199 replies to this topic

[Dave T]

Not 1 person can tell me what the so called chants were Dave

Gareth Thomas has confirmed what the chants were on the show with Mark Chapman recently.

[Kenilworth Tiger]

Gareth Thomas has confirmed what the chants were on the show with Mark Chapman recently.

Fair enough I didn't realise that. Have the claims by him been substantiated? Genuine question

Shame Hull KR didn't get such a fine for not controlling Ben Cockayne on a night out - what steps have they taken to ensure what he did won;t happen again.


Just to reiterate I am not condoning the idiots at Cas, I just really think the RFL have set a precednet that will come under so much scrutiny it's unreal!

Edited by Kenilworth Tiger, 30 June 2010 - 01:58 PM.

[Dave T]

Fair enough I didn't realise that. Have the claims by him been substantiated? Genuine question

Shame Hull KR didn't get such a fine for not controlling Ben Cockayne on a night out - what steps have they taken to ensure what he did won;t happen again.


Just to reiterate I am not condoning the idiots at Cas, I just really think the RFL have set a precednet that will come under so much scrutiny it's unreal!

I think there is a danger trying to group any offences together, each will warrant different punishments in their own right.

The one that keeps getting thrown around, especially on rlfans is that calling the ref a winker is just as bad. It really isn't, it is simply bad language rather than anything personal. No club (AFAIK) has ever been punished for this, as many chants have these kinds of words in and whilst it may not be to some people's tastes, I suspect most would take it in the manner it was mean rather than be offended. The chants are not based on hatred and don't have much history to them.

Racist or homophobic chants are completely different, and are tackled slightly differently. If somebody was swearing in a stadium, I would expect that the stewards may have a word, but if they were stood up being racist or homophobic that they would be challenged or even ejected.

They are different things.

As for the Hull KR player and other players off-field activities, as these are off-field and out of direct control of the club, I personally believe this should be left to the law, although I applaud any clubs who take a tough stance against idiots!

No doubt for the next few games you will hear Cas fans claiming it's a conspiracy when people chant Winky Winky Warrington, or the ref's a Winker etc. but it isn't. Some things are more offensive, and racism and homophobia are definitely a few steps up from a swear-word.

[Dave T]

Fair enough I didn't realise that. Have the claims by him been substantiated? Genuine question

Don't know tbh. Although this was discussed at the time, did any Cas fans on the other board say they heard anything? One fan on there now claims to have passed a photo and names of the people involved.

[Outwoodtiger]

Think the fine is over the top. And where do you draw the line between calling Homophobic chants and making fun of somebodies Natural hair colour, where they were born (Yorkshire, Lancashire, Australia etc)? Why is abusing officials seemingly OK and accepted by the RFL and certain players not? Just how far do Cas or any club go to stop a chant by a SMALL section of people before they do not get a fine? I cant see Cas being the only place Thomas got grief.

You are absolutely correct that he has got abuse at every other ground but we were the second ground he played at and are being made an example by the RFL, they want us out of Super League and by building up this dossier of clap trap so called offences they will then throw these at us on Judgement day, irrispective as to wether we have a new stadium on the cards or not.

Gareth Thomas is paying a fleeting visit to our game and he has just single handedly destroyed my club by his actions, a club with over 100 years of history and great players.

Thank you Mr Thomas i hope your book sells really well on the back of the demise of Castleford Tigers!!

[Outwoodtiger]

I just wanted to say that I am hoping and praying that Castleford Tigers are not hung drawn and quartered in the forthcoming days about this, the fine we have just received from the RFL is absolutely ridiculous and the punishment does not fit the crime by any stretch of the imagination. How in heavens name can a club control what a few idiots decide to shout, it’s ridiculous and from our perspective is being done so that we can be ejected from Super League more easily when the licences come around.

Castleford tigers are a very family orientated club and match days in terms of entertainment are excellent and have been for a very long time and to level this fine and punishment at the club and have our name dragged through the mud is appalling.

As for Mr Thomas, he has come into Rugby League for a fleeting visit at the very end of his career whilst “coming out” at the same time and of course some idiots are going to shout abuse, look at football and what is/was shouted at David Beckham about is wife, look at rugby league, players get barracked from the stands all the time, Sean long gets it for his appearance, Barry Mc used to get it for the fact he was considered to be a little bit of a dirty player and because he had an affliction with is eye, many of the larger players get called fatty, anybody who is really good gets insulted from the stands and yes it is wrong but these guys take it on the chin and just laugh it off and are respected much more for this reaction, but Gareth Thomas as not done this and has dragged our club and its 100 years of history through the media mud and yet he knows little about our sport and its history and the great players who have represented our great club and I don’t think he cares one bit!!

I think you will find he has a book to sell and we may well be part of that and he has probably lost us our Super League licence because of what he has done instead of shrugging this off as mindless banter from 6 – 12 people out of 5,500 on that day.

I hope he his happy!!

I just wanted you guys to know how we true Cas fans really feel.

Edited by Outwoodtiger, 30 June 2010 - 04:49 PM.

[Outwoodtiger]

I think there is a danger trying to group any offences together, each will warrant different punishments in their own right.

The one that keeps getting thrown around, especially on rlfans is that calling the ref a winker is just as bad. It really isn't, it is simply bad language rather than anything personal. No club (AFAIK) has ever been punished for this, as many chants have these kinds of words in and whilst it may not be to some people's tastes, I suspect most would take it in the manner it was mean rather than be offended. The chants are not based on hatred and don't have much history to them.

Racist or homophobic chants are completely different, and are tackled slightly differently. If somebody was swearing in a stadium, I would expect that the stewards may have a word, but if they were stood up being racist or homophobic that they would be challenged or even ejected.

They are different things.

As for the Hull KR player and other players off-field activities, as these are off-field and out of direct control of the club, I personally believe this should be left to the law, although I applaud any clubs who take a tough stance against idiots!

No doubt for the next few games you will hear Cas fans claiming it's a conspiracy when people chant Winky Winky Warrington, or the ref's a Winker etc. but it isn't. Some things are more offensive, and racism and homophobia are definitely a few steps up from a swear-word.

Absolutely Rubbish, this guy will probably be announcing he's heterosexual again (once he's sold enough copies of his book) and it was all a bit of a mistake and back with his missus!!

Cas have been used to pander to this useless League player who will be gone by the end of the season but by this time he will have destroyed our club.

It is an absolute disgrace, it almost looks stage managed in that he probably thought he would get barracked more in RL than in Union so that he could then write about it!!

Edited by Outwoodtiger, 30 June 2010 - 04:55 PM.

[tonyXIII]

Gareth Thomas is paying a fleeting visit to our game and he has just single handedly destroyed my club by his actions, a club with over 100 years of history and great players.

Thank you Mr Thomas i hope your book sells really well on the back of the demise of Castleford Tigers!!

"Single handedly"? Really?

Did Mr Thomas raise the matter with the RFL? Or was it someone else? I would doubt that Mr Thomas raised the matter, but I am open to persuasion.

This will not be the one and only reason that Castleford fail to gain a licence and I think the doomsayers are a bit premature in writing them off just yet. There is nothing to say you won't get a licence.

There's a long way to go.

[Trojan]

Now, Sunday v Widnes, "nar then ya big ginger 2@" was hurled in my direction. We all had a chortle in the lagoon and got about our business of enjoying the afternoon.

Scientists are puzzled as to what happened to the Neanderthals. Did they just breed with Homo Sapiens and disappear that way, or are they still here? I reckon that they are alive and well and by all the evidence living in Cas. BTW I reckon Robin must originate from Cas - the Neanderthals were said to have mainly ginger hair.

[SonikGav]

Of course there are those that simply think its a case of 'fine Cas a tonne of cash so the ycant afford their new stadium and automatically solve the Liscence decision'.

I love conspiracy theorists

[ckn]

BBC News article by George Riley

"The behaviour of club supporters is one of our considerations in the licensing process," admits RFL spokesman John Ledger.

The rest of the article is a very fair summation from my perspective.

[3owls]

[quote name='Dave T' date='Jun 30 2010, 04:56 PM' post='2065311']
Racist or homophobic chants are completely different, and are tackled slightly differently. If somebody was swearing in a stadium, I would expect that the stewards may have a word, but if they were stood up being racist or homophobic that they would be challenged or even ejected.

Once more you're talking a lot of sense but i personally can't see why racist or homophobic abuse is any worse than any other form of abuse. To me this is the R.F.L showing the world how they're oh so politically correct, coming down hard on the anti gay brigade. Cas were a soft touch with their past record (no smoke without fire and all that) but the truth is the R.F.L have failed to stem the increasing amount of abuse coming from the terraces over the years and i think cas have got the ###### end of the stick on this occasion. Once you go down the road of grading abuse depending on who it's aimed at it becomes discriminatory itself. Any nasty comment aimed at a fat person, a ginger person, a black person or a gay person is wrong and the R.F.L has been happy to let plenty go up until now. They are equally as big cowards as the fans that abused thomas.

[Hannibal]

Gareth Thomas is paying a fleeting visit to our game and he has just single handedly destroyed my club

Does that let Wigan off the hook then?

What exactly have you been smoking today?

[jannerboyuk]

Absolutely Rubbish, this guy will probably be announcing he's heterosexual again (once he's sold enough copies of his book) and it was all a bit of a mistake and back with his missus!!

Cas have been used to pander to this useless League player who will be gone by the end of the season but by this time he will have destroyed our club.

It is an absolute disgrace, it almost looks stage managed in that he probably thought he would get barracked more in RL than in Union so that he could then write about it!!

Thank god your mum only lets you buy those special plastic scissors.

[jannerboyuk]

Once more you're talking a lot of sense but i personally can't see why racist or homophobic abuse is any worse than any other form of abuse. To me this is the R.F.L showing the world how they're oh so politically correct, coming down hard on the anti gay brigade. Cas were a soft touch with their past record (no smoke without fire and all that) but the truth is the R.F.L have failed to stem the increasing amount of abuse coming from the terraces over the years and i think cas have got the ###### end of the stick on this occasion. Once you go down the road of grading abuse depending on who it's aimed at it becomes discriminatory itself. Any nasty comment aimed at a fat person, a ginger person, a black person or a gay person is wrong and the R.F.L has been happy to let plenty go up until now. They are equally as big cowards as the fans that abused thomas.

C'mon mate of course it is graded, the criminal law makes a distinction for a start, as you do if you consider it for a second. Would you consider calling the ref names as the same if people started abusing some disabled fans for example? This doesn't mean there arent many grey and difficult areas but that doesnt mean doing nothing. It could be argued that the RFL could find themseves in trouble if they don't tackle it or appear to tackle it.

[Dave T]

Once more you're talking a lot of sense but i personally can't see why racist or homophobic abuse is any worse than any other form of abuse. To me this is the R.F.L showing the world how they're oh so politically correct, coming down hard on the anti gay brigade. Cas were a soft touch with their past record (no smoke without fire and all that) but the truth is the R.F.L have failed to stem the increasing amount of abuse coming from the terraces over the years and i think cas have got the ###### end of the stick on this occasion. Once you go down the road of grading abuse depending on who it's aimed at it becomes discriminatory itself. Any nasty comment aimed at a fat person, a ginger person, a black person or a gay person is wrong and the R.F.L has been happy to let plenty go up until now. They are equally as big cowards as the fans that abused thomas.

I have raised a couple of times now in different forms.

Call someone a dickhead in a crowded place (a generic insult) and you may get some disapproving looks.

Call a black person a n***** in the same crowded place and it will be treated far more seriously.

Similarly, start a chant of 'do you take it up the ****' to a gay person and that will be treated more seriously.

They are absolutely different things.

Our new Cas friend is an absolute idiot on this thread, blaming Gareth Thomas for this. Unfortunately he isn't on his own with this.

[DiH68]

Thomas has now spoken out:

Homophobia tide turning - Thomas

The more I read from Thomas, the more I like him. He always comes across really well in interviews.
Not sure about his "working class" comment though!

But I particularly likes this bit:

"I absolutely love rugby league. I don't really have any regrets in my life but I think I will regret not joining rugby league sooner," he stated.

"The camaraderie not just between our team but also the teams we play against is second to none.

"The coaches, fans, everything about it makes it a game that I always wanted to play and I feel honoured and blessed to be part of it. Super League is going to be one of the biggest and best memories of my career going back to union days."

[RP London]

You are absolutely correct that he has got abuse at every other ground but we were the second ground he played at and are being made an example by the RFL, they want us out of Super League and by building up this dossier of clap trap so called offences they will then throw these at us on Judgement day, irrispective as to wether we have a new stadium on the cards or not.

Gareth Thomas is paying a fleeting visit to our game and he has just single handedly destroyed my club by his actions, a club with over 100 years of history and great players.

Thank you Mr Thomas i hope your book sells really well on the back of the demise of Castleford Tigers!!

yes its all that nasty Mr Thomas' fault.. he came over to our sport and brought his gayness with him and all we were doing was trying to get on with our lives without it.. FFS!

there is no place for this sort of attitude if you want to blame somone blame the assholes who wer chanting vile abuse at him, blame the stewards for not doing anythng, blame the club for not inbestigating it properly afterwards and for not doing what they were supposed to to prevent it.. if health and safety ahut our factory down its my fault for not keeping up with the rules not the H&S officers fault for implementing them, if i got caught stealing its my fult for stealing not the policemans fault for catching me or the shopkeepers fault for making it oh so tempting..

Its a steep fine but it shows how seriously they are taking it.. 20k now 20k deferred and 20k for an incident earlier..

IF the RFL want to throw cas out they hardly need to find a reason to be fair.. there are plenty of reasons to thrwo out any number of clubs.. if i were you i would look at the "fans" who love the club but wan to put its life in danger by being numbskulls.

BTW you mentione he is paying afleeting visit, if thomas stays in the game for the next 20 years and helps to develop them game in wales does this make it better?

[Kenilworth Tiger]

Our new Cas friend is an absolute idiot on this thread, blaming Gareth Thomas for this. Unfortunately he isn't on his own with this.

Of course he's not on his own - there's always some idiots who stick together

He's definitley in the minortity though Dave

Loads of fans are disappointed with the decision and loads fo fans think it's unfair but not too many are blaming Gareth Thomas - some yes but not many.

[Kenilworth Tiger]

I just wanted you guys to know how we true Cas fans really feel.

Please don't include me in this and yes I am a true Cas fan