Retributive and Restorative Justice Part One
In the week before the Liverpool – Juventus fixture and with memories of Heysel all around us, how disappointing it was to see the baseness of the behaviour at St. James’ Park. Although a fight between two grown men followed by an insincere apology is of minor insignificance compared with so many deaths a generation ago, it has certainly sullied the week-end. My wife told me the other day that Mr. Sanchez was reported as saying that because young footballers earn so much more than their managers then discipline can become consequently problematic.
He may have a point.
Alan Curbishley in today’s Observer argues that footballers are bigger than pop stars now – another reason, perhaps, why it is difficult for these wealthy young men to live in the real world where compromise is the stuff of life. Gareth Southgate in last week’s Sunday Times asserted that footballers are worth every penny they earn as top entertainers; but how, we might ask, can we help errant egos transform themselves into suitable role models for a younger generation brought up on a celebrity diet of hero worship.
I am not saying that restorative justice is a complete answer, but helping offenders such as the Newcastle Two see and understand the harm they have caused to peoples’ lives is not a complete irrelevance. The only way that could happen is for them to go into ordinary homes, clubs, pubs, football teams, community groups etc and listen to calm voices in structured meetings. They need to be punished for sure, but they also need to be educated – and this should be a general principle for all footballers. I know football clubs already get into community involvement in lots of laudable ways, but an atmosphere of top-down patronage and largesse can surround some of the schemes at the moment. In summary, perhaps we should not just think about how footballers can help their communities, but we should also think about how football players need to be educated by their communities, so that they, the players themselves, change their behaviour and attitudes.
It wouldn’t be an idiotic idea, for a start, if all players studied Parry’s poem about Heysel:
In Memoria e Amicizia (In Memory and Friendship)
For those
Who will never walk alone
For those whose colours meet
In the warm hands of friendship
We will remember
For those
Who follow with passion and pride
For those who wish to forgive
Those whose cannot forget
We must remember
For those
Who we lost whose names
Remain in hearts on lips and brought to mind
For those of us who say: “In Memoria e Amicizia”
We will always remember Heysel and Hillsborough.
© P Maguire
Liverpool & Juventus (2nd April 2005) CLQF.
Note to Editors: i have posted 2 poems up, one in red and one in black to represent Juve and Liverpool, hope you dont mind.
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Welcome to Football Poets -- a club for all football poets, lovers of football and lovers of (alternative) poetry. Discover poets in every league from respected internationals at the top of their game to young hopefuls in the school playground.
Publish your football poems here and then discuss them with your team mates and fans. We're archived by The British Library, so your masterpieces are in the safe hands of a world-class keeper. What a result!
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Crispin’s Corner
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Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
19th March 2024 at 8:00 am
Hi Crispin. Chris Sutton on the radio has gone for a Chelsea v Coventry final. As we know anything can happen in the Cup, and I reckon we can go to the final.
We’re still in with a chance of the play offs too, so lots to go for.
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19th March 2024 at 7:41 am
Hey Kev
Let the masses drool over their odds on City v Unted Final, but who knows how pressure can hit.
Cov and Chels will be rightly labelled as having no chance..but hey …stranger things have happened..
so Chelsea v Coventry…that’s the Final for us!
Best
C
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29th January 2024 at 10:03 pm
Hi Crispin,
How are you doing mate? Yes, you’re probably right but hey football is all about emotion and passion and I just love writing about the game. I try to keep my poetry to a reasonable length but there’s so much to write about the game and its literature just lends itself naturally to poetry. Sometimes I just get completely carried and I do apologise for the length of my poetry but it’s a great thrill to be associated with Football Poets.
Cheers mate
Joe
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10th January 2024 at 7:52 pm
You’re right of course Joe but…..it’s actually more of a big welcome break for everyone who is not into Premier League ..I’m talking fans of EFL National League and below…..
Btw …is this actually your longest poem ever !?
Best
Crispin
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8th January 2024 at 4:45 pm
Thanks!
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8th January 2024 at 10:42 am
There’s something so evocative and nostalgic for football fans the world over, in ‘revisiting’ old lost grounds.
Occasionally some remnants remain, with perhaps part of a wall or part or a stand or thre shape of a terrace, but often they are only still there in faded images and in our heads..
Great stuff Graham
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4th January 2024 at 10:13 am
A great idea and well executed. Thanks Graham.
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19th November 2023 at 1:45 pm
Thanks Gacina, glad you liked it, and I have just posted a new one about our points deduction…
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7th November 2023 at 6:34 pm
Today B.B.C post on F.B was titled:Premier League reduced to 18 clubs? I really think it may be interesting to see if this would be Everton’s nightmare and this poem is well suited for this concern.If there would be more difficult battle to stay if there were 18 teams.Great poem and somehow true.
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6th November 2023 at 4:43 pm
Ashington FC have launched a £50,000 Crowdfunder appeal to meet the increased costs of winning promotion last season, to pay for urgent stadium improvements, travel costs and equipment
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