X2.

I'm in no way saying the Brigantes are a bunch of violent thugs going around causing trouble or threatening people but the whole 'Ultras' image to most people is football hooliganism so unfortunately that's the way the Brigantes will be seen by many outsiders.

Then it's to =#FF0000us all to "educate" them into what the group is really about.

Then let outsiders think that, Wigan fans know that the Brigantes are not a violent group so what is the problem?

Exactly! The Brigantes have been great with all the work that they've done. The only issue is how they are perceived by other Wigan fans. They are supposed to be inclusive since they aren't trying to set themselves above any other Wigan fan.
However if someone questions whether the ultras term or the flag designs might give the wrong impression to other Wigan fans the reaction is generally to shoot them down or mock them.

If the idea is to create a good atmosphere at Wigan games and get as many people joining is as possible then they would take the concerns seriously and make an effort to distance themselves from 'ultras' and the negative connotations that come with it; at least to begin with, so that people can see what they are really doing rather than being put off.

Sort of, but there was also a thread telling people not to sit near you if they didn't want to sing constantly and jump up and down in favour of actually watching the game.

If a "Don't sit near us" message is not dividing the supporters, then what is?

Sorry, I can't buy into the whole 'Brigantes' thing. We're all Wigan supporters at the end of the day and I'm not being told how I should support them. By all means, sing, dance, wave scarves, provide flags and all the rest of it - it looks fabulous. But I can't help feeling that MORE people would buy in if you didn't put yourselves on some kind pedestal as an 'ultrafan', somehow better than the rest of us, and give yourselves a label.

But maybe that's just me.

I hate agreeing with Fear The Vee, but this is spot on, in my opinion. Wigan fans are Wigan fans.

Just want to say that i have nothing whatsoever to do with the group in question, but i think some others on here may have been awaiting the chance to have a pop at them.

Ok, so one person has used an aerosol as far as we know, and? The police are unable to "Police" many things, what do you expect rugby fans to do if other peoples kids are badly brought up!

My feelings were that when people were mentioning that they would be in a certain area to encourage good natured singing and chanting, it was being done as a common curtesy to other people, and not to create an "us and them" situation as has been suggested. But if you are so paranoid as to think that, maybe you need phyciatric (SP) help with that. You could say that the Skull was a little "misjudged", but other than that i think its a shame that people feel this is worthy of getting all hot and bothered about.

Get a life for goodness sake!!!

BTW, i am an old fart....

Robinson, its not a 'don't sit with us' in that way. It's more 'this is what is being done in this area, if you're not up for it, you may want to sit somewhere else'. If you catch my drift. That's also the idea of 1 location, so people know where its happening.

Unfortunately, on a written forum some people have issues expressing themselves in writing, and some have issues with how they read things. Misunderstandings are common place on internet media.

so has it affected people who already sat in said area/s who didnt want to join in? have they been 'forced' to move?

Thats a quality grown up post.

Stop being ridiculous, it was never "dont sit here if you dont like it" it was a case of "this is were we will be situated" head over if you want to get involved. Nobody has forced anyone to do anything.

Finally, a sensible neutral post.

This anti-Brigantes brigade is getting pathetic. The atmosphere at away games especially has been terrific as are the flag displays, other fans of other clubs have commented on it time after time.


I would like to add, the culprit has rang the club and admitted what he did last night, the other person that was involved has been banned from the stadium for life, One of them WAS a Wigan fan, the other was not a Wigan fan.

Perhaps they could be hung from the gantry to appease the people on here who seem to think we are being over run with Ultras, Brigantes or just boogy men under the bed....

Oh dear oh lord... ***sighs***

For the record, neither of the culprits were anything to do with The Brigantes, but one had been forced to admit what he did because of fellow Wigan fans putting him under severe pressure to do so.

I would like to add that I was sat in the East last night fairly close to the score board but not directly underneath it. Directly behind me there was a bunch of 5 0r 6 "fans" very drunk and shouting out garbage for most of the match, they were very annoying, pathetic and nothing to do with the Brigantes, just out and out idiots which we can do without! I like a beer and making noise but this was just mindless.
I am in full support of the Brigantes although not an active member and I too am close to becoming an old fart.

Nah, we wanted to alienate people and put ourselves on a pedestal as Ultra fans. Thats exactly what the aim of the post was, to seperate us and cause a divide.

So any post that doesn't agree isn't sensible? Not many people seem to be 'anti-Brigantes' but a few have said they think the term 'ultras' might give the wrong connotations.

Hardly a huge amount of dissent. Still, I think extreme sarcasm might help a lot.

I like everything the Brigantes do with the flags and the songs and the creating the fantastic atmosphere especially at away games but I do believe its been a mistake to give yourselves a seperate name to all the other Wigan fans, it does attract idiots as this thread shows, who think they belong in some sort of rebel group.

We already had the idiots....

I don't think the Brigantes are likely to attract an unsavoury element. As Wigan Peer said, we already had idiots who watch Wigan, the same goes for every Super League club. You'll find people like that in all walks of life, so it's nothing to worry about when it's only a few individuals.

Rugby league does seem to have a problem with admitting problems though. If someone misbehaves at a Wigan game the usual response is 'they aren't Wigan fans' or 'they aren't rugby fans'. Well the truth is they are. It's just like when there is crowd trouble and people say that it was probably football fans. No, it probably isn't, they are rugby fans attending a rugby match.

RL has very few problems with fans but it doesn't mean any problems have to be dismissed as being caused by some other group of people. Sorry for going on a bit of tangent, but it's still fairly relevant.

And it seems that the Brigantes have helped to bring this particular miscreant to book, or have i read it wrong.... Nurse is coming to bath me and get me ready for bed soon...

At the end of the day this isn't a thread to hurl abuse at the group.

The Brigantes were not formed for vandalism and anyone who says different is wrong. The group was created to improve the atmosphere at home and away with songs and displays.

Anyone who did ANYTHING wrong last night will be severely dealt with both by the club and the group.

Mods, can we get this closed now?

I wasn't talking about the Brigantes in my last post but about rugby league in general. Sometimes any trouble people see at games is dismissed as being by people who aren't RL fans when they probably are.

I think the Brigantes are great with what they do, but they could perhaps do with some better PR.

Cripes!!!! Take a chill pill.... Its a forum, people can express their views...