[Albion] The fella who "invaded" the pitch

[Dick Swiveller]

Around 7.15pm, four of them in 80s style jeans? I saw that, quite bizarre why you need drugs to watch football imo, but what do I know.

Sounds about right. They all seemed to have matching shoes which I am sure means something - brown shoes with whitish soles. The older bloke who didn't even hide it had a sort of flat, white quiff. Don't know what the drug sniffing dogs find but they weren't interested at all.

 

[surlyseagull]

Pushed by his mate, a foot onto the hallowed asphalt.

Barber’s lost a sense of proportion on this one.

("The club takes the safety of supporters, players, and staff extremely seriously"),

Well, it's a pity they didn't after the palace game.

 

[Springal]

Sounds about right. They all seemed to have matching shoes which I am sure means something - brown shoes with whitish soles. The older bloke who didn't even hide it had a sort of flat, white quiff. Don't know what the drug sniffing dogs find but they weren't interested at all.

They’re explosive dogs not drugs dogs

 

[schmunk]

They’re explosive dogs

Seems a bit of a step up from batons and tasers.

 

[METALMICKY]

Seems a bit of a step up from batons and tasers.

This! I mean who wants to be covered in bits of springer spaniel if one goes off

 

[Wardy's twin]

Sounds about right. They all seemed to have matching shoes which I am sure means something - brown shoes with whitish soles. The older bloke who didn't even hide it had a sort of flat, white quiff. Don't know what the drug sniffing dogs find but they weren't interested at all.

probably sanatogen ....

 

[portlock seagull]

Why is Paul Barber so determined to alienate our fan base? He seems to be going a bit Boris recently

 

[Springal]

Why is Paul Barber so determined to alienate our fan base? He seems to be going a bit Boris recently

Why Paul Barber? Why not the stadium manager? Or head of stewarding? Head of Operations?

Back at the Withdean we regularly had threads about the head steward who'd go round picking people out in the crowds and being bit of a trouble maker, no-one called out Dick Knight for it. Yet now we are here, everything is the CEOs fault. Very odd behaviour

I once got in a bit of trouble abroad with England and it was followed up - I was invited into a call with the England Fans travel club rep and the FAs head of security for a chat about it. I don't think for any second the FAs CEO was involved so can't really see why it would happen here?

People on here seem to think Paul Barber runs the ticketing, makes arrangements around stewarding + policing, single handedly runs it himself and is now involved with match day incidents and banning people. Believe it or not there are very capable people doing senior jobs at the Albion that do not rely on the CEO to help them with every task they do.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Why is Paul Barber so determined to alienate our fan base? He seems to be going a bit Boris recently

Like most CEOs, I assume he is implementing the wishes of the Board and the shareholders. I doubt he takes decisions or acts unilaterally.

 

[Bozza]

Why is Paul Barber so determined to alienate our fan base? He seems to be going a bit Boris recently

He's not though is he?

The club statement, if taken in isiolation of the Albion lad alone, would look OTT and harsh.

But it's not written in isolation of that one incident. Yesterday there were five fans where they shouldn't be, including on the pitch, at one time or another, including at least one just wandering around the Chelsea players after the final whistle.

At the Palace game there were several more, including both Palace and Albion fans goading their opposing fans.

The Premier League may well have serious questions about the Albion's crowd control, so the club have to be seen to be taking it seriously.

It really doesn't affect the 28,000 or so of us who have no intention of ever crossing the advertising hoardings.

 

[Stat Brother]

I forgot to buy kitchen towel this morning.


I've been blaming Paul Barber ever since.

When will the man stop ruining Big Shop?

 

[Justice]

Whilst I would certainly encourage leniency towards the Albion lad based on what I saw last night in isolation, unfortunately I understand there may have been another incident involving the same lad on Friday night at the Palace game.

As this is likely to be an active police investigation, it might be best to let that play out.

Nope he’s about 16-18 him and his mates are just really enjoying themselves he apologised to the steward after we scored against Palace for losing it a bit. I’m in the front row 5ft for the incident last night and Palace. Over the top stewards easily just could of shoved him back in with all the other youngsters having fun.

 

[CAPTAIN GREALISH]

That is the most ridiculous statement from PB. If that lad gets a ban I really do think a petition should be started

Count on my signature

 

[Springal]

Nope he’s about 16-18 him and his mates are just really enjoying themselves he apologised to the steward after we scored against Palace for losing it a bit. I’m in the front row 5ft for the incident last night and Palace. Over the top stewards easily just could of shoved him back in with all the other youngsters having fun.

He's 19 / 20

 

[Bozza]

Nope he’s about 16-18 him and his mates are just really enjoying themselves he apologised to the steward after we scored against Palace for losing it a bit. I’m in the front row 5ft for the incident last night and Palace. Over the top stewards easily just could of shoved him back in with all the other youngsters having fun.

I know - I saw it all with my own eyes from my seat in the front row of the WSU, north of the halfway line. I was well-placed to see it all unfold.

I saw him get one leg back over the boards and pretty much plead with the stewards to let him go back, It was evident that he knew he'd done wrong, immediately regretted it and wanted to atone for that. I personally felt gutted for him as I saw him led away, still making his apology.

I would both hope and expect the club to act with leniency based on that one incident, and I would gladly speak out should any long-term ban come from what I saw alone. Indeed, I made a case for him last night, directly to the club, as soon as I got home from the game.

However, as I have also said, what I didn't know last night was there may be a further incident which may mean that leniency is not shown. I don't know a great deal, so I won't say any more.

What I won't do though, is seek to lay the boot into the club about their statement today, having seen 8-10 fans at the Amex go where they shouldn't have gone over the last few days. The Premier League is screened to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Whether we like it or not, it's a massive business, and the club has to take it seriously when people are on the pitch wandering around the players. That's never going to be tolerated, and rightly so.

 

[Mackenzie]

I know - I saw it all with my own eyes from my seat in the front row of the WSU, north of the halfway line. I was well-placed to see it all unfold.

I saw him get one leg back over the boards and pretty much plead with the stewards to let him go back, It was evident that he knew he'd done wrong, immediately regretted it and wanted to atone for that. I personally felt gutted for him as I saw him led away, still making his apology.

I would both hope and expect the club to act with leniency based on that one incident, and I would gladly speak out should any long-term ban come from what I saw alone. Indeed, I made a case for him last night, directly to the club, as soon as I got home from the game.

However, as I have also said, what I didn't know last night was there may be a further incident which may mean that leniency is not shown. I don't know a great deal, so I won't say any more.

What I won't do though, is seek to lay the boot into the club about their statement today, having seen 8-10 fans at the Amex go where they shouldn't have gone over the last few days. The Premier League is screened to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Whether we like it or not, it's a massive business, and the club has to take it seriously when people are on the pitch wandering around the players. That's never going to be tolerated, and rightly so.

It’s good that the club is trying to get their act together regarding safety, hopefully they are also discussing the crush that occurred after the Crystal Palace game, which of course is a far more pressing matter.

 

[Bozza]

It’s good that the club is trying to get their act together regarding safety, hopefully they are also discussing the crush that occurred after the Crystal Palace game, which of course is a far more pressing matter.

I'm not sure how pressing it is, since it involved a process put in place just once a season when Palace visit, but based on Paul Barber's apology both in the programme and on the club website yesterday it sounds as though there is acknowledgement that things didn't go as intended, some fans had a frightening experience and the post-match process will be handled differenlty next time.

 

[GT49er]

That is the most ridiculous statement from PB. If that lad gets a ban I really do think a petition should be started

Don't think the statement was specifically about the minor infraction under discussion here. No safety was endangered in the incident - Adam Webster gave the lad a hug, after all - I rather hope he might put in a word for him.

Count on my signature

Yep - if he gets hit with the full force of the law and a draconian inappropriate punishment, you could count on mine too. Hope the situation doesn't arise.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

It’s good that the club is trying to get their act together regarding safety, hopefully they are also discussing the crush that occurred after the Crystal Palace game, which of course is a far more pressing matter.

Indeed. Far more pressing and important. There was no one endangered last night by a bit of over enthusiastic celebration. The events after the Palace game were far more serious.

 

[Weststander]

Barber probably jizzed his pants in excitement over the prospect of banning another home fan.

Especially the NS, a gotcha "Finally, I've got those f@ckers" moment.