Red Faction

[Andy_W]

I find it offensive that people who don't understand the message, rather than find out what the message is show themselves up branding the message racist/devisive when those lads put a massive effort in to make our entertainment more entertaining.

Nobody is branding the message racist/ divisive or saying that was the intention, or saying the Red Faction don't put in a lot of effort, stop being so dramatic.

People aren't going to be researching the banner for a background meaning, especially people not from Boro. Banners are meant to be clear and obvious, that's kind of the point. I'm thinking from more of a national standpoint, and how it could look from outside opinion.

How many people are going to have a clue it's a lyric from Cattle & Cane, even those from Teesside (not just those at home games etc)? Why does that even matter? The song isn't playing when people are reading it or see pictures of it nationally etc.

 

[Facefuzz]

Red Faction have been painting that banner for weeks and weeks. They had already started it before their fans meet which was a fortnight ago, and before rioting was trendy.

It’s a direct quote from a song that is played directly before kickoff. We’ll have to change the words of steel river next.

It was a great banner and great meaning. It had the transporter bridge on aswell. Should we add york minster just to please the lads from down there?

 

[Andy_W]

Can’t believe people are taking offence to that banner

Nobody on here is taking offense, and no boro fan would as they get the idea of our banners a lot more as they see them all the time.

People are thinking more about how this could look nationally, and more about the timing etc.

 

[Andy_W]

Red Faction have been painting that banner for weeks and weeks. They had already started it before their fans meet which was a fortnight ago, and before rioting was trendy.

It’s a direct quote from a song that is played directly before kickoff. We’ll have to change the words of steel river next.

It was a great banner and great meaning. It had the transporter bridge on aswell. Should we add york minster just to please the lads from down there?

People aren't questioning when it was made, or the effort, or the central massive square, just the potentially bad timing of the separate text banner, and how that might appear nationally etc.

 

[Facefuzz]

No, but TBH to send a banner request to a printer could be done on a lunch break, although I'm not saying it was, and probably not last Friday of course.

No need to throw your teddies out the pram, all I said was it was bad timing.

If it was ordered long in advance then it doesn't mean they needed to use the banner, or could not have used a different banner in the week between the riot and the first game. You know, maybe change the plans due to bad timing? Just seems obvious to me, the week after we've had a racial checkpoint on Ayresome Street (effectively the name of our old ground) and there's endless talk about people who were not bore here etc. Why have the doubt? Clearly people even from boro on here have doubt.

Only the planks are in doubt.
It cost a small fortune and took a month to make.

Well done Red Faction.

On a side note, can we stop singing ‘if your proud to come from Teesside clap your hands’ as there’s people not from Teesside who get left out

 

[Facefuzz]

People aren't questioning when it was made, or the effort, or the central massive square, just the potentially bad timing of the separate text banner, and how that might appear nationally etc.

It’s lyrics for a song that’s played before kick off and about our town. We should be super proud of that

 

[Andy_W]

Only the planks are in doubt.
It cost a small fortune and took a month to make.

Well done Red Faction.

On a side note, can we stop singing ‘if your proud to come from Teesside clap your hands’ as there’s people not from Teesside who get left out

Maybe think outside of the box once in a while.

Nobody is doubting the effort, or cost, not at all.

Nobody is saying change songs which we've been singing for ages, and people won't be nationally listening to boro songs, but they might see the banners etc.

 

[Andy_W]

It’s lyrics for a song that’s played before kick off and about our town. We should be super proud of that

Yes, I'm well aware of that, loads of Boro fans will be too, but the song is not well known out of Teesside.

The point isn't about internal opinion or internal knowledge etc, it's more about how this could appear nationally etc, especially this week when we've been all over the press for the very wrong reasons. Like I keep saying, just possible bad timing.

 

[chickenrunner]

Can’t believe people are taking offence to that banner

People aren't taking offence at the banner they're looking at it and wondering what people who want to sow hate and division or just do the area down (virtually a national sport) might make of it in the context of recent events.
On a personal level I guess I was expecting some riposte to last Sunday's events and as the banners at the front unfurled I definitely had a hmmmmm.... moment. However I quickly accepted it was simply an opening day display showcasing pride in the club and the area.
I then turned and looked up into the East Stand and witnessed black and Asian people chatting and laughing amiably with those around them, all Boro fans, and thought yeah we're gonna be alright decency didn't die last Sunday.

 

[Jonny Ingbar]

Yep… the song that was played for 5 minutes and then the banner immediately started being lifted… nothing to do with recent tensions, race, colour; some people…

Ah, some context, just good to show how easy it is to misrepresent or misunderstand something.

Looked great to me, let's not overthink it

 

[Davey_C]

I've got childhood photos in Liverpool shirts, it wasn't until 1989 (when I was 14) I set foot in Ayresome Park and decided I wanted to follow my home town and watch live football in person (oddly enough probably the end of Liverpool's dominance)

Its no different to kids walking around town in Man Utd, Chelsea or Man City shirts when they were winning Premier Leagues (except Boro were part of that Premier League boom era)

That's what you did back then, i had no interest in MFC, but my dad had no interest in taking myself and my brother to Ayresome Park in the late 80s during the ricoh era despite following the boro in his younger days. Alot has changed since then.

When I moved to Bridlington in 2005 my ex's 2 boys 'supported" Man Utd because it was their dad's team. As soon as the youngest one (7 at the time) knew I was a Boro fan and attended games, he asked me one weekend if he could come to the Riverside with me to watch a game of football in person and to this day he is still a Boro supporter (i split up with his mam in 2008)

Back to the Banner I didn't think anything of the slogan until it's been highlighted on here

 

[Jonny Ingbar]

Yes, I'm well aware of that, loads of Boro fans will be too, but the song is not well known out of Teesside.

The point isn't about internal opinion or internal knowledge etc, it's more about how this could appear nationally etc, especially this week when we've been all over the press for the very wrong reasons. Like I keep saying, just possible bad timing.

If they change or cancel the banner, which was planned well ahead of the disorder, then racism has won in that case.

Anti-racism is about freedoms and tolerance and the banner absolutely should have gone ahead - the club, who are obviously aware of it, felt the same.

If it is picked up and misrepresented in the media (which it hasn't as far as I'm aware), then the context can be provided.

We shouldn't pander to the 'what ifs' and we shouldn't have our freedoms damaged by the racists.

 

[SCG]

I've criticised RF for their use of Pyro and all that bollox but this someone looking for a stick to beat them with tbf.

 

[Nero]

I wasn’t born in Middlesbrough or the Teesside area, but definitely raised here. I actually wasn’t even a Boro fan as a kid having spent a bit of my early years living in Kent.

Totally get the Red Faction banner though. No doubt those involved had this planned weeks in advance.

One thing I will request. If there are any Red Faction in here, can the next banner be against the rubbish that happened in town last week. We should not tolerate people smashing up places and stopping traffic to ask if the driver is white or English.

 

[h_m_boro]

I wasn’t born in Middlesbrough or the Teesside area, but definitely raised here. I actually wasn’t even a Boro fan as a kid having spent a bit of my early years living in Kent.

Totally get the Red Faction banner though. No doubt those involved had this planned weeks in advance.

One thing I will request. If there are any Red Faction in here, can the next banner be against the rubbish that happened in town last week. We should not tolerate people smashing up places and stopping traffic to ask if the driver is white or English.

Think this one should do it........starter for 10 anyway.......

 

[newyddion]

Well.. I’ve had a long hard think about this overnight and have decided to offer ‘boro baptisms’ at the ayresome park gates 12pm every march day. £5 per person.. crossed with bech at the foot of George Camsell.. for you are the boro.. forever and ever.. a them

Certificate of authenticity to be supplied born and bread in boro. No more should any boro supporter feel excluded, offended or outsided.

Self baptisms will be made available online.. with a paper Juninho alter to be posted out. £12.99 inc p&p

 

[Andy_W]

If they change or cancel the banner, which was planned well ahead of the disorder, then racism has won in that case.

Anti-racism is about freedoms and tolerance and the banner absolutely should have gone ahead - the club, who are obviously aware of it, felt the same.

If it is picked up and misrepresented in the media (which it hasn't as far as I'm aware), then the context can be provided.

We shouldn't pander to the 'what ifs' and we shouldn't have our freedoms damaged by the racists.

I think racism is probably the wrong word, maybe xenophobia was more of the threat if it was taken the wrong way, locally or nationally. All be it the riots in boro were racist and xenophobic.

Born here, raised here could also been seen as being very inclusive for the decedents of immigrants, so it could work both ways.

Yeah, I don't think it has been picked up in the media or taken out of context which is good, but not sure how visible it's been nationally. Hopefully it stays that way

Just a bit concerned after recent events, and don't want to be giving the outsiders more sticks to beat boro down with etc.

 

[h_m_boro]

Well.. I’ve had a long hard think about this overnight and have decided to offer ‘boro baptisms’ at the ayresome park gates 12pm every march day. £5 per person.. crossed with bech at the foot of George campsell.. for you are the boro.. forever and ever.. a them

Certified of authenticity to be supplied born and bread in boro. No more should any boro supporter feel excluded offended or outsided.

Self baptisms will be made available online.. with a paper Juninho alter to be posted out. £12.99 inc p&p

Hallelujah and praise be to the God Juninho! Sign me up!!

 

[Davey_C]

One thing I will request. If there are any Red Faction in here, can the next banner be against the rubbish that happened in town last week. We should not tolerate people smashing up places and stopping traffic to ask if the driver is white or English.

As wrong as it is/was that's not a football matter though and not for the RF to unravel a banner about inside a football stadium

 

[breakthewallsdown]

‘Born here - raised here’ - not great for me and definitely music to the xenophobic anti people of colour fans.

Jesus Christ