Should we boycott Wimbledon?
As you may be aware, representatives from the
Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association (WISA) will be coming to the London Clarets AGM on Saturday 13 July to talk about their struggle to save the soul of their football club.
One of the things they're likely to talk about is the campaign to encourage away supporters to boycott Wimbledon FC's matches next season. WISA wrote to us recently and this is what they said:
"In a major setback for Wimbledon FC's proposed move to Milton Keynes, Wimbledon Football Club today announced that they will be playing at Selhurst Park next season.
The Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association calls upon ALL supporters to boycott fixtures at Selhurst Park, involving Wimbledon Football Club Ltd. The football community now has an opportunity to hit home the message that football franchising is not acceptable in the English game, and to cause a detrimental effect on the revenues of Wimbledon FC.
We are in the process of formulating plans for a law abiding peaceful protest on the opening game of the season, involving any supporter that wishes to demonstrate contempt at Charles Koppel and the precedent that he has set through football franchising.
Please feel free to wear YOUR club colours."
Simon Wheeler
WISA Newsletter Editor
But speaking for no one other than myself, I admit I find the question of a boycott a difficult one. I support supporters' initiatives to have more say in their clubs in general, and the efforts of Wimbledon supporters to save their club from franchising in particular. I think they're doing a superb job, and I take my hat off to them. I've also spent a significant part of my life boycotting something or other. But it was easy to boycott, say, South African fruit, Rupert Murdoch's newspapers or ITV football. I could simply buy someone else's fruit, read a different paper, or watch the other side. Boycotting a match involving my football team is a different proposition. I can't simply go and watch another match. I either go and see my team, or I don't. For many of us, the prospect of not going to watch Burnley when they play in the South East is unthinkable. This is why we are so exercised by the Millwall ban, after all. And much though I might support the principle of the ban, in practice it would mean me sitting at home in East London while my team plays a few miles south of the river.
This is a difficult issue, and of all Burnley supporters, we are the ones most on the horns of this dilemma. To sum up my own thoughts, I think I probably feel that a boycott would be right, but if I'm being honest, I would struggle to uphold it.
This is a discussion that we are likely to come back to, and it is likely to come up at our AGM. But I'd also be interested in the views of people who can't come to the AGM. I feel the least we owe the Wimbledon supporters is to give the prospect of the boycott serious thought and the issues a proper airing.
So, should we be boycotting the Wimbledon game?
Please e-mail us with your views and we'll reproduce a selection here.
I can't make my mind up. Convince me.
Firmo
July 2002
Click here to see some responses.
Click here to visit the WISA website.
As with all articles on the site, the
views expressed in the comments section are those of the individual contributor, and do
not necessarily reflect the view of the Burnley FC London Supporters Club
