Football

This was the part of my article that was censored:

At last, after almost ten years of the abomination, the press have latched >onto the evil that is half and half scarves. Please work to stop them. If >people don’t buy them, they will not be sold. Don’t buy them for yourself; >don’t buy them for your kids. Ignore them and they will go away.

If you see someone wearing one, shame them into taking it off.

Half and half shirts are even worse. The recent picture of one at Old Trafford >was nauseating. It is not the first I have seen.

When we played Liverpool in the Cup Final, I was sitting in my seat watching >the warm up when my daughter who was with me said “Don’t look, you’re >not going to like this.” Of course, I did look and she was right. I didn’t like >what I saw.

There were two grown men walking towards us wearing felt top in the >colours of the South African flag. That was bad but there was worse.

They were each bedecked in mirror image half and half shirts; Liverpool and >Chelsea. As I stared at them aghast I realised that they were getting closer to >us. Of all the seats in the stadium, they came and sat next to me.

I immediately suggested that they should quickly put their jackets on and >cover up their offensive shirts. They refused saying that they had created >much amusement coming into the ground. Other supporters arrived and sat >near us. One person expressed the view more succinctly and forcibly than I >had. Looking astonished at the venom unleashed upon them and fearing, >quite rightly, for their physical safety, they put their jackets on.

It transpired that they had paid hundreds of pounds to a tout for their first >ever football match and were surprised to find that the atmosphere and the >passion were somewhat different to rugby where comedy costumes and >mutual affection apparently play a great part.

If they ever come again, which I suspect they may not, I am quite sure that >they will not repeat their mistake. Hopefully they will not wear half and half >scarves either.