[Albion] Saturday - bad vibes in the family area

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I wouldn't disagree that the abuse was unacceptable, but if you've outted yourself to surrounding fans, you're obviously not being discrete!

And, yes, I DO see the family sections at The Amex as the home end! All of it.

I am sure I have been in a home end and despite my best attempts not been discrete at all times. It is just that most home fans are not that bothered if you don't make a thing of it. And you can surely think that might be the case in the family stand.

 

[dazzer6666]

I wouldn't disagree that the abuse was unacceptable, but if you've outted yourself to surrounding fans, you're obviously not being discrete!

And, yes, I DO see the family sections at The Amex as the home end! All of it.

'Way aye man that Pasquale Gruuuus is 'avin a gre-at game yah knaaah' ?

 

[Justice]

Hi all - first time poster here

I traveled over from Worthing for the match on Saturday with a group of friends/family. There were 11 of us in total. We try to get together for the Brighton-Newcastle match each year. Something that started when both teams were in the Championship. Our group was mainly Brighton fans, 3 x Newcastle fans (including myself) plus a couple of neutrals. As a large group with 4 kids, we booked group tickets in the family section (E1H)

It started out as a great day - sun was shining and there was a brilliant atmosphere in and around the ground after the Cardiff result.

Unfortunately, things took a bit of a nasty turn. I don't know what the trigger was - the few Newcastle fans in our group were certainly not vocal. However, a guy in a neighbouring seat overheard a discussion and twigged that a few of our group were Newcastle supporters. From that point on he completely lost it. Started shouting that we were "not eff'ing welcome", should not be there and should get out. We tried to explain that we were just a group of friends there to watch the match together with our kids, but he wouldn't let it go. He continued through the rest of the first half shouting that he had paid good money for his seats and we had "completely ruined his day out"

During half-time it seems there was some plotting because as the game resumed, he had swapped seats with another guy. They seemed to be together - I think they were related - not sure. Anyway this guy had been brought in to emphasise exactly how unwelcome we were. He spent the 2nd half screaming anti-Newcastle chants in our ears. "Go on Brighton, kill them !" that kind of thing. We managed to ignore most of it - but it became a pretty unpleasant atmosphere

It was my daughter's first time at a match, and she really enjoyed it initially. But having having felt the animosity and hearing the abuse hurled by this guy for the whole of the 2nd half, she's really not keen to return. I have to say everyone else we met on the day was great - but our encounter with this guy and his mates / family really soured the experience.

The point of my post is to see if this guy was right ? I always think of the family section as more of a laid-back area - where it would be OK for a mixed group of fans to watch the match together. I could understand such a reaction in one of the other stands - especially at this stage of the season with tensions mounting. But in the family stand with kids … it seemed a bit of an OTT reaction ? But perhaps I'm wrong ? Would be interested to hear other views

PS - really pleased for Brighton. The draw was a fair result after the 2nd half-revival and (fingers-crossed) that point will see the club safe in the PL.

This is typical stewarding jump on bottle top abuse and happy to let kids get abuse for 90 minutes.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

'Way aye man that Pasquale Gruuuus is 'avin a gre-at game yah knaaah' ?

Ha ha. Like at Roker Park in the late seventies (we won 0-2) and I went mute when I was asked if I had a light by some ne'er do well suspicious of my southern attitude.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Man City game should be interesting already know a few City fans are in the North.

Unlike Man United fans that are mostly in the South

 

[BN9 BHA]

On their forum they’ve talked for a while at finding it easy to get seats anywhere in the Amex, to see their certain title celebrations. So many, I would imagine that they’re going to show their faces with each City goal.

At the weekend I saw some City fans on Twitter asking for tickets in the Albion sections, one offered £200.
Not that I would sell to them mind.

 

[Wozza]

'Way aye man that Pasquale Gruuuus is 'avin a gre-at game yah knaaah' ?

Haha.

I’ve stood on the packed terraces at Stockport County against promotion-chasing “cockney wankers” Reading and only whispered to friends.

 

[wakeytom]

I have had to visit away ends a few times especially this season with lower ticket allocations and although my very southern accent helps, once people realise you are in the wrong end you have to roll with the (verbal) punches I am afraid. I used to have a season ticket at a rugby league team where fans did mix but even then when it was an important game (I remember one where we hosted a home game with the loser getting relegated from Super League) it was unspoken that fans didnt mix.

Sorry that kids had to hear abuse but a late KO with plenty of drinking time and a big match (for me this was the weekend that settled relegation) means that nerves would be on edge - could hardly be that discrete if they were rumbled

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Well, from T&Cs....

1.2 Home Match Tickets are for the use of supporters of the Club only. By applying for the Home Match Ticket and/or using the same you hereby warrant and represent that you are a supporter of the Club and/or that you are not a supporter of the Visiting Club.

If you're gonna break the rules, you need to be discrete...

This.

Interesting thread. While some good points have been made on both sides, this is it really.

I sat in the Millwall family enclosure when we had Nicky Forster up front. I have posted about my experience previously. I certainly kept my allegiance under my hat. Only poilte.

Bottom line is you should always tread carefully when in the opposition's enclosure. Football is partizan, adversarial and tribal - a lot of why we like it. Within reason, of course. But if I wanted to have a kiss and cuddle with opposition fans during the match I'd go and watch rugby. I won't be going to watch rugby, though.

 

[Happy Exile]

I think it's unacceptable to involve kids in anything of this kind. If you're so small of genitalia you feel the need to make your tribal point to children enjoying an exciting day out with their family, that happen to support a mix of the clubs, in the family area, surrounded by many other children, then your sense of inadequacy probably requires some expensive counselling but is best kept private for the time being.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

As an aside, you can get children’s tickets in other parts of the ground.....so what purpose does the family stand have? Why not buy a bunch of tickets elsewhere? I’m clearly missing something.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

As an aside, you can get children’s tickets in other parts of the ground.....so what purpose does the family stand have? Why not buy a bunch of tickets elsewhere? I’m clearly missing something.

I would have thought that it is code for 'no swearing' rather the same way the old 'singing section' at Withdean wasn't. Son, frankly, good point, WTF knows?

One thing is clear, though. It isn't code for 'away fans welcome'.

 

[Stat Brother]

As an aside, you can get children’s tickets in other parts of the ground.....so what purpose does the family stand have? Why not buy a bunch of tickets elsewhere? I’m clearly missing something.

For the Cardiff game we had a caricature artist, which was nice.

 

[Me and my Monkey]

As an aside, you can get children’s tickets in other parts of the ground.....so what purpose does the family stand have? Why not buy a bunch of tickets elsewhere? I’m clearly missing something.

I guess it's because if there's an area specifically for families and children, you should be able to shield your children to some extent from the foul mouthed, aggressive, intimidating behaviour of some of the stupider fans elsewhere in the stadium. Obviously not, in this case. It doesn't matter if these children and their families were rival fans or not, this was poor, poor behaviour with children around.

 

[Ernest]

For the Cardiff game we had a caricature artist, which was nice.

He did my portrait , looked NOTHING like me, I was so OFFENDED I nearly posted about it on NSC

 

[Bry Nylon]

For the Cardiff game we had a caricature artist, which was nice.

I know Hughton is looking to draw every game but that is just ridiculous.

 

[My Name Is Gully]

I don't know what the trigger was

I noticed that a Toon supporter stood up and waved a celebration when they scored whilst in the East stand near the half way area and an older chap seated next to the away fan was clearly bemused and stood up to suggest the Toon fan get out - are you sure this was not one of your group?

 

[Bry Nylon]

He did my portrait , looked NOTHING like me, I was so OFFENDED I nearly posted about it on NSC

I thought it was quite good...

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

On their forum they’ve talked for a while at finding it easy to get seats anywhere in the Amex, to see their certain title celebrations. So many, I would imagine that they’re going to show their faces with each City goal.

Wonderful. That will go down well if Cardiff are leading and we are going down.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Really sorry to hear this. I'm ashamed of two of our fans if this is the way they behaved. Against all teams it had to be
Newcastle - possibly the club with the best-natured fans in the divisions.

Really? Why do you say that? I remember a full on clash with them near the station in Newcastle, completely unprovoked. Nice enough people In the city, loved my time as a student, but I would say you are misguided to claim that.