Tyne & Wear: UNITE AGAINST FASCISM

Last Saturday afternoon, I saw an awful game of football. Having taken in a brace of 2-0 home wins on Good Friday, when West Allotment and Whitley Bay prevailed over North Shields and Benfield respectively, in a pair of thoroughly entertaining contests, the consequence of this fixture card was that the North Tyne region was left without a Northern League game the next day. As Percy Main were also inactive in the Northern Alliance, I chose the most convenient alternative; Dunston UTS at home to Celtic Nation, partly to enable me to execute familial responsibilities post-match in the Swalwell area, partly as I’d only seen the former Gillford Park outfit on one occasion this season, but mainly as it offered a chance to catch up with my boyhood friend Adrian, who I don’t see nearly often enough. Chatting with Low Fell’s number 1 Salthill Devon fan was the best thing about this surprisingly sunny afternoon.

On the pitch,perhaps the most notable thing about Dunston’s mundane 1-0 crawl to victory, courtesy of a wildly deflected cross that deceived the outfield substitute keeper, who was culpable for the winner only minutes after he’d been the hero, saving a penalty given for a foul by the regular keeper who’d been sent from the field of play, was that it was the only game I’d been to in the whole of March that didn’t include a few minutes, at least, of snow or hail. Tiny steps to summer.

The decent weather was actually the only positive thing to remark on, as the game failed to hold our attention. This became ever more apparent as, only a couple of miles from St. James’ Park, Dunston fans incessantly griped and moaned about the poor quality fare on offer, as if we were sat in the Gallowgate middle. The crowning glory for this chorus of disapproval was at half time, when one character launched a crescendo of intemperate abuse at the television when news came through that Man City were winning 2-0, denigrating the manager, the team, the performance (of a game he had not been watching) and the selection, especially Obertan.

Having eventually steeled myself to watch it on Match of the Day, it was clear we’d been woeful and that only Rob Elliott had emerged with any particular credit from the day, which didn’t serve the purpose of being the ideal preparation for a trip to the real Stadium of Light for a Europa League quarter final and we slipped further down the table, now only 3 points from a relegation spot. Elliott may have conceded 4, but he made some superb saves; we’ve got a more than able deputy to Tim Krul there. Where the fed up Dunston fan (geddit??) may have had a point was with Obertan.  News of his selection was greeted with incredulity by the Twitterati, who unleashed endless 140 character paeans to the lost talents of Sylvain Marveaux, suggesting that rather than being a tidy, if peripheral, player, blessed with the ability to make short, incisive passes, he was actually Lionel Messi’s equal in terms of ability and influence.

 To me, it was obvious why Pardew selected the side he did; he wanted to play 4-5-1 to swamp the midfield and use Obertan’s pace on the infrequent occasions we had a chance to break. It didn’t work and Obertan was withdrawn for Perch at the break, who at least managed to get on the score sheet (sorry for that…), but at least Pardew had put some prior thought in to his tactics, rather than setting up in the same, predictable, dinosaur 4-4-2 pattern that certain teams prefer. Of course, the inflating emotions on Twitter post-match resulted in many calling for Pardew’s sacking with one wit from the Fourth Estate describing the man as “Glenn Roeder with better aftershave and more nightclub confidence.” Well done Gary; a superb epitaph for when he does get the bullet.

One north east manager did leave his position on Saturday night, when Martin O’Neill’s tenure on Wearside came to an abrupt end after a whimpering 1-0 home loss in his last luncheon against Manchester United.  Clearly it would be nonsensical to suggest this defeat cost O’Neill his job, but their whimpering lack of fight didn’t do the lifelong SAFC fan and erstwhile managerial saviour any good at all. Frankly, I’ve never liked Martin O’Neill, regarding him as a paranoid, arrogant twerp, or the style of play his teams adopted, but I had a kind of grudging respect for how he brought success to Leicester City and Celtic. Any residual fellow feeling went out the window at Aston Villa after 24^th May 2009, replaced by a growing awareness that he’d spend a shedload of Randy Lerner’s money for no discernible difference in fortunes on a side that had become stale, predictable and achingly one-dimensional.

O’Neill’s arrival on Wearside was trumpeted by many as a return to the core values of their club, with one of their own replacing the Mag double agent as Steve Brewse was shown the door. Other than an initial, brief window of adequacy (and a baffling ability to always beat Man City at home), it became clear O’Neill actually had nothing to offer other than a slavish devotion to a rigid, inflexible 4-4-2. A sixth round FA Cup home loss to Everton last season was the start of the rot and the night he was first judged as a busted flush by the more astute among their support; despite spending a fortune on the likes of Adam Johnson, Danny Graham and Steven Fletcher, whereby only the latter produced any discernible benefit to the club before his season ending injury on Scotland duty, Sunderland are in a worse position than they were when O’Neill was given the job. A Celtic fan of my acquaintance saw O’Neill’s departure in the following terms -:

“The main issue for me with Martin O’Neill’s sacking is over expectation of fans and chairmen of clubs in the Premier League. There are really only ever two clubs in contention, Manchester United and A.N Other FC. The next couple of teams are realistically only ever playing for a Champions’ League spot. The next 10 or so clubs have no chance of winning anything, and the rest are relegation fodder. The players at Sunderland are awful, but then how can a wee unattractive regional club like them sign decent players? My guess is they can't, instead they overpay hugely for dross like Phil Bardsley. But that's just one of the problems with the "best league in the world;" Sunderland are just one of the teams that fall into this category in the EPL. At least teams like Reading and Southampton know their place, but it’s time to lower your expectations chairmen and fans of other clubs.” Fair points, but having 2 teams in contention makes it twice as competitive as the SPL these days!

Anyway, disliking a Sunderland manager is not a new experience for me, as I’ve hated them all since the legendary Lawrie Mac, for a variety of reasons. Dennis Smith? Arrogant. Malcolm Crosby? Pitiful. Terry Butcher? Insane. Mick Buxton? Incompetent.  Peter Reid? Simian. Howard Wilkinson? Certifiable. Mick McCarthy? Boring. Niall Quinn? Oleaginous. Roy Keane? Sociopathic. Steve Brewse? Banal. Martin O’Neill? Cowardly. Of all of those listed, the only one I would have any time for is McCarthy, who seems a genuine bloke. He had a decent Easter as his Ipswich side beat Leeds at Portman Road. The other one from that list still in management, quite bizarrely, is Terry Butcher On The Dole who, twenty years after his famed failed commando raid on Tyneside was scuppered by Scott Sellars’s superb free kick in the pouring rain, saw his Inverness side beat Hibs at Easter Road the day O’Neill was clearing his desk.

I’ve no idea what Terry Butcher’s current political philosophy is, but his views back in his time with Rangers were somewhat consistent with the ideological trappings of Loyalism; perhaps not as extreme as Andy Goram’s basement UVF shrine, but interviews in All Played Out, Pete Davis’s account of England’s 1990 World Cup campaign, tell of Butcher discarding his U2 and Simple Minds collection not on grounds of taste, but because they were “Fenian” bands. When briefly leaving football, after his adventure at Joker Park came to a juddering halt, Butcher became a hotelier at Bridge of Allan in Stirlingshire, where any Rangers fan could eat in the Michelin starred restaurant for a special price of, wait for it, £16.90. Frankly, I’d imagine Butcher to be embarrassed by such idiocy these days; I doubt he’d have forged as long a managerial career as he had, if hamstrung by incessant sectarian prejudices.  The new incumbent of the manager’s role on Wearside is a different case entirely and the antipathy I have for him has absolutely nothing to do with the club he now manages.

I must admit I don’t remember Paolo Di Canio’s time as a player with Celtic; my first recollection of him was his debut for Sheffield Wednesday in August 1997, as a substitute for Graham Hyde in a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle at St. James’ Park. More memorable from that day were Jon Dahl Thomasson’s miss after 15 seconds on his debut and Benito Carbone’s acrobatic, though ultimately fruitless, equaliser. Wednesday won the reverse fixture 2-1, with Di Canio opening the scoring at Hillsborough in the first minute of an awful game. Perhaps his most famous moment for the Owls was the push on referee Paul Alcock in a game against Arsenal in September 1998 that earned him an 11 game ban and saw him leave for West Ham on completion of his suspension. With the Hammers, he missed the 2-2 draw at SJP on 2^nd January 2000, while I was working away for their next two visits where he achieved little as his side lost both games.  He missed both games in 2002/2003 when he was top scorer as West Ham were relegated, moving to Charlton for a year as his contract expired.

Ironically, Di Canio’s most famous moment in a West Ham shirt was catching the ball in front of an open goal at Goodison, while home keeper Paul Gerrard lay unconscious in the 6 yard box, rather than scoring a goal; an act for which he was given a FIFA Fair Play award and warmly applauded. Mind,  I distinctly remember a dire 0-0 at the Valley in December 2003 being enlivened by repeated chants of “fuck off Di Canio” by the travelling support, that had another airing in the return game as an ageing, disinterested Di Canio was withdrawn as the Addicks fell to a 3-1 defeat that was far more comprehensive than the scoreline suggests.

At the end of that season Di Canio, who had previously expressed no political opinions in public or given any indication he was anything other than a wayward, talented, eccentric player, with a propensity for extravagant gestures that were as often magnanimous as they were destructive, returned to Rome to play for his boyhood idols Lazio. Once there, he publicly proclaimed attitudes that made Terry Butcher’s pitiful dabbling in to Glaswegian sectarianism seem positively Fabian Society in contrast. Basically, Di Canio is a self-proclaimed Fascist. In 2005, he characterised his political views by declaring that he was "a fascist, not a racist,” though I’ve yet to come across a fascist who doesn’t hold the principle of overt, extreme Nationalism as a core tenet of their belief system. In this context, earnest discussions about where xenophobia ends and racism begins on any continuum of socially unacceptable political attitudes is, frankly, a waste of time; Di Canio is wrong and unacceptable if this still where his political sympathies lie. His refusal  to discuss his previous statements and gestures at his first Sunderland press conference do not seem to be a desire to draw a line under these events and move on, much less an apology for his conduct, but an arrogant, obstinate refusal to accept the completely untenable nature of his conduct and beliefs.

Di Canio’s use of the “Roman” (i.e. Nazi straight arm) salute toward Lazio supporters, and more inflammatory still towards the fans of Roma and the left-wing sympathisers of AC Livorno, a gesture adopted by Italian fascists in the 20th century, has created controversy and outrage among all sectors of football support. Di Canio received a one-match ban after the Livorno event and was fined €7,000, but remained unapologetic, later being quoted as saying: "I will always salute as I did because it gives me a sense of belonging to my people ... I saluted my people with what for me is a sign of belonging to a group that holds true values, values of civility against the standardisation that this society imposes upon us." His salute has been featured on unofficial merchandise sold outside Stadio Olimpico after the ban. The snarling pit bull visage, psychotic eyes and twisted leer show someone convulsed with hatred and prejudice. There’s nothing that could remotely be considered ambiguous in his gesture, nor can it be defended, much less justified, by use of any kind of contextual factors. It is wrong; it is unacceptable.

Di Canio has also expressed admiration for the fascist leader Benito Mussolini. In his autobiography, he praised Mussolini as "basically a very principled, ethical individual" who was "deeply misunderstood.” Regardless of Di Canio’s oddball personality and desire to court controversy, this is totally and utterly unacceptable behaviour. Surely, such an individual cannot have a place in football at any level, let alone be regarded as a fit and proper person to manage a multi-racial, multi-ethnic football club.

Before anyone accuses me of trying to point score on a regionalist, partisan basis, let me state unequivocally, I was against Di Canio’s appointment at Swindon Town 2 years ago. Similarly, if he’d been appointed at Newcastle United, I would have been appalled and I’d like to think I wouldn’t have been the only one. Ashley may have made some terrible decisions as Newcastle owner, but I doubt even he would appoint someone like Di Canio to the managerial role. What worries me is that certain high-profile NUFC fans have expressed their admiration for Di Canio; they may do this on a purely footballing basis, never having contemplated a political thought in their lives, but such romantic naivety has to come to an end. All football fans, Newcastle, Sunderland or whoever must condemn Di Canio and his appointment, until such time as he announces a full and frank recantation of his opinions and expresses remorse for his conduct, as well as a desire to right his previous wrongs in the future.

It isn’t just since Easter Sunday that Di Canio's political orientation has been a source of controversy in the course of his managerial career. When he was appointed as the manager of Swindon Town in 2011, the trade union GMB terminated its sponsorship agreement with the club, worth around £4,000 per season, due to Di Canio's fascist views.  This, of course, does not worry Sunderland whose sponsors are the less than ethical Tullow Oil, whose hollow “Invest in Africa” slogan fools no-one.

Another statement that fooled no-one was David Milliband’s excuse to offer his resignation from his sinecure on the board Sunderland, days after announcing he’d be vacating his parliamentary sinecure of South Shields for a well remunerated sinecure with a charitable trust in New York. Milliband stated -: “I wish Sunderland AFC all success in the future. It is a great institution that does a huge amount for the North East and I wish the team very well over the next vital seven games. However, in the light of the new manager’s past political statements, I think it right to step down.” From just about anyone else, it would be a praiseworthy statement, even if it lacked the moral fibre to state that post-resignation he would be straining every fibre of his being to fight against this appointment, but coming from Milliband it is mealy-mouthed, opportunist bullshit from someone who, in the wider scheme of things, is even more repugnant than Di Canio, who at least does not have the blood of the Iraq War on his hands. However, Milliband is now history at Sunderland and all football supporters and avowed opponents of fascism in the North East have a duty to stand up against Di Canio’s appointment.

An eloquent and thought-provoking comment on this situation was offered by Liverpool fan Peter McKnight, who stated -:  “I think it’s unrealistic for anyone to expect a football club to give a flying one. They are after all, businesses with the bottom line the priority. There are a few things to address, in my view: (1) Milliband walking out rather than staying on to use his position as a respected public figure to try and curb the worst excesses of Di Canio should he be needed to, doesn't suggest to me a protest, rather an opportunity taken. (2) Di Canio chose to express his political views as a public figure, to use his fame as a footballer as a platform for his fascist sympathies. He is therefore fair game to be judged on these views as a football manager and as a man. (3) The fact that this has happened after he's been managing at Swindon for 2 years is a reasonable point but the profile of a premiership club when compared with a League 1 outfit are poles apart. The Premiership is the window through which non-football fans and foreign football fans view UK football (like it or not). Having an avowed fascist as the manager of a well-known club shouldn't be different from being the manager of Swindon, but it is.”

So, what is to be done? Well, we must protest. We must not let Sunderland get away with this appointment. The desperately embarrassing press conference and inadequate club statement on Tuesday showed that this issue will not go away, a fact that was reinforced by the Durham Miners’ Association asking for the return of their banner which is currently on display at Sunderland’s ground.  This is a crucial development, as is the creation of a Sunderland Against Fascists ad-hoc group, dedicated to protesting against Di Canio’s appointment. They will have their work cut out and they deserve support and assistance from football fans of all hues. Hopefully they can build on the good work of the 'Sunderland Anti-Fascist Coalition' that has organised nine demos in the last eight months against the EDL, BNP, NEI and NF and are established and ready for action at any time. Some of their demos have been built with just 24 hours notice and they are currently working on a joint strategy with the NUM that will be announced soon.

There are many Sunderland supporters who claim not to be bothered by Di Canio’s politics or his past, as they only want to support the team. I don’t agree with them, but I see where they are coming from. Rather similar to how I pointed out last week that any outside criticism of my club (in that instance about the Wigan pitch invasion) is to be neither encouraged nor validated by joining in with it, these fans do not accept that outsiders have the right to make complaints about how their club operates or indeed anything to do with it. I understand this position, but they are wrong to adopt it. I must insist that this is too big an issue to be ignored. Obviously, it puts some Sunderland fans in a difficult position; I don’t read their fanzine  A Love Supreme, but I knew the father of the editor, Alec McFadden, when he was a full time worker for the Socialist Workers Party in the North East in the late 1970s and continues to be an implacable opponent of racism and fascism. This must provide something of an intellectual and ideological quandary for anyone, but there can only be one legitimate response; ideology beats emotion hands down. All football fans must display outright opposition to Di Canio at every step of the way.

Whether Sunderland’s season is turned round by this appointment and he wins all 7 games, including a certain match at SJP on April 14^th, is utterly immaterial. All football fans in the North East and the wider community on Wearside and Tyneside must unite in implacable opposition to Di Canio to make Ellis Short think again about this atrocious decision. Di Canio’s appointment is unacceptable at every possible level and will never be given credence or support by those with a shred of decency in their soul. It is time to put questions of partisanship and regional rivalry to one side and fight back. Protests and boycotts must be organised by fans of both clubs and even those who have no interest in the game. Di Canio must be dismissed or driven out, now!!