Ejections and standing at Southampton away

[Tesco in Disguise]

they are there to protect you from the Northam lot and from the idiots that we seem to take with us these days.

that does not include forcing someone to sit down. i am not any 'safer' on my arse. if people's viewing is obstructed, fine. but safety has nothing to do with it.

apply some discretion, jobsworth.

 

[WATFORD zero]

apply some discretion, jobsworth.

That's better

If you read the thread, you will realise that he isn't a steward, he trains them and because of his position there he knows how they are going to be briefed.

Let the guys do their job, sit down when it's not exciting, stand up when it is, and leave at the end of 90 (plus time added on). Wandering the streets around St Mary's waiting for your mates is not much fun, especially for an away fan!

Here he is trying to explain that if you apply some discretion, you will enjoy your day without running the risk of being ejected. I think he is being a little more than a jobsworth and trying to help you, but feel free to ignore this and carry on insulting from behind your keyboard.

 

[KneeOn]

Oh come on, its the guy's job for christ sake.

Honestly, what do you expect him to do, sit around joining in with the Albion songs while being watched from a control box, completely ignoring the job he's being paid to do?
Yes, a number of stewards (more so at Withdean) simply seem to enjoy the sense of power they attain from the job, but most are simply doing their job. Most football fans will never get on with stewards, because it is a sport where most like to stand, despite the fact its against the law. I always stand, i'll sit when im told to, and the second the stewards are off (usually within a minute) ill stand back up again. Those that get chucked out are those (usually) that think they're too big for the law, and start telling stewards to f*ck off for doing what is simply the job they're paid to do.

Its the same with traffic wardens, train ticket inspectors, referee's and so on. You cant go around calling them all power freaks for simply doing a job.

This will be the last time I stand up for a steward, please note.

This.

I'm going to stand for as long as I can because I enjoy standing for a game. I won't stand if a person behind me wants to sit down or if a steward comes up ala withdean row by row and sits us down. If the steward does the row by row thing, then I will stand up after with everyone else.

Lay of HampshireSeagulls, he trains stewards and has to comply with laws and has a wage on the line (yeah only a poorly paid part time wage but still a wage.)

 

[Acker79]

I personally think sitting down to watch football is like sitting down to dance but each to his own.

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[Brovion]

AH, but even then some of the are standing!

 

[Knotty]

I agree and sympathise with you. As someone said on another thread no one wants to see All-Standing grounds.

Where we probably disagree (and where Hampshire Seagulls would defintely disagree!) is that I think that part of the protest is to continue to stand. Yes groups like the FSA should use political pressure but there is an 'armed struggle' element to this as well. On a wider point I do think the law is unjust and unfair and we in Britain have had a history (in the past anyway) of disobedience in the face of unjust laws. Even the actual playing of football was banned at one time! If it were just a few of us who stood up, if everybody else just treated a football match like a Cliff Richard concert or the centre court at Wimbledon then I would accept that the majority accepted the law and therefore it would be 'wrong' to break it. But as we know that isn't the case.

I don't disagree necessarily - it's just that I don't think reasonable stewards should be abused for doing their job.

Women got the vote by breaking the law and that made the world much fairer!

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

that does not include forcing someone to sit down. i am not any 'safer' on my arse. if people's viewing is obstructed, fine. but safety has nothing to do with it.

apply some discretion, jobsworth.

So standing in seated areas is not unsafe? Standing in access points is not unsafe? Standing in the walkways is not unsafe? Be serious, we are not going back to the good old days of all standing, nor are we in a situation where you can pick and choose the law as it applies to you.

From a statistical point of view you are actually a lot safer on your arse - less chance of you falling over, of someone falling into you, of your standing being seen as deliberately confrontational by opposing fans (this is Southampton, remember).

Personally, I find it a personal affront when my bag is searched, but it's part of the conditions of entry.

That said, one of my students (only 16 bless him) searched the bag of a young lady and found a "rampant rabbit" in the bottom. Not sure what she planned on doing with that at St Mary's...he did come and ask if it was a prohibited item (it's not, before you all moan about the police state controlling vibrators now...)

 

[Notters]

So standing in seated areas is not unsafe? Standing in access points is not unsafe? Standing in the walkways is not unsafe? Be serious, we are not going back to the good old days of all standing, nor are we in a situation where you can pick and choose the law as it applies to you.

From a statistical point of view you are actually a lot safer on your arse - less chance of you falling over, of someone falling into you, of your standing being seen as deliberately confrontational by opposing fans (this is Southampton, remember).

Personally, I find it a personal affront when my bag is searched, but it's part of the conditions of entry.

That said, one of my students (only 16 bless him) searched the bag of a young lady and found a "rampant rabbit" in the bottom. Not sure what she planned on doing with that at St Mary's...he did come and ask if it was a prohibited item (it's not, before you all moan about the police state controlling vibrators now...)

You're only ever likely to fall over after a goal and I'll be damned if I'm staying sat down when we score.

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

Talk to this guy -http://www.libdemvoice.org/don-foster-mp-standing-at-football-grounds-18556.html. He was pushing this angle before the election, I don't know if he still follows it. There is a lot of opposition (his 91% claim is a little iffy!) especially from Hillsborough related groups. However, if every club pushes for a safe standing area, then it is more likely to be considered properly.

 

[m20gull]

You're only ever likely to fall over after a goal and I'll be damned if I'm staying sat down when we score.

You don't have to stay sat down when we score - that surely counts as a period of excitement (or whatever the phrase is).

 

[Was not Was]

Hampshire - you said the match is on TV? Really?

 

[Notters]

You don't have to stay sat down when we score - that surely counts as a period of excitement (or whatever the phrase is).

I know! This is why the whole this is so daft.

Along with the fact that the terrace tomorrow at Peterborough will have a health and safety certificate, but it won't be able to get one next season due to the fact that they were in the Championship last season. There is no logic at all!

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

So standing in seated areas is not unsafe? Standing in access points is not unsafe? Standing in the walkways is not unsafe? Be serious, we are not going back to the good old days of all standing, nor are we in a situation where you can pick and choose the law as it applies to you.

From a statistical point of view you are actually a lot safer on your arse - less chance of you falling over, of someone falling into you, of your standing being seen as deliberately confrontational by opposing fans (this is Southampton, remember).

Personally, I find it a personal affront when my bag is searched, but it's part of the conditions of entry.

so standing during periods of 'extended excitement' is perfectly safe, but if you stand whilst a throw-in is being taken, it's likely to lead to injury and death?

stading in walkways and exit points is unsafe. so stop people doing it. you are a safety officer. if you concede (as the law does) that it is not unsafe to stand up at some times, then it is clearly not unsafe to stand up at all. and as for standing being intimidating to the opposition; please.

there are plenty of rules and laws that are achaic or make no sense. you are in a fairly unique position to apply some common sense. please do so.

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

Hampshire - you said the match is on TV? Really?

shouldn't have thought so. it's champs league isn't it?

 

[Was not Was]

shouldn't have thought so. it's champs league isn't it?

zackly

 

[Superphil]

Standing up at St Mary's=??

And it is law in the seating areas of 91 other football grounds in England & Wales.

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

Hampshire - you said the match is on TV? Really?

My cock up. I get so used to seeing the in-stadium TV that what I meant was that the matches are displayed live in the ground and also recorded by Southampton, not that they are all shown on Sky.

 

[Huple]

Resistance is useless !

 

[HampshireSeagulls]

so standing during periods of 'extended excitement' is perfectly safe, but if you stand whilst a throw-in is being taken, it's likely to lead to injury and death?

stading in walkways and exit points is unsafe. so stop people doing it. you are a safety officer. if you concede (as the law does) that it is not unsafe to stand up at some times, then it is clearly not unsafe to stand up at all. and as for standing being intimidating to the opposition; please.

there are plenty of rules and laws that are achaic or make no sense. you are in a fairly unique position to apply some common sense. please do so.

The law has to be applied fairly across every customer. Otherwise we end up in the situation where people say "why is it OK for them and not for me?" We have procedures and policies that would make your head spin - and we need all of these to meet local authority and football authority licensing permissions. My feelings on standing areas are pretty clear I think.

Walkways and access areas are also the areas that run in front of the seats. If you are standing in them, they are blocked. Your explanation of it being safe at times, therefore safe all the time is flawed, but I suspect you know that. The longer you stand, the more chance there is of something going wrong. The letter of the law, as flawed as it is, would mean you sitting down no matter what. That is not going to happen and will never be enforced. So we come to a middle ground where the law and the spectator need to inhabit. Most people are happy in that middle area, some are not. Ultimately the rule of law can be applied to people that don't "get it". Until there are standing areas the ground has a duty of care to every customer, not just the ones who want to stand. Some supporters appear more determined to display selfishness and to almost show off about how they want to go against the rules, and we know from many interactions with other supporters how little respect is held for these people.

Opposition intimidation - happened at Bournemouth unfortunately. Groups of people who stand behave differently to groups that sit. Bravery seems to come when they stand - something to do with having an increased ability to move and focus as a group. You don't see people sitting down in groups giving it "who are ya?" - but you do see in in groups that are standing.

This thread was started because I pointed out in another thread that the rules would be applied. It's that simple. This thread has turned into a session where people do not, can not, or will not understand how the law applies, why it applies, and why no amount of insults will change it. I have pointed out how to try to change the law, I have given you an MP who also believes in standing areas. I can see no more point in going over the ground again.

In Summary:

When you come to Southampton, the rules will be applied. If you stand, and persist in doing so when asked to sit, you will be ejected. This is our last option and will only be pursued once we have tried to explain to you the reasons, and what will happen if you do not do as you are asked. This is not an invitation to discussion but will take the form of the Ground Regulations being explained to you. If you are ejected this may lead to a banning order. This is within the current laws of entry to a venue where football is licensed to be played. If you believe that you cannot conform to the laws for 120 minutes, then you should seriously consider whether you will enjoy coming to the match at all. The ultimate sanction, as you probably know, is that the club you support can be asked to cough up a fine - and we don't want that to happen.

If you still want to rattle on, then aim at the people who can change the laws, not those who have no option but to apply them if they want to keep their jobs. If the stewards are ineffective or are made to look ineffective, they are replaced. Don't feel you have insulted me or that I am affected by the insults that are bandied about. If I can put up with lairy football fans on a Saturday, then a few inadequate keyboard warriors are hardly going to interrupt my beauty sleep, are they?!

Have fun.

 

[Notters]

Walkways and access areas are also the areas that run in front of the seats. If you are standing in them, they are blocked. Your explanation of it being safe at times, therefore safe all the time is flawed, but I suspect you know that.

Again, utter bollocks. When someone needs to squeeze past you to get to their seat, do you stand up or sit down? And is it it a time of excitement?