The Mail Bag
Happy Al's
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I just want to mention the disgraceful behaviour of some of our fans observed while travelling to away matches on Happy Al's coaches.
First of all, there is the stealing from service stations. I saw one lad steal a remote control car (at least it was blue!). Also, while at services there is the abusing of staff and god help if there are any other football fans around. Well, ANY kopites you see deserve it, of course. But this stealing, perpetuates what everyone outside this city seems to believe ? that scousers are all thieves ? as well as not looking too good on our club.
Secondly, and more importantly, the racist songs and abuse that takes place on the coaches. Going to places such as London and Birmingham, where there is a higher ethnicity rate, the coaches become extremely racist and include songs about Adebayor. Apparently "his dad washes elephants and his mum's a black whore" ? their words, not mine. Then they sing racist songs, followed by songs about our black players such as the Yak or Yobo.
I was just wondering if anyone else has had the pleasure of travelling with Happy Als!?
James Wright, Posted 12/11/2008 at 11:22:25
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I have flagged these issues to Everton Football Club on many occassions but to a large degree they can't do much about it.
We have a large ?minority? of racist fans and they are the reason why I haven't been to an away fixture for years. I now only go to Goodison as it appears to be less of a problem there.
I know of a many non-white Evertonians that don't go to matches because of these morons and it just goes to show ? they are winning.
It's a sad reflection on our Club and society in general but nothing will change for the forseeable future.
What I cannot understand is why Merseyside Police cannot put a couple of undercover bobbies on the coaches and nick the perpetrates which would hopefully send out a message to the rest of the scumbags that they are not safe to behaviour in that manner.
If these racist thieving scumbags are not challenged then they will take that lack of intervention in the belief that they can get away with anything. The next thing they will be doing is robbing mine or your car / house, abusing the normal innocent person on the street etc.
This is not an EFC problem by the way but a social issue we all have to challenge and get rid of.
Capital of Culture my arse.............
If anyone who has ever chanted or sung racial abuse reads this then do the following. Take a long hard look in the mirror and consider yourself not worthy of the human race. You are scum every last one of you.
It's this kind of bollocks that is fucking cancerous in this country and that's why you are having people get away with all sorts of behaviour like this to things like murder. For fuck's sake, I had a tough upbringing but I didn't hang around in hoodie gangs and act like a total inhuman being, I was brought on without the luxuries they all have now but I was brought up to respect people. These dirty bastards now don't have a clue what respect means, respect to them is go out and shoot an innocent person dead.
It's not Everton's problem that we have these twats attached to us ? it's a social problem that is all over Britain because of the pussy footing shit laws we have. It's Everton's duty to deal with these people and erradicate them fast... but that's it.
Sadly, I have to say that I think these people regard football stadiums as safe havens where they can express their true beliefs without much in the way of challenge. And in the case of Goodison (and, I’m sure, other grounds) they appear to be right.
I’d be interested to know what the racial profiling of the Goodison crowd is. I’d imagine we have rather more black faces in the team than in the crowd.
I do not see that there is much that Everton FC can do about this though unless of course the perpetrators are caught on camera being racially abusive inside the ground. It is a problem with society as much as it is a problem with Everton FC.
Good suggestion by Steve Templeton above re the undercover bobbies on the bus. I often find myself agreeing with your posts, Steve. You should post more often.
I absolutely hate these yobs that give us good uns a bad name and get us tarred with the same brush. I also hate the fact that it gives our beloved Club a very bad name. Please, if anyone hears or sees something of this racist nature report it either to a ground steward or the police. Let's try and stamp this out.
As for the minority of Evertonians being racist, remember it wasn?t that long ago when Paul Ince played against us (1990s), where approx 20,000 blues at Goodison frequently broke into the "jam jar" song...
I think many of us long standing blues (especially the 40+ year olds) have skeletons in our closet in regards to racist chanting, so we can hardly moan when the young blues copy what most of us used to do...
I say attended as opposed to watched or understood what was going on as most of them were so drunk they could hardly stand up. So drunk that they were peeing in their pants. Grown men wetting themselves because they were too drunk to open their zips. Oh and did I forget to say that they were doing this while sitting next to me? Unbelievable behaviour.
As for the racist stuff, I just find the whole thing obscene. Do they have two brain cells to rub together? A family of a dad and a couple of kids went into the club shop at Brann and came out with armfulls of stuff that they?d pinched. Dad sent the kids in left them in there for a while then stood at the entrance door telling the kids to come out ? so they did come out ? by the entrance door, so guess what, no security and no detectors. Then off they went bragging to everyone how much they?d stolen. Great advert for scousers.
The same family spent the whole of the return journey back from Brann ?bing bonging? the stewards. Funny the first time but not after what seemed like an eternity. The father had no control whatsoever over the kids and in fact thought it was all a great laugh. Call me old fashioned but that?s just not the sort of behaviour I tolerate so this Evertonian will never go to an away match again.
We and the Reds were always called the scouse Vikings on our European adventures... Lacoste, Sergio Tach etc etc was brought into the UK via the Merseyside away support...
The young lads are doing now exactly what most of us use to do....
We have nobody to blame but ourselves...
Without wishing to alienate younger TWers, forget Happy Al’s, who remembers "Fatty" Barnes? That was an education in itself.
I will admit, in my very early teens I joined in the racist chanting around Goodison (mid to late eighties) but very quickly I knew it was wrong. I was following a "fashion" and I stopped.
My parents, working class heroes, are salt of the earth. My early misdemeanour could not be blamed on them. Whoever suggested that earlier is deluded. We all have free will and are capable of independent thought. Just some choose not to use it.
As soon as they come in, in there five- or six-strong gang, they all have tickets next to eachother, they can never sit still for more than two minutes either, kicking the back of someone's seat or throwing things at people's heads, pretty obvious that they have no interest in watching the match at all as after 15 or 20 minutes the conversation has drifted towards violence, crime and then leaving their seats to go and get pissed.
Perhaps Everton should look into what young lads actually are buying tickets for and what their aim of going to the game is, it's just something I have noticed creeping into us a lot lately and it's becoming a problem.
It?s digusting and should not be tolerated, just because they?re ?loyal? does not give them a licence to shout racist abuse.
If the problem is not restricted to one particular coach firm then it is a greater problem and needs addressing by the majority of decent supporters.
These guys are probably the same group who never tire of spouting personal abuse at anyone and anything with their inane chanting.
Just because some people in the 70s and 80s did it doesn’t mean that it’s right.
As the most likely source of new revenue is to come from overseas, how will these moronic few feel about the club being owned by parties from different cultures.
Faced with an away trip on the Happy Als coaches, from what I?ve heard, I wouldn?t bother.
I?d like to say I?m sure that most decent Evertonians welcome support from whatever ethnic background. Being an Evertonian is what binds us all together, irrespective of skin colour.
No one should ever have to put up with some of the behaviour which is evident at many games. So do ordinary people who?s standards are above those of a sewer rat have to stay away from games so that those idiots can flourish? Let?s just all behave like sewer rats then shall we then no one will ever be offended again.
If they are the loyal supporters, what are we then? What about those who travel from down south, from the West Country to games? Are they not the heartbeat of the club?
Get real, the racists and the drunken idiots are wrecking the atmosphere and are wrecking our club. People?s Club, just rename it the Scallies Club then, Roy.
Dear God in heaven, in a few years time it?ll be acceptable to rape and pillage as long as you wear a football shirt and are having a good time. And another thing, Roy, I get behind my team at every home game, I have a season ticket in the Lower Gwladys St, have been following Everton for half a century and I shout myself hoarse every match but I don?t need ten pints of ale and the vocabulary that consists of three words to show my support. There are plenty of people like me and if some of those knobheads weren?t at the game I bet we would get more boring farts like me there!
I am sure if the police were notified, as someone suggested earlier, some of the culprits could be brought to justice ? but do you think they would be bothered?
I have tried saying things but just get laughed at. Unlike Lue, I am approaching blue rinse age.
By the way, anyone who participates in or supports or justifies the racism is a complete moron and the dregs of society. If you want to do that I don’t care how blue you are, you’re lower than a kopite in my eyes. End of story.
They will obviously only pick on vulnerable people as they are shithouses and would never air their views in the presence of any group who would stand up to them. The football is just a vehicle for their mindless self destruction and is not their primary interest, they really don't care less if the team wins or loses, it's just a piss up for them. They are not racist in the style of the BNP's educated fascist twat Nick Griffen but are braindead, uneducated morons who have inherited this behavior from their uneducated moronic parents.
They are a big part of society's problems today ? you only have to look around towns and cities all over the country to see these scum, they are a cancer. As for Everton FC, I think they do have a duty to root these bastards out and expose them and then ban them forever from following our club. A tiny minority should not be allowed to denegrate the good name of the majority.
It has been apparent for a long time that Goodison Park is devoid of a racially diverse support as we have an unfair, latent racist reputation and "non-white" blues just aren't prepared to chance being abused. If the club is really prepared to get rid of these scum then they need to be pro-active at home and away games in conjunction with the law and tackle this head on. I will be e.mailing the club with my views on this and would suggest all like-minded fans do the same. All for one and one for all.
Racism is unacceptable. End of.
Sadly we live in a society where Gary Newlove, Sophie Lancaster and that poor baby in London are victims of.
I have merely said these supporters are loyal. If half these supporters never went to the game there would be many empty seats in the visitors area of the stadium, I in no way associate with these supporters. Matt Traynor says he joined in racist chants and then realised it's wrong; maybe these supporters will realise its wrong in the long term.
The problem with Happy Als is they clearly allow alcohol on there buses along with a few others; Barnes Travel do not. The simple solution is to ban alcohol on these coaches. So, instead of rambling on criticising my opinion (everyone is entitled to it) and those calling for me to banned are idiots because I was only having my opinion.
The coach stopped at Norton Cranes on the way back and the shop was robbed blind of books, magazines and "flowers for me maa". I was ashamed.
Next to us there was a coach from what appeared to be a local school with a rugby team on board. Another 5 minutes and there would have been trouble. Last away game for me by coach.
I?m really ashamed to have to be associated with this sort of nonsense. It does us no good at all.
More positively, its rare you hear stuff like this at home games (and I sit in the Lower Gwladys) and I?ve heard one young fan be challenged for a remark he made.
Nobody got anything left to say? We all know it's bad to be racist nowadays (even though most people writing on here are still racist deep down - yeah I said it) but being gay, fucking hell, never. How many Everton players are gay? Don?t even want to think about it do you?
Leaving that other bombshell aside; let?s face it: Liverpool has had a massive problem with racism since slavery and the amount of different cultures present in the city has not made a jot of difference to the majority. People are segregated. One of the oldest Chinese communities in Europe, huge Keralan community (I bet loads of people don?t even know what that means), large mixed race and black community. Where are these people on a Saturday night? Not in town when I go out. Where are they at the footy? Nowhere.
Lot?s of people have made the right noises on here about Happy Al?s etc but we need more than that to change a whole culture of racism in Liverpool. Education would be good. Integrating kids would help. Locking people up as some people suggested on here would be brilliant. But twatting these wankers in the chops gets my vote for now. Or maybe we should all black up and sing Al Jolson numbers at the game.
So in my opinion it is only right that every Saturday bus loads of scallies around the country hit these fuckers and take a little back in the name of fair trade pricing!
Good on em say I :)
The problem is there is more of these clowns than we would like to admit, some matches it feels like there are hundreds of them, and they are more visable in a crowd of 3,000 than they would be in a home crowd of 36,000,
"Twatting these wankers in the chops" would take a braver man than me; don't get me wrong, most of this lot wouldn't amount to anymore than an obnoxious little brat, but when they congregate they?re a little intimidating. You have to remember that the overwhelming majorty of Everton's travelling support are decent people like yourselves.
It's a great shame that people like Lue will have missed the wonderful camaraderie that is always prevelant amongst the travelling Evertonians, because she was caught up amongst these ignorant fools.
Several peole have already said the solution is to educate; I too believe that. We have made huge strides since the 70s and 80s but the process is painfully slow and I fear there is no quick fix.
Everton's away support is magnificent, the best in the country, unfortunately we are like every other club in the sense that we come with "baggage".
Come along, don't let these uneducated fools spoil it for you.
After Birmingham away last year, my awaydays outside of the European games all but ceased. All through the game, all they sang was "the baby is not yours" fucking embarrassing, can you imagine a shite fan watching that? who would be the gobshite uncool fans ? them or us?
Then in Liege we sat there watching similar tits at it again in the main square throwing flares about, just missing children and very nearly causing blues to fight with each other. Fortunately for games like that the old crowd of yesteryear turn out to restore the faith. We used to have a great crowd at aways, now it?s like a nogga dogz day out.
I?m sure that every club in Europe has this problem with a ?large minority? of their fans. I believe that a predominant factor is population density, but it?s surely not the only one.
Professional sporting events in North America are largely devoid of what is known as "atmosphere". If you screamed racial abuse at a black player at, say, a Vancouver Canucks game, not only would you immediately be removed from the building, but you?d stand a fair chance of getting an ass kicking as well. Canadians take their multiculturalism seriously.
Mind you, I don?t think I?ve ever heard anything more creative than ?Go Canucks, go? shouted at a hockey game...
I do know that when I make my trip to GP next spring I?d better be fuckin careful with my mouth. I?m not used to keeping it shut when I am forced to listen to intolerable hatred spouted by peabrained idiots. I?m not a really big guy and I?m too old to put up my dukes anyway. It?ll be tough listening to idiots in Blues shirts, I know, but oh well, I?ll just have to deal with it.
Where are all the Toffee?s like my pals on YouTube when all this shit is going down? Those guys are whitebread, working class Scouser?s, but they're total lefties with supreme taste in black music. Like most of my friends here. Don?t they go to matches with like-minded friends?
I know that I won?t be going to an away game with Happy Al?s, that?s for fuckin? sure.
Btw... happy to see that we have, apparently, one gay fan.
I agree that the game should not be sanitised to the point that I could take my mam to the game and not feel embarrassed by those rude words the naughty boys say but the point is that the sort of behaviour we see at the game would not be acceptable in any other location so why is it okay to do it there?
It?s time to stand up and be counted I suppose. I will send an e.mail to the club, what good it will do, I don?t know but at least I?ve not shut my eyes and pretended I?ve gone deaf. Perhaps if Brain Viner reads these posts, as I understand he sometimes does, he will put some weight behind our concerns. Here?s hoping.
And Sean, you?re a hoot!
Come on guys and gals, let the ordinary fans be heard for a change!
That is the biggest load of shite I have ever heard. There is nothing wrong with passionate, vocal support for yor club. There is nothing wrong with good natured piss taking, there is eveything wrong with racist and illegal behaviour. To attempt to condone such behaviour is sad. And how the fuck do you know who does and does not follow Everton home and away.
Grow up FFS.
They are not die hard fans at all, they couldn't give a damn whether Everton win, lose or draw. They are just there to get drunk and abuse the decent fans that go to the game.
I would go to every game if I felt I could support my team properly and not get abused because I?m an Asian Evertonian. I would buy a season ticket today if this problem was eradicated but unfortunately it just isn't taken serious enough.
Its fine, you keep defending these morons and watch the support dwindle until only scum bags follow our Club. How many non-white faces do you see at Everton matches? 3 maybe 4? It's a bloody disgrace! I guarantee our attendances would increase if these knobheads were banned for life.
I am now the proud father of twins (only 7 months old) and am desperate to make them Evertonians but there have been times when I?ve though ?Do I really want them to go through what a lot of non-white Evertonians have to??.
The example above of 2 Asian Everton fans being abused by fellow Everton ?fans? says it all for me. It's a shocking admission from a diehard Evertonian of 20 years but my kids may well be better off supporting a Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Man City etc.
I couldn?t be more opposed to your views if I tried but I do not believe that you you should be banned unless of course you are being abusive, which you are clearly not.
That said, however, I take issue with your point that "If half these supporters never went to the game there would be many empty seats in the visitors area of the stadium". Have you not considered how many fans may have been put off going to the away games over the years by these idiots and who would replace them if they thought they could travel away with Everton without having to put up with their pea-brained behaviour?
COYB
Those people are nothing but scum...and in supporting them you are nothing but scum also.
I?d ask you hang your head in shame, but I doubt you?ve got any.... or any intellectence of any degree.
Regards... you vile animal.
http://www.worldsoccer.com/news/bremen_fans_praised_for_confronting_neo-nazis_news_271811.html
In a previous job, I had dealings with a couple of football liaison officers (not Merseyside), they were excellent in dealing with another group of regular racist supporters I was aware of each week at a club down south. I would think the possibility of undercover police on board is a good idea and the coaches would also be stopped when they arrive at grounds to check for alcohol on board ? this is an offence in itself.
Even if the Police do not take any court action, they should liaise with Traffic Commisioners for the coach company's head office and they have the power to withdraw the PSV licence from the coach operator. You never know, ?Happy Als? may already be known to the police/commisioners and this will be the straw that breaks the camels back.
So give the police this info. It's not something Everton would or could act on ? this a company not endorsed by the club I assume? Please do it, the club do not need them or their apologists following them.
I know its a long time ago, but I took a coloured friend - who followed the blues but had never been to a game - to the 1987 Charity Shield match against Manure, he had to listen a tirade of racist abuse from probably 75% of the 40,000 blues in the stadium. This if I remember rightly was aimed particularly at Remi Moses.
After the game he was punched once and spat at several times by ’blues’. He never went to an EFC game again and I was so embarassed that I didn’t speak to him for several months.
I know that we have come a long way from those dark days, but obviously not far enough. The people who think that we should tolerate this behaviour to fill a few seats are really just as bad as the people who actively participate in the abuse.
Kick racism out altogether in what ever guise it manifests itself.
"He never went to an EFC game again ".
I stopped going to away matches 3 years ago and wont return for at least the next 30 years based on the progress we are making.
The racists are winning at Everton FC and its a crying shame that decent supporters (regardless of colour) are being driven away.
Oh well, I?ve got my Sky package to keep me going. As for being a ?proper? supporter, may not happen in my lifetime but I hope my kids are safe to attend Everton matches.
NSNO
My wife, who has been racially abused in Perth (Australia) when she was studying there, is sure that we will meet some knobheads who would tell us that our support is not welcomed and that we should fuck off. That is yet to be proven and I am happy to have known some notably nice scousers in Singapore and New York. They were delighted to know that I supported Everton. Two of them whom I met in New York?s Central Station as strangers, came straight up to me (I was wearing the One2One jersey) and we chatted like long-lost pals! My wife just couldn?t believe it.
I think Asians from where we come from are relatively more reserved and conservative. They don?t stick their necks out as bravely as Whites/Europeans due to differing cultures. But Asian Evertonians are by far the bravest lot as they do not follow the success-driven hoardes of Manure, Arsenal, RS and Chelski fans. What is sad will be the day this brave lot meet our racist knobheads and get an experience of a lifetime. It can be devastating for a 20-year supporter like myself.
But to the scousers whom I had the privilege of knowing in Singapore and New York, and to those anti-racist Evertonians who?ve expressed your views here, you?ve brought back the confidence to us and I?m encouraged to make the prigrimage next year!
I don't want to turn footabll into a middle-class tennis match, like some.
The club can do something if it has a mind to: make stewards fully aware of their responsibilities which include, as far as I know, ejecting those who hurl antisocial abuse of a racist kind. Not being a lawyer, I can?t say for certain, but I?d imagine there are other types of abuse which come under the heading of totally unacceptable.
The nub of the problem is that there are too many "Red Blooded" men who genuinely believe that they can can express their caveman beliefs with total impunity in a football ground - indeed, that it is their right to do so. Time perhaps to learn the truth that being an Evertonian - or any other brand of supporter - doesn?t give you an exemption from society or the law.
Some of you may never respect coloured people, Jews, gays (or whatever your pet prejudice is) and noone can legislate about that. There are, however, laws which limit your right to spout filth.
Liverpool... city of culture, my arse. They?ve neva seen a black person in their life (No desrespect to genuine Everton fans.).
What a fantastic story described when meeting fellow blues in New York; I’d like to think that would be the reaction from the vast amount of fans if they were to meet you or any other fan when traveling around the globe.
I have two season tickets in the Park End and would be more than happy for you to use them if you ever made it over here; get in touch if you wanna use them.
All the best.
Every year my nan and grandad go to Gambia to help the school kids over there and I give them my old shirts to take. These kids absolutely love footie and watch every game, I mean just by me sending my shirts over since I was about 8 (that's 6 years ago) I must've converted most of the village to being Evertonians. The fact that they are black yellow purple or green shouldn't come into it ? we are all humans and should be treated like so.
So don't come on here slaughtering our area and praising them, ask most clued-up blues. I have heard the shout before about how we let them fill our pubs all pissed and singing without trouble ? try doing that up there and you will get murder and my mate sat in their end in the Shearer volley game and got kicked off on until he had to leave. Get your facts right, we have some dickheads but not on their level, you are welcome to support them with that attitude.
I am calling for people like Alan Codd to be banned for making false accusations not people like me for having an opinion.
Roy Jones ? I asked Michael to bar your comments on this thread only, as your support for these ignorant hate mongers I felt contravened the TW clause regards posts on racial slurs. You did not post a racist comment, but you support those who do, defending them as ?loyal?. TW is not a democracy, and there are rules which I felt you had broken. I hope the level of disgust against any type of support for these racists will make you re-evaluate your stance. Just out of interest, at what point do you draw the line with the loyal Evertonian excuse? GBH? Rape? Murder? Stirring racial hatred is a crime in this country, it is not excusable. It does not just affect those at whom it is aimed.
Perry - its a good point. How the hell they can charge an extra 10p a litre of fuel is fecking amazing. The argument apparently is it costs more for them to ship the fuel out to these service stations.... that would be on the same motorways they use to get to the town and city stations then... so its on the way!
They love the laugh and the ale eh! Dead freindly and all that shit, what bollocks. And, as I have said before, we have a horrible hoodie brigade following us away, but at least most opposition fans can come to the pubs on County Road, have a beer and a sing song and a laugh ? something you could not do near most Premier League grounds without having murder.
I do not justify their actions on the journey to the stadium, but they help fill the section and give the players a lift seeing thousands of Evertonians getting behind them.
Abusive content removed by moderator
Condone:
?verb (used with object), -doned, -don⋅ing. 1. to disregard or overlook (something illegal, objectionable, or the like).
2. to give tacit approval to: By his silence, he seemed to condone their behavior.
3. to pardon or forgive (an offense); excuse.
So you weren?t condoning them?
Abusive content removed by moderator
There are few things in this life that matter more to me than the fortunes of the only team that matters. I know that there is a certain silliness to being an adult and still being capable of having your weekend ruined by Moyesie playing one up front in the home derby, but what can I do? I've been like this forever. When I was eight I used the RS team picture from Shoot! as a dartboard. Sometimes still do.
I'm not sure, though, that any loss can equal how devastated and hopeless I felt last night to realize that for all these years I've been sitting here on Canada's cozy left coast virtually unaware that the throbbing hordes on my tv celebrating our every away goal as if it was the second coming, are in some part made up of the types of people I wouldn't poke with a stick.
I thought all Evertonians were just like me. And Kenneth Kee. And Shez Khan. And Steve Templeton.
I'm not naive, merely a touch ignorant at times. It was positively heartbreaking to read the stuff that Shez and Ken posted on here yesterday. And to think that some of those assholes with piss seeping through their pants are apparently proud of their actions. Sheesh, what turds.
For fuck sakes, let's get that petition going!

