Football

[Howyoudoin]

Following the sad news of the Queen’s death, the official Government advice was that nothing needed to be cancelled this weekend.

So why did the Premier League and the FA decide to cancel all football matches up and down the country? It makes no sense.

If it’s a ‘matter of respect’ why haven’t other sports been cancelled, and shopping centres, pubs and restaurants closed?

HYD

[Leothebear]

Just another case of the PL and FA making the wrong call?

[dealtn]

Following the sad news of the Queen’s death, the official Government advice was that nothing needed to be cancelled this weekend.

So why did the Premier League and the FA decide to cancel all football matches up and down the country? It makes no sense.

If it’s a ‘matter of respect’ why haven’t other sports been cancelled, and shopping centres, pubs and restaurants closed?

HYD

It actually took a long time to come to this decision. So long in fact that many teams had already set off. Many won't as a result be able to recover travel and accommodation costs.

As well as the considerations of respect, balanced against the desire (perhaps shared by the Queen) for life to be as normal as possible, there are the practical considerations regarding policing (and to a lesser extent stewarding). A large additional call on police resource is currently happening as official and unofficial mourning events are requiring a police (and security) presence. It is deemed this stretching of an already tight resource might make some matches impractical. Pragmatic solutions being for all matches to be postponed, and a blanket "respect", rather than have a partial programme of games which would be odd visually to explain I imagine.

[Howyoudoin]

Following the sad news of the Queen’s death, the official Government advice was that nothing needed to be cancelled this weekend.

So why did the Premier League and the FA decide to cancel all football matches up and down the country? It makes no sense.

If it’s a ‘matter of respect’ why haven’t other sports been cancelled, and shopping centres, pubs and restaurants closed?

HYD

It actually took a long time to come to this decision. So long in fact that many teams had already set off. Many won't as a result be able to recover travel and accommodation costs.

As well as the considerations of respect, balanced against the desire (perhaps shared by the Queen) for life to be as normal as possible, there are the practical considerations regarding policing (and to a lesser extent stewarding). A large additional call on police resource is currently happening as official and unofficial mourning events are requiring a police (and security) presence. It is deemed this stretching of an already tight resource might make some matches impractical. Pragmatic solutions being for all matches to be postponed, and a blanket "respect", rather than have a partial programme of games which would be odd visually to explain I imagine.

I suspect that a lot of what you have said is true, though I’m unsure what these unofficial mourning events are that require a large police presence.

People constantly bang on about the NHS, saying that it is underfunded, long waiting lists etc but at least it still works when you need it. They were fabulous recently for my Wife and I.

On the other hand, I think the Police force is now literally not fit for service. Try getting them to investigate car theft, burglary etc and it’s likely that they won’t even send someone to speak to you, even if you have video evidence. That’s more than worrying. It’s scandalous.

There have been a few warning signs in recent times about what could happen at a large event without a proper police presence but I suspect it will take a tragedy for everyone to really start to take seriously the fact that our police can’t cope any more at current staffing levels.

HYD

[Leothebear]

You may be on to something about the police. The obvious reason is under funding as per all public services. As a nation we seem to be slipping ever lower in providing essential public services. The fact that the NHS is as good as it is, seems remarkable.

I'm furious though about the football. We already have the ridiculous World Cup, in that hotbed of football - Qatar, wrecking the fixture schedule.
The one comfort is that the FA and PL aren't as corrupt as FIFA.

[Howyoudoin]

I was just responding to RedSturgeon on a similar thread but that one has been locked now for being a duplicate of this one.

Anecdotally, my brother, who lives in Leigh on Sea, told me that the town had a whole weekend of festivities planned with live music, artists, food, drink and a sailing regatta on Sunday. Tens of thousands of pounds in the planning and a lifeline for struggling businesses after covid. It’s now been forced to cancel by the Council.

As he said, perhaps we’re supposed to just sit indoors this weekend in silent reflection. And then go back to work on Monday of course like nothing has happened.

HYD

[Laughton]

Personally I've always thought it quite uplifting for fans to pay respect with one minutes applause rather than silence - and would it not be better to celebrate a life well lived in this way?

But given previous instances of football fans booing the national anthem (Liverpool FC comes to mind) - maybe not such a surprise that the football authorities felt it best to avoid the possibility.

Not such worries with fans of rugby doing anything similar.

Just saying.

[Howyoudoin]

perhaps we’re supposed to just sit indoors this weekend in silent reflection. And then go back to work on Monday of course like nothing has happened.

HYD

Watched 2 hours of the BBC coverage and that’s enough for me. I’ve done my silent reflecting.

I’d forgotten that the 3rd Test is on today. That’s not been cancelled. England already have SA on the ropes, 54-6, so I’ve missed a lot of the action with all this reflecting. That’ll learn me.

HYD

[Mike88]

Following the sad news of the Queen’s death, the official Government advice was that nothing needed to be cancelled this weekend.

So why did the Premier League and the FA decide to cancel all football matches up and down the country? It makes no sense.

If it’s a ‘matter of respect’ why haven’t other sports been cancelled, and shopping centres, pubs and restaurants closed?

HYD

There is probably a suspicion that any minutes silence before any match might be met with anti Royalist boos.

[Howyoudoin]

Following the sad news of the Queen’s death, the official Government advice was that nothing needed to be cancelled this weekend.

So why did the Premier League and the FA decide to cancel all football matches up and down the country? It makes no sense.

If it’s a ‘matter of respect’ why haven’t other sports been cancelled, and shopping centres, pubs and restaurants closed?

HYD

There is probably a suspicion that any minutes silence before any match might be met with anti Royalist boos.

Very unlikely and already tested on Thursday night shortly after the announcement when West Ham played Bucharest at the London Stadium where it was observed impeccably.

The only exception I can think of would be Liverpool fans.

HYD

[Mike88]

There is probably a suspicion that any minutes silence before any match might be met with anti Royalist boos.

Very unlikely and already tested on Thursday night shortly after the announcement when West Ham played Bucharest at the London Stadium where it was observed impeccably.

The only exception I can think of would be Liverpool fans.

HYD

On my own club's forum (Cardiff City) there was concern the silence or applause before a match would not be observed. Mention was also made of Celtic and Liverpool. I would also add Millwall to the list if they were playing home on thar day.

[dealtn]

Very unlikely and already tested on Thursday night shortly after the announcement when West Ham played Bucharest at the London Stadium where it was observed impeccably.

The only exception I can think of would be Liverpool fans.

HYD

On my own club's forum (Cardiff City) there was concern the silence or applause before a match would not be observed. Mention was also made of Celtic and Liverpool. I would also add Millwall to the list if they were playing home on thar day.

In my experience I can't recall the last time a minute's silence wasn't meticulously observed, or a minute's applause not generously supported. They are surprisingly common. From memory we had 3 at home last season - approx 10% of games. (I've only seen on of your 3 mentioned teams play though).

[Mike88]

On my own club's forum (Cardiff City) there was concern the silence or applause before a match would not be observed. Mention was also made of Celtic and Liverpool. I would also add Millwall to the list if they were playing home on thar day.

In my experience I can't recall the last time a minute's silence wasn't meticulously observed, or a minute's applause not generously supported. They are surprisingly common. From memory we had 3 at home last season - approx 10% of games. (I've only seen on of your 3 mentioned teams play though).

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... -halt.html

[garfsuncle]

In my experience the FA have a long history of reaching wrong or ludicrous decisions. Did you know that all football this weekend was cancelled right down to the under-8s? I wonder what amount of public disrespect was anticipated at this kind of event. What’s the betting they’ll add to this debacle next weekend by imposing further cancellations ahead of Monday’s funeral? And then be astonished at the fixture pile-up before and after the ridiculously timed and situated World Cup, organised of course by that other genius of a football association, the formerly massively corrupt FIFA. How long will it take for some form of intelligence to be injected into football authorities in general?

Alan

[Leothebear]

In my experience the FA have a long history of reaching wrong or ludicrous decisions. Did you know that all football this weekend was cancelled right down to the under-8s? I wonder what amount of public disrespect was anticipated at this kind of event. What’s the betting they’ll add to this debacle next weekend by imposing further cancellations ahead of Monday’s funeral? And then be astonished at the fixture pile-up before and after the ridiculously timed and situated World Cup, organised of course by that other genius of a football association, the formerly massively corrupt FIFA. How long will it take for some form of intelligence to be injected into football authorities in general?

Alan

I cannot tell you how much I agree with this.
Leo

[NotSure]

The cancellation does not apply to all football of course. Just everyone except Eton

Eton College condemned for ignoring FA's ban on football after Queen's death

Eton has been condemned for playing two football matches in defiance of the postponement of all fixtures as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Britain’s most famous public school, which has had long-standing links with the royal family, played host to Rossall School just hours after games from the Premier League right down to grass-roots level were called off......

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... ens-death/

[dealtn]

In my experience the FA have a long history of reaching wrong or ludicrous decisions. Did you know that all football this weekend was cancelled right down to the under-8s? I wonder what amount of public disrespect was anticipated at this kind of event. What’s the betting they’ll add to this debacle next weekend by imposing further cancellations ahead of Monday’s funeral? And then be astonished at the fixture pile-up before and after the ridiculously timed and situated World Cup, organised of course by that other genius of a football association, the formerly massively corrupt FIFA. How long will it take for some form of intelligence to be injected into football authorities in general?

Alan

There will likely be some cancelled fixtures next Saturday. I note Ar$enal's game against PSV scheduled for Thursday has been postponed despite it being in the period where games were expected to be back being played. These aren't being imposed by the FA. We have just risk assessed our fixture, involving a number of different authorities (and not the FA). There will be no astonishment about the extra fixtures having to be accommodated. Ours has already been agreed between both clubs and the league.

It won't take long for the football authorities to have some form of intelligence. It already exists. I'm afraid your "rant" contains more opinion than fact.

[dealtn]

The FA have just made their formal announcement. Only games on the day of the funeral itself under the jurisdiction of the FA are to be postponed.

[Howyoudoin]

The FA have just made their formal announcement. Only games on the day of the funeral itself under the jurisdiction of the FA are to be postponed.

Not quite true.

Only 7 of 10 Premier League games will be going ahead.

Chelsea vs Liv, Man Utd vs Leeds and Brighton vs Cp are off.

The last one was off anyway and the first two are now off for ‘security’ reasons.

That’s a convenient excuse for Liverpool isn’t it?

HYD

[dealtn]

The FA have just made their formal announcement. Only games on the day of the funeral itself under the jurisdiction of the FA are to be postponed.

Not quite true.

Only 7 of 10 Premier League games will be going ahead.

Chelsea vs Liv, Man Utd vs Leeds and Brighton vs Cp are off.

The last one was off anyway and the first two are now off for ‘security’ reasons.

That’s a convenient excuse for Liverpool isn’t it?

HYD

Maybe I should have been more explicit.

Only games on the day of the funeral itself under the jurisdiction of the FA are to be postponed by the FA