“You’re gonna get your f^&c&!g head kicked in”
Is it ever appropriate to heckle in community sport...
I was 18, give or take, when I first recall a personal threat being issued in my direction from the sidelines. I was playing against a team in St Helens when, mid-way through the first half, I heard a lady shout from the touchline, “Number 1, you’re gonna get your f^&c&!g head kicked in”.
I glanced over, and to my surprise, felt the gaze from whence the rather vociferous comment emanated directed squarely at me! It was at this point I joined the dots and realised it was me, in fact, who was about to get their ‘f^&c&!g head kicked in’.
This type of touchline barracking was parr for the course and sometimes, more alarmingly, came from our own fans when the teams performance left much to be desired. The threat was all the more real given the Western side of the pitch was flanked by concrete fencing, featuring horizontally orientated slats that, thanks to local vandals, had disintegrated into heavy chunks that lay on the ground. The perfect weapon with which to inflict the desired harm to my head should the spectators not want to sully their shoes (probably Reebok classics or Kickers) with my blood!
Such sideline hostility has been the topic of debate for many sports recently, not least after a clip from my hometown of Widnes went viral when a lady was filmed berating a young player about to take a conversion. Sport has responded by introducing initiatives that promote silent sidelines, creating an environment where young players compete without any input, positive or otherwise from those watching. They are designed, presumably, to keep those in the sport who may otherwise be deterred by vocal spectators.
The global pandemic provided a useful test case for such an environment at the professional level of sport. Some players were given a new lease of life without the fear of being heckled or berated for a mistimed tackle, misplaced pass, or errant strike on goal. Their confidence grew and they were able to express themselves in a way that a stadium full of passionate fans appeared to inhibit. This environment, albeit beneficial to some, is far from the norm and once fans returned, the form of said players declined.
Although not applicable to all sports, the ability to play and thrive in hostile environments is a key attribute of those who want to make it into the professional ranks of many teams sports, Football (Soccer), especially. The obscenities yelled from the stands have, historically, been nothing short of disgraceful and often personal in nature. One only has to watch the documentary on David Beckham to be reminded of how appallingly he and his family were treated after the infamous sending off against Argentina. The recent treatment of Russell Martin by Rangers fans (the team he was managing) show little has changed in the intervening 27 years. To their credit, neither were deterred by the personal attacks, a show of incredible strength, resilience and decorum.
Although sport has tried to make the environment within stadiums more family friendly, the practise of berating players is still very much alive and well. This doesn’t apply to all sports of course. I cannot recall a time when I have heard a Netballer, Hockey player or Volleyballer harassed from the touchline. Until recently, I could have said the same about Golf, however the recent Ryder Cup bucked that trend.
The upshot, as hard as it is to hear, is that in certain sports, young athletes are likely to benefit from being exposed to hostile crowds if they want to pursue a career at the highest level. Crowds who berate their mistakes, jeer when they get the ball, try to put them off or signal their displeasure when they come close to the boundary are all commonplace and for some, a key part of the experience that attracts them to watching live sport. If athletes don’t learn to deal with these influences at a young age, the impact they will have as they get older can be crippling. I have seen many players with the requisite skill and technical ability to be a professional Footballer yet struggle with the pressure of performing in front of a large and vocal crowd.
It is not just spectators whose ire athletes need to learn to deal with, the critique of coaches can be equally harsh once the changing room door has been closed. I worked with an academy coach who had been a professional player. He would speak to the players in a way many, including I, found confronting and, often, inappropriate. He would swear, highlight mistakes, and demand a standard of performance that for many at that point in their career, was out of reach. Some years later, I worked with one of the players he had coached who had gone onto a very successful professional career at both club and national team level. I took the opportunity to ask him, with the benefit of hindsight, how he felt the academy environment he had experienced had impacted him. His response might surprise you.
The player reported the experience as being overwhelmingly positive. He acknowledged that it was often uncomfortable and sometimes threatening however had prepared him for a career in the professional ranks. Without this experience early in his development he conceded that he would have crumbled when exposed to the first team environment in many of the clubs I have played for. Experiencing this level of hostility had allowed him to develop skills in selective hearing, to take the lessons that needed to be learnt whilst disregarding the more personal and derogatory comments. The player had learnt to recognise that things uttered in anger were rarely worth hanging on to; better to reflect and then move on.
This was a valuable lesson. The current zeitgeist in sport is to prioritise participation over performance. Initiatives linked to this movement, such as silent sidelines may benefit some young athletes however disadvantage others. Those who aspire to play professionally, at some point, need to be exposed to the realities of competing at this level which, for better or worse, spectators and their opinions are a key component.
Others may argue that it is professional sport that needs to change, that a utopia involves quietened stadia filled with well-timed applause and motivational chants. Anyone who has watched a Liverpool, Manchester, or London derby will know such a utopia is a long way off and anathema to many fans.