Got ejected at 19.37 and looking at a two year ban.

[kano]

I agree with the majority of the sentiments in this thread. You shouldn't be able to have a laugh or joke about being searched or talk back in any way. Who do you think you are?

We should hire more stewards like this woman who has the courage to brew on an incident for the best part of an hour before acting. Why should the supporters feel like they can watch the game just because they have paid for a ticket and behaved in the ground? If you made a naughty joke from the point you stepped off the train then I expect those people to spend the rest of their time at the AMEX looking over their shoulder.

In short the club should be trying its best to generate a healthy amount of fear in its fan base through random ejections and extreme overreactions so that any and all requests are immediately complied with and people enjoy the match day experience in EXACTLY the correct way. Come in(don't drive), give the club your money, sit down quietly, then piss off quickly. Anything else and your just a trouble maker that the club doesn't need.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I would be surprised if you received a two year ban I really would!

However, in this day and age unfortunately you have to watch what you say and making a potentially sexist comment and a comment about a bomber could and probably was the making of your own downfall! To be fair how do you know that the said female steward wasn't previously sexually abused or has a relative serving in the forces that was killed by a suicide bomber? It's all very well having banter with your mates and to a degree with people on here but to do it with complete strangers comes with risks and unfortunately mate not everyone will have the same sense of humour as you! I would issue a grovelling apology to the club, and hope that the subsequent ban isn't as long as you first thought, next time you go back apologise to the female steward and just co-operate with them for the brief few minutes you walk through the turnstile! The match day experience is only a few hours, it's not really that hard to behave for those few hours is it? After all most of us are grown men!

I disagree with the "unfortunately" at the beginning of your main paragraph. Engaging brain before speaking might have avoided this situation. Possibly the stewards over-reacted as well, but I wasn't there so can't judge. What is "just a load of PC crap" to one person might be wildly offensive to someone else.

Edit: and the answer to "can't you take a joke" might sometimes be "no".

 

[greyseagull]

3 pies before kick-off? That's outrageous.

This. Although reading that post has made me really hungry and there's a West Cornwall Pasty company just round the corner.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Can anything get any worse. f*** sake.

What is up with stewards I ask? I'll fight the ban all the way.

Got the train from London Bridge and arrived in Brighton bang on 17 hrs and dropped into the Queens head for a beer, while waiting I picked up my Laptop across the road that was being fixed. 2 beers later I headed to the Amex with Sean. As I went into the north east corner I was asked If they could search my bag, This is an issue I've had for 5 times for evening matches since attending the Amex and said as always it contains my Laptop and work clothes.

After a few minutes of chatting I asked like I always do why search just my bag as I could have said items on the wall in my coat, jeans, pants like the Muslim pants bomber so why just search my bag? They said bags are the main items that Flares, explosives would be hidden, I laughed and said yeah right, and how do you think Flares are taken into grounds when the party animals know you only search bags? I said fine search my bag but why not search my coat, jeans, underwear, you never know what is hidden down there. The female steward asked to search me, and so she did, It was just a quick rub down, I said is that it, you search my bag and empty it but just give me a quick frisk, why not feel my pants as I could have a big weapon down there.

One male steward could see the funny side but dare not laugh.

It got a bit political about airports and stuff and having been warned I was let in. Had a beer and 2 pies I took my seat, Felt like another pie so ventured down for a beer and pie, next minute (40 minutes later) I had 4 stewards around me and got asked by the female steward that I need a word about earlier comments, I said that was 40 minutes ago so what has changed?

She said - Lets just go outside and talk, I said you must think I'm stupid as I know I'm not coming back in and said why are you bringing this up now and not then? Nothing from her.

Got outside and there is the four stewards and 3 police officers, I just thought, yep, I'm heading home and not watching the game. I asked the stewards what (female steward) point she wanted to to make regarding my earlier comment but we didn't get to that, It was me arguing about right or wrongs, what can or can't be said.

Apparently she took offense about the pants bomber 40 minutes ealier, I did say it but it was true, f*** me, last time I looked we are a democracy, the oldest living democracy in living memory, freedom of speech only seems to work a few ways.

Things stated to get out of hand, the Lady steward wanted my season ticket and driving license which I said you've no chance but said I'll cooperate with the local police officers and if you require such items them you can view them if the police ask me, so I handed the season ticket over and other items, the stewards kept my season ticket and said I'm looking at a 2 year ban.

Come again I said? I said to the police officers that those 3 Hull fans who got arrested for homophobic chanting, singing, got a caution just like all away fans that are homophobic, all they get is a caution and a slap on the writs, I said I thought homophobia is the same offense as racists? So why am I being treated differently as I said about the pants bomber, how can the stewards look for a ban for me for banter but allow homophobic arrogant scum to spout homophobic crap but get a slap on the wrist?


Just said what ever, and walked off. The woman steward has my season ticket so don't know what to do, Direct action maybe?

Yay. That went well then.

 

[Sam-]

What is offensive or out of order is subjective, what someone may find offensive others may find funny.

But making potentially sexist jokes at the expense of a steward is foolish. Very likely to be taken the wrong way. Would you want to be put in this situation when your just doing your job ?

 

[Nibble]

You won't get a ban.

- - - Updated - - -

You won't get a ban.

 

[Weststander]

Shouldn't have made those comments. You wouldn't make them at an airport, don't make them in a football stadium.

Unwise at an airport; harmless at a football stadium.

Seems like a steward or two really have developed a sense of humour bypass, or let the 'power' go to their heads.

I hope you get this completely overturned.

(From someone who has never had trouble with stewards, or police, and is massive fan of our police .... Therefore no bitterness).

Good luck.

Ps. Relying on your version of events.

 

[Gazwag]

Moral of the story ? Treat the stewards like you would any other decent human being and understand that they enforce the rules not make them. That way everyone wins.

I absolutely agree with you 100% BUT this should also work both ways stewards should treat fans as decent human beings and they will find 90% of supporters will accept there instructions. 10% will be drunk/obnoxious/I think I'm hard but you will find that everywhere. When stewards contrive a story to get a fan banned that's a different matter (I am talking about a pre-christmas game not yesterday) and there seems to be no defence and fans are guilty without any chance to prove they are innocent.

 

[Weststander]

Why should security be any different at a public place like the Amex to an airport . Unfortunately in this day and age it is needed

Baloney.

Where is the slightest bit of evidence that Islamic or Dissident Republican terrorists, or anyone else wanting to harm people at an event, would have the slightest bit of interest in a Championship football game?

 

[Nibble]

I don't know why BigBelly made such a fuss in the first place. And people on here typing rubbish like Mute conformity or using words like Stasi. Jeeeebus. It's a football match in a public venue, they do a cursory glance in your bag, big deal.You have to be some kind of prick to turn that into a police incident. It is not some oppression of your human rights, it's not football being taken over by the "man", quite the opposite. They provide a safe environment for you to enjoy the game, you don't act like a rude, timewasting prick. If you don't like the rules don't turn up.

 

[Blackadder]

So can a male steward search a female fan? I still find it strange that opposite sex body searches/pat downs are allowed.

 

[Easy 10]

I very much doubt if this will result in a 2 year ban, but I'm struggling to have much sympathy with the OP.

What are you trying to achieve ? You alluded your bag had been searched on 5 previous occasions for evening games - they're hardly likely to clock you mincing up to the turnstile, remember the 5 previous occassions, and think "meh, this guys only ever got a laptop, a cagoul, a piece of fruit and the Radio Times in there...in you go pal". A cursory bag search is just such a standard, mundane piece of officialdom it barely warrants registering, let alone climbing up onto a soapbox for. It takes less than 10 seconds.

An utterly pointless and futile exercise which ended up spoiling your evening. I hope the club is sensible about this and at worse just bores you into submission by reiterating the search policy, but in the cold light of day, surely you must feel a bit daft now to have kicked off about it.

 

[Albumen]

Let's face it, you're a bit of an old whingebag arent you. Just let people do their jobs without causing a fuss for the sake of others. It's our community stadium after all.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I don't know why BigBelly made such a fuss in the first place. And people on here typing rubbish like Mute conformity or using words like Stasi. Jeeeebus. It's a football match in a public venue, they do a cursory glance in your bag, big deal.You have to be some kind of prick to turn that into a police incident. It is not some oppression of your human rights, it's not football being taken over by the "man", quite the opposite. They provide a safe environment for you to enjoy the game, you don't act like a rude, timewasting prick. If you don't like the rules don't turn up.

Harsh, but ultimately fair.

Grovelling apology, citing extenuating circumstances seems the only way to go. My advice to BigGully would be to go see the club, and be very humble and apologetic. Accusing them of being heavy-handed is highly unlikely to help your cause.

 

[Napper]

Wind up

 

[JCL - the new kid in town]

Wind up

Thats what i thought, it does seem a quite similar to the Sid? one about a year ago albeit with more story to it to make it more "believeable"

 

[empire]

any updates?do you feel foolish knowing your going to miss the nest 2 years...spill

 

[Del Boy]

Just let them search your bag, shut the f*** up and don't worry about it. Why act like a 12 year old because of it. Self inflicted.

This, why give the stewards grief just for the sake of it. On the way in at about 7.10 last night I saw a home fan being searched outside the North Stand and he was also acting like a complete bellend.

 

[somerset]

All season tickets and paper tickets remain the property of BHAFC and came be revoked or requested at anytime between arriving and when you leave the footprint of the stadium.

For good reason yes, not on the unsubstantiated say so of an individual who hasnt proven your guilt by way of evidence etc.

 

[Brian Fantana]

For good reason yes, not on the unsubstantiated say so of an individual who hasnt proven your guilt by way of evidence etc.

I totally agree with you on that point. However in this age of technology, surely it doesn't matter if someone refuses to hand over their ST card? The club can just electronically cancel it if they want.