I was just watching City beat Newcastle when I spotted a UVF flag. It was being 'proudly' displayed in the City end, in the corner next to the Newcastle fans. It was purple, had UVF in orange letters and the red hand with 'For God and Ulster' around it.

What the fuck is all that about? Can any of our resident Blues shed any light on it?

what does uvf stand for?

Ulster Volunteer Force. An overtly sectarian Northern Irish Loyalist paramilitary death squad.

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It's not a flag I'd be comfortable in seeing at my club, that's for certain!

What's the betting that Louise Taylor will move it in amongst the Newcastle fans in Monday morning's Guardian?

I must say I did not see this myself. However, I am aware that City is seen as the "loyalist" club in Manchester. FYI most big cities in northern England have one that is one way and one the other.

Well there's only three cities in Northern England that have two clubs (outside London there's only six multi-club cities in total anyway, unless you include Stoke/Port Vale which I don't think would be strictly correct) and I have to say that comes as news to me. I'm certainly not aware of it in Liverpool or Sheffield and as for City, I don't think you could describe them as being a Loyalist club.

I'd say most fans of English clubs are fairly indifferent to this. It's probably fair to say it's more prevalent amongst England fans, but English CLUB fans? That would suggest that clubs here have political movements akin to continental ultra groups and I just don't see that at all. I'd put it down to a minority of misguided nob heads which, let's face it, most clubs attract. I've certainly had the misfortune of feeling their presence at Bolton.

If I had anything to do with City though, I'd make sure it wasn't shown again. It doesn't exactly give a great impression!

I am not suggesting that the majority of supporters of these clubs are overtly political, just a minority. I do not think it applies to Sheffield or Stoke but Manchester has this to a minor extent. As for Liverpool - I can only assume you have never been there. For more on what I am talking about see:

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I'd heard, many years ago, that those clubs whose strip was blue were Loyalist/Protestant clubs, symbolised by the Rangers/Chelsea/C18/BNP connection.

Yes, that is in general the rule. Red or green being the club who have support that is Irish catholic.

I have been to Liverpool on many occasions. I was referring to the two football clubs, not the city itself, as were you in your original post. And I am well aware of the Southport orange parade which attracts bigots from all around the region, not just Liverpool.

Everton and Liverpool's roots are both in the Methodist Church I believe.

As for the strip colour thing, that's also a new one. Sounds like urban myth to me, but I'm happy to be shown otherwise.

urban myth is probably correct - i think that it is safe to presume that things are slightly more nuanced than that in reality...

back in the early 1980s you could get arsenal/celtic merchandise, but arsenal only play in red because forest donated a set of kits back when they formed, and as a club they have always had as good a relationship with rangers as they do with celtic.


as for yeovil town?

Don't think its necessarily down to colour of shirts. Probably down to coincidence more than anything through.

Ive heard (but must add never seen with my own eyes) about that UVF flag been up at city before. I guess United have more of a reputation as being left leaning due to the general anti-England feeling, Irish background (Irish Republicanism often being linked to the left) and the now defunct Red Attitude magazine having been antifa/United. However that doesnt necessarily apply right through United's support (on a very basic level (where we throw the English national side and patriotism in with the right) I might enjoy it when pre-2005 the anti-England songs were rolled out at OT or post-2005 at FC (not to mention the game early on when the MRE sang "If you all hate fascists") but I know plenty who support England or just don't care at all about any political side. Likewise Im sure there are city fans who either are oblivious or are genuinely offended by the UVF flag discussed.

I think you could throw many a top flight club into a vague pile of left or right but I don't think things are as cut and dry as they are with St Pauli. Particularly when you throw in the dilution of community links/week in week out support through increased commercialisation and ticket prices.

funny you should say that about Liverpool, as, according to the book about John Barnes (out of his skin?) Liverpool used to be the protestant club and Everton the catholic one.

With todays more middle class up market support of I think you will find most fans of premiership clubs would not have a clue what this topic is about. As far as this club being UVF and that club being IRA supporting - forget it those days are long gone. Having said all that there is still a very small minority at some premiership clubs who hold allegiances to Irish Loyalism. Best policy report it to the F.A. and let them deal with it.

aliceb wrote:

funny you should say that about Liverpool, as, according to the book about John Barnes (out of his skin?) Liverpool used to be the protestant club and Everton the catholic one.

I always thought that too Alice. I'm sure I read somewhere that Liverpool FC had roots in the Orange Lodges aswell.......?

Apparantly St Domingo's (Everton's original name) was a Methodist Church although it does sound Catholic to me.......?