Chants about the fire?

[Ian Royal]

I find it extremely difficult to believe that action is in reference to the appalling tragedy that the fire at Valley Parade caused. I think the smoke bomb and the "Is there a fire drill" chant combined with the anniversary has got all sorts of people seeing links where there are none.

What's more likely, that a guy who probably wasn't alive at the time of the fire and may well have never even heard of it, let alone seen it would pat his head to make reference to a particular unpleasant moment from it to taunt Bradford fans, or that he's doing something else?

It's not exactly uncommon for baldies to get stick at football matches. Surely that's a far more likely explanation?


We'll never know, unless he admits it, or someone has audio of him shouting about it... so why not just go with the balance of probability and assume he was a twat trying to taunt a baldie and not get our knickers in a twist over something it probably isn't. We can all agree that anyone doing what's alleged would be utterly contemptible and move on. You simply can't call for sanctions on the basis of that extremely flimsy and ambiguous evidence.

[The Bantam Menace]

Okay guys. I'll leave it at that then, if you want to say he's taunting a baldy then that's fine. He's probably just unlucky that he's used the exact same action that other fans have used previously with reference to the fire.

By the same token I hope you'll forgive our fans who chucked the bottles and coins onto the pitch. We'd mistaken the riot police for charity collecting bin men and were just helping them out in their fund raising and recycling efforts

[No Fixed Abode]

This is all getting a bit Liverpool.

If anything did happen the Police will catch them with all the CCTV in the Stadium.

[RoyalBlue]

Okay guys. I'll leave it at that then, if you want to say he's taunting a baldy then that's fine. He's probably just unlucky that he's used the exact same action that other fans have used previously with reference to the fire.

By the same token I hope you'll forgive our fans who chucked the bottles and coins onto the pitch. We'd mistaken the riot police for charity collecting bin men and were just helping them out in their fund raising and recycling efforts

I think IR may have unwittingly hit nail on head (if indeed someone was really tapping their head in the direction of Bradford fans). Only someone who wasn't around at the time of tragedies such as Valley Parade and Hillsborough would be so effing stupid and insensitive to take the p*ss about them. No one who saw those horrors at the time on the TV and in the media could be that dumb, could they?

[paultheroyal]

The smoke bomb incident was poor but being dealt with.

The racist comment is poor and being dealt with.

Pitch invader was funny and to be remembered.

The pitch invasion was unnecessary, cringey but done with.

Bradford had a great cup run, we are having a great cup run and now at Wembley. Amazing.

Can we draw a line under last night now please and enjoy the rest of the season.

[The Bantam Menace]

unwittingly hit nail on head (if indeed someone was really tapping their head in the direction of Bradford fans). Only someone who wasn't around at the time of tragedies such as Valley Parade and Hillsborough would be so effing stupid and insensitive to take the p*ss about them. No one who saw those horrors at the time on the TV and in the media could be that dumb, could they?

You'd think so but in the age of social media it seems to be making a bit of a comeback. There's actually a 45 year old Chesterfield fan going through the courts at the moment for comments he made on a Facebook site relating to it.

It's sad I know but there's people out there who get their kicks out of very strange things.

[It's only a cup...]

The smoke bomb incident was poor but being dealt with.

The racist comment is poor and being dealt with.

Pitch invader was funny and to be remembered.

The pitch invasion was unnecessary, cringey but done with.

Bradford had a great cup run, we are having a great cup run and now at Wembley. Amazing.

Can we draw a line under last night now please and enjoy the rest of the season.

Agree with this. When I look back on our cup run I'll want to remember what the players did throughout the competition, not what some of our (or your) fans did on Monday night.

It was a disappointing end to our run, but we've had plenty of time to get used to that... Every cup run we've had since 1911 has ended disappointingly.

[Winchester Royal]

The smoke bomb incident was poor but being dealt with.

The racist comment is poor and being dealt with.

Pitch invader was funny and to be remembered.

The pitch invasion was unnecessary, cringey but done with.

Bradford had a great cup run, we are having a great cup run and now at Wembley. Amazing.

Can we draw a line under last night now please and enjoy the rest of the season.

Agree with this. When I look back on our cup run I'll want to remember what the players did throughout the competition, not what some of our (or your) fans did on Monday night.

It was a disappointing end to our run, but we've had plenty of time to get used to that... Every cup run we've had since 1911 has ended disappointingly.

I think Ian has hit the nail on the head - some idiots with no idea of the connotations of their actions. I recall that when Exeter were sponsored by an Airline, they had a game at Old Trafford and the airline had either encouraged or offered a bonus to any goal scorer that celebrated with an aeroplane gesture. Pure lack of recognition for how or why this would offend from people that should know better.

And every cup run we've ever had has ended in disappointment...

[Big Foot]

Can't work out what the biggest over-reaction here is

Bradford fans anger at the "fire drill" chant

Reading fans "disgust" at an incident where there's been no injuries reported

Bradford fans ghastly reaction to the head patting



I genuinely Bradford don't play Cardiff anytime soon, 1 rendition of their Ayatollah song and the phone lines to Samaritans & Crimestoppers will be jammed

[LWJ]

Wtf has head patting got to do with the fire? Why don't you explain as nobody here seems to have a clue...

[Norfolk Royal]

Wtf has head patting got to do with the fire? Why don't you explain as nobody here seems to have a clue...

Lots of people who were on fire ran onto the pitch and were trying to smother the flames by patting themselves on the head or other parts of the body, helped by other people.

[LWJ]

Wtf has head patting got to do with the fire? Why don't you explain as nobody here seems to have a clue...

Lots of people who were on fire ran onto the pitch and were trying to smother the flames by patting themselves on the head or other parts of the body, helped by other people.

I'm not sure many people knew that would ever be a reference. Do they think Cardiff take the piss out of them every game?

[tidus_mi2]

Wtf has head patting got to do with the fire? Why don't you explain as nobody here seems to have a clue...

Lots of people who were on fire ran onto the pitch and were trying to smother the flames by patting themselves on the head or other parts of the body, helped by other people.

I'm not sure many people knew that would ever be a reference. Do they think Cardiff take the piss out of them every game?

What other reason would there be to be patting your head, especially in front of the Bradford fans?

[LWJ]

What other reason would there be to be patting your head, especially in front of the Bradford fans?

Common reference if someone is bald

[TBM]

Wtf has head patting got to do with the fire? Why don't you explain as nobody here seems to have a clue...

A fans head was on fire

Watch the video

[Big Foot]

What other reason would there be to be patting your head, especially in front of the Bradford fans?

I think it's quite clear that this innocent bloke was doing the "head patting" to imitate the attendees of Ayatollah Khomeini's funeral, where they performed this action to express their grief.

Innocent bloke clearly relates this to the grief that the Bradford fans were suffering due to getting stuffed on their big day out.

Nothing more to see here.

[Platypuss]

Somewhat surprising, considering the sensitivity Bradford fans have on this matter.

"a man from Bradford was arrested outside the ground before the game for possession of a flare."

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/fa-cup-reading-bradford-madejski-stadium-2340403.aspx#W1M20hcXGBOxZ1dp.99

[Pepe the Horseman]

Hi Forbes.

[Big Foot]

I'd also like to just offer up my thanks to whichever supporter was brave enough to handle the smoke grenade/flare/whatever on Monday night and do a great job in removing it from the scene where several Reading fans could've been injured.

Health & Safety monitoring at it's finest, bravo.

[melonhead]

Having said that, at least we had something to raid the pitch for last night...

winning.....a single game with no trophy at the end of it?

and a million quid, and a bit of history, yeah, don't know why we bothered to go

if getting to a semi is somehow 'history' id rather not thanks
and I don't get a million quid, so...

but to somehow equate that to not bothering to go, or enjoy the game and result is a bit simple