Now the time for ‘political’ Tifo from Wor Flags at St James’ Park? | OneFootball

On Sunday, I read the article (They have all got it in for Newcastle United) by Bazoox.

I made a comment to the effect that if we do truly believe there is a conspiracy against us, Wor Flags should consider making a statement to that effect with one of their TIFOs.

Now, before I start, I am not affiliated with the Wor Flags movement.

I have not donated to their cause and beyond the visual images on display before the matches at St James, knew very little about them before doing some rudimentary research for this article.

According to their website, the Wor Flags goal is straightforward, ‘to create displays at St James’ Park that are worthy of this great club.’ One of the ways in which they state that they’ll achieve this is with ‘foils, surfers and custom tifos’.

I appreciate most reading this will know that tifo is the word used to describe a colourful, vibrant and usually choreographed visual display by football supporters.

What is perhaps not so well known, is that the word tifo is Italian and it actually refers to the typhus fever, which can cause an outbreak of delirium in those that are unfortunate enough to suffer it. Supporters who form a tifo are known as tifosi, which is the Italian word for ‘those infected with typhus’. Clearly, it is not to be taken literally and the choice of word in Italian is deliberate as football supporters are often depicted as being in a delighted frenzy when their team scores a goal or wins a match.

We’ve all seen the giant Wor Flags tifo with ‘We are the Mags’ emblazoned on it, together with clever references to north east culture. Similarly, there has been a raft of superb slogans adorning the Gallowgate End these past few years, some with not so subtle digs aimed at Mike CAshley, some showing unstinting support of Rafa Benitez and then there was that outpouring of emotion when it came to the first game post the takeover, with Wor Flags reminding us that ‘this is a mighty town, build upon solid ground, and everything they’ve tried so hard to kill, we will rebuild’ which I took as yet another, not so subtle dig at CAshley and his awful regime.

Getting back to Bazoox’s article and my comment.

I wonder whether Wor Flags could produce a tifo that questions the integrity of VAR and dare I say it, that of the EPL? Very political (apologies in advance for mentioning the ‘P’ word, Billmag) and I don’t know the rules of engagement when it comes to what Wor Flags can and cannot do within the confines of both their constitution and once they set foot inside St James’ Park.

However, if you want to make a stand, you need to be bold. Political tifos do exist.

Last Saturday, Celtic’s Green Brigade unfurled a giant tifo ahead of the Old Firm clash which referenced the height of the troubles in Ireland – an image of a teenager in a gas mask holding a petrol bomb from the so called Battle of the Bogside between the RUC and the nationalist community in Derry in 1969.

I’m not sure whether the authorities will be taking any action, they have in the past hit Celtic with punishments. For instance, on a number of occasions in the past decade UEFA have fined the club for the misconduct of their fans and although not all these fines related to politically motivated tifos, in December 2013, the €50,000 fine doled out was as a result of a banner unveiled at a Champions League match against AC Milan which displayed a political message and attracted further controversy by also depicting an image of the hunger striker, Bobby Sands.

On the continent, Legia Warsaw have incurred the wrath of UEFA for their tifos as well. One of them commemorated Poles killed by the Germans, marking the Warsaw uprising of 1944, whilst another, ironically unfurled after the team beat Celtic in the Champions League but were booted out for fielding an ineligible player, took aim at the governing body with a huge pig set against the UEFA logo and holding a sign reading 6-1 (the aggregate score against the Scottish champions). For good measure, the banner also proclaimed in English, ‘Because Football Doesn’t Matter, Money Does’.

Whether Wor Flags doing something of this ilk or not is or isn’t a terribly good idea, I’m interested in hearing the views of others.

article.