Hostile or volatile? The Sydney derby needs to pull its head in

Let's be clear on one thing; violence is unacceptable, no matter who or what the reasoning. I have taken new football fans to the Sydney derby and they have been in awe of the passion, the noise, the colour and the atmosphere. The 3 derby games this season have been absolutely outstanding matches: the 3-2 win for FC at SFS, the 1-1 draw at Parramatta and SFC's recent 4-3 victory. The Aaron Claver slap is not a good thing, but was perpetrated by one person, acting out some misguided grudge. It was stopped quick smart and happened in the members area, nowhere near the active support. The attack on Sydney FC fans at the train station is a blight, but once again, this did not happen at the ground, and there is no evidence, apart from what they were wearing, to suggest the alleged assailants attended the game or are a part of the RBB (which is vigilant in their policing of fan behaviour). None of these excuse the actions but Wanderers fans are being held up to account for the actions of a misaligned few, and that is quite probably because they have rejected in the past the presence of News Limited and commercial TV reporters doing stories because of the way they can so easily be manipulated by media outlets with vested interests.

AZ - I reckon there are plenty of incidents that go unreported in and around the grounds. If there were more "Old school" reporters they would have sniffed out plenty over the last 3 seasons, probably taken videos or photos and there would be a lot more fuss being made. On the way to the Allianz game this season, i happened to be crossing a path up near the Captain Cook just as The Cove was marching towards the stadium. I was obviously fair game to quite a few of them despite being with my wife. Fortunately after a few running kicks and punches there were persons who realised what was happening and brought it to a halt. I have witnessed similar in the streets in the Surrey Hills area, and threatening behaviour on trains from both sets. There are groups around that are attracted to the Ultras of europe and south america and all that entails. I have met plenty of Wanderers fans that like the "edgy reputation" and it is played up everywhere we go by fans, authorities, pubs, clubs and retailers. In Adelaide a few weekends ago, there was a police escort with horses back to the tramstop and riot police boarded the tram back into the CBD........ We were sitting having a good chat with Adelaide supporters and gaining recommendations for local drinking establishments.......not exactly stuff needing riot control .......hey but that's life following the team. I grew up with it far worse in the Uk in bygone days so now I just laugh or smile at most of it and think"if only they knew"

what is the point of this article? basically just says "oh guys please stop fighting" crowd violence is bad but it will always occur and we need to kick them out but then it always seems to be people wearing red and black in the wrong. maybe we should make them play in front of a few empty crowds and see if it changes anything.

Feel free to link some articles.

Three letters h.c.s stop spreading lies kane your side is every bit as guilty wether you know of the incidences or not.

Ciudadmarron, there's a certain song by the band "Spin Doctors" Which reminds me of you.

You can take the moral high ground about being the "real" representative of this fractured city (in name at least) but the other thing is while a name might galvanize local support - great job in doing that when you were on your own, we clearly saw how important it is - it's something else that gets support from elsewhere. Theres some really specific localities in world football woth big support. I'm happy to be part of a club that knows what it is and isn't trying to be all things to all people. Seems to be working out alright. The east tag gets you guys riled up, funny it's gained a foothold... you did the honorable thing and stick to your team. Respect for that. I'm glad I made the choice to wait. Now I'm not singing insults at myself.

Wow. You are innocent if the number of crimes is less. I'll keep that in mind your honour. Double standards solidify the narrative, intended or no. Please explain why your firms use of knives received a paragraph with no comment or witness stories or anything else.

Forgot to add I've searched sfcu all I can find is people like yourself referring to all this data but no links. As for turncoat, you insinuated I was one. Even your sentence "may not be you" here implies disbelief. Yes there are some. But explain to me why despite 8000 memberships sold in season one, your memberships went up as well? You had lost most of the turncoats well before we came along. Why? Well that's for your club to think about.

Eddy of course you see it that way. That's your narrative. Of course SFC fans not from the eastern edge see it that way. They've bought in and now have to go along with it. This is why you are still going on about geography (I'll advisedly seeing as the sfs is not centrally located). East means more than direction as does west. The class thing is much closer to what it's about. And regardless of your real position in society, when the club was started, in the east, with Hollywood stars, all night dwight, club reps talking up the glitz and glamour, some bought into that, some didn't. that says something about who they are regardless of where they are from. One chant? And million tifos. And a couple of westie songs. Sydney might well be known as the harbour city but it's like LA being famous for Hollywood. The FC version of Sydney is tourist sydney.

For the data, call the club...and search the unofficial fan site. Now, I think it is you that does not get it. ” don’t give me that turncoat rubbish" Oh really? So are you saying some fans did not jump because of mere convenience? Well they did i'm afraid. I have personally spoken to quite a number who simply changed sides so they did not have to travel as far. Now it may not be you, but your club has to accept that there are people there who are simply turncoats out of convenience.As I said, I have no problem with it....it's easier to identify with a club form your own little patch with only a small distance to travel. If it's not about boundaries to ws fans, as you say, then why do fans from that club constantly refer to Sydney FC as 'East Sydney'? Please. It IS about boundaries to your fans. Boundaries made up to reflect something that simply isn't there to Sydney FC fans. Seriously, If it's not about boundaries to your fans, why keep referring to the club as East Sydney FC? East is a direction isn't it!? It must imply a location. You refer to one chant about the Harbour City. So what? Sydney is the harbour city. Everyone around the world knows that Sydney is the harbour city. If someone lives in Blacktown, they still reside in the harbour city. You also fail to mention the chants that encompass all of Sydney, including one that describes fans coming from everywhere, including western Sydney and the Blue Mountains. I think wsw fans want to create this east/west divide (they do it in their forums, they do it in their chants, and even the media sometimes do it). You say it is more about the wrong side of the tracks club - perhaps the whole working class west vs middle class rest, that has been put forward. Perhaps there s a bit more truth to that, only in that Sydney FC fans come from both richer and poorer areas. However WSW itself is simply a club that must be defined by boundaries as the name implies it...western Sydney. Hence the constant, and embarrassingly laughable east Sydney fc moniker. As stated, Sydney FC fans come from all over Sydney, including the areas with the most disadvantage. This simply cannot be denied. Of course the club plays out of the SFS, but that is a central location for all of Sydney isn't it? I personally know Sydney FC fans from Fairfield, Penrith, Wollongong, Blue Mountains, Campbelltown. All of them battlers - the type you suggest are not representative of Sydney FC. wsw is a club for one certain section of Sydney (defined by its name), Sydney FC however is for people that want a club that represents the totality of Sydney. That's the way I see it, and I would suggest it's the way virtually all Sydney FC fans see it.

The difference is that I state facts you just cry "Double standards" And think that actually means something. Show me Sydney FC's rap sheet, is it longer than WSW's? If it is then we have the problem not you, don't hold your breath though.

I have looked. All I find is SFC fans telling me they have it. Please link me. I'd love to read how the majority of you guys come from the eastern edge of the basin. "The difference is..." don't give me that turncoat rubbish. Sydney fc were never for me. The culture is not me. I went to the aleague sometimes to do the right thing but they weren't my team. Guess what there are other ways to support football funnily enough. A team for all sydney? That line only came up once wsw started. But like I said. The glamour stuff, the movie stars, the constant references to the harbour. There is so much more to this city. Most of it is not glamorous. Most of it does not have a water view. If your club did identify with all of it would look different... and if your fans did you might lose a few songs from the repertoire. Larger vision? Sure that's why your club stated they were happy about wsw creation as it would help define their boundaries. Their larger vision moved from the Centre of the basin to the eastern edge. Their larger vision involved going west.... When the sfs was unavailable. I say again though it's not about geography. There has always been a stigma attached to western sydney. Not a discrete boundary. But everyone knows what a westie is. And that is built on a long history going back hundreds of years. If you can't see sydney as a segmented city (in more ways than just this) you are kidding yourself. 8 years you guys had to unite it. You failed like pretty much every other attempt. Why? Because your vision isn't one that can appeal to all. Of Course you all assume it can... that's why you are SFC fans - it appeals to you. The term "east" just sums up what your club is, not where it is. Look at Kane here in this thread... attempting to put you guys as fans on pedestals above us... your not like those westies (probably mentally insert another term there that might belie those inner west sensibilities) are you. Even though, of course, sf is on the eastern extremity... :lol:And you all seem so touchy about it. ..

Yes it is our version of Sydney. Whats yours? You haven't looked hard for the data....try inner west, Kogarah and the shire. I may well live further west than yourself. The difference is. I stayed loyal. I actually was bothered to travel a few extra miles to support the a-league from day 1. I don't begrudged people switching, but i couldn't do it. The bling or the wrong side? I think most Sydney fc fans identify with all of it. They always have. Thats right, there is no imaginary line at Strathfield, yet wsw fans seem to have an obsession with calling the oneteam for all of Sydney, esfc. Yet nobody, absolutely nobody that supports the club sees it that way. Its a much broader larger vision. Always will be.It is something propogated by people wanting to create a geographical divide. Espresso for me. Never actually had a latte..

Remember your own tifo? Think "state of mind". It's not geography. It's your version of Sydney. The inner west? Firstly where do your stats come from? I've been trying to get my hands on these for years. Especially as I've been told you all come from kogarah. Secondly, if the terraced latte sipping chattering inner west is your big "gotcha" then it just proves how little you get it. Who do you identify with? Bling? The inner west? Glitz? Glamour? All night dwight? The big business lunch? Or the club from the wrong side of the tracks that everyone increasingly hates? Running on a shoestring, playing out of demountables? That's the tip of the iceberg but that's what east and west means. There isn't a line at strathfield (or... the anzac bridge you seem to think) or wherever. The fact that you and other fc fans don't get it actually reinforces it. So keep singing westie songs. I'm sure all those westie fans of yours appreciate it.

It is not east vs west! Thats simply fabricated by wsw fans that want to create a geographical divide. The fact is the inner WEST is a leading source of sydney fc fans. Sydney fc fans just laugh at the east sydney moniker...simply nonsense!

No kaks. It is NOT east vs west.Tell that to the thousands of sydney fc fans that live in west, south-west and blue mountains.

Chris, I was at the Aus v Korea final, we had riot police in the ground????????

The media will look for any excuse to bring our game down. As a SFC supporter I can say WSW is the best thing that has happened for our game. We should be united in our love for football, as we are judged differently and more harshly by the eggball media. CAN I SUGGEST THAT IN THE NEXT DERBY WE MARCH TOGETHER TO THE STADIUM IN CELEBRATION OF THE JOY AND TOGETHERNESS OF FOOTBALL. UNDER THE BANNER - "WE ARE FOOTBALL" This type of violence happens in eggball games, yet it is reported much differently in the media by eggball friendly media. Or not at all. Dont let them bring down our game. By scaring people into going to games.

There was also a small skirmish in season one outside of the coves home pub at the time. Was pretty scary actually with cops running towards us with pepper spray. Of course I ran the other way, I dont want any part of that crap. At the end of the SFS Derby this year there was a massive fight apparently just as you cross Anzac parade. Casuals from WSW squaring up with those from the cove. One of my mates, his mate got involved with it. Just stupid.