Sheffield Wednesday player Josh Windass hits out at the EFL decision to suspend this weekend’s games as the nation mourns the Queen’s death.
The football schedule has been halted for the time being despite government guidance stating that sporting events can go ahead this weekend.
Then the Premier League and EFL as well as their member clubs, it should be said, have taken the decision to cancel this weekend’s fixture list – a decision that has divided the footballing world.
One player who isn’t happy with this decision is Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Windass, and the outspoken attacker has taken to social media to share his thoughts on the matter, showing sympathy for fans who have already paid out cash for tickets, travel and hotels.
He wrote “Baffling” before replying “Thousands and thousands of people are now out of pocket coz of non refundable tickets and hotel bookings and many other things. The country is already on its knees.”
One fan wrote to him: “It’s one weekend. Spend some time with your family and Show some respect you got changed under a picture of her in the rangers changing room every week or have you forgotten that?”
Windass then said: “I respect the queen mate. Very much so, I don’t respect forcing people to sit at home and be sad and lose out on hard earned money. But that’s just my opinion.”
Thousands and thousands of people are now out of pocket coz of non refundable tickets and hotel bookings and many other things. The country is already on its knees. https://t.co/1Oyezr3Wfw
— Joshua Windass (@WindassJnr) September 9, 2022
I respect the queen mate. Very much so, I don’t respect forcing people to sit at home and be sad and lose out on hard earned money. But that’s just my opinion. https://t.co/AC7LW7AigG
— Joshua Windass (@WindassJnr) September 9, 2022
In fact, a huge number of people, be it supporters, pundits, presenters and The FSA are unhappy at the decision to cancel matches.
@GabbyLogan said: “The Queen loved sport. I am not sure she’d be entirely happy with fixtures being postponed this weekend. NB I appreciate that it’s an impossible decision and I am glad I didn’t have to make it.”
Piers Morgan tweeted: “Sporting events should go ahead. a) The Queen loved sport and b) It would be great to see/hear huge crowds singing the National Anthem in tribute to Her Majesty, as West Ham fans did so magnificently last night. Ridiculous decision. 👎”
Gary Neville backed him up: “I agree Piers. Sport can demonstrate better than most the respect the Queen deserves.”
Spennymoor’s Anthony Johnson: Again, just an opinion, but childrens football shouldn’t be being postponed. That doesn’t feel right…
Darren Huckerby said: “What’s peoples thoughts on Sporting events going ahead? Might get shot down for this but in my opinion I think they should go ahead, national anthem and armbands and crack on, normal folk don’t get time off and it unites the country”
@markgoldbridge: The Queen was 96 and had an amazing life. I may be wrong but I very much doubt she’d have wanted sport and grassroots sport postponed so people are forced to sit at home and do nothing. Rule makers not reading public sentiment again
George Elek prior to the announcement: I hope we see sport across the country go ahead to tomorrow. Black armbands and fans standing in unison for a minute’s silence seems a more fitting mark of respect than postponement, not to mention the importance of live sport for so many people’s well-being.
“Yes, there are lots of people whose mental health is very fragile and they do need proper support, but cannot get it. Going to live sport, having that sense of community and routine is a form of support that can help loneliness and anxiety. It’s not always about the football.
Replying to a fan who raised ‘what do people do in the close season’, George Elek added: “Yes, there are lots of people whose mental health is very fragile and they do need proper support, but cannot get it. Going to live sport, having that sense of community and routine is a form of support that can help loneliness and anxiety. It’s not always about the football. If you and I are lucky enough for these circumstances to affect us, it’s important to still understand the situations of others. Fragile mental health and financial uncertainty are severe issues.”
The FSA wrote: “We believe football is at its finest when bringing people together at times of huge national significance – be those moments of joy or moments of mourning.
“Our view, which we shared with the football authorities, is that most supporters would have liked to go to games this weekend and pay their respect to the Queen alongside their fellow fans.
“Not everyone will agree, so there was no perfect decision for the football authorities, but many supporters will feel this was an opportunity missed for football to pay its own special tributes.
“As usual, the Football Supporters’ Association will be collating advice about supporters’ entitlements regarding expenses incurred relating to postponed games this week.”
Meanwhile Man City will pay in full the wages of any casual staff who were meant to be working either the men’s or women’s games this weekend. The club are also donating perishable food. Many clubs likely to follow in a similar act.
Liverpool are donating any fresh food prepared ahead of tomorrow’s now-postponed meeting with Wolves to local community initiatives. Organisations such as the Whitechapel Centre, Victory Outreach, and Fans Supporting Foodbanks set to benefit.
As Sheffield Wednesday player Josh Windass hits out at the EFL decision to suspend weekend’s games, fans on Twitter had their say…
@Leno_17: Sporting events give so much joy & happiness to folk. Also another way for everyone to pay their respects, minutes silence etc. play the events & pay tribute while doing so.
@les_canaris: Completely agree, don’t see how sporting events going ahead can be disrespectful, like you say minute silences, national anthem and armbands and it’s the perfect opportunity for a show of respect 👑
@craigtaggart96: They should be played this weekend with tributes before the game ie black armbands, minute applause, national anthem. Doesn’t make sense them being cancelled considering people are in work as it is or is that just me
@JE_10x: National anthem when both teams walk out, black armbands and then a minutes silence just before kick off. Surely that would unite the country and show more respect than sitting at home being suffocated by the news
@cattellmatt: I think a great mark of respect would be for every game that takes place over the next week has a 2 minutes silence, the players wear black armbands and Her Majesty’s photo on every scoreboard while we sing the National Anthem. 🙏🏻👑🇬🇧💙
@wellbeaten1977: Tomorrow would have lived in the memory… “Remember that away day at home park… Packed out.. home and away belting out the national anthem 😥”. Now it’s day doing shopping or in pub
@swfxho: i don’t understand it. especially when the government said that it can go ahead why have the elf decided against that the fixtures are already packed together as it is with the wc being smack bang in the middle of the season
@JScho12: play this weekend, postpone next
@JNorthcroft: The world has changed. One minute’s applause has taken over from one minute’s silence etc. Personally, feel that cancelling football is just the game being performative and trying too hard – as always – to find the ‘right’ gesture. Play and let people mark this their own way.
@ichbinmarc_: Simply put, this is nuts. The courts remain open, supermarkets continue to trade and thousands trundled into office blocks this morning. However, no football at the weekend. Once again, sport – often a safe haven to those struggling – is sacrificed for no real or valid reason.
@LucyAVFC_: Football has been postponed this weekend but you still have to go to work? 👍🏼 A 2 minute silence, singing the National Anthem before KO or black armbands shows more respect than cancelling all the games.
@Crouch59: Cancelling sporting events shouldnt be happening, many working class people rely on match days to make ends meet, for others its their only escape from reality. I dont see what good it does personally
@AmosMurphy_: So this weekend in the UK, shopping centres, theatres, cinemas, cafés, pubs, gyms, rugby grounds and horse racing meets will all be open, but football stadiums won’t. Just let the absurdity of that sink in.
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