he has recently come back into football with a youth scouting role at Rovers. He will be scouting BAME talent, which i think he said was the first club in the country to introduce.
There was discussion about linking up with other local sports clubs. E.g. Glos CCC, a boxing club and local rugby club. I guess this speaks to those that don't think BAME people will like football, but I thought it was generally good to hear the work the community trust does. The trust are already working on this and I think will be formally announcing somehing soon.
A lot of good points were raised throughout the evening and I was convinced that the people in the room were all engaged. There was maybe a bit too much back-slapping for me as ultimately its the people who were outside the room we'll need to engage. There was one man who raised a slightly dissenting voice at one point along the lines that people on the terraces were brought up that way and won't change. Unfortunately, the time left didn't allow that point to be discussed further.
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Post by oldgas on Apr 23, 2018 15:41:49 GMT
If the community trust could encourage more Asian people to attend then great, if Mr Singh can scout us some BAME players even better. We shall have to wait and see. If it's taken say 50 years to entice 0.2% of the 16% BAME Bristol population to attend matches, I guess it will be a few years before they are fully represented.
I rather think it will be the children's children generation before we will see full integration.
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Post by althepirate on Apr 23, 2018 19:11:40 GMT
'He will be scouting BAME talent' So this isn't discrimination then is it? Just asking as it seems like it is to me. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.
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Post by gasant on Apr 23, 2018 19:38:51 GMT
'He will be scouting BAME talent' So this isn't discrimination then is it? Just asking as it seems like it is to me. Perhaps someone can enlighten me. Focusing on under represented talent? Not at all. |
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Post by tommym9 on Apr 23, 2018 20:58:14 GMT
I was also there and one point that was made is that older BAME people remember the dark days of the 70s when they wouldn't dare set foot in a football stadium.
Fast forward and their kids aren't taken to football and so a major route for why kids get hooked on their local team is taken away.
The Bengali bantams was a highlight too. Maybe we could get a Pakistani Pirates or something similar? Obviously it would need to be someone in the community which is the struggle.
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Post by warehamgas on Apr 23, 2018 23:30:20 GMT
'He will be scouting BAME talent' So this isn't discrimination then is it? Just asking as it seems like it is to me. Perhaps someone can enlighten me. But perhaps it’s just acknowledging the current situation and trying to do something about the inbalance! It happens in all forms of recruitment, teaching, politics and gender, police and other public bodies. UTG! |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2018 0:15:29 GMT
I was working 2-10 late shift so sadly couldnt attend. Was there a good turnout? Were then any BAME people in the audience? 2 obvious problems of attracting more BAME fans are the relatively recent open racist chanting etc at football matches[1 generation at most] and the fact that many BAME football lovers prefer clubs like arsenal and chelsea. I dont think there was anything on the club website about the evening,,why?  ? AS shown conclusively on various threads on this forum and the other as well as the OTIb racism is very much alive and kicking but maybe the next generation can do better? |
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Post by countygroundhotel on Apr 24, 2018 8:08:08 GMT
I was also there and one point that was made is that older BAME people remember the dark days of the 70s when they wouldn't dare set foot in a football stadium. Fast forward and their kids aren't taken to football and so a major route for why kids get hooked on their local team is taken away. The Bengali bantams was a highlight too. Maybe we could get a Pakistani Pirates or something similar? Obviously it would need to be someone in the community which is the struggle. Oh dear let's encourage diversity by openly encouraging segregated groups of fans. Perhaps we can have segregated areas of the ground as well? I mean it's only racial equality laws that stop that sort of thing. |
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Post by peterparker on Apr 24, 2018 8:30:24 GMT
The Bangla Bantams do sit together. Doesn’t make it a bad thing, but it makes people feel comfortable rather than being stood or sat potentially between a bunch of think c&*ts where they might feel uncomfortable or unsafe
Changing the attitudes of the morons is as much of a challenge as encouraging other groups to come
What if someone wanted to start an LGBT Rovers group The Gay Pirates and they wanted to stand in a group with their Rainbow Rovers flag. I mean lots of people think our badge is camp. Would that be a problem?
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Post by gashead1981 on Apr 24, 2018 9:08:51 GMT
Just a warning: I have already deleted 2 controversial posts from this thread last night, if it steps out of line like the last thread on this subject it will be deleted and any posters sanctioned or banned.
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Post by newmarketgas on Apr 24, 2018 9:17:03 GMT
The Bangla Bantams do sit together. Doesn’t make it a bad thing, but it makes people feel comfortable rather than being stood or sat potentially between a bunch of think c&*ts where they might feel uncomfortable or unsafe Changing the attitudes of the morons is as much of a challenge as encouraging other groups to come What if someone wanted to start an LGBT Rovers group The Gay Pirates and they wanted to stand in a group with their Rainbow Rovers flag. I mean lots of people think our badge is camp. Would that be a problem? You look like you need a little of your own teachings ! |
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Post by Baxtinho on Apr 24, 2018 9:25:30 GMT
Just a warning: I have already deleted 2 controversial posts from this thread last night, if it steps out of line like the last thread on this subject it will be deleted and any posters sanctioned or banned. No good can come of this thread. We all saw how quickly the other one turned into some people airing their vile outdated views with their 1970's "it's PC gone mad" attitude. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2018 9:31:10 GMT
Hhmm, the Bengali Bantams, the Pakistani Pirates, the Gay Pirates..............Can't anyone see that by suggesting/supporting these organised groupings that you are actually encouraging the very same problems that you claim to be addressing?
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Post by peterparker on Apr 24, 2018 9:34:44 GMT
The Bangla Bantams do sit together. Doesn’t make it a bad thing, but it makes people feel comfortable rather than being stood or sat potentially between a bunch of think c&*ts where they might feel uncomfortable or unsafe Changing the attitudes of the morons is as much of a challenge as encouraging other groups to come What if someone wanted to start an LGBT Rovers group The Gay Pirates and they wanted to stand in a group with their Rainbow Rovers flag. I mean lots of people think our badge is camp. Would that be a problem? You look like you need a little of your own teachings ! in what way?
If someone wants to set up a Bristol Rovers Small Person supporters group for instance. More power to them.
I don't think Rovers should create any groups themselves for the sake of it though
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Post by peterparker on Apr 24, 2018 9:35:20 GMT
Hhmm, the Bengali Bantams, the Pakistani Pirates, the Gay Pirates..............Can't anyone see that by suggesting/supporting these organised groupings that you are actually encouraging the very same problems that you claim to be addressing? Have you actually read anything about the Bangla Bantams and what they do? |
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Post by Henbury Gas on Apr 24, 2018 9:35:59 GMT
You look like you need a little of your own teachings ! in what way?
If someone wants to set up a Bristol Rovers Small Person supporters group for instance. More power to them.
I don't think Rovers should create any groups themselves for the sake of it though
Could be that your spell checker, like mine is off line at the moment.... lol |
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Post by newmarketgas on Apr 24, 2018 9:38:02 GMT
You look like you need a little of your own teachings ! in what way?
If someone wants to set up a Bristol Rovers Small Person supporters group for instance. More power to them.
I don't think Rovers should create any groups themselves for the sake of it though
Calling people c*nts and morons ? You think this is helping, how ? |
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Post by peterparker on Apr 24, 2018 9:40:35 GMT
in what way?
If someone wants to set up a Bristol Rovers Small Person supporters group for instance. More power to them.
I don't think Rovers should create any groups themselves for the sake of it though
Calling people c*nts and morons ? You think this is helping, how ? should I say less enlightened members of the fanbase then? |
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