Long post alert:
Interesting reading a lot about Fulham, some of which was happening right by us. I went to the game with my son, a fellow mod and a former mod. However, another person we were expecting couldn't make it, in theory giving us a spare seat in the middle of the row. At no point did it really feel like there was a spare place, just a normally spaced out row. People to the left of me then crowded in.
Jack and his mates I know from aways were then in the row in front. It was obvious there were people in there who shouldn't have been before him and his mates turned up, as I was wondering where he was as the row in front was full. In the end - as it often is at aways - the last to arrive had to go in the aisle or miss the match (or stand on someone potentially causing a crush that way). Bottom line - the seats at Fulham are tiny. One person out of place causes issues and there always will be because of the restricted views at the back, thanks to the pillar.
The result and winding up from a group in their posh new stand who were obviously new to football didn't help tempers and a few people had some minutes of headloss at the end. This was dealt with by our stewards in a firm but friendly way, They were far better than the Fulham stewards who seemed to have largely abandoned ship. This sort of back and forth goes on next to the away end at every game in the country. It will happen in the SWC most games I'll guarantee. Nevertheless it did prompt me to take my own son off and have a conversation along the lines of 'don't give people an excuse to chuck you out and ban you'. And that's how it used to be handled. I was nodding along with posts from @Nobby Cybergoat and @Justice . I was a drunken bellend when I was in my early 20s but we self policed and looked after our own. I can remember a bloke we'd never met before pointing out to us that the police were intently watching our group at one game for example. And people tended to go with like minded fans. Easier to do when there's 400 of you rattling round a terrace. Impossible to do when there's 3000 of you and the seats are allocated not by type of fan but by how often you go to games.
Finally, some of this stuff really doesn't have to ruin your day. And a lot depends on the result. In Amsterdam I was showered in beer no less than three times. I also had some complete bellend move into my place at half time when I went for a wee and then spoil for a fight when I wanted it back, even though it was next to my son who was a minor at the time. Was it annoying? Yes. Did it ruin the best few days I've ever had as an Albion fan? No. Did I grass? No.
Interesting reading a lot about Fulham, some of which was happening right by us. I went to the game with my son, a fellow mod and a former mod. However, another person we were expecting couldn't make it, in theory giving us a spare seat in the middle of the row. At no point did it really feel like there was a spare place, just a normally spaced out row. People to the left of me then crowded in.
Jack and his mates I know from aways were then in the row in front. It was obvious there were people in there who shouldn't have been before him and his mates turned up, as I was wondering where he was as the row in front was full. In the end - as it often is at aways - the last to arrive had to go in the aisle or miss the match (or stand on someone potentially causing a crush that way). Bottom line - the seats at Fulham are tiny. One person out of place causes issues and there always will be because of the restricted views at the back, thanks to the pillar.
The result and winding up from a group in their posh new stand who were obviously new to football didn't help tempers and a few people had some minutes of headloss at the end. This was dealt with by our stewards in a firm but friendly way, They were far better than the Fulham stewards who seemed to have largely abandoned ship. This sort of back and forth goes on next to the away end at every game in the country. It will happen in the SWC most games I'll guarantee. Nevertheless it did prompt me to take my own son off and have a conversation along the lines of 'don't give people an excuse to chuck you out and ban you'. And that's how it used to be handled. I was nodding along with posts from @Nobby Cybergoat and @Justice . I was a drunken bellend when I was in my early 20s but we self policed and looked after our own. I can remember a bloke we'd never met before pointing out to us that the police were intently watching our group at one game for example. And people tended to go with like minded fans. Easier to do when there's 400 of you rattling round a terrace. Impossible to do when there's 3000 of you and the seats are allocated not by type of fan but by how often you go to games.
Finally, some of this stuff really doesn't have to ruin your day. And a lot depends on the result. In Amsterdam I was showered in beer no less than three times. I also had some complete bellend move into my place at half time when I went for a wee and then spoil for a fight when I wanted it back, even though it was next to my son who was a minor at the time. Was it annoying? Yes. Did it ruin the best few days I've ever had as an Albion fan? No. Did I grass? No.
