Video of the WSL incident

[Guy Fawkes]

I am in the video as I sit just in front of him. What happened was he stood up at had a real go at Hyppia and Jones calling for them to be sacked. Paul Watson, the ex player and physio, started having a go back so the lad said that he hoped he got sacked too. This then lead to Watson coming over to him swearing his head off and offering him out and a scuffle followed, quickly dispersed by stewards. All calmed down and the stewards could be seen having a mothers meeting involving managers and supervisors and after about 5 to 10 minutes about 8 to 10 stewards marched up the steps and tried to grab him out. One women steward totally lost the plot and started to yell at matey. It then, very quickly turned into the melee you see on the video. The lads dad and brother got involved and ended with the lad being jumped on by 5 stewards. He had by now totally lost the plot. The whole incident was initially caused by Paul Watson totally unprofessional behaviour and then by inept and dangerous stewarding.
Having sat near the guy since Amex opened he can be mouthy however on this occasion the stewards went totally over the top and Watson should be reprimanded for his part. No doubt he will now be banned, it would seem that as fans we are now no longer able to have an opinion!
Symptomatic of the current malise at the club!

So the guy said to Watson (if him) that he should also be sacked because he didnn't agree with what the guy was shouting at Sami (causing a flair up, as PW reacted angrily to this comment) and its the stewards fault? - Doesn't Watson have the right to an opinion too, even if it is different to the fans and how some of them feel?

(still doesn't excuse what came next if true by either initial party)

 

[Seagull1989]

The best bit about this is the person dressed as an Elf in the background

 

[Sheebo]

I hadn't read the whole thread upto the point when i posted this.

As i said though, i didn't see the the very beginning of this incident but saw more than the video showed.

I only saw the guy going for the tracksuited guy before the stewards were really involved and the start of the coverage of the incident was during the lull before it kicked off again and that there was more to it beforehand which wasn't captured.

I didn't see PW (if it was him) attempt to hit / punch the guy, and would have been too far away to hear anything that he may or may not have said to provoke the guy (not sure why a few words form PW can be used to justify the violent behaviour of one fan) all i saw was just the other way around (guy going for the tracksuited guy) hence my comments about what i saw. It could have happened for all i know (not saying it did) but i didn't see it. - he may have been to blame (or maybe not, but that is not part of what i saw)

The post was in response to someones post which seemed to imply that the stewards had approached the guy and their actions caused the whole incident because they provoked the guy to act out and kick off when the guy had only been voicing his disproval at Sami and nothing else had occured prior to that. I was (probably badly) making the point that there was far more to it than that and it wasn't fair to pin the blame on the stewards for this

I had already edited it before you replied to say that if the club employee was out of line, then he to should be dealt with by the club too.

I wasn't there so you two obviously saw more than me BUT it seems as though the stewards DID cause the whole thing - regardless as to what happened before as it had quietened down? The heavy numbers instantly leads someone to feel threatened & often they will lash out. The mothers meeting thing just proves how stupid this all was as if it had quietened down they could have had a quiet word at the end (like 2 of them not 6) or even got the guys seat number to investigate further. All too often I see stewards causing situations like this when there really is no need to approach things in this way. Everyone's agreed the incident had gone and things had settled down before the stewards 'meeting'...

 

[bWize]

Looks like handbags to me... The Stewarding at the Amex is well over the top to be honest, it was one of the reasons I didn't renew this season. Witnessed a bloke behind us at the Peterbough game a couple of seasons back get dragged out the stadium and humiliated infront of his girlfriend and the fans around us for having his leg up on one of the seats (stand was 1/2 empty) The steward said 'You wouldn't do that at home would ya mate?' and the bloke moved his leg off the seat and said 'I'm not at home though am I mate" He then got mobbed by 4 or 5 stewards and dragged out the ground.

The steward who instigated it had the audacity to come back to the girlfriend 15 mins later and asked her if she needed a lift home. Utter bellend. After the game my brother lit up a ciggy just outside the exit and this gimpy looking steward grabbed him and tried to take him inside to his manager. He was saying my brother lit it 2 inches within the amex exit (which was a total lie) and went to get his boss. His boss came over and just laughed and told us not to worry about it.

I can understand football grounds need stewarding and security, but the ones I've encountered at the Amex have been itching for an excuse to be the center of attention and treat fans like school kids. On top of everything else going on with the club at the moment I really can't be doing with the Amex at the moment. I still follow the Albion religiously on the Radio/Streams and do away games when I can, but having trouble buying into all the bullshit that goes with the Amex. Feels too sanitized and corporate for my liking. We get to see the real Albion support and atmosphere at away games, it's ridiculous that it almost the complete opposite to our home support and must affect the players hearing the same, half assed drone of 'Albionnnnnnnnnn' every 20 mins.

Expect to get a couple of thumbs down but just saying how I see it.

 

[seagurn]

Shows a bit of the southstand incident at about 28 mins seems like the crowd all woke upa bit more after that.

 

[Felpham Seagull]

What started this?

Hyypia,s appointment

 

[Eggman]

He was kicking out repeatedly towards the stewards as they were trying to get himout of the stand (i had a better view from overhead rather than the obscured view the video offers) There is one steward seen diving in to try to grab the guys legs whilst the guy is still wildly kicking out at the stewards. (just before that attempt to grab both legs, you can see the guys leg / foot up around a stewards midrift as a result of a kick)

There was no way that the stewards should have ignored his behaviour and not to respond as he was acting out prior to the beginning of that video and appeared to be trying to lash out and hit / kick someone in a tracksuit before that and that seemed to be who he was looking to confront even with all the stewards there. (possibly in response to something that person said but i was too far away to see / hear it so that is based on speculation rather than fact, but the group in tracksuits just behind the dug outs were also removed from the area shortly after this guy was removed)

You can't tell me that one steward could have handled that situation (especially with the risk to others nearby including innocent parties getting caught) or that the stewards either provoked it or acted in a way that emflamed the situation, the guy was already worked up and already becoming violent so a few words from a steward is unlikely to have had any effect (especially as he seemed determined to fight the tracksuited guy) He was also acting very aggressively towards a female steward and right in her face too as they first tried to talk to him, so i doubt he would have listened to reason at that point)

Wouldn't surprise me if that guy is banned for life (as we commented whilst watching it from above)

BANNED FOR LIFE!?

****ing hell. This club is losing it.

 

[El Sid]

I do. I was a steward during my uni days and the 'minimum force' training was ridiculous - two hours of how to protect yourself and not much on how to keep everyone safe. Granted, it may have changed by now.

Having done 16 hours of Team teach - a programme on how to restrain people (aggressive children/young adults) I would be inclined to suggest the training for stewards is far from adequate.

Didn't see much Team Teach in the video. Not a lot of de-escalation and positive handling there.

 

[Giraffe]

He was kicking out repeatedly towards the stewards as they were trying to get himout of the stand (i had a better view from overhead rather than the obscured view the video offers) There is one steward seen diving in to try to grab the guys legs whilst the guy is still wildly kicking out at the stewards. (just before that attempt to grab both legs, you can see the guys leg / foot up around a stewards midrift as a result of a kick)

There was no way that the stewards should have ignored his behaviour and not to respond as he was acting out prior to the beginning of that video and appeared to be trying to lash out and hit / kick someone in a tracksuit before that and that seemed to be who he was looking to confront even with all the stewards there. (possibly in response to something that person said but i was too far away to see / hear it so that is based on speculation rather than fact, but the group in tracksuits just behind the dug outs were also removed from the area shortly after this guy was removed)

You can't tell me that one steward could have handled that situation (especially with the risk to others nearby including innocent parties getting caught) or that the stewards either provoked it or acted in a way that emflamed the situation, the guy was already worked up and already becoming violent so a few words from a steward is unlikely to have had any effect (especially as he seemed determined to fight the tracksuited guy) He was also acting very aggressively towards a female steward and right in her face too as they first tried to talk to him, so i doubt he would have listened to reason at that point)

Wouldn't surprise me if that guy is banned for life (as we commented whilst watching it from above)

And another lengthy club post from Guy Fawkes.

 

[portlock seagull]

And another lengthy club post from Guy Fawkes.

I'm not the only one who's observed this!

 

[bernster]

He was kicking out repeatedly towards the stewards as they were trying to get himout of the stand (i had a better view from overhead rather than the obscured view the video offers) There is one steward seen diving in to try to grab the guys legs whilst the guy is still wildly kicking out at the stewards. (just before that attempt to grab both legs, you can see the guys leg / foot up around a stewards midrift as a result of a kick)

There was no way that the stewards should have ignored his behaviour and not to respond as he was acting out prior to the beginning of that video and appeared to be trying to lash out and hit / kick someone in a tracksuit before that and that seemed to be who he was looking to confront even with all the stewards there. (possibly in response to something that person said but i was too far away to see / hear it so that is based on speculation rather than fact, but the group in tracksuits just behind the dug outs were also removed from the area shortly after this guy was removed)

You can't tell me that one steward could have handled that situation (especially with the risk to others nearby including innocent parties getting caught) or that the stewards either provoked it or acted in a way that emflamed the situation, the guy was already worked up and already becoming violent so a few words from a steward is unlikely to have had any effect (especially as he seemed determined to fight the tracksuited guy) He was also acting very aggressively towards a female steward and right in her face too as they first tried to talk to him, so i doubt he would have listened to reason at that point)

Wouldn't surprise me if that guy is banned for life (as we commented whilst watching it from above)

Lickspittle

 

[Rookie]

Makes me disappointed I moved from the WSL, most exciting thing to happen down there

 

[Ian Bairds Fist]

I'm not the only one who's observed this!

I thought it's common knowledge that Fawkes works for the Club?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

If after a group discussion it was decided that was the best way to deal with the situation the stewards clearly need better training and decision making.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

I think its great, watching all the scuffles was far more interesting then the game!

 

[Justice]

Good to see the Amex has been far to sterile and happy clapping. If you speak up against the clubs wishes you get man handled by stewards ok then lets all speak up against the dim finn and the welsh rabbit on boxing day.

 

[portlock seagull]

I thought it's common knowledge that Fawkes works for the Club?

That would make a lot of sense. Gotta be Barber!

 

[jasetheace]

Life Bans. Stewards and Physios losing jobs. Come on fellas..Our feelings and wishes regarding Hyppia and Burke are one thing but life changing it was not and should not be.

The equilibrium between fan and club is lost at the moment but perhaps this represents a no-brainer opportunity for PB to personally take charge of this one and restore a bit of that.

1. A three way apology.
2. Rap on the knuckles and a bit of retraining for Steward #1
3. The lad takes a two game ban on the chin as recognition that he over-stepped the mark.
4. PW offers to turn out in the next REMF match.

Just a thought.

 

[TomandJerry]

A life ban for that? Are you serious? Less has been given for racism.

Its times like these where I find it hard to support the club

 

[narly101]

What's really funny about is that two gentlemen, completely uninvolved in the incident, find themselves involved because of the proximity of the incident. They're the two idiots who complained to the stewards about how loud we were in the WSL and moved their seats during last season. Oh the irony.