[Football] UK Football Policing Unit - Fan experience in Europe report

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Barry Izbak

U.T.A.
Dec 7, 2005
7,408
Lancing By Sea
In December 2023, PC Darren Balkham, Dedicated Football Officer (DFO) of Sussex Police, approached the Fan Advisory Board to ask if they would consult with a small number of Albion fans that had travelled to our away matches in Europe. This was to seek feedback, about their experiences travelling abroad, in a prescribed format.
The feedback was to be in three specific categories: Safety, Security and Service.

The submission from those supporters would then form part of a nationwide report being compiled by the United Kingdom’s Football Policing Unit.

The final report was published this month (February 2024), featuring feedback from fans of nine clubs that have competed in Europe in the past few years. You may have heard it being discussed in the news last week.

The report is being submitted to UEFA and European Police.

You can read a PDF copy of the report by clicking here. It includes the experiences of Leicester fans when they visited AS Roma in 2021/22
 




Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
9,002
Brighton
Olympique de Marseille - Supporters enjoyed the city and benefitted from thorough information provided by the French police pre-event.
From a BHA fan. Really, I was trapped, along with 1000's more, in our hotel.
ATHENS & the tear gas. Credit to the team in the kiosk who were throwing out bottles of water to the Albion fans as we left.
 
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Bombardier

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 22, 2004
861
Hove actually
In December 2023, PC Darren Balkham, Dedicated Football Officer (DFO) of Sussex Police, approached the Fan Advisory Board to ask if they would consult with a small number of Albion fans that had travelled to our away matches in Europe. This was to seek feedback, about their experiences travelling abroad, in a prescribed format.
The feedback was to be in three specific categories: Safety, Security and Service.

The submission from those supporters would then form part of a nationwide report being compiled by the United Kingdom’s Football Policing Unit.

The final report was published this month (February 2024), featuring feedback from fans of nine clubs that have competed in Europe in the past few years. You may have heard it being discussed in the news last week.

The report is being submitted to UEFA and European Police.

You can read a PDF copy of the report by clicking here. It includes the experiences of Leicester fans when they visited AS Roma in 2021/22
That's an excellent read. Thank you for sharing.
 


Sussax

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 31, 2012
2,727
Brighton
Interesting to note that Leicester rated Roma exactly the same as we rated Athens.

Mediocre/Poor/Poor (Safety/Security/Service).

Great read.

Edit - credit also to Darren Balkham who appears to be the only DFO who inputted comments against the supporters club feedback.
 


Commander

Arrogant Prat
NSC Patron
Apr 28, 2004
13,504
London
Olympique de Marseille - Supporters enjoyed the city and benefitted from thorough information provided by the French police pre-event.
From a BHA fan. Really, I was trapped, along with 1000's more, in our hotel.
ATHENS & the tear gas. Credit to the team in the kiosk who were throwing out bottles of water to the Albion fans as we left.
Trapped!? How?
 




ROSM

Well-known member
Dec 26, 2005
6,644
Just far enough away from LDC
Interested that some of the issues on the metro from city centre to the cruyff arena didnt make the report.

Marseille and athens look spot on to me. It was the 40mins after the game and the 5mins getting into the ground that slightly tainted a great few days of the latter
 


Napper

Well-known member
Jul 9, 2003
24,418
Sussex
Great post. Killed a good hour getting stuck into that report.

Should be interesting afterwards based on that.
 










Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,381
The Fatherland
By 'trapped' I meant unable to leave our hotel under advice from the club and police. By that I think we all got the feeling it was best not to visit any bars. The few that did go out on the Wednesday evening soon returned.
I don’t ever recall the club or the police advising us to stay in our hotels in Marseille.

what happened on the Wednesday that necessitated returning so soon?
 
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Right Back

Marseille was magic
NSC Patron
Sep 21, 2017
381
Brighton
By 'trapped' I meant unable to leave our hotel under advice from the club and police. By that I think we all got the feeling it was best not to visit any bars. The few that did go out on the Wednesday evening soon returned.
Had a great night out on the Wednesday evening with no problems at all.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,381
The Fatherland




dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
55,208
Burgess Hill
In December 2023, PC Darren Balkham, Dedicated Football Officer (DFO) of Sussex Police, approached the Fan Advisory Board to ask if they would consult with a small number of Albion fans that had travelled to our away matches in Europe. This was to seek feedback, about their experiences travelling abroad, in a prescribed format.
The feedback was to be in three specific categories: Safety, Security and Service.

The submission from those supporters would then form part of a nationwide report being compiled by the United Kingdom’s Football Policing Unit.

The final report was published this month (February 2024), featuring feedback from fans of nine clubs that have competed in Europe in the past few years. You may have heard it being discussed in the news last week.

The report is being submitted to UEFA and European Police.

You can read a PDF copy of the report by clicking here. It includes the experiences of Leicester fans when they visited AS Roma in 2021/22
Thanks for posting…..interesting read.
 


jackalbion

Well-known member
Aug 30, 2011
4,780
By 'trapped' I meant unable to leave our hotel under advice from the club and police. By that I think we all got the feeling it was best not to visit any bars. The few that did go out on the Wednesday evening soon returned.
I wouldn’t say trapped, went out for a few beers, got a “visit” from a few local ultras but all was fine back at 4am. One of my favourite nights following the club.
 








cunning fergus

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 18, 2009
4,871
By 'trapped' I meant unable to leave our hotel under advice from the club and police. By that I think we all got the feeling it was best not to visit any bars. The few that did go out on the Wednesday evening soon returned.
It’s posts like this that make NSC such a joy to read. I know these types of people, they’re easy to spot, they are still wearing face masks, they turn the tap off when they clean their teeth and are happy to pay the BBC licence fee.

They would definitely have taken their passport with them when they went to the Marseille game and absolutely not got on it down the Old Port. Hence the moaning about the coach trip to the match.

Priceless.
 


Washie

Well-known member
Jun 20, 2011
6,008
Eastbourne
It’s posts like this that make NSC such a joy to read. I know these types of people, they’re easy to spot, they are still wearing face masks, they turn the tap off when they clean their teeth and are happy to pay the BBC licence fee.

They would definitely have taken their passport with them when they went to the Marseille game and absolutely not got on it down the Old Port. Hence the moaning about the coach trip to the match.

Priceless.
You like paying more to water companies?
 


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