Originally Posted by
cheifo
Not being argumentitive, but I lived in the UK late eighties and early ninties and 99% of English people I met were more than welcoming.
In fact , I was surprised to learn that (for obvious reasons) we were more guilty of stereotyping them, than them us.
The IRA had hit London hard around during those years so their sense of fair play(English people) was all the more surprising and impressive.
All the Irish people I knew over there felt the same altough of course there were one or two isolated incidents.
I went there straight after the leaving Cert in 88, and my image of English people going over was garnered from, our history,The reputation of the Sun/Daily Mail,Margret Thatcher and football hooligans.
Of course I had forgot to consider the fact that all the Best Telly was on the UK stations and a lot of the best music was from Blighty.
I learned a valuable lesson over there that smug stereotypes are never right, apart from when meeting Chelsea fans who were to a man, brainless right wing oiks.
oh and back on topic, em Owen Garvan to ...maybe..em West Ham!!