With apologies for the rather obvious headline, I’ve seen a few things the last few weeks on social media about goal celebrations, specifically ones apparently showing a lack of respect to the opposition.
One specifically is Marlow coming from 3-2 down to beat Molesey 4-3 in the Bostik League with a couple of comments from supporters of the club itself.
You could add to that the Norwich City celebrations as they went ahead late on (and a step closer to the title) against Reading on Wednesday night in the Championship and possibly the pictures from Sandhurst Town against Eversley & California.
From my point of view, in senior football – which the majority on non league football we cover is, the LITERAL point of it is to score goals and win games.
Marlow are fighting for a place in the South Central play offs along with our own Bracknell Town and were trailing 3-2 when Marcus Mealing scored an injury time equaliser and subsequent winner with celebrations described as an over reaction.
I’m sure relegation threatened Molesey wouldn’t have held back at 3-3 had it been them who got the winner.
I remember myself, Darrell and Nick Calvert watching a Bracknell game about 10 years ago at AFC Hayes. It was just before the Robins were relegated to step 5 and somehow it was 1-1 – it probably should have been at least 7-0 to Hayes at half time, but then in the dying minutes Nathan Jack hit one from 30 yards or so and lobbed the keeper. Do you think the three of us quietly nodded to each other and kept it in check?
Ultimately on Wednesday Reading got the 2-2 draw making the Norwich celebrations a little bit silly, but surely that’s how you deal with it? Use it as motivation.
I don’t know how Eversley felt about Sandhurst celebrating their goal but I do know the Fizzers came from behind to win a local derby in the Combined Counties League. Both sides worked all week and all season to put in the hard yards, any winner in a derby is going to be celebrated!
Fair enough if one team is winning 5-0 and adds a sixth, let’s not go overboard but damning players and managers for a lack of respect or ‘class’ in celebrating a winner – especially at the business end of the season is a bit much. Late winners are one of the great joys of football!
Agree with Tom? Let us know in the comments below.
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