Did you watch the FA Cup quarter finals over the weekend?
There were two 0-0 draws and the only game to feature any goals was the Villa v West Brom game.
The game was marred by a pitch invasion which I will spell out here isn’t acceptable.
However the breathtaking arrogance of the media is what got my goat about that game.
We heard West Brom boss Tony Pulis’s tuppenorth on the scenes - forgetting that West Brom fans were reportedly ripping out and throwing seats.
We had rent-a-gob Mark Lawrenson talking about village idiots and the BBC seemingly jumping on a quote from Villa captain Fabian Delph about him being bitten.
Delph later clarified that he hadn’t actually been bitten but it mattered not a jot.
The media, and in particular the BBC, decided that this invasion in which no-one got hurt and the game managed to finish before a second incursion by fans, was one of the worst things in football for a long time.
There was even a quote about it being a trip back to the bad old days of the 1980s.
I hadn’t heard so much sanctimonious nonsense for quite a while.
The BBC and other TV companies seem to believe that fans are only there for atmosphere and to be shot by camera at moments of high drama and emotion.
I do not believe the fans should have gone on the pitch but TV companies would do well to remember that the product they pay so much for is only there because of the poor sods in the stands who could have watched it on their networks for a fraction of the price they forked out to watch it and cheer their team on.
