Now Who Thinks It's Meaningless

[Bri 'n' God3]

I don't often post but read this board every day and just want to say absolutely spot on Mr Red Faced.

Argyle are just the bullies in our corner of the playground (Devon). The rest of the country and League couldn't give a t*** about them or at best ridicule them: 'green army'.

Sadly it was totally expected, having been there many times over the last 30 years, younger fans didn't know what to expect - and of course shouldn't have to either.

That jungle path has always been the same and I'm amazed that the police still do nothing about it. And the club themselves don't ever seem welcoming.

However I certainly don't want a return to the old days when decent fans wouldn't go down there. We need to show our support and that our club is different.

Despise their club as I do, I still have to admit that they have decent supporters too and it's just for a rare derby that those few hundred scumbags come out to throw fireworks at and hit old men, women and children.

 

[thermopylai]

Try to avoid the words 'scum' or 'history'.

Thing is, it is all about history. Supporting a club is about identifying with its history. We always go on about our history - it is what makes ECFC what it is, whether its the recent history of the Trust, or being the first team to play Brazil.

Moreover - the history of rivalry between Exeter and Plymouth goes back a long way: long before either club existed. The old Roman city versus the port/naval city. The history of the South West is partly the competition and rivalry between us. The history of the cities have created very different places (what historians call "civic culture"), which results in very different football clubs and fanbases. (For example, I doubt you'll get many pretentious posts like this one on pasoti...)

None of this means we have to fight them. Just enjoy beating them very very much!

 

[CREDYGRECIAN]

They showed there true colours last night , we ****** em off the park....

Happy happy days.

 

[Whiptonite]

But presuming you were at the game last night, and presuming you watched the match last night, and presuming you took in the atmosphere last UNTIL it got ruined by the hooligan element, surely that is the illustration of why rivalries are good.

Isn't 'rivalry' the fuel that feeds the fire of hooliganism?

 

[greenawayr]

Isn't 'rivalry' the fuel that feeds the fire of hooliganism?

Rivalry is an excuse for hooliganism. Just like violent films and video games are an excuse for murderers (sometimes).

The switch is there waiting to be flicked, if it wasn't our derby game, it'd be something else, just probably a smaller scale.

Luckily, the majority of the population know the difference between wrong and right, but for those who don't, and those who have no morals, they just need an excuse.

It goes back to the same old story, why should the actions of a minority, ruin it for everyone else? There were 9000+ there last night who had no problem creating a vibrant atmosphere and exchanging banter, without having a fight and inciting violence, so clearly rivalry is not the problem. People are the problem!

 

[DaveE]

You know what, we have plenty of rivalry with Torquay over the years, and I can't say I'm fond of them ...but nothing they have done has ever given me the ammo to dislike them the way that Argyle have. If Exeter fans had acted toward Torquay fans in the alleged way that Argyle did to City last night, I would be equally as ashamed of them as I would angry with the Argyle nobs.

I couldn't agree more. There is an element amongst Argyle that is feral scum. I can remember in the nineties a group of them being escorted along the front of the Old Grandstand having got into the Big Bank. Bearing in mind it has always been a family stand packed with, well families and OAPs, the sight of them screaming abuse and threatening innocent people has always set the bar as to what I expect from the scum element they have. I've not seen Torquay do that.

 

[Worcester Grecian]

I'm all for rivalry.
I am old enough to remember previous derby games.
"I hate Argyle."
However, I hate what they stand for, not a set of individuals.

Perhaps I'm guilty of 'mob mentality'
But this game has been a dangerous distraction with regard to our league form.
Elsewhere I stated "It's no biggy"
Do you think I really believed that?

Lets get back to winning three points at home on staurday.

 

[BarBar]

I'm all for rivalry.
I am old enough to remember previous derby games.
"I hate Argyle."
However, I hate what they stand for, not a set of individuals.

Completely agree with this, I hate Ar**le, I really really do, but i don't hate individual fans or players or management (except maybe Peter Reid, I do hate him!!) I had a beer with a couple of Ar**le fans before the game and they were nice friendly football fans who unfortunately support them horrible green things!

I can't explain why I hate Ar**le it's like explaining to my missus, why I love watching eleven fully grown men kicking a ball into a net, I just do!

 

[Liam McNamara]

Easy answer! Every positive in this world must have a negative! Us being positive that is!!

I swear I was born with a natural instinct to hate argyle

 

[mammooman]

...but i don't hate individual fans or players or management...

Does that mean we get to reserve all the hatred for that idiot Sparks. He is one name linked to the slime, albeit through his job, that I cannot stand.