Alex West: Football hooligans - let's get real

When heading to an away game on a Saturday morning prior to an afternoon kickoff, it’s difficult to not notice the number of different social groups which are associated with Notts County. I would like everyone reading this article to imagine the ‘typical football fan’ in the following scenario:

8am: Meeting point is Lloyds, Hockley for ‘brekkie and a pint’.

9am: Next it’s a stop in the shop in the train station for numerous purchases of Beer and Cider.

9.30am: Board the train with 9 of ‘the lads’ before consuming a number of cans and taking part in a few sing songs.

Midday: Off the train and into the nearest boozer for a few cheeky pints and a further sing song.

2.30pm: Head to the ground for one last pre-match pint before taking our seat with the rest of the NCFC faithful.

Now, build a picture of the ‘typical supporter’ described above. Describe his clothing, attitude towards Notts, social class, and most importantly, his personality.

Let me guess:

Polo shirt? Smart jeans? Smart trainers? No NCFC clothing?

Prefers away days? Looking for ‘aggro’? Prefers to get drunk?

Working class? Labourer? Unemployed?

Loud mouthed? Arrogant? Rude?

Now, I can only guess the percentage of our readers who would have matched the scenario with the description above, but I can envisage it being quite high. Would you categorise the typical away day Notts fan above being associated with the stereotype of a smartly dressed, tanked-up brickie looking for a punch-up?

I ask the question because perception, not just in football, is a massive part of life and is often misinterpreted. I’d like you all to stereotype my life below and take a punt at what my average away day looks like:

29 years old

Male

Partner of 11 years with mortgage in £130,000 house

Three-year-old son

Fully employed as major supermarket manager with generous salary

Clean criminal record

Never been assaulted nor assaulted another person

I ask the question because of ‘perception’ and how it can be often misunderstood. The away day itinerary listed above is in fact my away day itinerary. I travel away with up to 9 or 10 others. Not once have we been involved in physical confrontation with police or rival fans. Not once have we engaged in looking for these two actions and not once have we travelled home following the game with nothing more than a sense of male bonding and a feeling of enjoyment and relief at getting away from the missus work for the day.

This seasons most memorable away trip has been Blackpool. Not for the football, not for the result, but for the relationships I can continue to build with people that I can call my friends and share a common interest with. We got drunk. We got merry. We danced, all night until early morning, and then fell drunkenly onto a twin bed in a budget Premier Inn at 3am.

Is this wrong? Are we thugs? Yobs? Or are we a group of friends who enjoy others company combined with alcohol and a sing song on the sea front?

I often read messageboards and Facebook posts on the official NCFC page and read comments slating the ‘youths at the front at Orient’ and the yobbos who let off smoke bombs at Mansfield. I think we all need a reality check here. In 2016, Notts County had 3 football related arrests away from home  – this equated to less than 1% of the total football related incidents in League 2 last season.

Alan Hardy and Kevin Nolan have made NCFC enjoyable again and more and more fans will begin to become involved with Notts County. Now as fans we have a decision to make, do we continue to look down at our noses at a different looking, different talking supporter or do we relish their desire to enjoy football as a whole experience and embrace their commitment to the cause?

Now let's be clear – I’m not for one minute stating that all football fans are angels, because they’re not, and there is still a growing hooligan element in the game which give groups of travelling football fans a bad perception to the public eye - but be wary of making rash assumptions when you see the boys enter the pub at 10am for a beer and a brekkie. We enjoy our football, we enjoy our away day, and with no hidden agenda.

I for one ENCOURAGE more groups of travelling fans to get together early in the morning and sink a few pints before the match. Why not? Because it's socially unacceptable? Because having a sing song and a Jagerbomb in the boozer will upset a few golden oldies who have sensitive hearing aids? Give me strength. Until Notts County fans start becoming violent or physically offensive to others, I am in full support of our away fans antics – and long may it continue.

See you all at Wycombe – get the beers in.

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