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VIDEO: New York MLS Derby sullied by pre-match fight
A clash between New York City FC and New York Red Bulls supporters broke out on a New Jersey street not far from the latter's home ground Saturday in a scene from the ugly side of 1980s British soccer.
AP's Rob Harris, who was in New York covering the event, captured images and videos of the fracas.
The melee erupted outside of the Newark bar above, where two small groups of rival supporters started chants of "Who Are Ya?" that soon turned into violence.
A handful of punches landed and debris was thrown, with a local business' sandwich board serving as an impromptu weapon. Seconds later, police in the area interrupted proceedings.
English accents could be heard among the crowd, as it appears that the game truly has made its way across the pond.
Hooliganism, once referred to as the "English Disease," was as much about rivalries in soccer fandom as it was about the conditions of 1980s Great Britain. Unemployment peaked as commerce suffered and jobs were moved abroad.
Soccer grounds were often standing-room-only stadia in need of revitalization and British soccer was at its lowest point. Frustrated by their socioeconomic status, supporters took out said frustrations on Saturday and Sunday afternoons following hours spent in local pubs.
The scourge on the English game has, for the most part, become a thing of the past - and while derbies in Europe are often a point of confrontation for two clubs steeped in decades of history, the New York derby is in its infant stages.
Displays of soccer violence have long been a stain on the sport, and Sunday's actions in New Jersey will do little to counter that stigma.
Copyright © 2015 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Continue reading...
A clash between New York City FC and New York Red Bulls supporters broke out on a New Jersey street not far from the latter's home ground Saturday in a scene from the ugly side of 1980s British soccer.
AP's Rob Harris, who was in New York covering the event, captured images and videos of the fracas.
The melee erupted outside of the Newark bar above, where two small groups of rival supporters started chants of "Who Are Ya?" that soon turned into violence.
A handful of punches landed and debris was thrown, with a local business' sandwich board serving as an impromptu weapon. Seconds later, police in the area interrupted proceedings.
English accents could be heard among the crowd, as it appears that the game truly has made its way across the pond.
Hooliganism, once referred to as the "English Disease," was as much about rivalries in soccer fandom as it was about the conditions of 1980s Great Britain. Unemployment peaked as commerce suffered and jobs were moved abroad.
Soccer grounds were often standing-room-only stadia in need of revitalization and British soccer was at its lowest point. Frustrated by their socioeconomic status, supporters took out said frustrations on Saturday and Sunday afternoons following hours spent in local pubs.
The scourge on the English game has, for the most part, become a thing of the past - and while derbies in Europe are often a point of confrontation for two clubs steeped in decades of history, the New York derby is in its infant stages.
Displays of soccer violence have long been a stain on the sport, and Sunday's actions in New Jersey will do little to counter that stigma.
Copyright © 2015 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Continue reading...
