I am not either a Republican or a Royalist, but the decision by the EFL and Premier League to cancel all football fixtures this weekend is, in my view, a step too far.
I have nothing against the Queen, who served her country honourably for the last 65 years. People who have met her say she was a very caring and considerate woman, and I do not doubt that she was. That said, she was also a lover of sport! Do you think she would want the whole sporting calendar to grind to a halt just because she has left this world at the ripe old age of 96? I think not, and yet, this is exactly what has happened. Even her beloved horse racing has fallen foul of this strict adherence to ‘majesty’. In this modern age, I thought we might have grown out of it but apparently not.
If a dedicated Ipswich fan who had followed the Blues for 65 years leaves the world suddenly, then he would do well to get a minute’s round of applause. Where is the fairness in this? Yes, she was a woman who was adored and adorned throughout the world but hey, we all leave this world sooner or later, for better or for worse. I think this move by the football powers is a short-sighted one and does not take into account the planning that goes into following football. As visitors, Cambridge United have more to lose. Some will have booked into hotels in town, and there are other clubs with much more travelling time involved who will have lost a lot of dosh as a result of this impulsive and, in my view, erroneous decision. Stuart Watson writing for the EADT speaks of the power of the home doubleheader. Well, that ain’t going to happen, mate!
The current Royal Family line emerged with the Norman invasion in 1066 when William the Conqueror landed in England. We must not forget that Queen Victoria’s descendants took on the name of Saxe Coburg-Gotha from her husband, Prince Albert. World War One saw a rise in local anti-German sentiment, and the need for a name change was urgently required! Enough of the history lesson, the question is, why does sport have to suffer? There are many ways of showing grief without it impacting the sporting fraternity, and now we have to suffer the torturous mass media coverage of the life of the Royals – whether we like it or not. It will go on day and night until her funeral so strap yourself in folks. We are in for a very long laborious ride!
And before you accuse me of being cold-hearted and dispassionate, I would like to remind you that life and death are intertwined. Pier pressure has instigated this solemn event, when in fact, what we should all be doing is rejoicing in the wonderful life she led. I am quite sure that is what the Queen would have wanted, and certainly not this!
I think your article sucks. It’s shallow and insensitive
and terribly written
I wonder why you call yourself anon? Is it because you are one of those trolls who spend all their days trying to damage the reputation of others?
Dear Norman, my intention was not to cause offence but to highlight the absurdity of cancelling the whole football programme, when Cricket, horse racing, rugby and other sports conveyed their condolences in other ways, and without having to postpone anything. The government left it up to individual governing sports bodies to decide how to address this issue, and football wanted to prove they were the purest. The same football authorities that let the murderous crown prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud buy Newcastle United football club.