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Beyond the Pitch Episode 70: A Walk Home: Exploring Safety in Football Culture
10 Plays24 days ago
Thank you for joining Briony and Rag on today's episode.
In this episode, we’ll explore the safety challenges women face in and around football spaces, how clubs and communities can tackle this issue, and what changes are needed to foster a culture of safety and inclusion. From discussing the roots of these concerns to actionable steps that can be taken by fans and organizations, this is a conversation about making football safe for everyone, both on and off the pitch.
This powerful video highlights the stark contrast in experiences between men and women walking home from football matches. While a male fan casually strolls through unlit streets with headphones on, a lone female fan navigates her journey with visible concern, reflecting the harsh reality that one in two women feel unsafe walking alone after dark.
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Transcript
Introduction to Women's Safety in Football
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to Beyond the Pitch, a daily women's football podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. Today is brought to you by myself, Bryony, and I'm joined by Raj. How are you?
00:00:20
Raj
Hello, I'm all right, thank you.
00:00:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, good. Thank you. Um, long time no see or hear or speak.
00:00:30
Raj
I know, yeah yeah literally, we haven't done a port in ages. It's nearly the end of the year. and
00:00:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
nothing Yeah, it's mad, isn't it? Like, we've actually been, we so we launched this, ah well, they launched the network now, what, like, well over three months ago?
00:00:45
Raj
No way.
00:00:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, August.
00:00:49
Raj
That's gone so quick. That's when it was warm.
00:00:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was freezing out.
00:00:52
Raj
all
00:00:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Today, we hit the podcast episode number 70.
00:00:59
Raj
Geez, that's good. That's good.
00:01:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
but always We all, us two seem to hit the milestones.
00:01:05
Raj
Yeah, we done like the 50th one, didn't we?
00:01:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
h Yeah,
Highlighting Safety Concerns via AFC Bournemouth Video
00:01:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
we did.
00:01:08
Raj
seventy years so
00:01:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, in this 70th episode, anniversary, whatever you want to call it, um we will explore the safety challenges women face in and around football spaces, as we often do, um and how clubs and communities can tackle this issue.
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
What changes are needed to foster a culture and safety for inclusion? From discussing the roots of these concerns to actionable steps that can be taken by fans and organisations, this is a conversation about making football safe for everyone, both on and off the pitch.
00:01:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
This new powerful video released by AFC Bournemouth, or Premier League side, has highlighted the stark contrast and experiences between men and women walking home from football matches.
00:01:42
Raj
Thank you.
00:01:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
While a male fan casually strolls through the unlit streets with headphones on, a lone female fan navigates her journey with visible concern, reflecting the harsh reality that one in two women feel unsafe walking alone in the dark, particularly after football games. So let's just set the scene. Let's just speak contextually first. like As the video showed, the amount of men that come to games in groups, in comparison to how many women attend games as an individual, because they maybe don't have the female friends that like the game, feel comfortable going to games, have the confidence to show up to a stadium, and so why
00:02:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's just address the elephant in the room. Why do women feel so unsafe walking home from a football game? Because it's you could say it's some you know you'd feel unsafe walking anywhere in the dark, home from a football game or from work.
Public Transport Challenges for Women
00:02:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think for me the difference is actually sometimes you're in danger of the people you've just been at the game with.
00:02:59
Raj
Yeah. Yeah, no. um And exactly, because you can hear the way they're reacting to the game, if they're abusing players, slurs, et cetera. And again, it' it it's just most women, like you said, are either on their own or maximum kind of like in a pair. So again, always outnumbered
00:03:30
Raj
and So instead of kind of being able to have their full focus on the game, just naturally our ears are on and we're aware of us around and what's been said around us and the potential harm that could come to us. And it's not even something we think about doing, it's literally unfortunately such a natural instinct. And then if you're by yourself, just like an advert, you might think, oh, okay, I just heard that.
00:03:59
Raj
um I need to be careful all. Instead of commenting on something that's happened in the game, you turn around to your friend and be like, oh my gosh, did you hear what you just said? We need to be so careful.
00:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah, literally. And it's it's like, you know, is i so I suppose it's the matchday cultures when we when we speak about, you know, you think you're safe in numbers, but actually, if you're on your own, you're your a number, you're not You're within a group of people, but you're not in a group of people, if that makes sense.
00:04:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
And actually, it leads on really nicely to, or it reflects on again from the analysis slash reflection we did on the other story of the um the tube.
00:04:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so people argue, get public transport home, don't walk.
00:04:42
Raj
It doesn't
00:04:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, we've seen what happens there.
00:04:48
Raj
work.
Football Clubs' Responsibility for Fan Safety
00:04:50
Raj
It doesn't work. Get public transport, walk. Unfortunately, if we want to watch our teams play, we have to be surrounded by these people, whether we're walking, whether we're getting public transport, because they're doing the same thing, because ultimately we have to do one to get to the game.
00:05:10
Raj
say In terms of getting to the game or making our way home from the game, there's not really a solution there. And sorry, that shouldn't have to be the solution. The solution is the people that at the game sort themselves out. The solution is the problem.
00:05:27
Raj
like something has to change and um massive, massive, like well done to Bournemouth for putting it out there because I feel that it should have either come from Tottenham or Brentford first, considering the last podcast that we had to cover and the the train attacks and the abuse that the that Paul Phan endured. I was fully expecting um when you sent me the link to this ad for it to be through either Tottenham or Brentford. And although it's come and it's it's needed, it's come from Ballmer. So what what really did they do about that? It's just another victim that's gone unnoticed.
00:06:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is and you know it's kind of this I think a lot of football clubs maybe there's this assumption around well it's that unspoken about things therefore are they fact maybe turn a blind eye or ignorance to them is blessed because we don't have to deal with them
00:06:33
Raj
Google.
00:06:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I also think things like this, i.e. what happened with the fan on the train, on the tube, um like the ideologies around like safety, culture, of walking home. I think a lot of clubs don't feel a responsibility because it's not happening within their ground. It's after a game. It's ah away from a game. I use inverted finger commas there. But like,
00:06:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do they deem it their responsibility because it's not within their vicinity, it's not within their environment anymore, it's after a game? And you could argue no, but you are you can equally argue that actually there are particular behaviours and incidents that exacerbate the vulnerability of women after a game that happen but have happened during the game. There are the behaviours that
Impact of Social Media on Safety Awareness
00:07:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
happen within the stadium that are the reason things happen on the way home. if That makes sense.
00:07:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:07:27
Raj
Yeah.
00:07:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know that you know what do you What do you personally think, I'm just interested to know, what what are these kinds of behaviours and cultures that happen at the game actually then relay into that aftermath?
00:07:44
Raj
Yeah, I think um is although it's happening on the train, although it's happening on the walk home, Clubs are, I'm sorry, very naive to think that it's not their problem because the starting point is within the stadium and it is...
00:08:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
They must think it's not their problem though, because why is it only just like the first club to be doing anything?
00:08:07
Raj
That's what I mean, I think... or they know it's their problem. I'm really sorry. i I definitely think they know it's their problem, but they've just been blissfully ignorant to it. And that is exactly the case.
00:08:19
Raj
They've been blissfully ignorant to it because social media hasn't always been around and people haven't always been able to tweet about it, shout about about it, make YouTube videos about it, make ads about it, and make it so out there to the world.
00:08:33
Raj
They've always been able to hide it and cover it up. But now,
00:08:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:37
Raj
social media is so powerful that someone could be watching that on the other side of the world right now.
00:08:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:08:46
Raj
And so someone knows that actually this is what people are feeling at football matches. And I think what Bournemouth have done, they've started it in the stadium as well, which highlights she's having these thoughts and he's having these thoughts whilst they're watching the game.
00:09:03
Raj
So the ad hasn't started from the walk home. it started from in the stadium, which is where the problem starts, which is because of most of the people that are there, most of the fans are there, are so like-minded and used to getting away with that behavior because it hasn't always been pointed out, that they just think that they can do it and get away with it.
00:09:29
Raj
I don't think
Zero Tolerance Policies and Implementation Challenges
00:09:30
Raj
i think they abuse players because their excuses are, the players get paid so much to be there, we can abuse them. What? Sorry, what?
00:09:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think it's it's that. I think the culture around alcohol is a massive, massive contribution to some of the behaviour towards other people that happens, like the amount of people that maybe wouldn't act in that way if they were intoxicated.
00:09:52
Raj
um
00:09:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
but suddenly grow some confidence that it didn't have before they, you know, undertook the alcohol.
00:09:53
Raj
yes
00:09:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, it's interesting. um It's an an interesting point on that, really, because, ah like, obviously coach down at Plymouth with Plymouth Argo, things like that. um And, you know, being inside the stadium regularly, do you know what, on that, sorry, I'm just going to interrupt on that note, Argo have gone 3-1 down at Norwich.
00:10:19
Raj
Boom.
00:10:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not good. um It's literally just flashed up. um But you know, it's this, you know, I i work at match days, you know, I, I'm around it I see it all behind the scenes, I, so you know, everything from, you know, three, four hours before the game, I'll be in the stadium doing tours where there is not one fan in there yeah to
00:10:29
Raj
Let's see it all. Yeah.
00:10:42
Raj
yeah
00:10:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
to the game where it's packed out with like nearly 20,000 people and it's amazing how um it's a nice it is generally a nice atmosphere it's a nice place to be as a fan but everyone around are men every single ah almost everyone sitting there are men you have the odd women in there maybe if they've got gone as a family you get kids in there things like that but they are normally seated in certain areas but It's the the vibe, it's the atmosphere, you know it's so aggressive, it really is. it's so like you know There's football tradition, there's chanting, there's things like that. but
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know For example, this just statistic here, one in two women feel unsafe walking in the dark or returning from a game. um And it does reflect the broader societal issues here. you know We're not but not just like picking picking at nothing. We're not pulling on strings that aren't there. like you know And maybe I'm not even getting a coherent point across here.
00:11:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm just kind of just blurting out what I'm thinking. But I think that's just that's just the point. It's so hard to, there's so many factors and avenues to this because it's never addressed.
00:12:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And therefore we get to a point where we become confused in what is actually, where do we even start in tackling this kind of thing?
00:12:07
Raj
cool
00:12:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because there's so many things that aren't even, they're not considered.
00:12:09
Raj
deep ah deep no I completely understand what you're saying because it feels like we are just repeating ourselves every week. But guess what? That's because it's nothing is changing. With ads that have come out, we discussed the um they the movement that Tottenham bought out to have um female fans and transgender fans sit in a certain stadium me in the club.
00:12:40
Raj
like that went on for about there was a hyped for about a month. And I think personally, that was just to tick a box. And now the social media following is only still at about 3000 to 5000.
00:12:53
Raj
And it was initiated about three years ago, like, if you want something to be pushed on media on social media, you can definitely push it, especially with the powers that football clubs have.
00:12:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mmhmm.
00:13:04
Raj
And I think that it's such a tick box exercise where most clubs do it because they don't have that genuine empathy and care because most of their income is generated from the male hooligans that tend the matches and that are the problems.
00:13:23
Raj
So they don't
Personal Stories and Cultural Change in Football
00:13:24
Raj
want to. Even with racism, like I am British Asian Indian. I am so proud of my heritage. It's unbelievable. There are times when I have played football that I have been scrutinised for my heritage because I'm a different colour and I've been told I don't belong on the pitch.
00:13:43
Raj
There are times when I've watched Manchester United play. I've gone all the way from Portsmouth to watch Manchester United play because I absolutely love Manchester United. And I have felt...
00:13:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
For some reason.
00:13:56
Raj
Yeah, for my sins. ah And I have felt so intimidated, sat in that stadium and felt like, ooh, do I belong here? Yeah, I'm wearing a Man United shirt. I've never supported a different club in my whole entire life. I've been absolutely obsessed with them. Exactly the same as all the other fans, but have felt that I don't belong because the people around me have felt, I remember the first time I talked to my mum, I was going up to Old Trafford myself for a game. She's like, no, you're not.
00:14:31
Raj
I was like, what do you mean? I was like, yes, I am. Like, I just have got these tickets. Trust me, I'm going. She's like, it's not safe. I was like, mum, it's not like a club and I'm going by myself and I'm drinking alcohol and driving to a football game.
00:14:46
Raj
It's like, it's not safe. Because even my mum knows who doesn't like football, who doesn't watch football, but knows enough from watching the news and hearing the things around her, how much
00:14:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:01
Raj
football is associated with hooligan, hogan hooliganism, that she doesn't want me to go. But she supported me through my football journey the whole time and would always get me the Man United card, the open and sang glory, glory, Man United.
00:15:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh God.
00:15:20
Raj
Every year for my birthday. Yeah, somewhere she knows it's going to make me so happy. She's so scared to let me go and I kid you not. It was, my mom might as well have been at the match because we were just texting through the whole thing.
00:15:34
Raj
She was just making sure that I was okay.
00:15:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:15:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll hold you there on that note because that will lead on really nice talk on to next book. I'll go to a quick ad break, which we will be back after.
00:15:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Global Sports Podcast Network is changing the face of football podcasts with dedicated daily content for every Premier League team, women's football, fancy football and a daily Premier League wrap up broadcast in five different languages.
00:15:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:16:04
Raj
Yes.
00:16:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
So to build on from what you're saying there, I think it's really interesting because it's it kind of reminds me of something as well within my own football. Like, you know, you describe your mum, you say she may as well have been at the game because she was that worried that she kept texting you. I, yeah again, this is just, go slightly off topic here, but still, like the whole setup of football right at grassroots all the way up. So grassroots, okay, we're seeing a more of an influx of female or girls youth football teams now. um There are more of them. Still not enough. Even like, what about 10, 15 years ago, when I was playing like young youth football, then right up until I was like 14, I played the boys team because didn't exist like girls teams like particularly not in my area, they didn't. And so I had to
00:17:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Playing boys teams and that was all fine and I actually got on with a lot of the lads and my mom was all fine with that until it turned into a social environment instead of a football on where I don't know there was a Christmas like football team get together or something like that and she would be the same then.
00:17:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because although, you know, I guess, I remember a time in particular, we went to as a, for a social, we got club, like it' as a squad, as a team, I think probably only about like 12 or 13.
00:17:24
Raj
Yes,
00:17:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we went and watched our yodel town at Hewish Park. And um my mum was exactly the same. Like, you know, I was like, mum, like, like 12 year old me, 12 year old female me didn't get it.
00:17:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
And because I was naive and unaware. But I was like, mum, none of their parents are doing that. i Stop like so so worrying. like Why are you so worried about it? She wasn't even just worried about the game I was going to. She was just worried about the the group I was going with because, you know, and I was like, yeah, but mom, I play football with them. I know that. She's like, yeah, but you don't. It's different in social context. It's different to being on football pitch and trying to explain that to a 12 year old when all i all I could think about was the anything football about it at that point.
00:18:26
Raj
Yeah.
00:18:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
um was, I think, for her quite frustrating and obviously worrying. And I don't think there's an accountation or clubs don't, or even governing bodies, the FA don't take into account the It's really difficult.
00:18:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like you can man or manage girls playing in boys teams and boys setups until they're 16. And now I think it's even 18 it's allowed. And it's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
00:18:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. You can manage that on the pitch. You can manage it that on the pitch side most of the time. Oh my goodness. All the other things that come with that change in rooms. Um, I had to, so normally there was never another change in room for me.
00:19:05
Raj
No.
00:19:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Normally I would have to turn up changed and go home with my kit.
00:19:09
Raj
No. Yeah. yeah
00:19:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I would, you know, that's just how it worked. And it's just, I think this kind of in relation to what we're talking about here is just this whole ignorance to the issues and not acknowledging them and what they actually mean. And, you know, like Bournemouth's campaign video.
Solutions for Improving Women's Safety
00:19:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
It brings it to light, it brings it to attention, but I personally, it's great they're doing it. I really, we need to see more, but I personally didn't know what their solution was from the video.
00:19:49
Raj
Oh, there was no solution. It was just highlighting it. There definitely wasn't a solution there.
00:19:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because in my eyes, we know, we know that women, there's safety concerns around women walking home from work in the dark room, anything in the dark, like what ah value has this added to the issue?
00:20:10
Raj
So again, is it just a tick-bock exercise to say when someone turns around and says, yo, you don't include, hang on a minute. Look at this ad we put out. then then they can say, tick, done.
00:20:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Probably.
00:20:22
Raj
You're absolutely right.
00:20:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, you're probably you are probably right.
00:20:24
Raj
You're absolutely right. There is no saying, there's no solution at all.
00:20:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
what do you think What do you think football clubs could do to try and improve safety for women, like in getting to and from games?
00:20:42
Raj
I think i I touched on it a little bit when we um when we did the ah the previous pod about the the girl getting abused on the way home from the Tottenham game. And I just said, like, but again, it's revenue. So are they going to do it? I just said, like, so no tolerance it's a zero tolerance policy. If you spot it, like, ban them. Because football,
00:21:14
Raj
is people's lives. Like more security and more force with it. Like if you spot something, like you're out. See you later. But making that known as well. So on the back of that ad, it could have been like, we are a zero tolerance football club. If we see it, you're not a fan of ours. We don't welcome fans like this. See you later. Trying to change the whole dynamic of the club. So the way, um I don't know, my dad always said on Millwall, just such a racist team growing up and I've always said Millwall would just being like an absolute racist team because of all the stories he told me and all the chants that they had and they got away with, because that's what they were known for, because that's what they did repeatedly. So if clubs like Bournemouth repeatedly put out the message on the back of ads like that, this is what's happening, but we have a zero tolerance policy against it.
00:22:14
Raj
Because it's basically if we see it, you're out, see you later, you're not coming back to our ground.
00:22:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:19
Raj
Will it make them rethink the way they the way they're going to behave? Because they're not going to be able to go and then see their part of joy play football. The way things are said over and over again.
00:22:36
Raj
but So the way Millwall were portrayed to be that they've kind of built a reputation for themselves. but they saw it as like a good reputation. So they repeated the behavior, if that makes sense.
00:22:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:22:47
Raj
So they came like, they lived up to that fact, and they just tried to do it more and more through games. And we're like, yeah, we're known as this, this kind of team, this kind of club. Okay, so clubs need to start making themselves known as zero tolerance to abusive behavior towards women, men, racists,
00:23:08
Raj
everything, like the red card policy, say no to racism, give racism the red card, or but are you going to give that fan a red card? You're giving racism a red card, yeah.
00:23:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:18
Raj
Or are you just too, because that's your money maker, are you not going to take that next step and say, get out?
00:23:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:26
Raj
Like, you need to go, kind of thing.
00:23:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're right. You are right.
00:23:29
Raj
What needs to happen?
00:23:31
Raj
Like diet
Consequences for Inappropriate Behavior
00:23:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, no again, we're going to have to move on to to the last ad break, but i was just I'll discuss it in a bit more in detail detail in a minute, but I do wonder if are there really like, there's nothing out there like that gets like women, like groups or communities that gets women who are going to games together to go in groups, but to bring them together to go together, if that makes sense.
00:23:32
Raj
consequences, basically.
00:23:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
um You know, why don't we create some sort of platform where these women that have got tickets to go on their own can go together with other people.
00:24:07
Raj
Yeah, yeah, I get that. But again, is it just creating a divide again?
00:24:19
Raj
So like a group of women women to be able to, i what I would love within my lifetime before I die without being too morbid is I wouldn't be able to go to a football match and just be left alone.
00:24:35
Raj
Not having to rely on groups, because if you're an anxious person that actually, and you've all you've got a really busy life, like, I've got such a busy life, sometimes I just want to go to a football game on my own.
00:24:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:24:47
Raj
I don't want to talk to anyone like about the game. While I'm there sounds so miserable, don't I?
00:24:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
you Yeah.
00:24:52
Raj
But like, there have chat I just want to sit there, like have a coffee, like really just enjoy the game by myself. Like, why shouldn't women have the opportunity.
00:25:04
Raj
It's all right. We should be able to do that with by being unbothered. Like, if someone bothered me a game, I'd just basically turn around and smack them in the mouth. Like, that is the way I deal with it.
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:16
Raj
But ah unfortunately, like, not all women are like that. And they're the ones that are suffering.
00:25:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
none
00:25:25
Raj
Here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we spend a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and uhs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:25:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
None.
00:25:43
Raj
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the description to learn more about Zencaster.
00:25:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm And so I think we haven't got much time left on this podcast, but it's, we do talk too much, but, you know, I think the last few minutes, we like it's this I guess it's the direction we go with this now, you know, discussing these issues.
00:25:54
Raj
We talk too much. yeah
00:26:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's There are potential solutions, but are the solutions just marginalizing the group of women even more? Like you say, you just want to sometimes go to a game like, you know we all have our own way of doing things.
00:26:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
like So I'm, like again, slightly off topic, but it is kind of funny. I am a coach who hates people talking to me on the sideline.
00:26:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Don't talk to me. Right? Do you know the amount of times that I have had players trying to, like, oh, honestly, I have one, like, there's a player that I've had in the past and, you know, it was something about a rule, like, in the game and they pulled the rules up and was trying to, like, show me, like, to prove the point because we needed to, like, use it against the other team.
00:26:43
Raj
a Yeah.
00:26:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it was, like, a really tight game. And I was, trying to concentrate. I was almost having cardiac arrest because that's what they're going through.
00:27:06
Raj
but
00:27:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're like messing around the ball in the defensive third when we're literally like two all and I'm and I was just like and I lit and and I've got someone trying to shove these rules in my face and I was just like leave me alone like not now um I'm busy I'm doing something and you know people
00:27:15
Raj
oh but
00:27:24
Raj
yeah
00:27:28
Raj
a Just imagine that whole thing. That is hilarious.
00:27:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
but honest honestly um Honestly, off the pod, I'll tell you all about that game. but you know it's just it's just you know Everyone has their own web dinner.
00:27:37
Raj
like
00:27:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
with Like you say, sometimes you you want to go to a game and you just want to like be in your own head. You want to be in your own zone and you just want to watch the game because that's your
00:27:49
Raj
Yes.
00:27:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
sometimes you do want football to be social like football is very very often social for me but I also get sometimes I want to you know like I I specifically feel sometimes I want to go and say to a friend or like all one of girls like coach or someone I coach with I go do you want to do you want to go and go to the pub and watch um the Liverpool city game at the weekend or so a then so although sometimes I'm like absolutely not like maybe my my other half he's here and I'm like I want to stay in I don't want to move out of bed and I want to watch the game like that it just depends how you feel and sometimes
00:28:24
Raj
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:28:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's just what you've got to do. And why should, like he rightly say, why, again, do you have to have your preference of the way you watch a game or how you go about football changed because other people can't control themselves?
00:28:46
Raj
Exactly, exactly. And there's no consequences for them, which is the main thing as well, because these people don't have any fear, which is what we've definitely seen, which has definitely been displayed because the previous probably done and um the football, the Tottenham football fan that was abused on the train, he did it in front of his sons. So they have no fear because clearly no one's instilled any fear into them because there's
Broader Safety Concerns and Physical Limitations
00:29:18
Raj
no consequences of what they're doing. They know that without any worries, they're going to be able to turn up every week
00:29:24
Raj
watch their game, have their great time, chat to their mates about it after. They're not gonna have the same feeling a woman has about going to ah going to a game.
00:29:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:29:35
Raj
Literally, the I've got a knee injury at the moment, which um you know about, but literally, and this sounds so pathetic because I walk a lot and I've been able to to walk on it much more.
00:29:51
Raj
I've literally been able to, I pride myself on being a strong girl. I love my gym and things like that. And know I pride myself on being like, if anyone comes near me, I am absolutely just going to have to be taken.
00:30:03
Raj
My biggest fear with my knee was, oh my God, am I going to defend but i able to defend myself as well i use as well as I usually could without absolutely messing up my knee again?
00:30:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:15
Raj
Genuine thought. Not when I was going to get fixed. It was, am I going to be able to run if I need to run or defend myself the way I would need to defend myself if I'm walking because it gets dark at half fault now?
00:30:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can I partake in the in the scraps in the same way?
00:30:31
Raj
yeah
00:30:35
Raj
I'm a classy girl, I promise.
00:30:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
And on that note, that is all we have time for.
00:30:39
Raj
Oh, that went too quick.
00:30:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I did go too quickly.
Podcast Conclusion and Future Outlook
00:30:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But um thank you for joining us. um It is now 4-1 Norwich.
00:30:56
Raj
Oh.
00:30:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you for joining us um and we look forward to welcoming you to our next episode of Beyond the Pitch.
00:31:05
Raj
Bye guys!
00:31:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
See you later.