Robbie Slater: Impossible to see Sydney United 58 joining second tier after cowardly behaviour

Sydney United 58 is one of the proudest clubs in Australia but they have no chance of advancement if disgusting fan behaviour is allowed to continue, writes Robbie Slater.

Picture: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

The behaviour of Sydney United 58 poses a major problem for Football Australia boss James Johnson.

One of the oldest and proudest clubs in Australia wants to join the new national second division competition, but on current evidence it is impossible to see how that could happen.

It hurts me to say this. I have great affection for the club, I’m in their greatest team of all time along with Graham Arnold and so too are a lot of the teammates I played with at Sydney Croatia in the old NSL days.

The club actually helped launched my career overseas along with other factors.

But this is not the club I know and love.

Robbie Slater in action for the former Sydney Croatia in 1987. Picture Daniel Raffaele.

Racial and homophobic abuse of people is not welcome anywhere in society and it certainly is not welcome in football.

How many chances does the club need? I know for most of the supporters this kind of behaviour is disappointing and as usual it is a minority who spoil it.

But you’d have to think it’s a no-brainer that this sort of behaviour makes them ineligible for a second division licence.

The club already has a history after what happened at Comm Bank last year with the Nazi salutes and booing during the respect to country before the FA Cup game.

When you read the graphic nature of the APIA Leichhardt complaint it is clear this is not made up. No one would think of making up such disgusting remarks.

I wonder how this game wasn’t abandoned or certainly stopped when the complaint was raised on the field.

“Hopefully” for Sydney United the investigation finds it’s only a couple of individuals who can be identified quickly and gotten rid of, says Robbie Slater. Picture: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Certainly I would hope referees would consider such an option in the future if they encounter such disgusting behaviour at a game anywhere again.

It’s cowards in groups that are carrying out this sort of behaviour.

“Hopefully” for Sydney United the investigation finds it’s only a couple of individuals who can be identified quickly and gotten rid of.

But we were told by everyone concerned after the FA Cup disgrace last year that those characters would be banned and now here we are again talking about more trouble.

I don’t know if there’s ringleaders or if there is peer pressure in a particular part of the supporter group, but whatever it is it is just unacceptable and has no place in any new second division.

As always the majority pays for the boorish behaviour of the minority.

And for Sydney United 58 – it’s the club who could pay a heavy price if they don’t rein it in and weed out the bad elements.

Originally published as Robbie Slater: Impossible to see Sydney United 58 joining second tier after cowardly behaviour