There should not be a minute's silence for Thatcher at football matches
There are reports that at football matches at the weekend there is to be a minutes silence to remember Margaret Thatcher.
This strikes me as a strange and somewhat foolhardy move. Strange because I do not recall any such thing being done for Wilson or Callaghan or Heath or Macmillan (all former PMs who have died within my living memory). Foolhardy because Thatcher was such a polarising figure that although there will doubtless be a fair few in each crowd who liked her and are happy to pay their respects there will also be a significant number who do not wish to. Some of those may just not attend the match. But it is likely that a good number will attend and it will only take a few of them to make noise during the silence for it to be ruined.
If that does happen then of course the headlines will be all about how "DISRESPECTFUL FANS DISRUPT THATCHER SILENCE" even though it will probably only be a small number of people.
It's all so unnecessary. Just don't have a silence for such a controversial figure in a place where there are tens of thousands of people.
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To add to that, a minute's silence for individuals has become very rare at British football matches recently because of the problems of it being interrupted. They've tended to adopt the continental approach of having a minute's applause in memory of someone, as that can't be easily interrupted.
And given the damage Thatcher would have done to football in this country if her 'ID cards for fans' scheme had gone ahead, I'm not sure why she should be remembered at matches.
They wouldn't get very far trying to have a dignified, respectful tribute to Thatcher paid at Port Vale (especially since we are against Rochdale, whose fans aren't exactly renowned for holding conservative values either) or Stoke City.
if a minutes silence goes ahead, we should all start singing "ding dong the witch is dead"
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