Football Lads Against Fascism

[SpackleFrog]

Got some coverage in the Metro: New anti-fascist football fans to fight rise of far right in football | Metro News

I don't think it could be Football Fans Against Fascism by the way (FFAF), not that FLAF is a great acronym.

 

[Red About Town]

A New Anti-Fascist Football Group Has Recruited Thousands Of Fans To Fight The Far Right

 

[The39thStep]

Doing a good job with activity around a lot of teams. Personally I dont regard the DFLA as fascists but when their leaders mate Frank Portinari is a member ( 'he's a mate but we dont talk about politics') and they post a video by someone who openly supports Gen Id you have to say that their claim to be against all extremism is somewhat bold. Their Facebook pages are extremely anti left , politically they are UKIP types however given the lack of bombings to march against they are very busy finding new causes . Earlier this year it was Justice for the 21 in Birmingham and now its the rapes in Sunderland all issues that a lot of people would have no trouble supporting.It would be a shame if they were left to write the narrative.

 

[Idris2002]

Well maybe. Not sure that sitting down for 90 minutes and eating a pie is that much of a work out.

So that's where I went wrong.

 

[mrs quoad]

SCHISM!

Already.

AntiLa

 

[SpackleFrog]

According to their FB page Sheffield SUTR were out at the Blades game last week handing out those FLAF stickers as well as their usual Don't Let Hate Win material.

Stand Up To Racism Sheffield

It's not just all secretly another fucking swappie front is it?

 

[cantsin]

According to their FB page Sheffield SUTR were out at the Blades game last week handing out those FLAF stickers as well as their usual Don't Let Hate Win material.

Stand Up To Racism Sheffield

It's not just all secretly another fucking swappie front is it?

wld be v surprised if it was - the memey / badge stuff looks like it cld be coming from the same Proletarian Memetics Lab (FB ) / TAL ( possibly ) end of things at a guess, and none if this very Swappie generally (at all) ?

 

[SpackleFrog]

wld be v surprised if it was - the memey / badge stuff looks like it cld be coming from the same Proletarian Memetics Lab (FB ) / TAL ( posssibly ) end of things ) at a guess, and none if its very Swappie at all ?

Did think that - I mean, they hate football, always have, and #LADZ. But this is first example I've seen of anyone actually doing anything IRL with the FLAF brand.

 

[Nigel]

They probably doing more harm than good: S W P !
I doubt they have any genuine connection or long term supporters of clubs !
As far as liberal establishment campaigns in the past were.are successful, 'kick racism out of football' appeared to be reasonably good !

Maybe if there was a genuine strategy finding known long term fans to be involved and producing fanzine that links into local community issues, problems with corruption and club an element of class consciousness & like B Bulldog used to pics of known characters, fans & antics pf alleged 'hoolies'; then add more hardline political stuff later as popularity increases.
Having a load of students, middle class types & cliched lefties parachuting in could cause more problems than getting genuine support !

 

[gawkrodger]

It's not just all secretly another fucking swappie front is it?

It's very far from an SWP front

 

[SpackleFrog]

It's very far from an SWP front

I'm glad to hear it. But who/what is it then?

I think this kind of initiative has real potential. I'd like to get involved in some way, but not in Sheffield if it's gonna mean handing out that SUTR shite to people.

It would be good to know about whether people are doing this kind of stuff at other clubs, or about other examples of people using this to build among football supporters.

 

[LiamO]

I doubt they have any genuine connection or long term supporters of clubs !

Lol

 

[LiamO]

Having a load of students, middle class types & cliched lefties parachuting in could cause more problems than getting genuine support !

Just as well then, that FLAF is a load of working class football fans, most of whom are political activists too.

 

[SpackleFrog]

Just as well then, that FLAF is a load of working class football fans, most of whom are political activists too.

How many? What kind of activists? Can we get involved?

 

[The39thStep]

How many? What kind of activists? Can we get involved?

Facebook page good place to start. Lots of stickers going up at clubs. Supporters include some who attended FLA marches but who left because they felt FLA were too right wing .

 

[juice_terry]

wld be v surprised if it was - the memey / badge stuff looks like it cld be coming from the same Proletarian Memetics Lab (FB ) / TAL ( possibly ) end of things at a guess, and none if this very Swappie generally (at all) ?

 

[cantsin]

on a related note, Red London's off it's tits at the moment

 

[ddraig]

swappies saying it's great and asking for stickers in Cardiff
might be an attempted (local) takeover, or just enthusiasm for a new direction, we'll see...

 

[manji]

It is an entirely grass roots reaction to Robinson’s increasing influence on the terraces. SWP , UAF, Hope Not Hate etc have all attempted to excert influence but have all been declined.

 

[SpackleFrog]

It is an entirely grass roots reaction to Robinson’s increasing influence on the terraces. SWP , UAF, Hope Not Hate etc have all attempted to excert influence but have all been declined.

Is it anything beyond a facebook page and stickers though? Or are there plans for it to be?

If the only people actually handing these stickers out are SWP then eventually it will become associated with them whether it is or not.

 

[ddraig]

Is it anything beyond a facebook page and stickers though? Or are there plans for it to be?

If the only people actually handing these stickers out are SWP then eventually it will become associated with them whether it is or not.

Why would the only people handing them out be SWP when it started as not involving them? have you looked at the page and the amount of people from different clubs asking for stickers to be made and to get hold of them??
Of course the swappies will be trying to jump on the bandwagon, as per usual, hopefully they won't be able to take it over/appropriate it

 

[SpackleFrog]

Why would the only people handing them out be SWP when it started as not involving them? have you looked at the page and the amount of people from different clubs asking for stickers to be made and to get hold of them??
Of course the swappies will be trying to jump on the bandwagon, as per usual, hopefully they won't be able to take it over/appropriate it

Yes, I've looked at the page. My point, which I'm beginning to feel people are being very defensive about, is that the only people I have seen any evidence of using these stickers and this brand to talk to football fans about anti racism are SWP.

Is this a campaign or just some stickers? If it is a campaign, how can we get involved?

 

[ddraig]

Are you a swappie?

Ime, people (footy fans) I know who aren't swappies in Cardiff have got involved and hold of the stickers and spreading the word to footy fans.
apparently it's to counter the FLA and DFLA and an attempt to stop the rise of the right at football clubs, I haven't got involved as i'm not a massive footy fan so would be disingenuous
Did hear that a couple of swappies/sutr went to a meeting near me and were raving about it and asking for stickers etc

Maybe look on the page(s) to see who from your club/area have asked for stickers and whether they're organising, at a guess

 

[SpackleFrog]

Are you a swappie?

Ime, people (footy fans) I know who aren't swappies in Cardiff have got involved and hold of the stickers and spreading the word to footy fans.
apparently it's to counter the FLA and DFLA and an attempt to stop the rise of the right at football clubs, I haven't got involved as i'm not a massive footy fan so would be disingenuous
Did hear that a couple of swappies/sutr went to a meeting near me and were raving about it and asking for stickers etc

Maybe look on the page(s) to see who from your club/area have asked for stickers and whether they're organising, at a guess

No you fucking muppet of course I'm not a swop.

Great. You heard about a meeting. Who organised the meeting?

As I've explained earlier the only people doing anything related to the stickers in Sheffield are SWP. I don't want to go and help them give out SUTR leaflets. What I'm trying to find out is if there are any people at all in my area I can get involved with who are doing anything.

I am a football fan but one that lives in exile from my hometown and my club - I go to the odd Wednesday game but not enough to be part of the community iyswim.

 

[ddraig]

no need for the muppet now! just asking, glad to hear it
I'm not going to tell you who organised the meeting and it's irrelevant as not even in your fucking country
I've suggested how you could find out who's getting involved where you are so maybe do that rather than asking here

 

[SpackleFrog]

no need for the muppet now! just asking, glad to hear it
I'm not going to tell you who organised the meeting and it's irrelevant as not even in your fucking country
I've suggested how you could find out who's getting involved where you are so maybe do that rather than asking here

It's clearly not irrelevant.

Yes thank you, lots of people have said check the page what nobody has said is anything other than "there if a facebook page". I am aware there is a page, gave a like and a share and everything.

 

[ddraig]

It's clearly not irrelevant.

Yes thank you, lots of people have said check the page what nobody has said is anything other than "there if a facebook page". I am aware there is a page, gave a like and a share and everything.

How is who organised a meeting in Cardiff relevant to you??
Maybe search the page for "Sheffield" and see who's fucking posted. HTH

 

[manji]

Is it anything beyond a facebook page and stickers though? Or are there plans for it to be?

If the only people actually handing these stickers out are SWP then eventually it will become associated with them whether it is or not.

To suggest that the only people handing out sticker are the SWP is laughable. I know about 200 FLAF around the country and they are all genuine football supporters. A surprisingly large amount of casuals. Supporters all around the country are producing and financing their own stickers based on the basic FLAF template.
I’ve found that the few times SWP or UAF have tried to dip in they are confused by the concept of average football lads organising something like this.
The page does come over as a badge collectors forum at times but it has been very effective in spreading the word. It’s just the start. We have only been going 6 weeks.
FLA are genuinely confused as well one of them suggesting it was a combined Anti-Fa / Police Action to smoke out the Nazis in the FLA FFS.
Again they can’t get thier heads round the fact that casuals and ex hoolies can be opposed to them.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Bit fed up with this 'lads' thing myself.

No one should ever use the word lasses unless they are Scottish.

Ah me lads, ye shud only seen us gannin’,
We pass’d the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin’;
Thor wes lots o’ lads an’ lasses there, all wi’ smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.

 

[manji]

Ah me lads, ye shud only seen us gannin’,
We pass’d the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin’;
Thor wes lots o’ lads an’ lasses there, all wi’ smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.

It’s specifically to mirror the FLA even our logo is an appropriation of the FLA