How Others See Us

[Kenilworth]

This used to be a regular feature on BU - some insight into how oppo fans see us.

Ther is a really well written article by a QPR fan in the Lost For Words web site about the first home match of the season.

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/footba...6&title=lfw_awaydays_-_sheffield_united_v_qpr

Pretty fair report on the game i'd say and some sensible insight into the Blackwell situation over teh last 18 months but alarming about the conduct of the stewards on the away end.

I imagine that being a steward is not a great job but there has to be some sort of commen sense and decency into how football fans are treated and what people are thrown out for. Celebrating a goal or taking pictures of each other are not suitable excuses in my book. There will be fewer and fewer people going to football as the price/value relationship gets ever wider and this sort of thing will drive more people away. Away fans are part of the equation - it's not as good when you have no away followers to banter with as a crowd. If they are looking to effectively ban away support then the dire atmosphere at games these days will get worse and then people will drift away en masse. it's getting that way already.

I miss standing - I am fed up with seats and no atmosphere.
Clubs outside the elite few need to take a serious look at the way they treat paying customers, their prcing strategies and alternatives like bringing safe standing (like the Germans) otherwise they will see crowd numbers dwindle to the levels of the 80's again.

 

[2ndtenorblade]

I like the QPR article, especially the bit about the steward and her husband.

 

[SwissBlade]

This used to be a regular feature on BU - some insight into how oppo fans see us.

Ther is a really well written article by a QPR fan in the Lost For Words web site about the first home match of the season.

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/footba...6&title=lfw_awaydays_-_sheffield_united_v_qpr

Pretty fair report on the game i'd say and some sensible insight into the Blackwell situation over teh last 18 months but alarming about the conduct of the stewards on the away end.

I imagine that being a steward is not a great job but there has to be some sort of commen sense and decency into how football fans are treated and what people are thrown out for. Celebrating a goal or taking pictures of each other are not suitable excuses in my book. There will be fewer and fewer people going to football as the price/value relationship gets ever wider and this sort of thing will drive more people away. Away fans are part of the equation - it's not as good when you have no away followers to banter with as a crowd. If they are looking to effectively ban away support then the dire atmosphere at games these days will get worse and then people will drift away en masse. it's getting that way already.

I miss standing - I am fed up with seats and no atmosphere.
Clubs outside the elite few need to take a serious look at the way they treat paying customers, their prcing strategies and alternatives like bringing safe standing (like the Germans) otherwise they will see crowd numbers dwindle to the levels of the 80's again.

Thought it was a well written review and good to see how highly they rate the lane. I think United realised a few years ago that the Upper tier on Bramall lane has the best view (although no sunshine) so kept that for home fans and stuck the away fansdown below.

Stewards do my head in, they need to understand that away fans are just as entitled to have a laugh as home fans, the banter makes football what it is, this applies to other grounds but not just the lane.

Standing, no place for it nowadays we've moved on from those days. I doubt standing will bring back the so called missing fans, but better pricing and better football would

 

[JohnDenver]

I don't know if it's the same bloke, but the best reports on our games always seem to be the QPR ones. Can't fault a word of it.

As for the "breakfast sausage". I feel sick just looking at it.

 

[Ollessendro]

Thought it was a well written review and good to see how highly they rate the lane. I think United realised a few years ago that the Upper tier on Bramall lane has the best view (although no sunshine) so kept that for home fans and stuck the away fansdown below.

Stewards do my head in, they need to understand that away fans are just as entitled to have a laugh as home fans, the banter makes football what it is, this applies to other grounds but not just the lane.

Standing, no place for it nowadays we've moved on from those days. I doubt standing will bring back the so called missing fans, but better pricing and better football would

Agree with all that Swiss.

I was at a Marseille game last week (see http://www.s24su.com/showthread.php?20009-Marseille-2-0-Lorent-Stade-Velodrome-(21-8-2010) ) and the difference in the atmosphere was down to a few things the QPR guy and you listed: standing terraces, more lax stewards and a general more laissez faire policy towards fans. Unfortunately I think that with health and safety laws and our havy handed police/stewards the changes that have been made are here to stay.

Interesting thread Kenilworth and an excellent article.

 

[Ted Danson]

I find that our stewards can be complete Nobs in the home end too, as someone has said in another thread they're probably piggies getting off on bossing us about

 

[happyhippy]

"How Others See Us" ..... cor! That brings me right back to old copies of the "Flashing Blade"! Nice read though. Cheers for that.

 

[mpjacko]

In their defence, most reasons for being thrown out are due to the actions of the Fans. They may complain, but deep down you know that you break the rules but expect to get away with it. I was a steward during my uni years at Hallam (99-03) and was station on the Kop either along the front or towards the sides. Stewards were very lenient to the home fans, esp to those with season tickets as we knew these would be back for every home match yet they didn't want to lose their seat. So you could get away with a quiet word if they got abit too excited. The main problem was those who turned up late or 5 mins before KO from the pub. In stead of going to their seats, they would come into the sides and pile along the back. This cause congestion and blocked the steps. All was required was for some one to fall down the stairs who had been drinking and hit their head as they went down.

Fans forget that it is a criminal offence to enter the field of play so when you jump over that barrier, expect to be taken away. Home fans are lucky that stewards ask you go back over.

The main reason why stewards act like they do, is due to orders from above i.e the club which passes it down to the supervisors. A stadium or stand can be shut down its safety cert is taken away by the local council. Man utd had a big problem couple of years (07) back when I was working there as fans were standing in on the stands which are very steep. Old trafford council told the club to sort it out or face the stand being closed down due to it being unsafe. Away fans are an easy target but they should know these rules, ie no standing, standing on seats, swearing etc

Finally, I think stewards are heavy handed i.e use force, as many of the fans which are thrown out are drunk or have had a couple of beers down them. When you have had a few, you feel a little bit braver, and feel slight less pain, compared to being sober. Stewards tend to go in hard and defuse the situation before it gets out of hand but i agree, they could be more friendly.

 

[breeny]

really enjoyed reading that, seems like a fair assessment of the standards of football - can't comment on the stewards though but it did make me chuckle!

 

[BarcaBlade]

I've stopped going to football in the UK (I don't live there which makes it easier). It's crap and sterile and every year that's gone by it's got worse and worse for me. A glimpse on here each day is about as much enthusiasm as I can muster I'm afraid. Unfortunately, it's heading the same way over here in Czech.

I think there IS a place for standing and as there are numbers of people who also agree, that kind of proves the point. For those who don't like standing, there are seats.