Rucksacks not allowed into the Lane

[Highbury_Blade]

My apologies for being the bearer of bad news.

No, I'm I credibly grateful that you let me know

 

[Bartleby]

Has there ever been lockers at the train station?

Got a feeling they will become a thing of the past for the same reason rucksacks being banned. Presume the Copthorne Hotel has a luggage storage facilty for guests who've checked out, might be worth asking if you can leave it there?

 

[Sean Thornton]

Has there ever been lockers at the train station?

The IRA put a stop to that many years ago.

 

[BushBlade]

Has there ever been lockers at the train station?

Yes but apparently there isn't any more.

 

[South Bucks]

So unfair, I take my old Randy Raquel and a bicycle pump everywhere

 

[Rodders]

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK

The Rutty have stored bags behind the bar until after the game in the past for a mate of mine. It was under previous management (the Southampton fan) but I can't imagine they'll have an objection.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

The Rutty have stored bags behind the bar until after the game in the past for a mate of mine. It was under previous management (the Southampton fan) but I can't imagine they'll have an objection.

This is something I might have to give them a ring about. I'll be in there before the game anyway, cheers.

 

[TJB.]

Was going to suggest the same. Could put them in the hotel or the car park?

They'd have to be in the car park.

Wouldn't want a bunch of ne'er do wells in the precious Copthorne now, would we?

 

[Foxy]

This could potentially fuck my Saturday over. Planning to come up straight from a family holiday in wales so I'll be carrying a bag. If the lockers in the bus station are full, I'm fucked.

If you're early enough, drop it at ours or at my work.

I'm xraying it in though.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

This could potentially fuck my Saturday over. Planning to come up straight from a family holiday in wales so I'll be carrying a bag. If the lockers in the bus station are full, I'm fucked.

Leave it at the pub you drink in before the game? Go to a swimming baths/leisure centre?

 

[DifferentClass]

I've got a small shoulder bag but it needs a wesh... mind you, so do I

 

[vorpal blade]

Thanks for the heads up BoS. I must say I wondered whether to use a rucsack on Saturday as I have to buy an adjustable set-square in Sheff. and I have funny feeling it'll get left in a pub after the match (not sure I can get one in Doncaster).

This does give me the chance to relate a rucsack related anecdote ..... I turn up a bit drunk to the turnstiles at the Shoreham St. end of South Stand,

"bouncer" - what have you got in the bag?

me - Semtex®

at which I am bounced out, ticket ripped up, have an argument with the security chief who is so old I back down before he has a heart attack ..... he radios through to the Police who wait for me at the corner of Bramall Lane and John St. who say they're supposed to frisk me but can't be bothered ... then their sergeant turns up and they whisper to me to say that they have searched me

anyway,

the next time I turn up at the same turnstiles, another "bouncer" says, what have you got in the bag, a bomb? and laughs me through.....


btw, I thought they DID have lockers again at Sheffield Midland Station these days ....... on Platform 2 - ?

 

[Liverpool blade]

Thanks for the info!. I'll just have to get to Sheffield earlier and leave it in whichever hotel I'm staying in!. Utb

 

[Jon Bon II]

It's my neighbours who have been season ticket holders for years that I really feel sorry for.

Poor Mr and Mrs Rucksack and their two lads, Robbie and Ronnie.

 

[mosbolad]

arnt most rucksacks 'shoulder bags' about the size of laptops?

I've got a laptop the size of a rucksack.......

 

[Cassius Kray]

Terrible idea if true. A few thoughts:

1/ This is a pretty significant change to United's T&Cs and yet noone who has bought a ticket has been informed.
2/ Plenty of people will attend the game on Saturday with a rucksack. What are the club going to do? Ban people from going in? Demand that they leave their rucksacks at the door? Why on Earth would United bring this upon themselves?
3/ The conditions of entry are published on the website. They do not mention anything about rucksacks. What grounds do United have for prohibiting them?
4/ Preventing people with rucksacks from entering sports stadia would have prevented a grand total of 0 deaths from terrorist attacks in Europe over the past few years, so 'the spate of attacks' is not a coherent reason

 

[Rodders]

Terrible idea if true. A few thoughts:

1/ This is a pretty significant change to United's T&Cs and yet noone who has bought a ticket has been informed.
2/ Plenty of people will attend the game on Saturday with a rucksack. What are the club going to do? Ban people from going in? Demand that they leave their rucksacks at the door? Why on Earth would United bring this upon themselves?
3/ The conditions of entry are published on the website. They do not mention anything about rucksacks. What grounds do United have for prohibiting them?
4/ Preventing people with rucksacks from entering sports stadia would have prevented a grand total of 0 deaths from terrorist attacks in Europe over the past few years, so 'the spate of attacks' is not a coherent reason

On the face of it I agree, I wonder if this is some last minute request by Plod/Safety Advisory Committee?

 

[shorehamview]

If you're early enough, drop it at ours or at my work.

I'm xraying it in though.

Just don't sniff it.

 

[shorehamview]

Why on Earth would United bring this upon themselves?

Perhaps they are being curious, maybe even over cautious. But how many people will this inconvenience? Highbury_Blade and Greenwich Blade and the odd person with a rucksack that ticks then suddenly doesn't?
It may be an over reaction, but in these sad times things like this will be more common I'm afraid.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Perhaps they are being curious, maybe even over cautious. But how many people will this inconvenience? Highbury_Blade and Greenwich Blade and the odd person with a rucksack that ticks then suddenly doesn't?
It may be an over reaction, but in these sad times things like this will be more common I'm afraid.

Shame the club hasn't said owt though

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Shame the club hasn't said owt though

Indeed, this should have been published on the website.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Perhaps they are being curious, maybe even over cautious. But how many people will this inconvenience? Highbury_Blade and Greenwich Blade and the odd person with a rucksack that ticks then suddenly doesn't?
It may be an over reaction, but in these sad times things like this will be more common I'm afraid.

The corollary of this is that if there's only a few people that turn up with rucksacks then it can't cost too much to check either.

 

[georgethecat]

Reminds me of an incident at a game about 19 or 20 years ago. Myself and a mate had travelled to watch the blades for the weekend and were flying home from Birmingham on the Sunday night. We decided to take in Derby v Leeds at the recently opened pride park on the Sunday lunchtime. After booking ahead and picking up our tickets we were refused entry into the ground with our rucksacks. It was very obvious that they didn't want 2 dodgy looking guys with strong Northern Ireland accents bringing anything into the ground. A standoff ensued between ourselves and the chief steward before the police were eventually called for. They were no more interested in accommodating us but did suggest that if we would agree to a thorough search of the bags then they would be stored on our behalf and could be picked up after the game. We agreed and after having every item in the bags thoroughly inspected we were marched into the stadium and around the outside of the pitch to the stewards room. The bags were deposited and we were escorted to our seats. At the end of the game we were met by a steward who accompanied us to the stewards room to pick up the bags and promptly marched from the ground! They were taking no chances!

Incidentally we were sat among the Derby fans just beside the netting that separates the home and away fans. If I remember correctly Leeds won 5:1 and their fans were the most odious group of people I have ever witnessed.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Probably to do with some dopey twat with no appreciation of spatial awareness having knocked some old geezer over when turning around with a great fucking lump on his back that he doesn't realise takes up more space tha he does.

Sympathy for those on overnight stays but for kids sweets, sandwiches, drinks,phone chargers, glasses cases tampax etc use a carrier bag ffs.

 

[Cassius Kray]

Perhaps they are being curious, maybe even over cautious. But how many people will this inconvenience? Highbury_Blade and Greenwich Blade and the odd person with a rucksack that ticks then suddenly doesn't?
It may be an over reaction, but in these sad times things like this will be more common I'm afraid.

I'm all for caution. I don't begrude the queues to get into the ground while poeple's bags are checked. However, I don't think you can make any sort of convincing argument to the effect that rucksacks are such a severe threat to people's safety that they must be banned from the ground, while handbags/shoulder bags are perfectly fine. It's important that the club consider safety concerns, but that has to be done in the context of the supporter experience and simple common sense.

Furthermore, if United have genuine reasons to believe that rucksacks are a major security concern then it seems pretty important that they try to stop them being brought to the ground - ie by telling people not to do so. Banning them but keeping it a secret means people are going to bring them. Then what? If I were stopped from getting in I'd just have to leave my bag on the ground outside - but United's security policy can't be to encourage people leave bags unattended, surely?

 

[Harry's Game]

I have been searched once I think going into the Lane in the last ten years.

 

[ucandomagic]

This whole thing is ridiculous. Very few people take bags in, and looking in them takes no time at all anyway. I have taken a bag to every match for years. In the last year it has been looked at about every other game. It takes about a minute and doesn't hold the queue up because they take you to one side.

At the same time there is no real security anyway. Nobody is patted down and many people undoubtedly take booze in in belts on their waist or in their thermos flasks! Could be anything though.

So they're stopping something that isn't a problem without achieving any safety benefit and to crown it all they're not telling anybody what the exact rules are.

The words piss up and brewery come to mind. It's just like when it got 10 times harder to get a number plate made. Only made it harder for honest folk -,the crooks still knew where they could get them done.

You can't take bags into NFL games at Wembley, but at least they explain very carefully what you can take in -and they search everybody properly.

Rant over.

At least on the pitch The Magic is Back

 

[steve26272]

Terrible idea if true. A few thoughts:

1/ This is a pretty significant change to United's T&Cs and yet noone who has bought a ticket has been informed.
2/ Plenty of people will attend the game on Saturday with a rucksack. What are the club going to do? Ban people from going in? Demand that they leave their rucksacks at the door? Why on Earth would United bring this upon themselves?
3/ The conditions of entry are published on the website. They do not mention anything about rucksacks. What grounds do United have for prohibiting them?
4/ Preventing people with rucksacks from entering sports stadia would have prevented a grand total of 0 deaths from terrorist attacks in Europe over the past few years, so 'the spate of attacks' is not a coherent reason

I'm sure a few people who lost loved ones in the attack in Manchester would have with hindsight happily have had a no rucksack policy heading into to the arena...
unless you have insider knowledge of the inner workings of ISIS and their future targets maybe better safe than sorry is the right approach?
they tried to get into the stadium in Paris, failed and only killed himself,
god forbid something happened we would be asking why didn't the club do something to stop this happening?
agree it's a sad state of affairs but it's the world we live in, be thankful our club is protecting us.

 

[knowsnowt]

Can I still get in with my ball sack?

 

[ucandomagic]

Can I still get in with my ball sack?

Only if it's the size of a small laptop bag.