Would you wear clothing with the British Flag on it?

Auvers · 18-01-2012 01:39PM

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Bangladeshi?

I am going back to the 50ies when whole families left for the UK mainly to Manchester\Liverpool and this led to the core support in Ireland for theses clubs in the 70ies\80ies

starbelgrade · 18-01-2012 01:40PM

summerskin wrote: »

Ah, the patronising use of "son", despite the fact that I'm probably older than you. How clever.

Funny about the english having a bad name, i seem to recall the irish being unwelcome in vast swathes of the world. You're not seen as the happy-go-lucky, lovable rogues you seem to think.

Most irish people are sound, as are most british people. I've never been made to feel unwelcome anywhere I have travelled.

I find that surprising considering the outlook you appear to have.

Sindri · 18-01-2012 01:40PM

Auvers wrote: »

I am going back to the 50ies when whole families left for the UK mainly to Manchester\Liverpool and this led to the core support in Ireland for theses clubs in the 70ies\80ies

There used to be a part of Manchester called Little Ireland. Life expectancy was just 17:eek:

That was in the 19th century.

Auvers · 18-01-2012 01:40PM

summerskin wrote: »

utter bollocks that only an irishman would spout. I'm an englishman who has moved to ireland, does that mean i should start supporting an irish team rather than the team i have supported from my local area since i was a child? it's fickle and i would never do it.

Did those irish who emigrated also start supporting england, as that was where they lived? of course not, they sat in the pub with their united shirts on and sent money back for the IRA. I sat in enough pubs and witnessed this happen. It's typical irish fickleness, you'll support anything english when it suits you, and then harp on about 800 years when it doesn't.

I'm from greater manchester, are you? no. I'd imagine that gives me a little more insight into the history of the area and even of the football clubs. Stick to your own clubs histories, you haven't a clue about english teams and the history. You don't support a team because a few irishmen played there. whoopee fnucking doo. That's like saying that because many footballers from manchester have played for teams in London that people in manchester should then support London teams.

You support a team because it means something to you, it represents your town or city, even your side of a town or city. Not because some random builder came over from ireland in 1914 and was half-decent.

Oh, I know, Paul Scholes is from oldham, and he plays for man Utd, I should now support United instead of Oldham, by your logic.

Stick to GAA.

sweet Jesus, that is all

old hippy · 18-01-2012 01:40PM

I'd not wear the flag of any country - am not into this tedious parochial "patriotism" that gets people so incensed.

starbelgrade · 18-01-2012 01:41PM

old hippy wrote: »

I'd not wear the flag of any country - am not into this tedious parochial "patriotism" that gets people so incensed.

For the very same reason, I would wear the flag of any country.

old hippy · 18-01-2012 01:42PM

OldNotWIse wrote: »

"they sat in the pub with their united shirts on and sent money back for the IRA"

I actually thought your post was good until this slip-up.

Racism has many faces and many angles

Auvers · 18-01-2012 01:42PM

KeithAFC wrote: »

Yeah but Arsenal don't have a huge support in N.I or anywhere on the island. I am glad about that. Every top I see is either Man Utd or Liverpool. Good to be in the middle.

I support Arsenal, cause I lived around the corner from Highbury for 20 years, not so much anymore though, as Soccer is a load of crap now

old hippy · 18-01-2012 01:43PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

For the very same reason, I would wear the flag of any country.

I'd wear a map of the world, mind

DEFTLEFTHAND · 18-01-2012 01:43PM

There is an argument to be made for Irish fans following the trophys, I've a mate who recently switched from supporting Leeds to Man City.:rolleyes:
I enjoy watching English football but feel no connection to any club, people laugh in my face when I tell them I support St Pats.

summerskin · 18-01-2012 01:44PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

I find that surprising considering the outlook you appear to have.

i've lived in the north west of england, London, france, switzerland, the USA and now ireland. I have friends in each place and have many irish friends, of course. My family left ireland over a hundred years ago to go to the UK and the USA. I'm just sick of all the anti-british drivel spouted on here by people sitting there wearing the united/liverpool shirts they are so proud of.

i've never been a nationalistic person, funny thing is that now i feel driven to defend the UK against the constant bashing.

funnily, when i'm in manchester this weekend I'll be defending ireland in a similar manner at times when people make the usual jokes about the country.

sensibleken · 18-01-2012 01:44PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

There is an argument to be made for Irish fans following the trophys, I've a mate who recently switched from supporting Leeds to Man City.:rolleyes:
I enjoy watching English football but feel no connection to any club, people laugh in my face when I tell them I support St Pats.

Maybe I dont understand but what is wrong with that. Its just a game its not like people are swapping families

old hippy · 18-01-2012 01:45PM

summerskin wrote: »

i've lived in the north west of england, London, france, switzerland, the USA and now ireland. I have friends in each place and have many irish friends, of course. My family left ireland over a hundred years ago to go to the UK and the USA. I'm just sick of all the anti-british drivel spouted on here by people sitting there wearing the united/liverpool shirts they are so proud of.

i've never been a nationalistic person, funny thing is that now i feel driven to defend the UK against the constant bashing.

funnily, when i'm in manchester this weekend I'll be defending ireland in a similar manner at times when people make the usual jokes about the country.

Which is your right, of course. But best leave out the generalisations about Irish people in the UK supporting the paramilitaries...

summerskin · 18-01-2012 01:46PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

For the very same reason, I would wear the flag of any country.

As would i. Over the years I have owned shirts with the flags of France, USA, Germany, Argentina, Australia, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Russia. Don't see the big deal, it's an item of clothing, not a symbol of war and/or repression.

sensibleken · 18-01-2012 01:46PM

summerskin wrote: »

i've lived in the north west of england, London, france, switzerland, the USA and now ireland. I have friends in each place and have many irish friends, of course. My family left ireland over a hundred years ago to go to the UK and the USA. I'm just sick of all the anti-british drivel spouted on here by people sitting there wearing the united/liverpool shirts they are so proud of.

i've never been a nationalistic person, funny thing is that now i feel driven to defend the UK against the constant bashing.

funnily, when i'm in manchester this weekend I'll be defending ireland in a similar manner at times when people make the usual jokes about the country.

Maybe youd fare better if tyou were just consitent with your opinions and stop haging around with biggoted morons, it seems to be rubbing off.

mongdesade · 18-01-2012 01:46PM

summerskin wrote: »

Ah, the patronising use of "son", despite the fact that I'm probably older than you. How clever.

Funny about the english having a bad name, i seem to recall the irish being unwelcome in vast swathes of the world. You're not seen as the happy-go-lucky, lovable rogues you seem to think.

Most irish people are sound, as are most british people. I've never been made to feel unwelcome anywhere I have travelled.

Enlighten us ignorant Irish please...

summerskin · 18-01-2012 01:47PM

old hippy wrote: »

Which is your right, of course. But best leave out the generalisations about Irish people in the UK supporting the paramilitaries...

i'm not saying they all do, I'm saying that I have witnessed it in the past in both manchester and Kilburn. It seems ridiculous that they can do that while wearing an english football shirt.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 18-01-2012 01:48PM

sensibleken wrote: »

Maybe I dont understand but what is wrong with that. Its just a game its not like people are swapping families

For me supporting a club means sticking with it through thick and thin, not jumping ship when a better prospect comes along.

old hippy · 18-01-2012 01:48PM

mongdesade wrote: »

Enlighten us ignorant Irish please...

I don't know about vast swathes but certainly we were made feel very unwelcome in the US and UK in the 19th century...

And as far as I'm aware, there's a bit of resentment to us in Bondi?

starbelgrade · 18-01-2012 01:50PM

summerskin wrote: »

i'm not saying they all do, I'm saying that I have witnessed it in the past in both manchester and Kilburn. It seems ridiculous that they can do that while wearing an english football shirt.

Some people are idiots. That's about all you can say on the matter, but the vast majority of Irish supporters of English clubs harbour no anti-British sentiment whatsoever, as do the vast majority of Irish people.

You can't let a few rotten apples spoil the barrell.

seamus · 18-01-2012 01:50PM

starbelgrade wrote: »

It's not that Irish people don't understand English football - it's that you haven't a clue about history.

The historical reason behind Irish people supporting Liverpool & Man United is .....

I'm sorry starbelgrade, that's just complete and utter nonsense revisionism.

The reason behind Irish people supporting English teams is because when you're young and hearing about English teams playing football, every young child wants to be able to rally behind a team and shout for one or the other. So they pick premiership teams who are doing well so that they can boast to their mates about how Man U beat Liverpool. If your brother picks Liverpool, you pick Everton, just so you can fight about it.

You never see any Irish people supporting lower-level teams, do you? How many Irish kids go around shouting for Yeovil or Gillingham? That's right, none. Because they're not in the premiership.

Look at the main teams all being supported by Irish people today - Liverpool, because they dominated in the 80's, Man United because they've dominated since then, and Chelsea because they have consistently put in a strong fight for the top over the last ten years.

It's go nothing to do with history and emigration and everything to do with being able to say "my team is better than yours". It has no more historical reference than having a favourite wrestler.

old hippy · 18-01-2012 01:50PM

summerskin wrote: »

i'm not saying they all do, I'm saying that I have witnessed it in the past in both manchester and Kilburn. It seems ridiculous that they can do that while wearing an english football shirt.

And this small contingent were the type who would besmirch our reputation - certainly not representative of the majority of us. Ghetto enclaves can bring out the worst in people.

summerskin · 18-01-2012 01:50PM

mongdesade wrote: »

Enlighten us ignorant Irish please...

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-students-unwelcome-in-California-towns-100180939.html

one example. Historically the irish were excluded from many jobs in the USA as per the famous slogan INNA (Irish need not apply) No Irish need apply is NOT an urban legend.
In the 1800's when Irish immigrants took up whole neighbourhoods in New York City, many business owners put up "No Irish need apply" signs up. Many business owners did not want Irish to apply, especially in New York City, because of the reputation they had as drinking loud mouths. Irish were also seen as dirty and disease ridden and it was a common belief that the potato blithe in the Great Potato Famine could be passed through humans and was a disease.
Also stories have been told that New York City newsboys often fought with each other and Italian and Jewish immigrants would scream "No Irish need apply" in teasing to the Irish boys.

Glad those days are gone, personally.

howamidifferent · 18-01-2012 01:51PM

Worked in Poland for 6 months about 6 years ago. While there I bought a lovely thick warm fleece jacket to keep out the cold that was the norm there in the winter. Loved it.

Cam home and the first day I put it on here was a paddys day 17th March.
Walking through town with the girlfriend, minding my own business and out of nowhere a group of about 8 to 10 late teenage scumbags started shouting, roaring and squaring up to me with shouts of "throw him in the river", "kill the ****er" etc. I hadnt even thought about it but there was a small british flag on the back of the jacket that had abviously caught there eye and in their indignation they wanted to throw it and me still wearing it, into the river. :eek:

Managed to push my way past them, pretending to ignore them while all the while waiting for the thumps/slaps/or kicks to follow. Didnt happen thankfully but frightened the hell out of me. Never wore it again despite loving that jacket. Toe-rags of the highest order who likely had never read a history book but had been brainwashed that all things english were bad except football teams. Turns out it was a Reebok jacket but I hadnt known that or noticed that the emblem on the back was an english flag. Even if I had known I wouldnt have seen a problem with a piece of clothing so couldnt fathom the hatred it inspired that day.

Its a coat for ****s sake!

jimmurt · 18-01-2012 01:52PM

I have nothing against the English and have a lot of English friends but honestly I wouldn't wear any clothing with a Union Jack on it. Flags are very symbolic and given the history behind the Union Jack I wouldn't wear it. I wouldn't be mad about wearing any other nations flag either but the Union Jack especially.

I often wondered if Reebok considered this tag on their runners could be having a big effect on the sales of these runners in Ireland. Based on this thread it should have.

I don't wear any English socer jerseys either (not out of principle but because they're a rip-off and I'm not a major supporter of any of the teams).

Sindri · 18-01-2012 01:52PM

@seamus I have a friend who supports Watford.

But it's only because they were playing a team that his cousin supports.

copeyhagen · 18-01-2012 01:52PM

i wouldnt wear a british flag on my clothes. my motorbike helmet came with a british flag sticker on it (as i think all helmets do) so i scratched it off.

nothing against the british, if im in an accident in ireland and all they can recognise on me is a british flag on my helmet, sure the irish would leave me there on the ground!!

Sindri · 18-01-2012 01:54PM

summerskin wrote: »

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-students-unwelcome-in-California-towns-100180939.html

one example. Historically the irish were excluded from many jobs in the USA as per the famous slogan INNA (Irish need not apply) No Irish need apply is NOT an urban legend.
In the 1800's when Irish immigrants took up whole neighbourhoods in New York City, many business owners put up "No Irish need apply" signs up. Many business owners did not want Irish to apply, especially in New York City, because of the reputation they had as drinking loud mouths. Irish were also seen as dirty and disease ridden and it was a common belief that the potato blithe in the Great Potato Famine could be passed through humans and was a disease.
Also stories have been told that New York City newsboys often fought with each other and Italian and Jewish immigrants would scream "No Irish need apply" in teasing to the Irish boys.

Glad those days are gone, personally.

It was not being drunken loud mouths it's because they were catholic and more importantly, because they were poor.

summerskin · 18-01-2012 01:54PM

sensibleken wrote: »

Maybe youd fare better if tyou were just consitent with your opinions and stop haging around with biggoted morons, it seems to be rubbing off.

funnily it's not the people i hang around with who are the morons, it's idiots who i don't know, here and in the UK. people over-hearing conversations and jumping in with abuse.

Feisar · 18-01-2012 01:54PM

cena wrote: »

But there still an english team.

Well I'd say they were an American owned business based in England.

Would you wear clothing with the British Flag on it?

Comments