I suppose we will be having one at Villa tomorrow (I'll be in the Doug Ellis stand courtesy of Ticketmaster) so I hope it is better observed than the one I saw today.

I had the misfortune to be at Ninian Park, Baadiff when the ref attempted to carry out FA instructions and ask for a minutes silence in memory of the QM. The behaviour of the Cardiff fans was absolutely disgraceful. The morons behind the goal (where all the trouble started in the Leeds cup tie) shouted all through it with a rendition of "You can stick your royal family up your @rse".

Now I know you often get the odd idiot shouting out during a "silence" but on the whole people just exercise common courtesy and keep their gobs shut. I seem to recall 51,000 managing it at SJP for Princess Margaret. I must have stood through over a hundred "silences" over the years - sometimes I've not even know who or what they were for - but you just do it don't you.

And people ask me why I hate the Welsh!

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2002

Answers

APalling

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2002

It really is a sorry state when people can't shut up for 1 minute. Shouting out only makes the person look like an idiot and does nothing to change the reason for observing the silence in the first place.

I've actually noticed in the US they rarely hold the silence for a full minute. It's actually called a "moment of silence", and lasts appx 30sec or less. Hadn't actually noticed until I started watching European sports and seeing full minute observances. I don't know if game officials think American attention spans are too short to be quiet for a full minute, or what. Wouldn't surprise me though as I've rarely heard total silence during the observances. Sadly, it's often reporters blabbering on in fear of dead air. :-/

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2002

Jacko that was disgraceful behaviour - morons. (:o|

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2002

A minute's silence is due everyone. To shout it down is unacceptable. I have even less time for Princess Margaret than the QM but she I would not invade the space of that minute.

For me the difficult one will be when great Prime Minister Thatcher dies and we're expected to do it, I really will struggle with the whole concept of giving her the respect she deserves.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2002

That will be a tough one. Would be nice to think that nobody would have the nerve to ask for a minutes silence in the North East for her but I think that's a forlorn hope.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2002

I'd take a trumpet for Thatcher.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2002

Actually the whole thing of a minute's silence may be getting out- moded. Rather like the community hymn singing at the Wembley cup finals that always ended with 'Abide with me', which is a very moving hymn in the right circumstances. But the social structure which supported that, and acknowledged the fat old geyser on his podium as a "conductor" of 100,000 people just got replaced and a majority no longer sang.

In the USA things may be going the other way - due the surge of nationalism following September 11. I've just got back from seeing the Seattle Mariners beaten by the ChiSox and we had the National Anthem before the game AND America the Beautifull during the 7th Inning stretch. The latter was followed by "Take me out .. " and "Louise Louise" - a Seattle favourite. But I was sorry about America the Beautiful.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2002

Circumstances, Sounder. I'm in Minnesota for the umpteenth time (OK, so somebody's got to do it!) and I've never seen so many flags and emblems as I have this time round. It seems 911 really got USA focussed. I think you're right. Fat, dumb and happy and neebu99a cares. Up against the wall and all sorts of patriotism comes out. Wartime Britain and they all grouped together (thankfully I wasn't born). Safe as houses, and we don't give a sh!t.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2002

I take it you mean the 100 years war, or was it the War of the Roses that happened before you were born?

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2002

"...(thankfully I wasn't born)...", so how did you arrive on the scene; hatched, reincarnated, metamorphosed...?

;7)

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2002

Re Thatcher, is a minute's silence normally observed for ex PM's? I can't recall any myself but then, of course, that may just be a feature of my dementia. I suppose MacMillan was the last ex PM to go. I don't think we had any silences for that?

I suppose the best thing to do if a silence is to be observed for someone for whom you actually have disrespect, is to absent yourself from your place and quietly occupy the concourse behind the seating area. A minute's silence from rows of empty seats would send out a sufficiently dignified protest I guess.

-- Anonymous, April 02, 2002