Richy_Seagull
Well-known member
Yes that's all very impassioned, but over dramatic bandwagoneering like this whole thread has been.
The banned fan was not "innocent" and I expect he knows it. The reason he was singled out for attention is because he singled himself out from the crowd in an antisocial manner (and against the simple rules).
It is done, to control 'sore thumbs' so that the majority of the fans do not have to put up with someone else's idea of how to behave.
You really ought to be aware of how one person can spoil your experience, and sometimes many others' experience of entertainment. Try sitting next to someone even whispering at a film theatre! This bloke was shouting obscenities...you DO understand that don't you? If allowed to continue, there WILL be others who respond to that, either in similar fashion or in getting agitated against it. Stewards got there first, and nipped that in the bud.
He was sequestered once out of the stand, to avoid drama or unavoidable distraction in the stands and during the game.
HE required that stewards came "out of the background", he made it necessary.
Richard Hebbard has spoken with him, the lad now knows the score, and perhaps the rest of you who rail against it ought to figure it out too. His penitence is not too great and takes care of a situation well enough for all parties.
Those are the facts, and there's so little else to say about this, that I won't post any more about it. Suffice to say that if you really don't comprehend this now, then you aren't going to with any more explanation.
Football is no longer in the dark ages of yob culture, women and children now attend without fear of getting caught up in dangerous situations or ducking from missiles. Past disasters have given attention to the need for correct behavior from clubs and fans, and - just like when you go (and pay) to a night club where you prefer to feel socially protected - trained staff are there to look after the well-behaved majority.
The steward training, by the way, has been increasingly monitored and refined by the authorities, to City and Guilds standards. Our stewards carry out the rules they are trained for, and many hold National Vocational Qualifications, or further Security certifications.
This is all for the fans' benefit, even though you occasionally will not agree with the carrying-out of their duties.
The End
I assume you are either Richard himself, or someone working as a steward? Well get the f*** over yourself. You seem to forget that the club, and football generally, is nothing without the fans. The pathetic heavy handed tactics enforced by the "response team", or whatever the f*** they are called are embarrassing to watch, but worse than that, they get in the way of the match MUCH MUCH MORE than the odd fan standing up, or swearing. Football is about passion, try and remember that please.
This might be a bit hard to take, but you, and the other stewards are not the most important people at Withdean on a Saturday afternoon, we the fans are. I am not denying you need to be there, but when you make such an effort to be the center of attention you are going to get people's backs up.
The actions of the stewards in the south stand are driving people away from Withdean, and destroying any atmosphere there was once at the place. Show a bit if common sense and let the fans who have forked out ridiculous amounts of money over the last 10 years try and enjoy the last season at the place.