[Albion] Abuse in Football: How Brighton are tackling fan behaviour [BBC Sport]

[Acker79]

Ok, thanks. Don't suppose you have a link to anything where that is officially stated please? I like to know these things for sure if I'm going to pass further comment on them.

Bottle tops: https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2019/january/supporters-reminded-on-prohibited-items/

I can't find any mention of terrorism in relation to flasks, it was mentioned on the flask megathread but I can't find a direct quote from the club:https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?366302-Flasks-banned-from-the-Amex

One of the problems some people had with the bans was how poorly they were justified. Terrorism was never a reason given by the club, but by fans who supported the club's decision. The explanation for the bottle tops came in January 2019 after a few high profile bottle throwing incidents at other games, the ban was put into place in August 2018 before said high profile incidents (and to fill the gap in explanation for the bans those fans citing terrorism for flasks, were citing the threat of slipping on a capped bottle during an emergency exit as the reason for the bottle top ban).

 

[Mackenzie]

It feels like us as Brighton fans have done something wrong, Paul Barber acting like a headmaster at assembly tearing into his pupils. We haven’t.

Wind your neck in Paul, we’re not all hooligans.

 

[Easy 10]

Agreed. And if you have kids who will nurse a bottle of drink throughout the game it’s an utter pain in the arse.

And, beyond all that, is it the case that the only person who has been hit by a capped bottle at the Amex is an Albion fan when it was kicked by Emery?

Yup, to my knowledge thats been the only incident.

I'd understand if every game there were bottles of Dr Pepper and Coke Zero raining down on the players and officials from the stands. But its never happened. Not a once. Not a single instance. I've been going to football for 30-odd years, and I've NEVER witnessed a player getting hit by a bottle.

Now I know there'd be some long-winded mealy-mouthed PB explanation about "prevention" and "minimising risk" and being "pro-active not reactive", blah blah. But piss up a stick, maybe we should all just stay at home in our beds so we won't get run over, or struck by lightning, or hit by a meteorite, or molested by Diane Abbott.

 

[portlock seagull]

I love the oh so PC comment about stewards primary reason for working match days is people's safety...No Paul, it really isn't!

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I've said it before but Brighton's is one of the most comfortable, welcoming stadiums there are - I've commented in the past that Barber is a little thin skinned but here I just don't have a clue what he's talking about, a return to the 70s/80s? in the 2018/2019 Premier League? It's about as far away from the 70s and 80s as one could possibly imagine (and I don't think that's 100% a good thing). Odd, odd, odd....

70s/80s? That were nothing! When I were a lad in the 60s it were terrible, with bovver boots and dusters. Millwall thundering down Shoreham Road in their studded boots.
I can only think that Barber is very young, niave and never experienced places like the old North Stand in his life.

 

[portlock seagull]

70s/80s? That were nothing! When I were a lad in the 60s it were terrible, with bovver boots and dusters. Millwall thundering down Shoreham Road in their studded boots.
I can only think that Barber is very young, niave and never experienced places like the old North Stand in his life.

Of course he didn't, football only started in 1993 remember with the first middle-class fans appearing shortly after Fever Pitch was published.

 

[BN9 BHA]

"Over the past 12 to 18 months, I have seen some of the [70s/80s hooliganism] I witnessed growing up creeping back. Some of the characters who created the trouble are beginning to lurk on the edges of football again and one or two young people are being influenced.
]

I would be interested to know exactly where he has witnessed 70s/80s hooliganism as I have been to almost every match at the Amex and hardly seen any trouble.
Has there been many arrests for football violence recently at the Amex?

I started going to football with my father in the 70s, I have seen some serious trouble in my years of watching football.
Going to the Amex always seems like a family day out.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

One of the problems some people had with the bans was how poorly they were justified. Terrorism was never a reason given by the club, but by fans who supported the club's decision. The explanation for the bottle tops came in January 2019 after a few high profile bottle throwing incidents at other games, the ban was put into place in August 2018 before said high profile incidents (and to fill the gap in explanation for the bans those fans citing terrorism for flasks, were citing the threat of slipping on a capped bottle during an emergency exit as the reason for the bottle top ban).

Just re-read the Barber justification for the flask ban. "a safety and security-related decision.' So that pretty much describes a terrorist attack unless you can think of another explanation for the word 'security'.

 

[portlock seagull]

Its not something that angers me. I've never taken a flask to football in my life, so that new little law doesn't affect me anyway. The bottle lid thing IS a nonsense though. I often walk to games when the weathers decent and take a drink along,saving some for during the game and half time. Now I'm not allowed, because apparently I can't be trusted not to weaponise my plastic bottle of Sprite.

Yes in the great scheme of things its a minor gripe. But modern football really does has some wearily tiresome hoops for us mug punters to jump through.

In Ancient Greece, bottles with their lids on were used by the lesser known Spritans, who were much feared at sporting events after they ran a mock at the inaugural Olympics: FACT!

 

[Acker79]

Just re-read the Barber justification for the flask ban. "a safety and security-related decision.' So that pretty much describes a terrorist attack unless you can think of another explanation for the word 'security'.

Bringing flares, drugs or weapons in in flasks?

 

[dazzer6666]

Bringing flares, drugs or weapons in in flasks?

....including alcohol

 

[Acker79]

....including alcohol

I was going to add alcohol, but figured it would be a moot point, as it's freely available on the concourse so any security risk is always there for alcohol regardless of the flask ban (eg sure, you could sneak in alcohol, get drunk and start a fight, but you can also buy beers on the concourse, get drunk and start a fight). The only difference is it would allow people to drink in view of the pitch, which I figured might cause legal issues, I wasn't sure I'd be able to argue it comes under 'safety and security'?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Bringing flares, drugs or weapons in in flasks?

All possible I suppose but from reading about the flares palace brought in, they were very small anyway and could easily get in without the bother of a flask. Drugs and weapons? Dunno about those.

 

[Acker79]

All possible I suppose but from reading about the flares palace brought in, they were very small anyway and could easily get in without the bother of a flask. Drugs and weapons? Dunno about those.

I'm not commenting on the likelihood of it occurring, just that it is an alternative to terrorism as an interpretation of 'safety and security'. (Though I would imagine that illicit materials being smuggled in in a flask is far more likely to happen than terrorism using a flask).

 

[Taybha]

The Myke Dean of CEO manship rides again , this bloke will not rest unti everyone has to ask to go to the toilet .

 

[GooGull]

Getting a bit bored with the whole bottle top thing, you would think the Amex is the only place in the country you can’t take them. I’ve be to every away game so far this season and I think I’ve only been able to keep my top in a couple of them. It’s not a PB thing it’s a PL thing and as others have mentioned numerous times it also happens at plenty of other venues including concert and cinemas so please please please give it a rest

 

[Acker79]

Getting a bit bored with the whole bottle top thing, you would think the Amex is the only place in the country you can’t take them. I’ve be to every away game so far this season and I think I’ve only been able to keep my top in a couple of them. It’s not a PB thing it’s a PL thing and as others have mentioned numerous times it also happens at plenty of other venues including concert and cinemas so please please please give it a rest

I've been to cinemas all over the country and not once have I ever been told I can't take a bottle top in. I've been to numerous theatres (including venues like the royal albert hall, brighton centre) in the last couple of years and not once have I been told I can't take a bottle top in. I've never been told I can't take my thermos water flask in either.

Had the ban came in when we got promoted, or an edict come out from the premier league over the summer 'it's a premier league thing' might hold water. It's not, it's a club thing. Other clubs may have also chosen to do it, doesn't mean we have to like it or agree with it.

If you're bored with it, why not stop reading the thread when it goes on to that topic, and not get involved?

 

[Grassman]

Ah yes, the bad old days of the 70s, 80s and early 90s. Lines of DM boots up the North East corner, stone throwing fights on the beach and West Street, wrecked trains, Spurs going mad, Chelsea going madder. Then standing behing fences, fences with plastic spike balls on top, fences that made up cages. Walking past people selling the NF magazine pre match. Getting chased round Birmingham, ambushed in Chesterfield, fights all over Selhurst, inside and out. Millwall nearly burning down their own ground after the playoff semi.

They're just round the corner when old people are taking in their own soup and some donut luzzes a pie at little Willy Zaha.

And yet the pie isn’t banned, but actively encouraged!

 

[n1 gull]

God only knows what he'll do if we get Millwall at home! Mind you if we do then he might actually have something to worry about instead of this fecking nonsense

 

[pocketseagull]

Given that the article is about (mostly racist) abuse not flasks isn't Barber right?

"Over the past 12 to 18 months, I have seen some of the things I witnessed growing up creeping back. Some of the characters who created the trouble are beginning to lurk on the edges of football again and one or two young people are being influenced.

My take on this is he's referring to the likes of the Football Lads Alliance. Haven't there been reports of our fans and others singing Tommy Robinson songs?

This thread is confusing as it doesn't really have anything to do with the article.