On the other hand, the steward near where I was sitting - clearly new to the club - was curious to know why we were all wearing black & white, & politely turned a blind eye to all the balloon inflating, ribbon tying, and season ticket "distribution" happening under his nose. He could see fans were no threat to anyone, & not doing any criminal damage, but were just out to create a noisy nuisance for the club in return for the "annoyance" (putting it very mildly!) the regime is causing to the fans.
This in no way excuses bad, and possibly actionable, conduct by other stewards, but is offered for balance.
The hi vis count, kettling and confrontational techniques seemed extreme and unnecessary to me. To my knowledge the only previous violence shown by supporters on the pitch at the Valley has been to to sofa.
No such problems for the Sheffield Utd celebration at Sixfields.
Vast number of stewards brought on to presumably prevent a pitch invasion, but then when it happened after the game they did nothing anyway. Once they didn't prevent anyone from the lower North getting on, then it all became a bit pointless.
Maybe they were told to prevent a pitch invasion during the match itself, but then after that it was up to them, hence the completely random and inconsistent actions
On the other hand, the steward near where I was sitting - clearly new to the club - was curious to know why we were all wearing black & white, & politely turned a blind eye to all the balloon inflating, ribbon tying, and season ticket "distribution" happening under his nose. He could see fans were no threat to anyone, & not doing any criminal damage, but were just out to create a noisy nuisance for the club in return for the "annoyance" (putting it very mildly!) the regime is causing to the fans.
This in no way excuses bad, and possibly actionable, conduct by other stewards, but is offered for balance.
Steward by us in West Upper was helping get the balloons over the hoardings and scooping up others landing in the press area, and asked us what our banner said when we held it up. He was clapping along to all the Roland Out chants too!
Seems to me that the job of Steward/Security attracts those people who use it as an excuse to be belligerent and aggressive. On my way in on Sunday there we a couple of lads eating burgers from the van and were stopped by security and told before they could go in to finish it or throw it away.....WTF it was half a burger what is wrong with these people?
As for the woman steward who threw a wobbler in my opinion she is a classic example of somebody who should NEVER be allowed to do that job her behaviour was appalling.
What I don't really get is this overreaction to fans wanting to go onto the pitch after the last game of the season, seems to me that used to be "normal" years ago, nobody wants to cause trouble just have a bit of a celebrate, shout a bit of abuse at KM but nothing really too threatening. The amount of security was disproportionate and aggressive which is another indictment of this regimes lack of empathy with both the fans and the club in general.
Playing devils advocate, I'd imagine that the Orient situation on Saturday prompted the huge steward presence. Hence they were deployed during the 2nd half but let people on at the end. When you use that many stewards there is bound to be a couple of wronguns. In the eyes of the FA, if the club had done nothing and we did an Orient, the club would have been negligent and no doubt fined heavily.
On the other hand, the steward near where I was sitting - clearly new to the club - was curious to know why we were all wearing black & white, & politely turned a blind eye to all the balloon inflating, ribbon tying, and season ticket "distribution" happening under his nose. He could see fans were no threat to anyone, & not doing any criminal damage, but were just out to create a noisy nuisance for the club in return for the "annoyance" (putting it very mildly!) the regime is causing to the fans.
This in no way excuses bad, and possibly actionable, conduct by other stewards, but is offered for balance.
Quite worrying the Stewards aren't briefed at least!?
Playing devils advocate, I'd imagine that the Orient situation on Saturday prompted the huge steward presence. Hence they were deployed during the 2nd half but let people on at the end. When you use that many stewards there is bound to be a couple of wronguns. In the eyes of the FA, if the club had done nothing and we did an Orient, the club would have been negligent and no doubt fined heavily.
I think it is more a sign of the complete lack of understanding of the Charlton fans by Meire. There was no suggestion there would be violence and as far as I know there never has been in this kind of situation other than by stewards, so the levels of stewarding was the one thing more likely to provoke an incident.
As for the dozen or so mounted police in Floyd Road and the dozens of unsmiling police next to them, who on earth decided there were going to be season-end running battles? All I can think it that Tony and Katrien once again overstated the "threat" (to them and/or the club).
It also seems that the referee had decided/been told not to stop the game. After 2-3 minutes there were a lot of balloons in Rudd's third of the pitch but he let things flow, only briefly stopping when a flare came on. And at the end he blew right on 90, which as we all know never happens even if there have been no stoppages! Lucky it was not a tight game with things at stake.
As I remarked to one of the mounted policewomen, I'm sure any rose-growers in Floyd Road would be grateful for the horses' contribution to fertilizing the bushes. Was about the only useful service they were providing!
I'LL play devils advocate now. If someone decides to ignore all the warnings, the stewards and the OB. If they get a clump or kick up the arse, they should man up and just have a laugh about it later.
I'LL play devils advocate now. If someone decides to ignore all the warnings, the stewards and the OB. If they get a clump or kick up the arse, they should man up and just have a laugh about it later.
Whilst I agree, why do the stewards/old Bill always go for the skinny 16 year old rather than a normal bloke who can look after himself?
I'LL play devils advocate now. If someone decides to ignore all the warnings, the stewards and the OB. If they get a clump or kick up the arse, they should man up and just have a laugh about it later.
Whilst I agree, why do the stewards/old Bill always go for the skinny 16 year old rather than a normal bloke who can look after himself?
They prefer the challenge of catching someone younger, slimmer and healthier than our majority fan base.
I'LL play devils advocate now. If someone decides to ignore all the warnings, the stewards and the OB. If they get a clump or kick up the arse, they should man up and just have a laugh about it later.
Whilst I agree, why do the stewards/old Bill always go for the skinny 16 year old rather than a normal bloke who can look after himself?
And I understand stopping people getting on the pitch. But once someone has made it into the pitch what is the point in chasing that one person in a crowd of a couple hundred pushing shoving and tripping them.
Stopping people getting on the pitch is their job. Once they're past you you've already lost. Any violence to them is just malicious and pointless.
The massive overprovision of stewards and plod was as predictable as it was unwelcome but can't undermine the relationship between us and roly's toxic pantomime can it? It will presumably have cost the septuagenarian shitforbrains more unnecessary thousands. If a few bods, who need the money, got a few extra quid for wearing a hi-viz jacket and walking around the Valley pitch, all's well. Save for a couple of blue-jacketed fucktards it was a good day for the stewards and the company which creams off the lion's share of the fee. I don't even begrudge the overtime to most of the plod, all the while the belgian bungler is picking up the tab, unfortunately the hoolie squad glowering at us outside the station weren't quite so pleased to be earning on a Sunday lunchtime and a few of them looked quite keen for things to be less peaceful, but plod is always littered with a few of that species.
Playing devils advocate, I'd imagine that the Orient situation on Saturday prompted the huge steward presence. Hence they were deployed during the 2nd half but let people on at the end. When you use that many stewards there is bound to be a couple of wronguns. In the eyes of the FA, if the club had done nothing and we did an Orient, the club would have been negligent and no doubt fined heavily.
I think it is more a sign of the complete lack of understanding of the Charlton fans by Meire. There was no suggestion there would be violence and as far as I know there never has been in this kind of situation other than by stewards, so the levels of stewarding was the one thing more likely to provoke an incident.
As for the dozen or so mounted police in Floyd Road and the dozens of unsmiling police next to them, who on earth decided there were going to be season-end running battles? All I can think it that Tony and Katrien once again overstated the "threat" (to them and/or the club).
It also seems that the referee had decided/been told not to stop the game. After 2-3 minutes there were a lot of balloons in Rudd's third of the pitch but he let things flow, only briefly stopping when a flare came on. And at the end he blew right on 90, which as we all know never happens even if there have been no stoppages! Lucky it was not a tight game with things at stake.
Probably why the game finished on exactly 90 mins - nothing at stake for either team.
I remember a game 25 years or so ago (last game of the season), when I was 4th match official at West Ham (v Wolves in the old division one). West Ham scored their fifth goal (5-1, as I recall) in the final minute. Unbeknown to me, the referee asked Steve Bull to blast the ball, straight from kick off, into the stand. Steve obliged, and all players and two of the three match officials sprinted off the pitch before a pitch invasion took place. The linesman on the far side (before officials were miked up) got caught up in the melee (albeit a good natured one)!
Playing devils advocate, I'd imagine that the Orient situation on Saturday prompted the huge steward presence. Hence they were deployed during the 2nd half but let people on at the end. When you use that many stewards there is bound to be a couple of wronguns. In the eyes of the FA, if the club had done nothing and we did an Orient, the club would have been negligent and no doubt fined heavily.
I can't believe this was a reaction to Orient. Less than 24 hours to arrange all those extra stewards and police. That's a bit of a stretch, especially for a management as inept as this.
Ok, there were more stewards than I expected, but the club were told that, Charlton fans were going to "take back The Valley". It's hardly surprising that they planned for this.
If I'm correct, the reason the orange bibbed stewards let everyone on the pitch, is because they are not allowed to manhandle the public. The blue stewards can.
NB one of the blue bibs was a Charlton fan who lives in Peterboro now IIRC. I was chatting to him at Fleetwood A.
Ok, there were more stewards than I expected, but the club were told that, Charlton fans were going to "take back The Valley". It's hardly surprising that they planned for this.
If I'm correct, the reason the orange bibbed stewards let everyone on the pitch, is because they are not allowed to manhandle the public. The blue stewards can.
NB one of the blue bibs was a Charlton fan who lives in Peterboro now IIRC. I was chatting to him at Fleetwood A.
If a blue steward tried to manhandle me I'm within my rights to defend myself.
If a police officer does it, different matter. But one of those idiots puts hands on me or another fan I would go batshit
The stewarding was massively over the top but as others have said to an extent I guess justified by the CARD message and what happened at Orient. I asked a Police man outside who pays and he said inside the ground it is the club, outside the tax man. I was more disappointed at the quantity of police outside which was completely over the top than required for a game v Swindon. Apparently it was categorised 'B' where most of our games are 'A', with less police for an A game.
As an aside, I was an orange jacket steward in Sheffield as a uni student some 20 odd years ago. £17 for the match.
My main memory is being driven to Mansfield at half time as there was some trouble at their game and I was 'big'. I stood in a line of police and stewards separating home fans in rows above from away fans in rows below.
Slowly, one by one each police officer and steward was moved away until it was just me. A pie then whistled through the air above my head and into the away fans, who not surprisingly were unimpressed and started making their way over the rows of empty chairs towards me/the home fans.
At that point I shouted down the stairwell to a 'blue jacket' who came running up... His advice...."if the shit hits the fan, just pile on in there".
Having never hit anyone in my life, my thoughts differed to "for £17 I will take this jacket off and go home thanks mate".
Fortunately the fans were just posturing and they never 'met in the middle!' So I got my £17 and went to the pub !
Ok, there were more stewards than I expected, but the club were told that, Charlton fans were going to "take back The Valley". It's hardly surprising that they planned for this.
If I'm correct, the reason the orange bibbed stewards let everyone on the pitch, is because they are not allowed to manhandle the public. The blue stewards can.
NB one of the blue bibs was a Charlton fan who lives in Peterboro now IIRC. I was chatting to him at Fleetwood A.
Ok, there were more stewards than I expected, but the club were told that, Charlton fans were going to "take back The Valley". It's hardly surprising that they planned for this.
If I'm correct, the reason the orange bibbed stewards let everyone on the pitch, is because they are not allowed to manhandle the public. The blue stewards can.
NB one of the blue bibs was a Charlton fan who lives in Peterboro now IIRC. I was chatting to him at Fleetwood A.
If a blue steward tried to manhandle me I'm within my rights to defend myself.
If a police officer does it, different matter. But one of those idiots puts hands on me or another fan I would go batshit
Comments
This in no way excuses bad, and possibly actionable, conduct by other stewards, but is offered for balance.
No such problems for the Sheffield Utd celebration at Sixfields.
Vast number of stewards brought on to presumably prevent a pitch invasion, but then when it happened after the game they did nothing anyway. Once they didn't prevent anyone from the lower North getting on, then it all became a bit pointless.
Maybe they were told to prevent a pitch invasion during the match itself, but then after that it was up to them, hence the completely random and inconsistent actions
Robinson must have noticed my speed and agility as the club have asked would I like a central midfield role next season.
As for the woman steward who threw a wobbler in my opinion she is a classic example of somebody who should NEVER be allowed to do that job her behaviour was appalling.
What I don't really get is this overreaction to fans wanting to go onto the pitch after the last game of the season, seems to me that used to be "normal" years ago, nobody wants to cause trouble just have a bit of a celebrate, shout a bit of abuse at KM but nothing really too threatening. The amount of security was disproportionate and aggressive which is another indictment of this regimes lack of empathy with both the fans and the club in general.
As for the dozen or so mounted police in Floyd Road and the dozens of unsmiling police next to them, who on earth decided there were going to be season-end running battles? All I can think it that Tony and Katrien once again overstated the "threat" (to them and/or the club).
It also seems that the referee had decided/been told not to stop the game. After 2-3 minutes there were a lot of balloons in Rudd's third of the pitch but he let things flow, only briefly stopping when a flare came on. And at the end he blew right on 90, which as we all know never happens even if there have been no stoppages! Lucky it was not a tight game with things at stake.
Was about the only useful service they were providing!
If someone decides to ignore all the warnings, the stewards and the OB. If they get a clump or kick up the arse, they should man up and just have a laugh about it later.
Stopping people getting on the pitch is their job. Once they're past you you've already lost. Any violence to them is just malicious and pointless.
Probably why the game finished on exactly 90 mins - nothing at stake for either team.
I remember a game 25 years or so ago (last game of the season), when I was 4th match official at West Ham (v Wolves in the old division one).
West Ham scored their fifth goal (5-1, as I recall) in the final minute. Unbeknown to me, the referee asked Steve Bull to blast the ball, straight from kick off, into the stand. Steve obliged, and all players and two of the three match officials sprinted off the pitch before a pitch invasion took place. The linesman on the far side (before officials were miked up) got caught up in the melee (albeit a good natured one)!
Nope, this was just their paranoia showing.
If I'm correct, the reason the orange bibbed stewards let everyone on the pitch, is because they are not allowed to manhandle the public. The blue stewards can.
NB one of the blue bibs was a Charlton fan who lives in Peterboro now IIRC. I was chatting to him at Fleetwood A.
If a police officer does it, different matter. But one of those idiots puts hands on me or another fan I would go batshit
As an aside, I was an orange jacket steward in Sheffield as a uni student some 20 odd years ago. £17 for the match.
My main memory is being driven to Mansfield at half time as there was some trouble at their game and I was 'big'. I stood in a line of police and stewards separating home fans in rows above from away fans in rows below.
Slowly, one by one each police officer and steward was moved away until it was just me. A pie then whistled through the air above my head and into the away fans, who not surprisingly were unimpressed and started making their way over the rows of empty chairs towards me/the home fans.
At that point I shouted down the stairwell to a 'blue jacket' who came running up... His advice...."if the shit hits the fan, just pile on in there".
Having never hit anyone in my life, my thoughts differed to "for £17 I will take this jacket off and go home thanks mate".
Fortunately the fans were just posturing and they never 'met in the middle!' So I got my £17 and went to the pub !