[Albion] Away fans in home ends

[HangletonGull]

HOW'S YOUR PATIENCE?
Sat in my normal seat Monday night and just as the game started a 20 ish guy swaggers along the row and sits in the row in front of me. He is with his partner of similar age. As tickets hadn't sold out the pair had 2 seats spare either side of them.
1/ He is wearing a Wolves hat.
Now, we get a few away fans and tourists in our area so this is nothing unusual to have an away fan with us. Generally we start a conversation with them and have a good chat about the game. Most have sneaked in under cover with a friend. So far, whilst being a bit 'I am' he was OK.
2/ From under his coat a pint appears.
Lots of murmurs around as he sits there drinking his beer. To be honest I hoped Wolves didn't score because the pint would go flying.
3/ He pulls out his vape and blows smoke in my direction
Patience gone I called over our steward who says nothing (he's only a lad) but calls the head guy.
Head steward also has some patience. Spoke gently to him asking him not to smoke and to give up his pint. At that point he would have let him stay but Wolves fan swore at him with a stream of abuse. End of, guy kicked out.

What stand was this in?

 

[jackalbion]

Doesn't seem to do any harm at Rugby or Cricket - or almost any other sport for that matter. It's only because there are still dinosaurs going to football that there is any issue.

I’m sorry but Rugby or Cricket the atmosphere is not as intense as football, that’s why I have no real interest in the sport of Rugby. Cricket isn’t as intense as either and is much better in the relaxed atmosphere. There’s no jeopardy in Rugby and it just feels like a jolly up for the boys from stow. Rugby culture I find to be more mysognistic and unfriendly and like you have to be a part of a special club. I much preferred Rugby League at university because they kept opposition fans apart and it had a real intensity. Football runs a lot deeper, and that’s the reason it’s so popular and interesting. Rugby Union just feels like a casual sport going on in the background.

 

[Hovegull]

I’m more than happy to engage with away fans pre-match or post-match in a pub but I have absolutely no interest in an away fan sitting near or next to me during the 90 minutes of a game. Football is still tribal and I want the people sat around me experiencing the same emotions and responding to the game in a similar way.

Agree, it would make the atmosphere so flat. The players need us behind them, making lots of collective noise etc.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I’m sorry but Rugby or Cricket the atmosphere is not as intense as football, that’s why I have no real interest in the sport of Rugby. Cricket isn’t as intense as either and is much better in the relaxed atmosphere.

Without particularly disagreeing, I don't find there's a great deal of difference between the atmosphere at an ODI or Test Match compared to most home stands. Albeit I tend to go to the louder (and cheaper) stands like the Hollies or the Western Terrace when I go to the cricket.
Having said that, the best atmosphere I can remember at a cricket match was at the C&G final at Lords in 2006 (Sussex v Lancashire), which was segregated. Albeit because each club sold tickets to their own fans, rather than any fear of violence.

 

[Taybha]

Not sure if Fulham still do it anymore but they had a 2.5k neutral zone next to the away end and I sat in that 3 times and there was absolutely no trouble whatsoever that I saw,the demographic was around 60-40 away-home fans.

I'd be well pissed off if any away fan found a seat next to me at The Amex because we have a home and away fan end policy,but if there was a neutral zone at the Amex and I chose to buy a ticket there I'd know the score that I'd be in with away fans and that's fair enough.

I've been to numerous away games and been in the home end as have thousands of other Brighton and Hove Albion supporters with a low loyalty points score,if the match is in London it's a given there will be Brighton fans in the home end,I'm surprised West Ham haven't changed the colour scheme to Blue and white when we play them,it would be interesting to see another club take a punt with a neutral zone when playing low risk regarding opposition games,if I couldn't get a ticket and the neutral zone was all that was going I'd be quite happy to sit there.

 

[Official Old Man]

What stand was this in?

East Upper. E3F

 

[jackalbion]

Without particularly disagreeing, I don't find there's a great deal of difference between the atmosphere at an ODI or Test Match compared to most home stands. Albeit I tend to go to the louder (and cheaper) stands like the Hollies or the Western Terrace when I go to the cricket.
Having said that, the best atmosphere I can remember at a cricket match was at the C&G final at Lords in 2006 (Sussex v Lancashire), which was segregated. Albeit because each club sold tickets to their own fans, rather than any fear of violence.

Yeah Cricket is a strange one, I think non segregation works at that, but I enjoy it more, I can't stand Rugby Union, genuinely the most unwelcoming atmosphere I've felt at a sport and least intense.

 

[PeterT]

Yeah Cricket is a strange one, I think non segregation works at that, but I enjoy it more, I can't stand Rugby Union, genuinely the most unwelcoming atmosphere I've felt at a sport and least intense.

I enjoy football, cricket and rugby. You do get plenty of rugby matches where the atmosphere is non-existent, certainly in club rugby, but the atmosphere at a top international can be right up there. It can also be genuinely intimidating on occasion too, try sitting in an England shirt in Cardiff for a rugby international against Wales and whilst it’s absolutely not ‘dangerous‘ as it would be for football if you were in with the home fans, I can confirm that it is not what I would describe as ‘friendly’ either!

 

[BrightonCottager]

Not sure if Fulham still do it anymore but they had a 2.5k neutral zone next to the away end and I sat in that 3 times and there was absolutely no trouble whatsoever that I saw,the demographic was around 60-40 away-home fans.

I'd be well pissed off if any away fan found a seat next to me at The Amex because we have a home and away fan end policy,but if there was a neutral zone at the Amex and I chose to buy a ticket there I'd know the score that I'd be in with away fans and that's fair enough.

I've been to numerous away games and been in the home end as have thousands of other Brighton and Hove Albion supporters with a low loyalty points score,if the match is in London it's a given there will be Brighton fans in the home end,I'm surprised West Ham haven't changed the colour scheme to Blue and white when we play them,it would be interesting to see another club take a punt with a neutral zone when playing low risk regarding opposition games,if I couldn't get a ticket and the neutral zone was all that was going I'd be quite happy to sit there.

No, Fulham don't do that anymore unfortunately - not since getting back into the Prem. Largely because of the ongoing Riverside stadium development and STHs being relocated from there into the Putney end and not wanting to return to the new stand. Having said that, we still get away fans in home areas. Lots of supporters of other clubs in the SE have a booking history and some buy memberships.

 

[London Irish]

I enjoy football, cricket and rugby. You do get plenty of rugby matches where the atmosphere is non-existent, certainly in club rugby, but the atmosphere at a top international can be right up there. It can also be genuinely intimidating on occasion too, try sitting in an England shirt in Cardiff for a rugby international against Wales and whilst it’s absolutely not ‘dangerous‘ as it would be for football if you were in with the home fans, I can confirm that it is not what I would describe as ‘friendly’ either!

It's really mixed - generally rugby atmos in London area is as flat as a pancake - tends to get much livelier in rugby hotbeds. like the Shed at Gloucester

 

[London Irish]

You have to wonder what on earth possesses someone to act like that.

We all know the drill: keep your head down, sit on your hands and be polite if and when rumbled.

Your chancer failed on all counts and got what he deserved as a result.

The main point of interest now will be to see how he got his seat, because that amount of aggro for those sitting around him needs some action taken if a ticket was bought for him by an Albion fan, couple of years' ban on buying additional tickets I would go for

 

[mile oak]

surely its simple if fans are obvious wearing opponents colours you inform a steward and hey get dealt with appropriately. Its against ground regulations. If they are sat there politely clapping any goal home or away i dont see a problem, but only because i wouldnt know they are away fans but wearing a wolves hat is rather envious - how did they get this far past security stewards at stairwells etc?

 

[PeterT]

surely its simple if fans are obvious wearing opponents colours you inform a steward and hey get dealt with appropriately. Its against ground regulations. If they are sat there politely clapping any goal home or away i dont see a problem, but only because i wouldnt know they are away fans but wearing a wolves hat is rather envious - how did they get this far past security stewards at stairwells etc?

Are we sure it wasn’t just a hat like this one?

 

[schmunk]

Are we sure it wasn’t just a hat like this one?

View attachment 173520

Or this one...?

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Yeah Cricket is a strange one, I think non segregation works at that, but I enjoy it more, I can't stand Rugby Union, genuinely the most unwelcoming atmosphere I've felt at a sport and least intense.

I stewarded a Bath Rugby game while at uni.
Apart from somebody in the crowd getting hit on the back of the head with a ball that the players were kicking about before the game, I have nothing whatsoever to report.
I've been to a few [3?] rugby league internationals. The crowd at those didn't feel particularly different to a football crowd. Always fun walking past the big sign saying "no alcohol in the stand" carrying 4pints.