By Tony Attwood
OK I don’t mean the headline seriously, but Blacksheep came up with what I thought was a really funny idea, of identifying the constituencies of football clubs and then seeing whether those constituencies voted remain or leave.
And then saying that to be democratic the club should abide by the referendum result in their area.
I stopped laughing when I found how difficult it was to analyse votes by where a club is based, largely because the result of the referendum was not just a national result but also a result not counted in normal parliamentary constituency boundaries.
Also it was harder than I thought it would be to identify the constituency that each club is in, and anyway I wanted my lunch.
So those people who love to write in and say “so this is inaccurate and based on estimations of something that is irrelevant since the UK is leaving tonight anyway” don’t have to write in and say “so this is inaccurate and based on estimations of something that is irrelevant since the UK is leaving tonight anyway” because I have already said it for them. And if you do write in and say that I shall send the lads round. They might be UK citizens, they might not.
Here are the results as best I can do them for the constituencies of each PL team.
| Pos | Team | Constituency | Referendum result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | Anfield | Remain |
| 2 | Manchester City | Manchester North | Remain |
| 3 | Leicester City | Leicester East | Remain |
| 4 | Chelsea | Hammersmith | Remain |
| 5 | Manchester United | Manchester | Remain |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | Tottenahm | Remain |
| 7 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Wolverhampton | Leave |
| 8 | Sheffield United | Sheffield Central | Leave |
| 9 | Southampton | Southampton Test | Leave |
| 10 | Arsenal | Islington north | Remain |
| 11 | Crystal Palace | Lewisham | Remain |
| 12 | Everton | Anfield | Remain |
| 13 | Burnley | Burnley | Leave |
| 14 | Newcastle United | Newcastle central | Remain |
| 15 | Brighton and Hove Albion | Lewes | Remain |
| 16 | Aston Villa | Birmingham Ladywood | Leave |
| 17 | West Ham United | West Ham | Remain |
| 18 | AFC Bournemouth | Bournemouth | Leave |
| 19 | Watford | Watford | Leave |
| 20 | Norwich City | Norwich | Remain |
Although the table above is not 100% accurate, I think it is fairly close, and it is possible that I have got each club right (they are listed obviously in the order of their position in the League as of today).
But it must be possible for someone to invent a witty chant about “you voted leave” and “why is he here?” for clubs in areas that voted leave.
One point of course is that we have no idea what is going to happen either immediately in terms of the transfer of 16 to 18 year olds (we know that has to stop by the start of next year, but no one is sure if it stops as of tomorrow). And then there is the whole thing of the transfer of non-UK citizens into the Premier League. EU citizens from tomorrow no longer have an automatic right to work in the UK.
And as I have mentioned before, the FA are desperate to restrict the number of players who are not qualified to play for England, in Premier League games. Their argument is utterly illogical as we’ve shown many times, and of late they’ve shut up about it, but I would be amazed if they didn’t now put all their energy into persuading the government to stop letting foreigners into our league. It’s been their campaign for 20 years, only EU regulations made it hard for them to put a policy in place. Now they are unshackled. (The FA unshackled – what a horrific thought).
Old timers like me remember 1st Division football in centuries gone by, when 99% of the players were either English, Scottish, Welsh, N Irish or Irish. (There is a special regulation concerning the right of Irish citizens to work in the UK which continues as before.)
And apparently that would not be racist, because although a lot of the leave campaign was openly against people designated as foreign being in the UK, saying so at that time was officially deemed not racist.
Maybe I just feel this more than some people because of where I live – which is a part of the country that voted Leave really big time, and where we constantly had people openly saying on broadcasts through the campaign, that their wish to vote Leave was because the country was full of foreigners, and (as several people put it in radio interviews), “We know they’re foreign because they’re speaking foreign.” It’s hard to argue with that.
My personal view, which of course doesn’t matter a jot in the broader scope of things, is that from this point I can’t really lose. I was a strong campaigner to remain on the grounds that the economy will crash within five years of leaving and being internationalist is always better than a return to nationalism.
If the economy now does crash to dust, I’ll be proven right, the Conservative Party will collapse and will be out of office for the rest of my life and maybe for years thereafter – which I would love to see (although obviously not the last bit since I won’t be here). If I’m wrong and leaving leads to a boom time, then my pension should go up, the shops will be full of goodies, and life will be good and I’ll probably opt not to remind people that I was an active Remainer.
When you get older, that’s how it goes.
I completely refute your assessment in respect of Man Utd and suggest it’s completely impossible to say whether they could still sign people given Essex and the South West voted to leave but London voted to remain………..
Tony
“The FA unshackled – what a horrific thought”
I contest, not as horrific as the thought of our present Government being unshackled.
I honestly don’t believe people realise quite what is coming the working mans way.
Johson
Davis
Gove
Horton
May
Rees Mogg
Javid
Patel
Raab
Shapps
Yep, these people really do have the rights of the working man at the heart of their politics.
Still, as long as we can keep those nasty foreigners out and catch a few more fish then it will be all worth while.
I cant wait.
OT: Soares joins us on loan
https://www.arsenal.com/news/cedric-soares-join-us-loan
Welcome to Arsenal Cedric.
OT: Something for Sir Hardly Anyone
He’s been covering the near infinite transfer rumours on the mens side. I seen a similar blurb about a possible womens transfer (next window).
https://thewomensgame.com/news/catley-ill-probably-be-in-europe-next-summer-537334
She is a fullback from Australia.
Welcome to Arsenal Cedric.
Hey Tony this is insightful.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/ewrlyn/unai_emery_claims_arsenal_fans_got_him_the_sack/
On the bright side (?) , there may be lots more openings for English/British players managers and coaches .
And all those other English players , coaches and managers plying their respective trades overseas may would feel the patriotic need to return home , and thus to enrich the EPL further .
What about the ownership of the English clubs ? Will the foreign owners be persuaded that it will be in their best interested to sell off their shares to locals and exit gracefully ?
Happy BREXIT Day to all those who wish to rejoice.
Tony, There was no referendum result in any AREA. Being a bit of a political animal yourself (and don’t we readers know it?) you will be aware that the referendum was a national one, covering the four home nations, which offered one outcome, one result. No-one campaigned for regional referenda, for obvious reasons. Do try to get over it and try to work for the good of this nation, which, despite its faults, is still one of the finest in the world. Now we are leaving the corrupt and cloying clutches of the EU (notwithstanding any more treasonous attempts over the coming year to overturn the solemn promise given to the nation), we have more chance of correcting the faults of our government. My point is your article is based on a fatuous premise.
Tony, I suppose that after 47 years of anti-democracy and anti-free speech, it is only to be expected that my innocuous comment has disappeared.
Yes that is always the problem with my attempts at humour. Although some people get, quite a few don’t. What I can’t get is that anyone could actually think that however the referendum was organised, that clubs would take any notice of their local result – it is just too bonkers for words. But I’ve had this problem with humour since I started Untold.
It’s strange though. when I get up and do an improvised theatre routine (improv as us theatricals call it) people do laugh. Maybe it is just nervous laughter however.
Tony, My apologies. I was a bit too sharp there.
No I rather think your confusion comes from the fact that you are commenting without actually reading the “Comments” page. Everyone’s first comment (either first ever or first from a new email address or new IP address) goes into moderation automatically and has to wait for one of the moderators to clear it. That system was introduced right at the start of Untold about 12 years ago and it helps get rid of adverts, racism, threats of violence against myself and my family, and other such comments that some people find appropriate. Since then well over a quarter of a million comments have been approved here, so it would seem that quite a few people are able to cope with the system.
https://untold-arsenal.com/untold-comments if you want to have a read. The link is under “Pages”
But I have put your details in continuing moderation for the moment as you seem to be having a few problems.
Nitram, I see your wish to stoutly defend the rights of the working man (most of which rights originated in the UK) does not extend to fishermen, whose wish to return our territorial waters to our fisherman is dismissed contemptuously as “to catch a few more fish”. Not a lot of hope for this country, really, whilst such sentiments persist.
That’s ok Peter, I don’t take offence. If I did I would not be able to keep running this site for all these years. If all is calm now I’ll take you out of moderation – I don’t want to have to moderate each and every post – running the site takes up a vast amount of time as it is.
Peter, if I may say so, this is a very very strange attitude. Nitram is one guy, who makes one comment. It’s his comment. One person. How can such a single comment result in the view that there is “not a lot of hope for this country?”
That is one of the biggest problems that we have had over the years – the taking of a single person’s comment and then expanding it as if it is reflected across the whole UK.
Untold gets the most awful racist, agressive, fanatical, fascist stuff sent in on a regular basis, but none of that shows that this is how the whole country, or even 5% of the country thinks.
We have opinions, and we have statistics, analysis and evidence. They are different.
Tony, Points taken. Yes, I generally read the comments on articles I read (which is a fair number).
And yes, I do have a sense of humour and can see yours for myself, thanks. It’s just that after three and a half years, the humour in either decrying or ridiculing the referendum result has worn a bit thin! Any way, keep up the good work. (I’ll go and lie down now.)
@Peter Kay – i agree with you on the referendum. I do not like the fact that stats on area voting were released as the process is secret. The only stats that should be released are the final numbers. I hate the SDP harping on about ‘their Nation’ voting to remain when the result was that we should leave.
Peter
It was another attempt at humour that obviously didn’t make you laugh as opposed to the following from your good self that had me in stitches:
“Now we are leaving the corrupt and cloying clutches of the EU”
Because of course that lot listed above are all paragons of virtue.
Have you seen how much money Gove alone has p***** up the wall.
Boris lied to the Queen and broke the law.
Google Boris’s lies. It’s a long read but enlightening none the less.
Google David Davis’s Brexit lies.
Google Rees Moggs views on workers rights.
To suggest we needed to come out of the EU because it is corrupt when we have that lot in charge is beyond funny.
If you think that list of Tory politicians above and all the rest have ever, will ever, put the wants and needs of the average working man at the front of their thoughts, then you must of been living in a cave for the last 10 years.
Google workers pay increases versus CEO/High earners over the last 10 years.
One last point, obviously my fears are for all workers, and rather than the effect of leaving Europe it’s the effect of the unshackling of the most right wing Tory Government we’ve had for many years that worries me more.
And yes I do accept the result, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it, or indeed shut up about it.
If the result had been to remain would you of liked it? I suggest not.
Would it of stopped you moaning about what you call “The corrupt and cloying clutches of the EU” ? I doubt that either.
Just loosing doesn’t mean you have to support, like, or stop moaning about the victors.
Surely continuing to voice my disappointment about leaving is as much my democratic right as it is yours to celebrate.
Yes of course the issues with fishing should be sorted, but with better, stronger negotiators that could and should of been done within the EU.
Tony
I didn’t realise my views had such gravitas. They certainly don’t with Mrs Nitram.
Just two points regarding the post and the comments .
Firstly Norwich did vote remain which was mainly due to the number of students at the UEA . However the rest of East Anglia from where the club garners it’s support voted to leave .
Secondly to Nitram your comments on renegotiating the fishing rights and quotas doesn’t hold water , attempts were made however they were refuted and if we want to open a debate on politicians lying we would need a bigger site than wickipedia.
Porter
“if we want to open a debate on politicians lying we would need a bigger site than wickipedia.”
That is true enough, but if that is your defence of that lot then I’m sorry but that is simply not good enough.
If it were we could all go to court and plead innocence on the basis that others have done it as well, which we cannot. In other words, irrelevant.
And in any case, when the lies are in an election manifesto for example, in 4 years time you have a chance to kick the liars out.
Unfortunately with the ‘bull*** manifesto’ produced to promote the leave campaign that is not the case.
As such, despite all the lies told by the leave campaign, of which there were many, we have no chance to kick the liars out.
Look, I’m an old man. I am lucky, nothing that is likely to happen post brexit, good bad or indifferent is going to affect me.
I voted for what I thought would be the best for the future of our country and especially the youngsters.
For their sake I hope against hope I am wrong, and I may well be.
PETER KAY & PORTER
Only time will tell. So just so I don’t worry too much here’s a question to Peter Kay and Porter.
I have asked a few leavers at work how their life will improve now we have left. Nobody else’s. Their lives.
Not one has given me a straight answer.
So tell me, now you have what you want how will your life improve.
Better job?
More pay?
Better working conditions?
Better workers rights?
Better health and safety?
Better social care?
Better pensions?
More money into Police, Fire etc.?
And how it will all happen.
You voted for it so you must know how all those are going to improve. Maybe you can shut me and stop me worrying.
The reality is that most of the problems in our society have nothing to do with us being either in or out of the EU. The fact that our housing is in crisis, that our health service is in crisis, that our schools are in crisis, that the numbers of young people being stabbed on the street is at an all time high, that our transport network is creaking and falling apart, that social care is in crisis, that we have more homeless people on our streets than ever before….
I could go on
None of these having anything to do with membership of the EU.
But hey, blue passports folks, rejoice!
How will it affect me , now sadly like you I have retired as I am in my 70’s.So yes a better pension would be nice.
However my business eventually ran into the ground as I lost my customers due to in the main the common fishing policy. You might see fishing as a mere bagatelle , but the hardships in the coastal areas of Eastern England have been crippling . It’s not just the ships that have gone , the processing plants , the service industries surrounding them , the chandlers , electricians , winch and pumping contracters mostly went, albeit some were able to diversify into the offshore gas rigs but nothing like the same number .
This policy was not alone . A little further inland the farmers ,you know ,the guys that work the land and farm the animals suffered with the CAP . Sure subsidies were handed out but these went to the land owner , no wonder Hesseltine and Major and the like were desperate to stay .
People of East Anglia have felt forgotten and ignored both in Brussels and Westminster and I’m sure that if you creep up the coast those in Lincolnshire and Humberside feel the same .
People voted for a new beginning they felt that staying was just going to be more of the same .
You say you voted for the future of your children and grandkids , well I did the same , I saw the amount of youth unemployment in Europe , Greece 52% , Spain 43% , Italy 30% in the North but over 50% in the south . I noted that university graduates are working in care homes I saw that prospects unless you were in Germany were not brilliant . France counted differently to the rest because of their education policy but still it was around 1 in 4 .
I know that not everybody can sit behind a computer and so we need to build back our industrial base .I figured that we need to restart apprentiship schemes to give the young a chance and although I may be accused of being inward looking we should not be importing people to be what used to be known as tradesmen Plumbers , Electricians , Builders , etc . We need small businesses that can be diverse and successful and we could not be that whilst we imported so much from the continent.
These are a few of the reasons for my voting the opposite way to you nodoubt we will see things differently but I hope that you can see that I thought it out before making my decision.
There may come a day, just a few years from now, when King William V sits in Windsor Castle, not Buckingham Palace, and reigns over the United Kingdom of Southern England-but-not-London and East Belfast.
While the Republics of London, Merseyside, Manchester, Tyneside, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are happy and prosperous in the European Union.
blacksheep
That in effect is what I was saying.
There are many things wrong with our society but I fail to see how blaming it all on the EU and thus exiting it, is going to help.
Our problems stem from a heartless right wing government, compounded by an incompetent deluded opposition.
I understand peoples frustrations, especially the people in a much neglected North, but I think blaming it on Europe rather than turning on our own incompetent political parties is a grave mistake.
We have basically just given more power to those that put us in this position in the first place.
The EU didn’t tell us to cut the pay and services of the Army, Navy, Airforce, police force, Fire brigade, Nursing, prison service, social care, mental health care etc. etc, our own Government decided to do that in preference to paying the CEO’s, elite and shareholders, all by themselves.
Porter
Almost all those issues, except for those in the fisheries, and we will have to wait and see how that is addressed, did not require us to leave the EU to address.
No just the danger that as the euro zone comes under pressure the same can happen here .
Porter
I say again:
We have basically just given more power to those that put us in this position in the first place.
The EU didn’t tell us to cut the pay and services of the Army, Navy, Airforce, police force, Fire brigade, Nursing, prison service, social care, mental health care etc. etc, our own Government decided to do that in preference to paying the CEO’s, elite and shareholders, all by themselves.
Please explain to me how the EU was to blame for all that., as well as:
For the gig economy.
For Zero hours contracts.
For annualised hours.
Explain how all that is the EU’s fault and how it’s all now going to change.
You must know the answer or why else would you have voted to leave.
The EU didn’t tell us to cut the pay and services of the Army, Navy, Airforce, police force, Fire brigade, Nursing, prison service, social care, mental health care etc. etc, our own Government decided to do that in preference to paying the CEO’s, elite and shareholders, all by themselves.
It may not have suited your political stance but my life’s experience from Wilson onward has taught me that the alternative to those we have in charge now has rarely worked out well.
Whilst I agree that the club in Westminster needs a thorough overhaul it doesn’t change the fact that the way things in the E.U have been heading since we joined their trading agreement has led to more and more control floating across the channel and a few listens to the spoutings of Verhofstadt and his ilk made it clear that little was likely to alter that direction.
“It may not have suited your political stance but my life’s experience from Wilson onward has taught me that the alternative to those we have in charge now has rarely worked out well.”
I didn’t ask you that. I asked how leaving the EU would change that.
You have failed to answer that. All you’ve done is agree with me that both our political parties are to blame for where the Country is.
Again I ask, how is leaving the EU going to change that.
Until you answer that, which you obviously cannot, I can only assume you simply want to blame the EU for all our woes.
Do you really believe that these things would have changed had we voted to stay ? I think you are trying to muddy the waters and change the narrative.
If you want to change those you will have to pressure the government here , rather than concentrating on wringing your hands on a decision made by a majority of your compatriots that you did not agree with.
Leaving the E.U was to get away from certain protection laws made to benefit other countries at our expense .
What happens now at Westminster is a totally different subject.
Porter
So you wont, or cant answer.
Fine,
How about you then ? what were your peceived benefits . I explained my reasons some time ago but maybe my stand for the people of East Anglia and other coastal areas went straight over your head . You bought up your grievences with the Tory government which as you say has nothing to do with Brexit so why bring them up.
Porter
“I explained my reasons some time ago but maybe my stand for the people of East Anglia and other coastal areas went straight over your head.”
Reasons is stretching it. REASON.
Of course it didn’t go over my head, but are you honestly saying the only reason you voted to leave the EU was because of the fishing industry? Please tell me it wasn’t because by my understanding a great deal of our problems are of our own making anyway, and leaving the EU is going to change very little.
Read the following:
https://www.sustainweb.org/sustainablefishcity/faqs/
Very eye opening but because you want to blame the EU you probably wont believe it, although you seem perfectly happy to believe everything Johnson, Davis, Rees-Mogg, Farage and the rest tell you.
So apart from what seems your misguided notion that leaving the EU is going to help your old mates in an industry that at the end of the day is a miniscule part of the British economy, how is leaving the EU going to improve your life.
The reason I keep asking is because surely the fishing industry wasn’t the only reason you voted to leave.