MOUTH - The latest

[KneeOn]

I feel sorry for Paul here.

He is a press officer (?) for the club. Not the **** who should bare the brunt of steward-related abuse really.

Thinking back, every away game i've been to, looking at the stewards of other teams, all they do is sit there and have a chat glancing up every now and again. Looking without attention seeking.

Ours stare us out almost, begging for a bit of action because it means they can be the f***ing police.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

... round-the-table meetings with the club etc...

 

[Southwick_Seagull]

I also feel sorry for Insider. Unfortunately whenever someone has concerns and requires an answer and they write or e-mail the club they hear nothing, no replies, no thank you for your inquiry, nothing. Therefore alot of that frustation gets passed onto the Insider.

 

[Miami Seagull]

...I also feel sorry for Insider... .

I agreed till I saw the 'childish' comment. Complaints about the stewarding have been non stop for a long, long time now and nothing has changed. All we hear from the club is what a good job they do. The frustration has been building amongst a significant number of fans in the South stand for a long time now and it was only a matter of time before this happened. I just hope this will lead to a review of operations...but I doubt it.

 

[Acker79]

I, too, have sympathies with Insider here. As spokesperson for the club there's only so much he can do (and say) in response to the many many many questions he has had to face about stewarding, yet when he does all he is in a position to do he gets criticised for not giving a good enough answer, etc.



The issue has been building for more than just the three home games this season. Was it brought up at the fans forum at the start of the season? If not, why not bring it up at the next one? Make sure you prepare your question (just because I got bored with some of the people stumbling over their words and repeating themselves), write down what you want to say, cite examples if you wish, and raise it directly with ken brown/bloom etc.

 

[Insider]

I also feel sorry for Insider. Unfortunately whenever someone has concerns and requires an answer and they write or e-mail the club they hear nothing, no replies, no thank you for your inquiry, nothing. Therefore alot of that frustation gets passed onto the Insider.

Cheers, but it is all part of the service. This iritates me more than anything when I hear this, as I know a lot of people within the club make a big effort on this front - but it's the one or two letters that don't get answered that people hear about. It is the club's policy that every letter/email should be answered... Please if you don't get an answer, cc it to me and I promise you will get a response. Even if it is just to say I have passed it onto person X or Y. At least that way you know your letter has at least been read.


Equally, I realise I may have p*ssed a few off on here tonight, but seriously, there is nothing to stop people joining the SC. We have over 30,000 fans, considering the 2004 turnout, yet the supporters' club membership is a fraction of this. It would be great to have a surge in membership. It is a totally democratic and independent organisation, and they have regular dialogue with the club (as do a number of NSC mods and Seagulls Over London) and they will get things done.

It would be great... and I genuinely think fans as a group would have a lot of success in addressing issues in this way. Not the only way to do it, but as I said before, just a thought...

 

[Bozza]

I lied about the bed thing as I just received something that I was asked to share with NSC generally, although I will respect the sender's wishes to remain anonymous. Anyway - I just got sent the following...

It's about time someone made a stand about the quality of stewarding at Withdean. I used to steward on Saturdays and what I witnessed was like a step back in time when any old thug could work the door of a nightclub. Aside from a few decent sorts, that's the general standard of the stewards they have at Withdean.

They love a nice easy target like the guy mouth but are too stupid and scared to deal with any real issues like the homophobic chanting and abuse. People should start writing letters of complaint about the lack of action in relation to the more serious matters and how disgusted and offended they are, that might make Hebbard and the club take notice, although I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[attila]

Paul, you're a good bloke, but suggesting that people stand for election to the Supporters' Club to express opposition to ridiculous treatment of Albion fans...come on, mate, that is SURREAL. Just imagine if we'd all got our bobble hats in 96....

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

Paul, you're a good bloke, but suggesting that people stand for election to the Supporters' Club to express opposition to ridiculous treatment of Albion fans...come on, mate, that is SURREAL. Just imagine if we'd all got our bobble hats in 96....

I was thinking that. Bearing in mind Paul was one of the regular contributers to Gulls Eye, calling it a 'childish Internet campaign' is odd - it's the same as Gulls Eye, just a different medium.

 

[Insider]

I was thinking that. Bearing in mind Paul was one of the regular contributers to Gulls Eye, calling it a 'childish Internet campaign' is odd - it's the same as Gulls Eye, just a different medium.

Now that is rolling back the years! Blimey...

 

[Insider]

I will raise this issue at the club - not the specific events of last Saturday, becase as I said it is not for me to get involved as I wasn't there - but on the wider issues. It appears we need some sort of ongoing dialogue between fans and the club. Therefore, Bozza, please could the new section be removed from the ATC section.

 

[portlock seagull]

I've written to the club several times, inc a complaint about stewarding witnessed by 1 other person I'd never met before who couldn't believe how rude, OTT and aggressive one of the Withdean stassi had been to me (testimony to this was another steward leading him away when I stood up to him and apologising to me on that twat's behalf). But No reply. No acknowledgment. You'd think I was still addressing it c/o Newton Road still. Club's a joke when it comes to "customer relationships". It's put me off going and a far few others I know. If it continues into Falmer, the club's going to be hit hard in the pocket. SORT IT OUT NOW BRIGHTON. FFS, this is OUR CLUB not these idiots.

 

[portlock seagull]

I will raise this issue at the club - not the specific events of last Saturday, becase as I said it is not for me to get involved as I wasn't there - but on the wider issues. It appears we need some sort of dialogue between fans and the club on this issue, and soon. In return, Bozza, please could the new section be removed from the website.

The evidence from scores of "mouth" witnesses is compelling so this is a right cop out by you Insider. And no, don't you dare try and censor this forum by asking Bozza to sanitise content to placade your pay-masters. Hebbard is so clearly in the wrong and a complete cancer that the club needs to operate on. This is one of the biggest issues amongst supporters, it's been brewing for years (not a week) and if NSC is the only place we can vent our frustration at the utter goons BHA employs then that's because you and the club just aren't listening. Print this thread off and f*** off down the MD's office with it tomorrow rather than paying lip-service all the time on this issue. That or just stop pretending you're mediating on our behalf. Now is the time for marching

 

[magoo]

If it continues into Falmer, the club's going to be hit hard in the pocket. SORT IT OUT NOW BRIGHTON. FFS, this is OUR CLUB not these idiots.

i think i've read on here that stewarding will be operated by the club for Falmer. not the current outfit.


i reckon they know this so are making the most of their last season as underachieving morons (some not all of course).

 

[m20gull]

I'm not impressed by the club's continuing attitude on this. Stewarding is a problem at Withdean and has been for some time. The main problem is that because of the nature of the ground the stewards (and their behaviour) is more visible. If your enforcement is going to be more visible then it needs to be more responsible. And it is not.

If standing and swearing is a problem (as enough cases seem to indicate), why is it not a problem in the away end? Is it because the stewards are scared of provoking a reaction when they are outnumbered but quite comfortable when the position is reversed? Surely if 6 people standing in H block is a safety hazard, then 900 Leeds fans is more of a hazard and needs to be dealt with. This is not childish "stop picking on me" but the simple concept that if you behave consistently you will get more respect.

For the huge size of the cost of attending games at Withdean the club needs to treat its fans with a bit of respect - so exercise discretion, be intelligent, be responsible and be even-handed. That is not what we see on a regular basis from the stewards, so if the club has any control over them it should use it. If it does not have control, why not?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

i think i've read on here that stewarding will be operated by the club for Falmer. not the current outfit.

The stewarding is already run by the club has been since the Council kicked out Evercot. All internal stewards are club employees. The outside stewards are hired from agencies.

The problem here is the response stewards who are just a bunch of meathead thugs.

I stewarded until a couple of years ago as a Safety Steward. Most of the Safety Stewards are either students looking for a few quid or people topping up their full time salaries.

When I was there you couldn't meet a worse bunch than the response stewards - they really thought they were the best and always looked down on the safety stewards. They have to have an SIA badge but it was amazing how many of them struggled with the very simple questions in the stewarding exams !!!! Most of the time they are up for a fight - worryingly it's these meatheads that look after the doors of Brighton pubs and clubs. Quite frankly they are a disgrace - and that's coming from someone that usually defends the stewards ( and I still will regards the safety stewards ).

 

[Westdene Seagull]

On the wider issue of supporter representation, Bozza (and others) why don't you join the Supporters Club and stand for election? It is open to ALL Albion fans. Then that way you could actually see if it puts you in a better position to influence things? It would mean putting a bit of effort in to go to committee meetings, round-the-table meetings with the club etc... but surely it would be a better approach than childish internet hate campaigns?

Just a thought...

Not a pop at you personally but I'm sure this is very similar to what Archer said about BISA and the internet campaigns back then !

The club need to sort it - I would suggest by sacking most the response stewards first.

 

[magoo]

The stewarding is already run by the club has been since the Council kicked out Evercot. All internal stewards are club employees. The outside stewards are hired from agencies.

The problem here is the response stewards who are just a bunch of meathead thugs.

I stewarded until a couple of years ago as a Safety Steward. Most of the Safety Stewards are either students looking for a few quid or people topping up their full time salaries.

When I was there you couldn't meet a worse bunch than the response stewards - they really thought they were the best and always looked down on the safety stewards. They have to have an SIA badge but it was amazing how many of them struggled with the very simple questions in the stewarding exams !!!! Most of the time they are up for a fight - worryingly it's these meatheads that look after the doors of Brighton pubs and clubs. Quite frankly they are a disgrace - and that's coming from someone that usually defends the stewards ( and I still will regards the safety stewards ).

we had 2 response stewards on wedsneday night in H block and they were complete opposites. one was your textbook meathead who was slightly aggressive in telling people to sit down while giving them a good stare and the other was an older bloke who had a smile on his face, accidentally slipped on the steps TWICE, saw the funny side of it, was polite, and lo and behold the crowd were more responsive to him.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

The evidence from scores of "mouth" witnesses is compelling so this is a right cop out by you Insider. And no, don't you dare try and censor this forum by asking Bozza to sanitise content to placade your pay-masters. Hebbard is so clearly in the wrong and a complete cancer that the club needs to operate on. This is one of the biggest issues amongst supporters, it's been brewing for years (not a week) and if NSC is the only place we can vent our frustration at the utter goons BHA employs then that's because you and the club just aren't listening. Print this thread off and f*** off down the MD's office with it tomorrow rather than paying lip-service all the time on this issue. That or just stop pretending you're mediating on our behalf. Now is the time for marching

This seems to me hysterically over the top. No one around me (F) has ever even mentioned the stewarding so to say that one of the biggest issues amongst supporters is a little bit of an exaggeration. It is a big issue for some fans. I don't deny that the standard and consistency of the stewarding could be improved but to describe someone as a cancer and to tell Insider to "f*** of down the MD's office" is never going to get anyone to take you seriously. A supporters club exists, it is open and democratic, it has the ear of the club. Do people join it and try and do something about it, no they discuss (but haven't actually set up) an alternative fan club and they moan on here.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It appears we need some sort of ongoing dialogue between fans and the club.

As has been mentioned by a few before, a new and Independent Supporters Club?