Show racists the red card

Amid another torpid display last night, I had the most unpleasant experience in my 23 years as a regular at the Boleyn Ground.

IBM (Idiot Behind Me) was at his obnoxious worst. He was twice as loud as usual and his level of aggression had to be witnessed to be believed. Every other word was a swear word and pure hatred poured from every pore of his gross body.

He had been using the word ‘yid’ incessantly from the first minute, although there were many others doing the same. Although the Spurs fans use this as a nickname for themselves, he is irrefutably using it as a racial slur. But I can put up with this.

However, when the Tottenham fans started singing ‘Spurs are on their way to Wembley’ and he twice changed the final word to ‘Auschwitz’ – and he was the only person in the entire stand who did it – I couldn’t help but turn round and glare.

‘What the f**k are you looking at?’ he spat in my direction. I somehow resisted the temptation to say ‘a fat, ugly, ignorant racist’.
‘I find that hugely offensive,’ I replied.
‘It’s what they call themselves, you ****,’ he screamed.
‘You referring to the ethnic cleansing of millions of innocent people is what I have an issue with.’
‘It’s different with Spurs. It’s what they call themselves, you ****.’
‘I’m not talking about the word “yid”. I’m talking about your glorification of Auschwitz.’
‘It’s what they call themselves, you ****.’
'Well don’t be surprised if you get reported to a steward.’

I gave up as he ranted on for another 30 seconds. I was absolutely fuming. IBM soon turned his attention back to abusing our players, the Spurs players, the Tottenham fans and the referee and linesmen.

About 10 minutes later, someone used the word ‘yid’ and the ignorant imbecile was off again. ‘Don’t use that word cos that **** down there don’t like it.’
I turned round. ‘It’s not “yid”. It’s Auschwitz I have problems with.’
‘It’s what they call themselves, you ****, use your ****ing brain.’
He repeated this about 10 times. I was probably smirking by the end of his diatribe, as a ‘man’ with an IQ that is probably in single figures (and patently lower than his weight in stones) told me to use my brain. He finished only when the bloke next to me (the only person around me that I regard as a friend) told him to ‘leave it out’. I only wish he told the ignorant slob why he was wrong.

‘He’s always looking at me,’ he concluded. I have certainly looked at him before, despite it being a physically repulsive experience, usually when he’s calling Frank Lampard Junior a ‘fat, ugly, useless ****.’ If IBM knew what irony was, he’d probably laugh himself.

There were no further incidents. I didn’t dare look round again (he’s definitely the sort of person who would hit you from behind). Although his ignorant and vile rantings continued throughout the 90 minutes (and probably throughout his life), he never referred to Auschwitz again.

What disappointed me was everyone else’s reaction. No one said a word, while the stewards completely ignored the incident. The scumbag attends matches with his son (who sits next to me), father (who is a decent chap) and about three friends. The fact that not one of them spoke up on his behalf suggests that they knew he was in the wrong. But there are a lot of decent fans around me (some of them even read The Guardian) – and none one of them got involved.

Although I am hardly living in fear, I will now have to watch my back every time I go to West Ham. I sit at games on my own (my friends are in another stand), while he’s got six people with him. I’ve never had a fight in my life, but I so wanted to give him a slap last night. It’s the only language that such ignorant people understand. I could tear the overweight slob apart – but fighting is the answer to nothing, and would only lead to me being banned from the stadium.

My other option is to complain to the club. There are warnings in the matchday programme every week that racism will lead to a ban from the ground. But if I make a complaint, it will be my word against his and that of his friends. No one would back me up. So he would still be going to the games – and I would be a marked man for having ‘snitched’.

The only certainty is that this is going to flare up again. All I can do for now is rechristen him ‘IFRUMBM’ (work it out for yourself) .