I gather the Premier League took the lead and others followed, particularly the EFL, who were initially happy to play on, but you're right, maybe the FA was in there too arguing for cancellation, especially as they had a programme of FA Trophy matches today.
To be picky, I don’t think people are opposed to the Royal Family (and certainly not the Queen). They are opposed to the idea of monarchy.
Quite ridiculous that youth football has been cancelled, my boy's team isn't even allowed to train... far better they pay their respects with another day on the XBox...
Have other kids sports stopped? Maybe they will go and run around in shops or got out to watch a film etc. I think football wanted to be seen doing the right thing but then got caught out as other events were carrying on. Read some some have said they didn't trust football fans to behave themselves either but presume there will be a minutes silence in the mid week games to come so is there much difference except it's a few days later after the Queen's death? Good start in the cricket btw..
Main issue with doing away with the Monarchy is what to replace it with as Head of State. It has also tended to wield a lot of 'soft power' to the benefit of the UK; we'll have to see if that continues. It also generates a lot of tourist revenue. Slimming it down so it costs less is obviously the way to go and Charles has said that's his aim & I think William even more so. I'm no rabid monarchist and have only watched bits of the coverage, normally because my wife's had it on TV, but I am not that convinced by what I understand of the alternatives on display elsewhere.
I totally agree. However undemocratic the current system is, the alternative is potentially worse. You look at how beholden the French have been to Putin and the Germans to both Putin and Xi. Not a great advert for letting the political class run the whole show.
What a load of ********, we've done plenty of shady and illegal **** even in recent times that the Queen couldn't do Jack **** about (not that she would have give a **** anyway) because she has no democratic legitimacy, we could be a normal, mature country like Ireland which basically runs in exactly the same way except they have a check on the powers of the head of the government. Besides, look up the Australian constitutional crisis, look up what's happening in Bermuda right now, it's just absolutely ridiculous
We replace the monarchy with a president. Seems to work just fine for 95% of the world's countries. As for generating tourist revenue, I should think much more than that has been spent on all this foolishness with chocolate soldiers marching up and down and cants with feathers in their hats shouting hip hip hooray. As I've suggested before, if we want to have a king or queen for tourism purposes, then fine but just the one. No Dukes and Lords and fackin barons and whatnot hanging on. Open up the castles and palaces for the tourists to look round with a suitable entrance fee. Have interviews for who is going to be king or queen and choose one that can properly entertain the tourists. One that can juggle and ride a unicycle. Tell a few jokes. Pose for selfies with the tourists for say £25 a time. Make sure royalty really earns its way.
It’s not as high as 95%. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...ment#/media/File:Forms_of_government_2021.svg
In the UK who would it be easier for Putin or Xi to buy off? An elected President or the Monarch? The battle of the 21st century is between democracies and dictatorships, instigated and led by China. It's an existential threat to western civilisation and we may well lose. After the insane war on Islam, we now have a real enemy on our hands. The UK has been the leading European nation against Putin. Would that have happened with a corrupt politico as President who could have been bought off by Putin? Buying off corrupt leaders is also a major part of China's plan for the 21st century. Having a Monarch instead of a president does potentially provide some protection against that
Putin and the government were pretty pally until quite recently, the Queen did jack **** to stop him and his cronies donating to the Tories! That we're belatedly one of the countries turning on him is **** all to do with the fact we have a Queen and more to do with the fact that we're nowhere near as dependent on Russian energy than countries like Germany
Surely it depends how much executive authority you give the President? Could easily mimmick the current settlement that makes Charlie a glorified ribbon cutter and professional greeter.
Obviously not pally enough for lil Vlad to benefit. The UK started going after Russian oligarchs a while ago. Why do u think the Germans and French jeopardized their national security by becoming energy dependent on despotic former KGB kingpin Vladimir Putin? Here's a clue: €€€€€€€€€€€€€ If we had a president maybe we'd have gone down that same gilded rabbit hole with the French and Germans.
No, we only backed him all the way as he terrorised Chechnya and did **** all when he invaded Georgia, what did you dear lizard queen do then?
Only 7 minutes of mourning to go to half time. Do you think they'll add on the time I took to have a slash?
Half Time Report from the Vic: A good first half from the visitors who had the hornets on the back foot on 32 seconds after a mis-placed back pass by Cathcart caught Bachmann cold. A Reading player latched on to the loose ball but Kabasele, captain for the second successive game, lunged in and conceded a stone wall penalty trying to prevent the goal. Reading stepped up and scored it. Watford responded well with Asprilla testing the Reading keeper with a low drive which was deflected round the post, and Bayo, who had two goals in his last two games before today, missed a golden chance to level the scores when he had a free header from 3 yards with the goal at his mercy. Sarr, who is usually energetic and full of running, was marked out the game so far. Reading had a real chance to increase the scores right on half time when a great peice of play down the right caught Kamara wrong footed failed to connect with the ball after a half-hearted challenge, allowed the visiting midfielder time and space to pick out a peach of a cross which was missed by Cathcart with Bachmann unable to get off his goal line quick enough to intercept. Fortunatley for the hornets, the Reading man mis-kicked the shot wide. Edwards and Ince exchanged half smiles as the walked down the tunnel.
How appropriate that a thread discussing the visit of the Royals has turned into a debate about the monarchy. hopefully the hornets can abolish the monarchy when the fixture is re-arranged.
The FA has embarrassed itself by acting without any thought for the football fan and how the fans could pay their respects. It shows that the FA just does not care for fan and grassroots football. Just like VAR they got this decision wrong, but will never admit it. The FA scored an own goal and it is the fans who have lost money on travel and accommodation. There is no guarantee that these fans can get to the midweek rescheduled games. .Staff who work at the grounds plus all grassroots players that lost out on a game. As it has been stated already. There will possibly be a repeat next weekend. If the next allowed games are in October, l suggest we don't bother with a two minute silence as they moment has gone. Taken away by the FA who shot their load too quickly. Football is for the fans not for the blazer brigade at the FA who are out of touch.
As I understand it, the FA didn’t make the call to cancel the Premier League. The premier league called itself off, the EFL then fell into line.
The games in mid week will go ahead and probably next weekend too. And if they are worried about fans not respecting any tribute then will have to take the risk - sure the majority would be fine.
Be that as it may. The FA, PL and EFL are taking a lot of flak for acting as judge and jury. Their failure to read the room just leaves a feeling that they just don't care for the fans or grassroots football. To call off children's football is ludicrous. I understand that most 3G playing areas in London have been all locked down.
Backed by a roaring crowd, Watford emerged from the tunnel with more fire and started the second half strongly. Edwards made a tactical switch at half time, moving Kamara onto the left flank and Sema was asked to play as make-shift RWB. Early in the half, Watford were forced into a change when promising new striker Davis was caught by a reading defender and went down in a heap clutching his leg. Reports suggest a torn achillies and is expected to be out until the new year. With Manaj still out injured, Pedro was brought on in his place. As a few groans echoed around the ground about another injury, Edwards brought even more steel into the midfield when he subsituted Asprilla for Gosling, the former Bournemouth favourite looked lost in the middle and pondered about for most of the half. Reading continued to push forward as the half went on, with Bachmann making a stunning finger-tip save midway through the half to keep the home side in the game, moments before that however, Pedro had the ball in the Reading net after a mazy run and cool finish but the linesman was late with his flag and it was deemed to be offside by the length of a nat's leg. Bayo had a shot blocked just after Bachmann's save and Gosling saw a close range free kick cannon off the first man before Choudary smashed the rebound into row Z. Ince then brought on a new subsitute and this new player, fresh with energy, attacked down the home side's left side, avoiding Kamara's challenge but it was good defending from Serraltra - who headed the danger clear after the cross was put into the danger area. Cathcart and Kabasele continued to confuse the home crowd with misplace passes out to the flanks and this was enough to alert Edwards to make another subsitution on the 80th minute mark. Kabasele was replaced with WTE, and he did well to get a toe to close range shot from a Reading man just outside of the box. Hause then cleared another dangerous corner away as Reading continud to close the game out strongly, opting not to sit back on their slender lead. Pedro had another run at the royal's backline before teeing up Sarr who shot straight at the visiting keeper, looking frustrated as his shot was weak. Reading had a series of good corners after that, but none really troubled the home defense, before Watford were awarded a very controversial spot kick of their own in injury time. Goslimg and Choudury played a lovely one-two to bamboozle the Reading left back before passing into Bayo who was tripped as he was about to shoot. After a bit of a debate over who was going to take it, Sarr took the ball out of Pedro's hands, and as fate would have it, he missed again, shooting to the left of the keeper, who went the right way and saved another tame effort. Boo's rang out at FT as Reading held onto their victory, with Edwards looking on in bemusment to how his side failed to equalise. Ince shook his hand at the final whistle while patting his team on the back. As fan's piled out of Vicarage Road, tributes to the late Queen were shown on the screens around the ground. It was a somber performance again from the home side overall, who looked good in patches but failed once again to have a killer touch in front of goal. Reading could of scored a few more as the defence did just enough to avoid a heavy loss.
IMO the footy was called off and the Rugger and Cricket allowed to play because football is full of right wing queen and country Tommy Robinson types who cannot be trusted to respect a minutes silence. I know the Millwall fans were impeccable during the minutes silence at the 100 year armistice Day at the Vic but hey , that was a blip.
