Fifty years ago, eight members of Manchester United’s team died in a plane crash and the team wants to memorialize them with a moment of silence on February 6th. Seems simple enough… but then you remember that this is merry old England—and the EPL—we’re talking about. Of course the game that day is against bitter cross-town rivals Manchester City who, with such close proximity to Old Trafford, will bring their hooligans out in full force. Hooligans who… yell at inopportune times!
So “good” Man City supporters are pleading with Man U organizers to go the Bugs Bunny route and follow the “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” mantra, which is so sad. Of course you can beat hooligans.

Because of the intense rivalry between the two teams, even City fans who are happy to respect the memory of the lost “Busby Babes” fear that the hooligan element among their following won’t keep quiet.

They have suggested a minute’s applause, instead of silence, so that anyone who tries to disrupt the occasion won’t be heard.

“We plead with Manchester United to change from the proposed minute’s silence to a minute’s applause to allow all true football fans a chance to show their respects,” Kevin Parker, secretary of the City supporters’ club, said in a letter to United. “In this way, any idiots who do not share these views will be drowned out rather than highlighted.”

Either that or take away their seats like the Germans did Everton fans a while back. Hey, you know what a moment of silence is without 2000 rival fans in your stadium, right? Yup. More silence.

Manchester rivals can’t agree over silent tribute to Munich victims [The Canadian Press]
Image [canali.libero.it]