[Albion] 300 Palace fans locked out of the Amex

[Eeyore]

From the Albion....

Brighton & Hove Albion have issued the following statement after crowd disorder outside of the stadium, during tonight’s match against Crystal Palace.

The vast majority of supporters who came to the match were a credit to both clubs - but sadly a minority came intent on causing disorder, which left several stewards with minor injuries, and one steward from each club hospitalised.

A number of Crystal Palace fans travelled to the stadium without tickets, arriving after kick-off, some with the aim of forcing entry into the away end at 7.48pm - three minutes after the match kicked off.

The club made the decision to close the turnstiles at 7.51pm - six minutes into the game - and with the support of Sussex Police, we made the further decision to let no further supporters into the ground in the interest of public safety.

A group of approximately 150 fans - some with tickets - were then escorted back to Falmer station, and onto Brighton Station, before being placed on a train back to London.

Brighton & Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber commented, “Firstly, we hope the two stewards hospitalised in the disorder have not suffered serious injuries.

“The disorder was caused by a minority of individuals who attempted to gain entry to the stadium without tickets.

“Thanks to the swift action of the club’s stewarding team, supported by Sussex Police, we avoided further, major disorder - and while some genuine fans were left extremely disappointed and unable to get into the stadium, the correct decisions were made.

“I’d like to thank the majority of fans of both clubs for their good behaviour and patience in complying with the instructions of our stewards and police.”

Brighton & Hove Albion will be sharing CCTV images with Sussex Police, the Metropolitan Police and Crystal Palace to identify the individuals involved in the disorder.

Genuine supporters, with tickets, who were unable to gain access to the stadium should contact Crystal Palace’s ticket office for further information regarding a refund.

As this matter is now a Police investigation, the club will not be making any further comment at this stage.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Just heard them phoning into Talksport complaining about it, presenter says it’s a disgrace - typical TS making comment without all the facts. Didn’t mention flares or bangers so switched over

They're creating a fuss with the Football Supporters Federation on Twitter putting all the blame on Brighton & the police. The NSC twitter account is doing a great job retweeting photos of the full away end, & Palace fans who know what happened.

Typical messing up their own fans & trying to blame us.

 

[Hugo Rune]

They're creating a fuss with the Football Supporters Federation on Twitter putting all the blame on Brighton & the police. The NSC twitter account is doing a great job retweeting photos of the full away end, & Palace fans who know what happened.

Typical messing up their own fans & trying to blame us.

Only one way this is going. No empty space in the away end. CCTV should yield a bounty of Palace bans.

 

[Bob'n'weave]

'Brighton & Hove Albion will be sharing CCTV images with Sussex Police, the Metropolitan Police and Crystal Palace to identify the individuals involved in the disorder.'

This is a big part of the problem. Not dealing with incidents immediately, but relying on CCTV after the fact, like they are 'official witnesses' or something. Utter bollocks. They are supposed to protect us not just watch it happen. Pathetic. I was just the other side of the DMZ with my 11 year old and half expected a banger or flare to get lobbed at us. Shocked to see f**k all being done. CCTV?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Sadly it is likely the FA will deem it was BHA's responsibility to ensure that away kids could not break into the ground through an unattended fire escape. Reminds me of the ABC along Portland Road in the late 60s (Saturday morning pictures) with flares for stink bombs. If so that will be a bit like blaming me for being burgled because I didn't lock the back door well enough. Oh, er, yes. That would be my fault, actually.

All in all, insufficient preparation.... trouble at the first top flight meeting of the NigeLLLLLLs and the seeweeds since 1981? Who could possibly have known?

 

[Mackenzie]

That red flair looked really smokey, surely the bloke holding that was caught red handed....?

 

[e77]

Thankfully NSC is blessed with so many experts on Policing, Stewarding and public order.

They obviously made the decision based on risk that dealing with the problem on the night would have caused further problems and are going to deal with it using CCTV. The Palace fans involved have managed to annoy their own fans and are facing banning orders. Not exactly getting way with it.

 

[el punal]

They were easy to spot in the crowd, why weren’t they kicked out?

View attachment 91558

Who's the wanker, who's the wanker, who's the wanker in the black?

 

[doogie004]

From the Albion....

Brighton & Hove Albion have issued the following statement after crowd disorder outside of the stadium, during tonight’s match against Crystal Palace.

The vast majority of supporters who came to the match were a credit to both clubs - but sadly a minority came intent on causing disorder, which left several stewards with minor injuries, and one steward from each club hospitalised.

A number of Crystal Palace fans travelled to the stadium without tickets, arriving after kick-off, some with the aim of forcing entry into the away end at 7.48pm - three minutes after the match kicked off.

The club made the decision to close the turnstiles at 7.51pm - six minutes into the game - and with the support of Sussex Police, we made the further decision to let no further supporters into the ground in the interest of public safety.

A group of approximately 150 fans - some with tickets - were then escorted back to Falmer station, and onto Brighton Station, before being placed on a train back to London.

Brighton & Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber commented, “Firstly, we hope the two stewards hospitalised in the disorder have not suffered serious injuries.

“The disorder was caused by a minority of individuals who attempted to gain entry to the stadium without tickets.

“Thanks to the swift action of the club’s stewarding team, supported by Sussex Police, we avoided further, major disorder - and while some genuine fans were left extremely disappointed and unable to get into the stadium, the correct decisions were made.

“I’d like to thank the majority of fans of both clubs for their good behaviour and patience in complying with the instructions of our stewards and police.”

Brighton & Hove Albion will be sharing CCTV images with Sussex Police, the Metropolitan Police and Crystal Palace to identify the individuals involved in the disorder.

Genuine supporters, with tickets, who were unable to gain access to the stadium should contact Crystal Palace’s ticket office for further information regarding a refund.

As this matter is now a Police investigation, the club will not be making any further comment at this stage.

Usual barber shite response pass the buck when u cant handle the job people could of got seriously hurt tonight U have failed in your job to employ people to control a stadium


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[Tooting Gull]

Let's not for one second try and deviate away from the fact that this was the fault of a few hundred Palace cretins arriving at the Amex without tickets, intent on breaking in and/or causing trouble, and not giving a shit if their actions deprived their fellow fans entry. Which they did.

And while we're at it, the smoke bombs and firecrackers are f*****g stupid in the current climate. Just leaving aside for one moment that they interfered with the match, notably at one corner with players reacting like scalded cats, the recent terrorist atrocities make this very dangerous behaviour. I was at the Stade de France the night of the Paris attacks, and that is what it sounded like. Only that time it was a suicide bomber blowing himself up after being denied entry by a heroic steward.

 

[Brovion]

Thankfully NSC is blessed with so many experts on Policing, Stewarding and public order.

They obviously made the decision based on risk that dealing with the problem on the night would have caused further problems and are going to deal with it using CCTV. The Palace fans involved have managed to annoy their own fans and are facing banning orders. Not exactly getting way with it.

Well let's hope so, because that seems to be the modern approach. I'm not an expert, merely a participant and (vaguely) intelligent observer of modern football and I can say that quite obviously policing and stewarding at matches isn't designed to deal with stuff like last night. This isn't a dig at 'political correctness' (although it may sound like it), but policing and stewarding is now aimed at soft targets: people who make gestures, swear, say things that are now deemed impolite or stand up at the wrong time. Something like last night happens and the official response from the Risk Management manual is to stand there and watch it happen (a bit like the Fire Brigade letting a fire burn itself out) and then hope to catch the arsonists after the event. I'm not sure it's the right approach, personally.

 

[trueblue]

As they’re repeat offenders for letting off smoke bombs etc isn’t it about time the FA threatened sanctions. All for a points deduction....

 

[trueblue]

Well let's hope so, because that seems to be the modern approach. I'm not an expert, merely a participant and (vaguely) intelligent observer of modern football and I can say that quite obviously policing and stewarding at matches isn't designed to deal with stuff like last night. This isn't a dig at 'political correctness' (although it may sound like it), but policing and stewarding is now aimed at soft targets: people who make gestures, swear, say things that are now deemed impolite or stand up at the wrong time. Something like last night happens and the official response from the Risk Management manual is to stand there and watch it happen (a bit like the Fire Brigade letting a fire burn itself out) and then hope to catch the arsonists after the event. I'm not sure it's the right approach, personally.

Have to disagree. Football policing in this country is entirely set up to handle situations like last night. Unlike many countries abroad where innocent fans would end up getting battered by police. It’s very annoying to watch (particularly last night) but if you send in police and stewards in that situation, it just gives the idiots someone to fight - as used to happen all the time. While the smoke bombs and fireworks are irresponsible and idiotic (what else would we expect), they weren’t actually a danger to anyone other than the morons who brought them in. That said, agree that a few of the bigger, riot style police pitch side standing in front of those pathetic little idiots with the banner wouldn’t have gone amiss, just to give them the message to calm down (and protect Ryan).

 

[Hampster Gull]

Palace are a backward club in so many ways.

I have no sympathy with those locked out. They turned up at about the same time or later as those you rushed the gates, some probably complicit. They all follow a club who allegedly turn a blind eye to this, even allegedly encourage some questionable behaviour from their “ultras”. Their fans turning a blind eye to this lot, despite for example old people getting evicted from their seats.

And for those who are blaming Brighton for allowing the crackers in, do you not think they were probably taken in by those who rushed the gate? There is nothing Tony could do about those intent on breaking the law, they are scum. Let’s see how many Parish bans for life....

 

[The Birdman]

I blame the sniffer dogs or was the smell so bad it covered up the Firworks.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Palace are a backward club in so many ways.

I have no sympathy with those locked out. They turned up at about the same time or later as those you rushed the gates, some probably complicit. They all follow a club who allegedly turn a blind eye to this, even allegedly encourage some questionable behaviour from their “ultras”. Their fans turning a blind eye to this lot, despite for example old people getting evicted from their seats.

And for those who are blaming Brighton for allowing the crackers in, do you not think they were probably taken in by those who rushed the gate? There is nothing Tony could do about those intent on breaking the law, they are scum. Let’s see how many Parish bans for life....

Agree, but re the last para, having got them in, do you not think the Stewards with police help should have acted when they were let off?


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[The Birdman]

Look forward to the police raids on houses in SE area I would think a few palace fans will be worried about any knocks at the door hope it's Christmas Eve that will teach them lesson that football moved on.
However it's nice to give the police a bonus for Christmas.
Well done stewards and police and catering staff for dealing with these morons.
Let's hope this doesn't spoil the great atmosphere the club is trying to create outside and inside the ground.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Agree, but re the last para, having got them in, do you not think the Stewards with police help should have acted when they were let off?


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Tuff call, you send the police and stewards in and take out a few idiots before you know it rumours spread in the stands and we get the blame for being heavy handed, and it’s all over social media that they were badly treated. They have shot themselves in the foot this time precisely because we didn’t go in as you suggested.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Tuff call, you send the police and stewards in and take out a few idiots before you know it rumours spread in the stands and we get the blame for being heavy handed, and it’s all over social media that they were badly treated. They have shot themselves in the foot this time precisely because we didn’t go in as you suggested.

Perhaps, and I don’t disagree, but with these things going off, isn’t there potentially a larger health and safety issue?


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[Simster]

Typical messing up their own fans & trying to blame us.

I'm afraid our own club is partly responsible for this in reality, and neither club come out of this very well.

Ultimately, you have to ask how 200 ticketless fans were able to force their way in. You also have to wonder how all those bangers and flares got in (we are all assuming they got in with the 200 who forced their way in, but we don't actually know and it was a major security issue.

But let's be clear about this - their fans need to take some responsibility for this shambles too. They need to work with plod and the Albion to find out who forced their way in, and anyone responsible needs a lifetime ban.