Why would you ever drive north of London..twice?

I've nothing against Cooper, but you need to remember that this isn't just a football message board. It's a football fanzine message board. Born out of a progressive movement railing against the way that football fans were treated under the Tories in the eighties. Remember Thatcher's membership scheme? It's not surprising that a fanzine board for a north east club should be left leaning. I've no problem with Tories being on here, but they should behave as if they are in an away pub, zip their jackets up to hide their colours and chat politely on matters other than politics.
Really, although I see this as a joke it would appear that’s how many on here would like it.
 
Do you actually believe any of that nonsense you've written? Whatever your politics this board should be as inclusive as possible, unless your a nazi.
Of course I believe it. Why should inclusivity include the very people that the fanzine movement grew out of opposition to? I wouldnt turn up at a gig and shout for another artists songs or complain about not being able to have a pork pie at a vegan cafe. There's plenty of places for Tories to spout their bile, why do it somewhere that was never intended to be for them?
 
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Of course I believe it. Why should inclusivity include the very people that the fanzine movement grew out of opposition to? I wouldnt turn up at a gig and shout for another artists songs or complain about not being able to have a pork pie at a vegan cafe. There's plenty of places for Tories to spout their bile, why do it somewhere that was never intended to be for them?
If it was a bile spouting contest the Tories are being thrashed 10 - 0
 
I did play golf myself for about 10 minutes back in the early 90s. I was pretty terrible, which was a good enough reason on its own to give up, but I also met quite a few onanists on the course and in the club house afterwards. People who used to "do a deal" and talked in phrases like "Let's talk turkey". Years later, I did a lot of work in Aberdeen, where I used to hear similar language up and down Union Street.
 
Accidentally or otherwise I thought it was unfair to bring Cooper up on the thread in question and I can understand him being upset given the accusations against the subject of the thread, I understand that people did make the definition of similarity only of his posts but not everyone goes into the detail and mud can stick.

I don’t care if Cooper is a political activist or not, it’s good to have alternative views and opinions, I didn’t see the full sequence of posts so can’t comment on his banning but I would be surprised if he had crossed any lines, he might go off topic and use whataboutery a fair bit but I don’t think he has ever been offensive.

Anyway I hope he starts posting again after his ban and continues to add his opinion and thoughts to threads political and other wise.
 
Hi Paterson I thought I would respond to your post. I find it quite sad you feel that way. I was born 1984 and was to busy being a child during that era. I agree that the treatment of the north during thst period was shocking and understand if you lived through that period why you feel like that. Unfortunately it’s not 1980s anymore and it’s 2020 time has moved on... as it has too. This is a forum for boro fans 1st not political belief. We are in an era now when people in mid 30s will have never been to Ayresome Park. Luckily I did 1994 January fa cup 3rd replay lost 2-1 v Cardiff. What I’m trying to say is what happened 30+ years ago is no fault of the people who were not around at the time
 
Hi Cooper, I just want to start by saying that I've nothing against you personally. We have different political views and that's fine. I'm sure that we have lots of non political things in common.

The point I was making wasn't so much generally about the political situation in the north in the 80s but more specifically about the fanzine movement that grew out of the way that football fans were treated by the authorities and by the thatcher government. Opposition to the scheme that required fans to register and have a membership card to attend games was a big driver behind the growth of fanzines.

Fanzines were progressive, of the left, anti-authority, anti-racist and with the odd joke or two. All the things that were of minimal interest to the Tories of the time. So when you make the point that this is a place for Boro fans first, I question that. I still see it as a place for a certain type of Boro fan. The type of boro fan, for example, that supports the clubs collections for food banks, but is outraged by the need for them, rather than the type of fan that denies that the Tory austerity measures are in any way connected. And I'm not saying that's you, but it's a general theme from posters on the right.

In a nutshell, there are lots of football forums. Plenty of Middlesbrough options. Not all share the history and the background of fanzine boards like this one. I stand by my comment of likening it to hiding your colors in an away pub back in the day. Reveal those colours in these parts and you've got to expect some stick.

Anyway, welcome back.
 
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]Hi Paterson. One thing I would pick up on is your comment “at the time” as I said times have moved on and maybe so should others. One thing I would never advocate is oppression of somebody based on how they voted. You talk about anti racism but actively promote another form of oppression in political beliefs. You also seem to state it’s ok for people on the left to label someone who voted conservative as a racist,nazi,thick,duped etc as the so called tolerant left on this board do. Not all of course but some. I would never exclude any member of society for something that is perfectly legal but unfortunately it seems others will (and they claim the morale higher ground).
There is no rule on this forum about political beliefs so I stand by that this is a forum for any boro fan, as I would hope.
[/FONT]

[FONT=arial, sans-serif]Also I have had a load of people call me a liar, activist etc. I hate the “I know better” attitude and love to prove them wrong. So I was going to make my Facebook public for 24 hours and people will be welcome to view my posts from 2017 and 2015 which are all pro labour... but given some people on here not sure I can trust people which is a shame. So later today I will screen shot the posts and some will be able to see how wrong they are[/FONT]
 
You seem to have skipped over my main point about this particular board, but that's ok.

Also I've never called anyone thick for being a Tory. I know some very clever Tories. Nor have referred to any one being duped. Most Tories I know understand full well what they vote for.

As for who you were in 2015, you were the one who wanted to move on from the past. It doesn't matter what you said or did five years ago. It's what you say and do now that matters. Own your actions and own the consequences of your vote.
 
Yeah I do know better. As I have stated many times I’m a labour voter who switched at last election. When I say this I get called a liar. Some proclaim to know better. It is basically equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and pretending it’s not happening. Labour voters switched, this is why. If you can’t learn from it then how can you move forward and progress
 
Paterson I never said you did but others do. What I am Saying is you are tolerant of that behaviour. Something in any walk of life i would not be.

Also it’s quite clear I am accepting of how I voted. I do not need to take ownership of it. More than happy to state I voted conservative. More than happy to accept it and own it
 
Also it’s quite clear I am accepting of how I voted. I do not need to take ownership of it. More than happy to state I voted conservative. More than happy to accept it and own it[/QUOTE]

Morning Coops, glad you're back on here and hope you and the family are keeping well. I know we've had disagreements in the past but we've put them to one side and I think we both understand there's a bit more to each of us than perhaps our political posts may suggest. However, if I can just pull you on one point if that's ok. You say you're happy to accept and own the fact you voted Tory which is of course your right. However, I think what rubs a lot of posters up the wrong way is that if someone posts something anti-Tory you'll sometimes respond with laughing smileys, or not respond at all. Other times you'll go on a whataboutery mission to deflect from the point at hand.

I'm certainly not looking for an argument at all, but surely you know this is what winds people up (hence why sometimes I think you do it). If you do genuinely own the vote you cast in December then if you want to be taken a bit more seriously rather than people thinking you're trolling (I don't think that BTW), then maybe a little bit more humility and acceptance that the Government has made numerous mistakes recently might go some way to making the experience on this board a whole lot more pleasant for all?

I do think some posters goad you and I understand why you get defensive and post in the way you do. That is something they need to own and need to take a deep breath before posting because sometimes it can appear everyone is completely entrenched in their views and the flak that gets thrown just cements those positions. In reality, I do believe that if we ALL approach things in a more adult way and accept that regardless of political stance there are MPs across the house who get things wrong, then we can all perhaps start to respectfully consider the views and approaches of those with different ideas.

Anyway, glad you're back.
 
So, you know better, it's how you say things as much as what you say that winds people up. Don't bother with posting screenshots of your Facebook, that's just weird and a bit 'look at me'.
I worked Cooper out a long time ago. He's an attention seeker of the worst kind. You only need to look at his desperate posts on the other board during his spell in the 'cooler' to see that. Any Facebook screenshots he posts will be the specially selected variety no doubt.
 
Morning WG hope you and the family are doing well also. I’m good waiting for a computer to be delivered so I can work from home so at the moment just sat around not doing too much.

I think the point regarding the smileys are probs about the guardian links to be fair. Maybe a little cheeky but it just seems to be every link is a link to the guardian. I stated long before this pandemic hit home here that paper were making it political which I didn’t agree with.

As you state we have disagreed in the past but we both adult enough to accept people have different views but doesn’t need to be personal and can see beyond on that.

Unfortunately for every good poster like yourself as BoroFur demonstrates seconds later there’s one like himself which lets your side down. As you state there are some who try and goad and he’s an example of one who’s been warned for trolling me
 
For a former Labour voter you sure have changed, massively and in a short space of time.
 
For somebody as cocksure as Cooper is and giving the impression how indispensable he is at his job you'd think he'd be a bit higher up the pecking order for a works computer. How long into the lockdown are we now, 10 weeks?

Just for his information;
I am not on a 'side'.
I have never been warned for anything unlike Cooper who has received a ban for irrational behaviour.
Using the 'quote and reply' function on a message board is not 'trolling'.
I have never resorted to the desperate measure of using my own username in a thread title similar to 'Free the Cooper1'
And just for balance, for every link to a Guardian article there'll also be one to Guido Fawkes, The Telegraph, The Daily Mail or the current Right Wing fave 'Binlabour.com'
 
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