Muslim football fans

[Chris_R]

I'm 100% in favour of increasing the diversity of people inside football grounds, and if that can be done by offering subsidised tickets to people to get them hooked then I'm all in favour of it. And I don't mind if that's done to attract women, children, muslims, gays, gingers or indeed any other sector of society.

 

However whilst I'm 100% in favour of the above, I'm equally dead against segregation in any way, shape or form. Put Halal on the menu with everything else by all means (Though why people buy food at the match anyway I'll never know, it's only 2 hours ffs. Unless you're drunk and have the munchies of course, but if you're a good Muslim....?) but creating 'Muslim sections' (Which is effectively what this is doing) is totally abhorent to me.

[Felling Mag]

I reckon this is one of the main reasons British talent is falling behind other European countries.

 

Places like France, Spain, Germany tend to attract more Africans...who in general are more athletic and better at Football. Britain's main migrant population is Asian who dont tend to like football. In theory we should have a great cricket team.

 

So it can only be a good thing encouraging different people to watch the game.

[Benwell Lad]

I am a muslim living in Egypt and still didnt get my chance to come visit SJP. But i am sure oneday i will be visiting with my wife and kid. There is nothing in my religion against doing it and i dont mind any of you guys having a drink around. I dont expect any favorable ticket pricing due to my religion or race. I would buy the ticket gladly and support the toon as much as i do now buying the shirts, souvenirs, and newcastle world subscription. What i would really expect of you guys not a separation but a warm welcome.

 

football has no race nor religion. lets not spoil it.

 

 

 

Excellent post.

You love football (and Newcastle) for all the right reasons. You'll be very welcome.

[Guest Edd]

Has anyone thought of doing something really radical like asking the Muslim community why they don't attend games?  That way the might actually be able attract them to the games without using short term incentives like cheap tickets.

[johnnypd]

agree with Edd really. the club should do more to reach out into migrant communities who may not be going to the match. it is a big chunk of support that the club can capitalise on, get the likes of Emre and Beye out there. also probably worth putting out fliers and stuff in Polish, what with the big community on tyneside, none of whom probably have english club affiliations but who'd probably be up for a bit of football.

 

Personally i think newcastle has a decent amount of asian fans in the ground tbh (from subcontinent and far east). i don't think the 'race' situation in the city is the same as places like birmingham or oldham or wherever that have huge minorities, often with something akin to unenforced segregation. not all asians are muslim either, i'm sure creating a special muslim stand is going to appeal to sikhs and hindus. 

[Benwell Lad]

agree with Edd really. the club should do more to reach out into migrant communities who may not be going to the match. it is a big chunk of support that the club can capitalise on, get the likes of Emre and Beye out there. also probably worth putting out fliers and stuff in Polish, what with the big community on tyneside, none of whom probably have english club affiliations but who'd probably be up for a bit of football.

 

Personally i think newcastle has a decent amount of asian fans in the ground tbh (from subcontinent and far east). i don't think the 'race' situation in the city is the same as places like birmingham or oldham or wherever that have huge minorities, often with something akin to unenforced segregation. not all asians are muslim either, i'm sure creating a special muslim stand is going to appeal to sikhs and hindus. 

 

With SJP fully subscribed for most games and sometimes the only available seats at aroung £50 each I think the Polish community would not want to pay what to them could be a weeks salary for a ticket.

 

Cheap tickets would not be an option, as NO football club would knock back £50 punters to accomodate fans paying less. It could only happen at clubs who regularly struggle to fill their grounds (e.g Sundlund or MBoro)

[johnnypd]

agree with Edd really. the club should do more to reach out into migrant communities who may not be going to the match. it is a big chunk of support that the club can capitalise on, get the likes of Emre and Beye out there. also probably worth putting out fliers and stuff in Polish, what with the big community on tyneside, none of whom probably have english club affiliations but who'd probably be up for a bit of football.

 

Personally i think newcastle has a decent amount of asian fans in the ground tbh (from subcontinent and far east). i don't think the 'race' situation in the city is the same as places like birmingham or oldham or wherever that have huge minorities, often with something akin to unenforced segregation. not all asians are muslim either, i'm sure creating a special muslim stand is going to appeal to sikhs and hindus. 

 

With SJP fully subscribed for most games and sometimes the only available seats at aroung £50 each I think the Polish community would not want to pay what to them could be a weeks salary for a ticket.

 

Cheap tickets would not be an option, as NO football club would knock back £50 punters to accomodate fans paying less. It could only happen at clubs who regularly struggle to fill their grounds (e.g Sundlund or MBoro)

 

most tickets on a per game basis are far cheaper than £50. i've never paid that much to get in. and do you really think £50 is a week's salary for a polish fella earning £15000 a year driving a bus? it's not just about going to the games either, but watching the match on tv, buying kits and merchandise for their kids, exporting the brand out to eastern europe, and helping them integrate into the city as a whole.

[Benwell Lad]

agree with Edd really. the club should do more to reach out into migrant communities who may not be going to the match. it is a big chunk of support that the club can capitalise on, get the likes of Emre and Beye out there. also probably worth putting out fliers and stuff in Polish, what with the big community on tyneside, none of whom probably have english club affiliations but who'd probably be up for a bit of football.

 

Personally i think newcastle has a decent amount of asian fans in the ground tbh (from subcontinent and far east). i don't think the 'race' situation in the city is the same as places like birmingham or oldham or wherever that have huge minorities, often with something akin to unenforced segregation. not all asians are muslim either, i'm sure creating a special muslim stand is going to appeal to sikhs and hindus. 

 

With SJP fully subscribed for most games and sometimes the only available seats at aroung £50 each I think the Polish community would not want to pay what to them could be a weeks salary for a ticket.

 

Cheap tickets would not be an option, as NO football club would knock back £50 punters to accomodate fans paying less. It could only happen at clubs who regularly struggle to fill their grounds (e.g Sundlund or MBoro)

 

most tickets on a per game basis are far cheaper than £50. i've never paid that much to get in. and do you really think £50 is a week's salary for a polish fella earning £15000 a year driving a bus? it's not just about going to the games either, but watching the match on tv, buying kits and merchandise for their kids, exporting the brand out to eastern europe, and helping them integrate into the city as a whole.

 

I don't really know about per game basis tickets, only what I've heard, and people I know who have bought them paid that price.

No I don't think £50 is a week's wages to someone earning £15,000 p.a. (Not unless my maths is really bad), the point is most eastern European migrant workers are supporting people back home and £50 a week is a good Polish salary, so they would very likely equate the ticket price to that.

I'm not really into the "exporting the brand" stuff, but I'm not sure the marketing people would see eastern Europe as a prime target at present.

Polish people are as welcome at SJP as anyone else just as long as they don't bring their appalling hooligans with them.

[brummie]

However whilst I'm 100% in favour of the above, I'm equally dead against segregation in any way, shape or form. Put Halal on the menu with everything else by all means (Though why people buy food at the match anyway I'll never know, it's only 2 hours ffs. Unless you're drunk and have the munchies of course, but if you're a good Muslim....?) but creating 'Muslim sections' (Which is effectively what this is doing) is totally abhorent to me.

 

Let me reiterate - it wasn't a muslim section.

 

The offer was "you can sit anywhere in the ground where there is availability. However, for your information, in this area of the ground, there is no alcohol served, and halal snacks are available".

 

Who knows, maybe halal snacks will be available all over the ground soon, but for the time being, they were free to sit wherever they wanted.

 

Also, the ground holds 42,640, the average crowd is over 40,000 this season, clearly whilst the club want to get people involved, they're not going to be able to do offers like that all the time.

 

 

[Jamie]

However whilst I'm 100% in favour of the above, I'm equally dead against segregation in any way, shape or form. Put Halal on the menu with everything else by all means (Though why people buy food at the match anyway I'll never know, it's only 2 hours ffs. Unless you're drunk and have the munchies of course, but if you're a good Muslim....?) but creating 'Muslim sections' (Which is effectively what this is doing) is totally abhorent to me.

 

Let me reiterate - it wasn't a muslim section.

 

The offer was "you can sit anywhere in the ground where there is availability. However, for your information, in this area of the ground, there is no alcohol served, and halal snacks are available".

 

Who knows, maybe halal snacks will be available all over the ground soon, but for the time being, they were free to sit wherever they wanted.

 

Also, the ground holds 42,640, the average crowd is over 40,000 this season, clearly whilst the club want to get people involved, they're not going to be able to do offers like that all the time.

 

 

Basically saying, this is the best part of the ground for muslims to sit

[ross magoo]

I was speaking to a Muslim friend about something similar to this the other day.

 

He's not really big into all the religious stuff but he attends mosque, doesn't drink, obeys the rules etc because for him it's about his and his family's honour in a community which can be quite judgemental at times.  Keeping your "honour" is also quite an important motivational factor for young men in a religion where arranged marriages are commonplace i'd imagine, although maybe some of our Muslim posters can clarify.

 

I think the problem is the way that football in the UK is seen to be a part of a wider drunken, promiscuous yob culture and it wouldn't surprise me if that put a lot of Muslims off or even if it was discouraged by some Muslim parents.  It might also go some of the way to explaining why (certainly where I live) Muslims are almost non-existant in low paid manual blue-collar factory type jobs that are mainly dominated by men who spend most of their day boasting about how many pints they drank on Friday, the size of the tits on the bird they shagged on Saturday and the state of the guy they kicked the s*** out of on Sunday.

 

It's a cultural thing in my opinion.

[gazza ladra]

Are non-alcoholic sections common in Britain?

 

I don't know about the rest of the states, but here in the Bay Area they started that back in the 1980s-- calling it the "family section". A lot of parents were hesitant to take their kids for fear they'd be seated next to roaring drunks.

[oldtype]

Are non-alcoholic sections common in Britain?

 

I don't know about the rest of the states, but here in the Bay Area they started that back in the 1980s-- calling it the "family section". A lot of parents were hesitant to take their kids for fear they'd be seated next to roaring drunks.

 

Aye, good point. I'd say a small non-alcoholic "family" section is a good idea in general, not just for practicing Muslims et al.

[midds]

Are non-alcoholic sections common in Britain?

 

I don't know about the rest of the states, but here in the Bay Area they started that back in the 1980s-- calling it the "family section". A lot of parents were hesitant to take their kids for fear they'd be seated next to roaring drunks.

 

What if they turn up in the section already hammered though?

 

I understand about alcohol not being sold during the game but what if they turned up pissed? Not being arsey btw.

[Rob W]

at villa there were lots of Muslim fans - nowt wrong with that

[Jamie]

at villa there were lots of Muslim fans - nowt wrong with that

nahh, it's just every Muslim that lives in the area stands at their door when you go past on the coaches and call you worse than shite 

[Thespence]

Who cares if certain parts of grounds cater for certain fans?  The family enclosure has been doing it for years. The vast majority of people never drink booze at the ground either.

[Guest Spurs_from_Africa]

I was speaking to a Muslim friend about something similar to this the other day.

 

He's not really big into all the religious stuff but he attends mosque, doesn't drink, obeys the rules etc because for him it's about his and his family's honour in a community which can be quite judgemental at times.  Keeping your "honour" is also quite an important motivational factor for young men in a religion where arranged marriages are commonplace i'd imagine, although maybe some of our Muslim posters can clarify.

 

I think the problem is the way that football in the UK is seen to be a part of a wider drunken, promiscuous yob culture and it wouldn't surprise me if that put a lot of Muslims off or even if it was discouraged by some Muslim parents.  It might also go some of the way to explaining why (certainly where I live) Muslims are almost non-existant in low paid manual blue-collar factory type jobs that are mainly dominated by men who spend most of their day boasting about how many pints they drank on Friday, the size of the tits on the bird they shagged on Saturday and the state of the guy they kicked the s*** out of on Sunday.

 

It's a cultural thing in my opinion.

 

I would say arranged marriages are a lot rarer in Islam than you would be made to believe, seeing as they are specifically banned in the qur'an. Those that have arranged marriages often have them due to culture rather than religion.

 

I think you have a very valid point though. In my short life so far, I have been able to see many national teams play at home, including the likes of Egypt ( quite good ) and SA ( rubbish). In Egypt for example, the people are football mad, the biggest club in Egypt and indeed Africa has about 50 million fans within Egypt and you will see tens of thousands of men and women go to both national team games and al-ahly games. Yet, the Egyptians I know in England are reluctant to attend footie matches in England, and I'm guessing your views on the assosciation with hooligan and drunken culture are spot on.

[NJS]

Isn't the problem (might be the wrong word) in the UK that most Muslims are Pakistani which is culturally a bit different to countries like Egypt and other African countries where Muslims do like their football?

 

 

[Guest Spurs_from_Africa]

Isn't the problem (might be the wrong word) in the UK that most Muslims are Pakistani which is culturally a bit different to countries like Egypt and other African countries where Muslims do like their football?

 

 

 

I think you could say that the UK has acquired the wrong muslims . Seriously though, it is maybe a valid point. France have had Zidane, Ribery, Anelka playing for them recently who were muslims ( could have had Kanoute). Something like that could have inspired young muslims to get into football in France. Which muslim players have played for England? I don' think there has ever been one and like you say, it is due to culture; not all muslims are the same and most stick very closely to their culture.

[Taylor Swift]

Isn't the problem (might be the wrong word) in the UK that most Muslims are Pakistani which is culturally a bit different to countries like Egypt and other African countries where Muslims do like their football?

 

 

 

I think you could say that the UK has acquired the wrong muslims . Seriously though, it is maybe a valid point. France have had Zidane, Ribery, Anelka playing for them recently who were muslims ( could have had Kanoute). Something like that could have inspired young muslims to get into football in France. Which muslim players have played for England? I don' think there has ever been one and like you say, it is due to culture; not all muslims are the same and most stick very closely to their culture.

 

That's actually a good point. Even though the aforementioned players are ethnic minorities, they did form the backbone to the successful France teams in the latter part of the 90s. I read an article a while back about their impacts and how it hasn't really helped with all the racial tension in France but the hope is that the three new stars (Benzema, Ben Arfa and Nasri) will be able to help some more. Quite interesting that these highly rates French youngsters come from deprived Muslim (I think) backgrounds.

[Incognito]

If Villa ever get to Wembley,these locals would probably get excited by the twin towers......

[brummie]

If Villa ever get to Wembley,these locals would probably get excited by the twin towers......

 

Ha ha, naughty but also very funny.

[Incognito]

And after Harewoods goal made it 4-0 to Villa,one of the local children was heard saying to his father,"It's in the bag Dad!"

[mrmojorisin75]

a different way of looking at it:

 

said people always wanted to go to the match but couldn't afford it, the offer for cheaper tickets comes along and off they go OR money had nothing to do with it and the "pro-muslim" aspect encouraged them...

 

if it's the former there's nothing to say, if the latter had the decisive effect then they didn't like football or villa enough to sit at the games while people were drinking near them and eating non-halal food

 

if that's the case i find it all a bit sad

 

[footnote, maybe it was a combination, maybe these thousands of people found the financial cost prohibitive AND had concerns about the booze/halal aspect?  but i doubt it]