[Football] Did Palace Ban Anyone?

[Stato]

Reading the news of Palace fans' complaint to Sussex Police about their treatment last November has me wondering how many Palace fans were eventually banned for storming the turnstiles and putting two stewards in hospital.

There were plenty of news reports of Palace's strong condemnation and of their statement that they would be working with police to identify and ban offenders from the clear images available. Here's one from the Croydon Advertiser: https://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk...news/crystal-palace-ban-supporters-who-849315

There were further news reports in January of Brighton banning a further twelve of their own fans following the original seven from both sides that had already received bans: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-42603050. These reports quoted the Albion as saying that further arrests and bans were possible and that a list of names and footage had been sent to Palace. My Googling has been unable to pick up any further developments.

Is anyone aware of any action that Palace have taken since that night? Have fans that stormed the turnstiles or let off flares been identified and banned by CPFC as they promised in their strongly worded statement? If so, where has this been reported?

 

[AmexRuislip]

Yes, no politicians are going to the next royal wedding!

 

[studio150]

No doubt the Crystal Palace Supporters' Trust are asking the same question of their club, and have sought the assistance of the FSF to ensure that those guilty of storming the gates, etc have received appropriate punishments

 

[LowKarate]

They all received Knighthoods and £5 food vouchers redeemable at Boxpark Croydon’s finest food outlet - ‘Chicken Jerk-off’

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

Not sure how many got banned but they definitely got nicked..

Got a mate who works as a steward in the away end, he said at the cup game the police had a book with all the faces of people they were looking for, a lot of them showed up at the cup game and got nicked... A+ for brains.

 

[Bozza]

Unfortunately the Knuckledusters-and-Knives-gate allowed Palace fans to re-write history on that particular evening, including some or all of the following:

- No-one without tickets got into the ground.
- Those who stormed the ground were genuine ticket holders who were frustrated at being kept outside.
- Any exit gates that were opened, were done so by BHAFC staff.
- Fireworks? Harmless fun innit.

 

[essexeagle]

Unfortunately the Knuckledusters-and-Knives-gate allowed Palace fans to re-write history on that particular evening, including some or all of the following:

- No-one without tickets got into the ground.
- Those who stormed the ground were genuine ticket holders who were frustrated at being kept outside.
- Any exit gates that were opened, were done so by BHAFC staff.
- Fireworks? Harmless fun innit.

But that is always the potential problem if the local police lie about such things as finding non-existent knifes and knuckledusters. Any genuine issues will be overshadowed by said lies.

 

[LamieRobertson]

But that is always the potential problem if the local police lie about such things as finding non-existent knifes and knuckledusters. Any genuine issues will be overshadowed by said lies.

Not necessarily.....if perhaps a certain person came out and made it his business to sort out those people ..it perhaps could have taken the spotlight away from one persons embellishments

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

But that is always the potential problem if the local police lie about such things as finding non-existent knifes and knuckledusters. Any genuine issues will be overshadowed by said lies.

Thats right, but two wrongs do not make a right. I still think that the fact a pack of Palace fans were all together at the first game meant that your club aid this - especially when you see the same group of 40-60 fans all together at other seated grounds. This did not happen at the second (FA cup) game. So it follows the club does not want to investiage too deepley what happened.

 

[AmexRuislip]

But that is always the potential problem if the local police lie about such things as finding non-existent knifes and knuckledusters. Any genuine issues will be overshadowed by said lies.

Putting the alleged lies aside, isn't the point that you have a minority group of cretinous supporters who are making your club look a laughing stock, under the guise of the ultras.
I know of two genuine Palace fans, who think that these people are making your club look stupid!

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Putting the alleged lies aside, isn't the point that you have a minority group of cretinous supporters who are making your club look a laughing stock, under the guise of the ultras.
I know of two genuine Palace fans, who think that these people are making your club look stupid!

But the way they get blocks of tickets for away games and a section in the Holmedale, does this not show the club (up to the board) support them in the way Italien clubs fund and support their Ultras and all the shenanigans they get up, home and away, The lack of action demonstrates this.

 

[essexeagle]

Putting the alleged lies aside, isn't the point that you have a minority group of cretinous supporters who are making your club look a laughing stock, under the guise of the ultras.
I know of two genuine Palace fans, who think that these people are making your club look stupid!

I am not defending the HF. I have said similar to what you have here before on this board. On the night of the game their behaviour was not what we wanted to see but lets get it in perspective. Apart from the so called storming of the turnstiles and a few bangers, the events that night were hardly akin to the goings on in the park outside the Goldstone Ground of years gone by were they? There was a lot of knicker wetting over that night where very little of any consequence actually happened.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I am not defending the HF. I have said similar to what you have here before on this board. On the night of the game their behaviour was not what we wanted to see but lets get it in perspective. Apart from the so called storming of the turnstiles and a few bangers, the events that night were hardly akin to the goings on in the park outside the Goldstone Ground of years gone by were they? There was a lot of knicker wetting over that night where very little of any consequence actually happened.

It's like all things, the media extend the limelight on these minor incidents, whether they are gutter press or the local rag.

 

[essexeagle]

It's like all things, the media extend the limelight on these minor incidents, whether they are gutter press or the local rag.

Agree. They make a massive drama over what is in many cases a non event and that stokes the absolutely ridiculous and unwarranted restrictions Palace fans suffered at the Amex and that Brighton fans will undoubtedly suffer on Saturday. It's a keen rivalry that we have and that's great, but it ain't Scumwall/West Ham or Leeds/Man U and doesn't warrant the over the top police operations that are put in place.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Agree. They make a massive drama over what is in many cases a non event and that stokes the absolutely ridiculous and unwarranted restrictions Palace fans suffered at the Amex and that Brighton fans will undoubtedly suffer on Saturday. It's a keen rivalry that we have and that's great, but it ain't Scumwall/West Ham or Leeds/Man U and doesn't warrant the over the top police operations that are put in place.

I disagree, video footage clearly showed people forcing their way in, avoiding checks from the sniffer dogs and injuring two stewards. We had disruptive indivuals that night as well and took action very quickly banning 12 people with the police and CPS prosocuting indivuals. We have a policy of being very welcoming to away fans and promote a very low key stewarding/policing and non restrictive to attendees movement. So the Police presence was not something taken lightly at the next game, and had to show we could manage games like this. I knew too many people who did not atend as it did feel like a throw back to worst of the 70-80s.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

And we're gonna be strip searched and made to show ID!

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

 

[Hillian1]

The chairman of palace actively supports this group, it really should come as no great shock to anyone who has even a modicum of sense he was never going to take any action against them.

On the same vein, the HF, or Ultras as they prefer to be called, have Parish so wrapped around their fingers they even get to vet any fans wishing to buy a ticket in their little corner.

 

[essexeagle]

I disagree, video footage clearly showed people forcing their way in, avoiding checks from the sniffer dogs and injuring two stewards. We had disruptive indivuals that night as well and took action very quickly banning 12 people with the police and CPS prosocuting indivuals. We have a policy of being very welcoming to away fans and promote a very low key stewarding/policing and non restrictive to attendees movement. So the Police presence was not something taken lightly at the next game, and had to show we could manage games like this. I knew too many people who did not atend as it did feel like a throw back to worst of the 70-80s.

OK, well we can agree to disagree. I am not suggesting there were no incidents or even trying to downplay those that did happen around the turnstile. After all, two stewards were hurt for which there can be no excuse. However, the whole thing could and should have been avoided had the Sussex police not taken palace supporters on a 1 1/2 hour frog march around Brighton, including rounding up non ticket holders in this march as well. There were even fans in this march who had no intention of going to the match but wanted to travel back to Selhurst for the beamback. They were forced to march to the ground by the police.

Anyway, regardless of all of that, the incidents on the night were relatively minor in the great scheme of things, especially compared to what has gone on in the past and, indeed, what goes on today at many, many lower league fixtures. The police just use these minor incidents as an excuse to provide overtime for numerous different forces and cause inconvenience to genuine football fans whos only interest is to go to the game and get away home afterwards without being treated like a criminal or second class citizens.

 

[Stato]

My question was specific to the actions of Crystal Palace FC.

Would I be correct in assuming that nobody knows of any action taken by Crystal Palace FC to work with police to identify and ban offenders?
Have Palace fans not asked their club for information about this issue?
Considering that these actions are understood to have caused BHAFC to close the turnstiles and led to ticket holders being refused access, why are no Palace fans asking the their chairman what he has done to back up his statement that 'Being a Palace fan is as much about community and belonging as it is about football?'*
https://www.cpfc.co.uk/siteassets/pdfs/fan-charter-june-2017.pdf



*(I'm aware that this statement would be valid if both x & y = zero: i.e. being a Palace fan is nothing to do with community and belonging and nothing to do with football.)

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

OK, well we can agree to disagree. I am not suggesting there were no incidents or even trying to downplay those that did happen around the turnstile. After all, two stewards were hurt for which there can be no excuse. However, the whole thing could and should have been avoided had the Sussex police not taken palace supporters on a 1 1/2 hour frog march around Brighton, including rounding up non ticket holders in this march as well. There were even fans in this march who had no intention of going to the match but wanted to travel back to Selhurst for the beamback. They were forced to march to the ground by the police.

Anyway, regardless of all of that, the incidents on the night were relatively minor in the great scheme of things, especially compared to what has gone on in the past and, indeed, what goes on today at many, many lower league fixtures. The police just use these minor incidents as an excuse to provide overtime for numerous different forces and cause inconvenience to genuine football fans whos only interest is to go to the game and get away home afterwards without being treated like a criminal or second class citizens.

Again, I do think the issues that night were more serious than you make out. I too have been marched around Selhurst and have been inconvienced, especially when trying to meet up with Palace friends after the game. I have to stress again you wlll find that a lot of Brighton and Palace fans find the whole thing cringeworthy and would just like to atend a game of football without hassle, hence the terribe attendence at the FA Cup game. I will be at Selhurst on Saturday and hope its all about the football this time.