Race and 21st Century Oldham

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I’m an Oldham lad. Born and bred. Oldham Athletic F.C. are my team. They have been since the age of about 5 years old when my grand father took me to Boundary Park to watch them play. He could have taken me to Old Trafford and I would have been a Manchester United fan and basked in so much glory but, I forgave him.

Union Street, Oldham, UK. Pic courtesy of www.geograph.org.UK
Union Street, Oldham, UK. Pic courtesy of www.geograph.org.UK

At the start of the century – that’s the 21st Century I hasten to add, I’m not that bleedin’ old! – Oldham, my home town, suffered the worst race riots Britain has ever seen. The race riots of the 80’s in Southall and Brixton were as nothing to the riots in Oldham in the 80’s and Oldham kicked off again at the start of the new century.

In Oldham and surrounding areas there is a large population of Pakistani / Bangla Deshi Asians. Almost all, given their origins or antecedents, are Muslim. Northerners, whilst generally very friendly and laid back, don’t like this increasing Muslim community. It isn’t that they necessarily don’t like Muslims, it’s more a case of they don’t like them living in Oldham or Rochdale. They would rather they lived in Pakistan or somewhere they are, in the view of many many Oldhamers, intended to live.

What can I say? I’m an Oldhamer. I’m from Oldham. It is my home town. I think like an Oldhamer and, often, behave like an Oldhamer albeit I haven’t actually lived there for 30 odd years. I go back regularly and, despite being married to a ‘southern’ / ‘London’ girl I invariably upset her when I say “I’m going home” when ever I go back for a few days

“This is your home, here with me” she says reasonably.

“No love. I live here. My home is Oldham” I reply, probably unreasonably but it is my home. It is where I want to be and where I feel I belong.

Back in the 70’s the Oldham Athletic ‘firm’ was ‘The Chaddy Fusiliers’. The ‘home’ fans would stand in the Chadderton Road end of the ground aka ‘The Chaddy End’ and those who wanted to ‘have a go’ at the opposing fans were ‘The Chaddy Fusiliers’. Our numbers varied from game to game depending on ‘how hard’ some considered the opposition fans.

Life was fairly simple back then. If you wanted to join ‘The Chaddy Fusiliers’ you merely had to ‘prove yourself’ by wading into a fight with opposition supporters. Our favourite ‘chant’ back then was meant to lull the opposition fans into a false sense of security and make them think, whether the game was at ‘home’ or ‘away’, that fighting wasn’t high on our list of priorities.

“We are the boys who make no noise

and we’re only after c*nt

we’re the heroes of the night

and we’d rather fuck than fight

we’re the heroes of The Chaddy Fusiliers”

Somewhere in the mists of time ‘The Chaddy Fusiliers’ ceased to be and the Oldham ‘firm’ became ‘The Fine Young Casuals’ I am aware that a few members of the FYC’s are the sons of former ‘Chaddy Fusiliers’ – well? Keep it in the family eh?

The following video is a TV report from 2001. I suspect another TV report will emerge soon enough as matters are no better now than they were then and, frankly, will never get better as long as Pakistani’s whether born in Oldham or not live near to Oldham Athletic’s ground. In the eyes of the FYC’s they aren’t welcome near the ground nor in the country. Whilst ‘ordinary’ Oldhamers would publicly ‘tut-tut’ at such sentiments, privately, most agree.

I suspect there is much work still to do throughout the country on British ‘race relations’ but, as an Oldhamer, trust me, creating a ‘multi-racial / cultural’ successful community in Oldham would defeat the judgement of Solomon.

Oldham. My birthplace. My football team. My roots. My place in this world. Sorry love – my home. It’ll get worse before it gets better but it’s where I belong.

 

About Post Author

Neil Bamforth

I am English first, British second and never ever European. I have supported Oldham Athletic FC for 50 years which has made me immune from depression. My taste buds have died due to too many red hot curries so I drink Kronenburg beer and milk - sometimes in the same glass. I have a wife, daughter, 9 cats and I like toast.
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Rachael
9 years ago

Norman has anyone ever told you that you have the skill as a writer to turn what could be a nice homespun story into a thinly veiled racist diatribe?

Reply to  Rachael
9 years ago

Often Rachael but you see, many people assume I am racist when I’m not. Well, not exactly. I’m ‘selective’ in what is, perhaps, more akin to a degree of patriotism and love of country than racism. Colour doesn’t worry me nor does ethnicity nor country of origin.

My friends who are Asian, African, Eastern European and so forth are my friends because, not unnaturally, we like each other but also because they respect that they are in England and should adapt to a reasonable degree to that rather than expect me to adapt to ‘their culture’ or what ever.

In ‘their country’ I would adapt and, if I didn’t like it, leave. I merely ask and expect the same from those who settle here.

If that is ‘racist’ then, yes, I suppose I am – although I don’t personally consider that stance as remotely ‘racist’ myself.

Many – certainly not all but many – of Oldham’s Pakistani community born here or otherwise – not to mention Rochdale and Bradford – tend to live in many ways as if they were still in Pakistan. That upsets and offends local people who would be quite happy to accept them if they would only accept us in our country and, frankly, bloody well behave in a way acceptable in England. (Grooming vulnerable young white girls for sometimes under age sex doesn’t qualify as behaving in an acceptable way)

Why they won’t is a question for them not me eh?

Skill as a writer eh? Thank you! x

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