City deserve credit, but can we ever cure football's addiction to sick chants?

By David McDonnell

Published 11:45 27/09/11

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We live in a cynical world, so it was perhaps no surprise Manchester City's decision to lay a wreath at the memorial site to the victims of the Munich air disaster was viewed by some as nothing more than a PR stunt.

Such an outlook, expressed by fans on Twitter this week, will serve only to prolong the vitriol and hatred that manifests itself in the vile stadium chants that simply refuse to go away, rather than banishing them for good.

In simple terms, there exists an air of suspicion over such a dignified gesture as City's. Critics deride it as self-serving, an attempt to enhance the club's image, rather than a brave and genuine move to show respect and ease ongoing tensions between two sets of fans.

How sad that such a positive move can be viewed with disdain and mistrust, particularly coming at a time when distasteful terrace chants have come to the fore once again.

Last week's Carling Cup tie between Leeds and Manchester United at Elland Road was a case in point, marred by examples of such abhorrent chanting from both sets of fans.

The home fans goaded the visitors with vile songs about Munich, while United supporters responded with equally disgusting references to Istanbul and the murders of two Leeds fans on a Champions League trip away to Galatasaray a decade ago.

No club can claim the moral high ground on the issue of sick chants while sections of their own fans continue to revel in singing them, despite the best efforts of officials from United and City to address the issue through appeals and other ventures.

Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken directly to United fans, through his programme notes, on numerous occasions to stop abusive chants, notably towards Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who is still subjected to such malevolent taunts.

In addition, supporters have been written to and repeated appeals launched, by both clubs in Manchester, in an effort to tackle the problem head-on.

When City travelled to Blackburn in the Premier League last season, following their FA Cup semi-final victory over United, their fans chanted "Who put the ball in the Munichs' net? Yaya, Yaya Toure", a reference to the scorer of the winning goal at Wembley.

In the aftermath of the chanting at Ewood Park, City confronted the issue through appeals by boss Roberto Mancini and former player Colin Bell, who both called for an end to the conduct of the mindless that tarnished the image of their club.

With United and City battling it out for the title for the first time since 1967-68, when the latter edged out the former to win the championship, the stakes could not be higher ahead of the first Manchester derby of the season at Old Trafford on October 23.

Three years ago at Old Trafford, City fans behaved impeccably, observing respectfully a minute's silence to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich disaster, their conduct earning them praise amid fears they would ruin the sombre tribute.

Despite the best efforts of United and City officials, however, with Ferguson this week praising the laying of a wreath in Munich, the problem of sick chants still persists and shows no sign of going away.

Education is the answer, to ensure the next generation of fans do not grow up viewing such appalling chants as acceptable practice.

Yet that seems a forlorn hope, if this week's shocking revelation of a video of a four-year-old boy signing a derogatory song about the Munich disaster and posted on YouTube, is anything to go by.

The video was apparently posted on the website by one of the boy's parents and carried the tag: 'My four-year-old singing the runway song :-/'.

With such moronic parents out there, what chance do the next generation have of setting the right example and ensuring such offensive chants are consigned to the past? Sadly, it would appear, very little.

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