Standing at the back of H Block (to wind the Stewards up?)

[maffew]

From ask the club

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having been made to sit by the gestapo stewards again today despite being in the middle of a row and at the back of H block where my standing causes no obstruction to the passage of anyone or blocks anyones view.

it was nice to be thanked for turning up on tuesday,it would have been nicer to be treated with common sense and not made to sit in the pouring rain despite being in the back row

I dont know if you were one of them, but there was a row of about 8-10 kids (maybe 15-18yr olds) at the back of H Block being utter spasmoids to the stewards on Saturday

You are right that common sense should be applicable, but the bottom line is they dont have the choice to apply that, its the law at the moment, end of.

They're pretty lenient, all you need to do is sit down when they come along, then stand up again a bit later if you want

The chap on Saturday was sound, trying to have a laugh, and the usual "just doing my job, its an all seater stadium lads" . And all he got was comments from these pre-pubescants along the lines of

"hope you get good job satisfaction, how would you rate it on a scale of 1 to 10"
"well we stood at Orient last week, why do you think we did so well? Cos we made the atmosphere"
"how much do you get paid?"
"tell the away fans to sit down"

utterly embarrassing

 

[Lord Bracknell]

These little spats with the stewards certainly DON'T "make the atmosphere" that will contribute anything to the team's performance.

They are VERY TEDIOUS.

And I agree with the thread title. Some people stand because they are more interested in having a confrontation with a steward than getting behind the team.

 

[Stinky Kat]

if there is nobody behind them whats the problem.

Just because sitting it is the law does not mean the law is right. People should protest. Calling the stewards names does not help. Join stand up sit down and write to the CE are better ways of protesting.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

What can the CE do about it? Its the LAW. Its not our rule.

If you want to write to him to suggest safe-standing at Falmer, go ahead, but at Withers it can't happen.

 

[Stinky Kat]

he could note it for the falmer stadium - and lobby the sports minister if he felt like it or thought standing may bring more fans and therefore bigger profits when Falmer opens

 

[Publius Ovidius]

if there is nobody behind them whats the problem.

Just because sitting it is the law does not mean the law is right. People should protest. Calling the stewards names does not help. Join stand up sit down and write to the CE are better ways of protesting.

I know I am not one to talk, as i frequently stand, however when a steward comes over, just sit down......its not rocket science, its their job to enforce the rules of the ground and the rules of teh ground say it is an all seater stadium.

In the Premiership, it is vary rare to see people sitting down( specially away fans) and who knows, teh FA may get the message sometime that its pointless trying to stop people standing...until that day, what is the point in abusing stewards.

It seems that Brighton fans have a problem with this where ever they go ( and also at home) Its very strange

 

[maffew]

if there is nobody behind them whats the problem.

Just because sitting it is the law does not mean the law is right. People should protest. Calling the stewards names does not help. Join stand up sit down and write to the CE are better ways of protesting.

its fair to say, we all think the law is wrong, or needs looking at, and at the back it really doesnt matter. Thing is, you just cant. If you want to play the system, just sit down when they are on the way, then stand up again and they leave you alone, no need to draw the attention and be a chodnut in front of your mates to the chap doing his job. Its just attention seeking

 

[Stinky Kat]

its fair to say, we all think the law is wrong, or needs looking at, and at the back it really doesnt matter. Thing is, you just cant. If you want to play the system, just sit down when they are on the way, then stand up again and they leave you alone, no need to draw the attention and be a chodnut in front of your mates to the chap doing his job. Its just attention seeking

True, the only way to change the law is to lobby clubs, politicans ect.

If clubs thought attendances/revenue would go up then they would apply for standing areas. The people you mention are being stupid - there is as you imply no reason to have a go at a steward for doing his/her job

 

[Brighton till i die]

its the ideal time to get a safe standing terrace built at Falmer.....no doubt THAT stand would be full every game - NO DOUBT!

 

[NMH]

I was quite near a couple of the stewards on Saturday, and heard on bloke say "I'm going to tell the club that they are spending too much on stewards, there are too many of them here - the club could save money on what they pay for you lot"

A little later, another bloke pointed at the same bloke, and loudly announced to his mate "there's the people who stop us from smoking, it's bloody stupid"

The steward just shrugged and responded with "F.A. rules mate". Then I saw him telling another bloke (that I was standing a couple of feet away from) to put a newly-lit fag out, near the ramp to the bogs at half-time. He was actually apologetic, but assertive about it, and I don't know what more he could do or say really? It didn't bother me, though I wouldn't want to be surrounded by fag-ash puffers and I like now it's not a pall in every pub!

My mate I sit next to in the South Stand, who's highly allergic, hates even a whiff of smoke nearby - and smoking IS anti-social, let's face it.

The fact is, that people who want to stand up, can't use the excuse that they are a few at the BACK of the stand, as it really does NOT improve their view at all to stand anyway - and all it does it encourage other people to shout "well if THEY can stand, why can't we??" (though I must sympathise with that West Stand lot - that really is a shit view to travel the length of the country to stay sat for, by any standards)

There are some people around though, who cannot see past their own noses - so not much will change. My mate who can't abide smoke, couldn't stand up from his season ticket seat and ask every smoker to douse it, and in another case - a father with young kids can't take on a group of louts using every bad word, racism and acting anti-socially.
I'm glad the stewards are there - it's by their presence alone that stops the lower element doing whatever they like and ruining it for the majority. I realise that they are there for other reasons too - emergency situations, fire, crowd crush, hooligans, lost kids, pitch invasions, giving directions, showing people where their seats are, and I believe they even have to know how to deal with heart attacks and seizures!!

Here's another thing to warm your cockles;- they also report bad behaviour from opposing managers and players who might interract with the crowd. At the end of saturday's game, I curiously asked a bloke with 'Supervisor' on his jacket, if that twat manager gets reported for his gestures to us in the South - and he told me yes, that he will be reported for it.

It seems there's always more to it than meets the eye, than a bunch of 'wannabe police' in some kind of uniform.

 

[NMH]

p.s. the whole middle of the South Stand stood up at intervals, when something happened on the pitch. I don't think the FA can do much, or would want to, about that. Some stuff must be within the realms of 'understandable reactions' that they look past.

When our new 'Bright Helmstone Stadium' is built, it will be more of a pleasure to stay seated and enjoy the spectacle before us, and stand to cheer goals or berate the ref (not the players, heaven forbid - but I DID stand and shout at Magoo a few times, for being a LJC). If it's like some of the better grounds, I will lay back and just revel in prolonged ecstasy, on my nice blue seat, with an electric warmer pad, in the dry, with my special drink-holder and foam cushion thingamy (a portable manbag-sized affair that I bought in the States).

I can't WAIT!

 

[NMH]

its the ideal time to get a safe standing terrace built at Falmer.....no doubt THAT stand would be full every game - NO DOUBT!

I hope they'll charge extra for that, and subsidize my comfy seated luxury.
Then I'll be all for a standing terrace

 

[Brovion]

...
In the Premiership, it is vary rare to see people sitting down( specially away fans) and who knows, teh FA may get the message sometime that its pointless trying to stop people standing...until that day, what is the point in abusing stewards.

...

Absolutely. When we go and see Newcastle away we can stand for the whole match. The stewards usually start by trying to get us to sit down, but eventually give it up as a bad job.

 

[Napper]

H block is just an embarassment though. South stand centre is so much better for atmosphere and stewards arn't interested mainly due to the non offensive songs being sung......

 

[Brighton till i die]

I hope they'll charge extra for that, and subsidize my comfy seated luxury.
Then I'll be all for a standing terrace

i'd happily pay an extra couple of squid to be on a terrace mate

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Anyway isn't it a lot cheaper to employ stewards than have more police officers there, if it saves the club money then it's got to be a good thing there are more now than previous seasons

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Insider was not impressed with this particular question and rightly so.

 

[harold robbins]

I agree with much of what has been said. Like most in H Block I would prefer to stand if given the choice ......but we don`t have one and the stewards are obliged to enforce the rules.

There are certain individuals in H Block who simply have to try and provoke a confrontation with the stewards at every game. Its tiresome. Yes, the away fans should be forced to sit down but two wrongs don`t make a right and it does not entitle you stand up just because you feel like it.

Incidentally , does anyone know what happened with Krispies on Saturday who flounced out before half time after what appeared to be some sort of row with the stewards?.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

he moved to E block (may have been H block) just along from me for the second half - in front of Locky!

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

The problem I have is the complete lack of consistency.

There are many grounds now (including in the Premiership) where whole sections of people stand THROUGHOUT the game, without being made to sit down.

Stewards a tthese grounds have given up, and it is now accepted that if you have a ticket in these areas you will be standing all game.

Areas like this exist at Man Utd, man City, (despite the threats of the council to have areas shut down) Sunderland, Coventry, West Brom amongst others.

IMO standing in the back row does not cause a problem.