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Church calls for ban on Sunday morning football matches


NG32

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3796583.ece

 

A church is mounting a campaign to ban Sunday morning football games and has complained to the police because noise from matches disturbs services.

 

Rev Clifford Reed, from Ipswich where the local derby with Norwich is the biggest match of the year, says that matches played on Sunday mornings interrupt worship in churches close to football grounds, and kick-off should be delayed out of respect for church-goers.

 

Trustees of his church have written to the police to complain about noise from a recent derby game. Mr Reed, minister at the Unitarian Meeting House in Ipswich, complained that noise from police helicopters circling the ground when Ipswich met Norwich on Sunday April 13 was “very very intrusive”.

 

The Suffolk derby kick-off is usually at 12 noon on a Sunday to limit crowd disturbance, in the hope that fans will go to the stadium before visiting the pub.

 

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But Mr Reed told Times Online that police helicopters circling above the church meant he had to raise his voice during the service and quiet reflection was impossible. He said that if such a disruption had been carried out intentionally it would be against the law. The church has lodged an official complaint with the police about the noise.

 

Mr Reed, who has been minister at the church for 30 years, acknowledged that the disturbance was unintentional, but has called for derby games to be played later on Sundays to avoid a clash with "hundreds" of worshippers going to church. He said pubs should be closed before the game if police are concerned about disturbance from fans under the influence of alcohol.

 

In a letter to The East Anglian Daily Times Mr Reed said the disturbance was “quite unacceptable, if not illegal, as I believe it is an offence to disrupt a service of worship.”

 

A spokesman for Ipswich Town Football Club said: “The police determine the kick off time and we have to abide by their advice.”

 

Tim Beach, Detective Superintendent and the match commander for the local derby said, "It is unfortunate that the helicopter disturbed any religious service and the constabulary is always mindful of the impact it can have in any neighbourhood." But he added that the effect on the local area had to be "balanced" against the need to keep the match safe.

 

Father Stephen Raine, minister at St Mary at the Elms church Ipswich said that on derby day his church changes the time of the service to avoid a “conflict of interest” with the match.

 

 

Nobs  :rant:

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apart from Sunday league, I don't see why games have to kick off on a Sunday morning.  For one it means all kinds of hassle for supporters of the away team.  Saturday 3pm is the best time as it allows everyone to get tanked up before hand.

 

And using the Suffolk derby as an example, didn't people post in the comments bit of that link about the top 5 derbies that Ipswich-Norwich was perhaps the friendliest derby in England?  If so, why the need for heavy policing?

 

 

My heads all over the place.

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I'd laugh if they passed this then just had the KO at 12.05 (I realise 12 noon isn't the morning, strictly speaking btw).

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A few decades ago they might have had a chance, not a fucking prayer of pulling this off now.

 

Good to see they're keeping up with the times as always.

:D

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Religion is a personal thing between the individual and their god (if any)

 

Therefore there is no need for churches, so just confiscate their vast portfolio of property.

 

And while we're at it string all those con merchants in their silly costumes up from the nearest lamppost.

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Guest optimistic nit

why are there matches on sunday anyway, isn't it for TV revenue?

 

the opposite, so tv doesn't affect club revenue (thats what they claim anyway, your idea may actually make more sense.)

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The real issue will almost certainly be that the church know for a fact that if their already dwindling band of churchgoers have a choice between sitting there being told they're going to hell or watching their favourite team beat their local rivals, there's only going to be one result.

 

They're not worried about the noise, they're worried about the competition.

 

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