[Albion] Paul Barber "embarrassed" by our support

[Whitechapel]

They have sniffer dogs for away fans at the Amex, wouldn't have thought it'd be too hard to have them for home fans too.

Fun Fact: There are (probably) no actual sniffer dogs at The Amex.

There’s less than 100 fully trained sniffer dogs in the UK and that covers drugs, explosives, money etc. The odds of one of them being at The Amex is next to none. They’re usually normal dogs and Police just look out for the idiots who see the dogs and power walk as far away from the pooches as possible.

 

[dadams2k11]

Fun fact.

There were two sniffer dogs at the Man city game sniffing around the bike stand next to the food stands.

I've seen them about the stadium quite a few times in fact.

 

[Guinness Boy]

We’ve probably had a bigger increase of young lads doing bugel at away games than most other teams tbh. We missed out on an entire generation of young fans due to the Withdean, so 10 years ago I rarely saw people my age at away games (I’m 27 now) and it’s the people who are 18-25 who are must likely to be enjoying that novelty of not going with parents and being able to legally buy booze/go to the pub at away games.

We moved in to the Amex 10 years ago. The kids who were 8/9/10 then are now old enough to be going to away games as young adults now, and rather than a gradual increase over the past few seasons they’ve ended up all going at the same time due to COVID.

However I’d say it’s us returning to the norm for most sets of away fans - until recently our fan base was disproportionately made up of families and people 60+ compared to most other teams.

Yeah, I think that's true as well.

It's a hard balance we're asking for. On one hand we want a good (and, for me, slightly intimidating) atmosphere at home to help the team on. And booze and charly are going to make fans loud. However, they're also going to make some of them look for a scrap (not everyone on Columbia's finest is an a-hole) and some of them sing songs that are so stupid that the rest of the ground will look at them bemused, rather than joining in.

On an away day more people are there for a day out and so a larger proportion of the crowd - even the older ones - have had a few beers and are up for a good atmosphere. I know how to behave myself in that situation now but I certainly had a few issues when I was younger. It only comes with experience and the realisation of your impact on other people.

It'll be an interesting dilemma coming up for me. My son is now 15 and will be coming to Villa with me for a proper away day. At this stage I want to make sure he's clued up about days out and has enough points so that he can make a choice of whether to go, and who with, in a couple of years. He may choose to stick with me and my older mates but I think, and hope, he'll go with a younger group. My hope is that at that point I can have a reasonable discussion with him on how to have a decent time without getting nicked, beaten up or upsetting others.

 

[Grassman]

Fun fact.

There were two sniffer dogs at the Man city game sniffing around the bike stand next to the food stands.

I've seen them about the stadium quite a few times in fact.

Quite a few people were actually having a slash behind that. Maybe that’s what they were smelling.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Are they drug dogs or are they there to sniff out flares/smoke grenades and other pyro ?

Both. Different coloured jackets.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Are they drug dogs or are they there to sniff out flares/smoke grenades and other pyro ?

Usually yes, but today, they will be concentrating on Stones & Infidels.

 

[dadams2k11]

Quite a few people were actually having a slash behind that. Maybe that’s what they were smelling.

If they pissed on the bags attached to the bikes maybe?

I'm pretty confident they were bomb sniffer dogs not drug, as you could clearly see and smell a group of city fans smoking a fat one.

 

[Lower West Stander]

Careful with that spliff Eugene, it causes condensation

Gotta get those syringes out and crank up once again


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[wellquickwoody]

‘Purporting to support our club’. Same old tired line that has been trotted out for decades.

I will not defend bad/anti social behaviour, but this patronising bullshit reeled out by Barber is just a sad sound bite from a corporate exec reading from a tired list of cliches. The club right now are advertising corporate hospitality packages to any individual American Express card holders whereas in the early days of The Amex these facilities were only open to genuine business accounts. An Amex card is not an exclusive, high end card these days, they do credit like everybody else. The demographic of Brighton fans is changing and PB is happy to lap up the cash from wherever he can find it.

It should also be remembered that the behaviour of many who actually helped to save BHA in the war years would no doubt be condemned by Barber today. The idea that some fans who take their passion and tribalism too far on occasion don’t actually support their football club is both as predictable and unimaginative as it is out of date and incorrect.

 

[dadams2k11]

Tbf, it's good the club is not afraid to calls out the trouble makers, un like some clubs.

 

[carlzeiss]

I have been informed by a sauce in the Police service that there are now dogs specially trained to sniff out drinks flasks after a special request from Paul Barber with the club footing the Bill

 

[Stat Brother]

The drug sniffing dog:-



The bottle top sniffing dog:-

 

[Whitechapel]

Yeah, I think that's true as well.

It's a hard balance we're asking for. On one hand we want a good (and, for me, slightly intimidating) atmosphere at home to help the team on. And booze and charly are going to make fans loud. However, they're also going to make some of them look for a scrap (not everyone on Columbia's finest is an a-hole) and some of them sing songs that are so stupid that the rest of the ground will look at them bemused, rather than joining in.

On an away day more people are there for a day out and so a larger proportion of the crowd - even the older ones - have had a few beers and are up for a good atmosphere. I know how to behave myself in that situation now but I certainly had a few issues when I was younger. It only comes with experience and the realisation of your impact on other people.

It'll be an interesting dilemma coming up for me. My son is now 15 and will be coming to Villa with me for a proper away day. At this stage I want to make sure he's clued up about days out and has enough points so that he can make a choice of whether to go, and who with, in a couple of years. He may choose to stick with me and my older mates but I think, and hope, he'll go with a younger group. My hope is that at that point I can have a reasonable discussion with him on how to have a decent time without getting nicked, beaten up or upsetting others.

Yep, it’s a tough balancing act. I’m at an age where an ideal away end to me is 2k blokes from 14-55 who’ve had a bunch of train beers and are well oiled up before kick-off and will stand, chant and not worry about being in their exact seat for 90 minutes. The atmosphere would be miles better and it provides a proper “ us against them” camaraderie. However I also realise that as well as being incredibly selfish I’m a massive hypocrite - after all my mum took me to my first away game for my 6th birthday (Orient in the Div3 winning season. The terrace was a shock ) and I’d done the likes of Palace and Millwall before I was 10. And sadly as you say there will always be people who can’t handle their booze or packet and make a **** of themselves.

I’d definitely say taking your son and you having a few beers is a good idea. I was lucky enough that my mum took me and my best mate to a few away games when I was 13/14, and my best mates dad took us a few times too. However they weren’t drinking so we certainly weren’t, so as soon as we managed to get a few mates together for London away games on the train we were straight to the dodgy Londis in Portslade that would serve us and before you know it we’re trying to see if it was possible to do 10 cans of Fosters before we get to Charlton. Not exactly a gradual introduction to drinking at football. I’ve got some absolute horror stories from that first decade of away games with my mates, but I don’t want to be giving you nightmares about the future so I’ll keep my mouth shut Counter productively to the thread, getting on the packet put an end to the drunk football antics. It keeps me on a nice level and the main danger is someone getting caught doing a key in the boozer before the game.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Brighton support embarrassed by the performance today.

Not sure if you're allowed to say this anymore judging by the programme notes before the Man City game

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[Dibdab]

Basically saying that a small minority of supporters' behaviour has been embarrassing to witness and anyone wanting to cause trouble should stay away.

As if he’s witnessed shit from the comfort of the 1901 or Directors away box

 

[sydney]

to be fair there is a sizeable proportion of fans at the Amex who wouldn't sing if their lives depended on it , our crowd is far more "eclectic" than most , even teams like Norwich seem to have a largely middle aged and under , predominantly male crowd which makes for more of an atmosphere ......it's difficult for 12k out of a 26 k crowd to compensate for those who wouldn't make a racket if a shark bit them.

the days where chaps went to the Albion for a ruck are long gone and those who don't realise it are easily singled out and banned....it is not deemed as much of a problem by certain clubs , we are not one of them.

 

[Dibdab]

to be fair there is a sizeable proportion of fans at the Amex who wouldn't sing if their lives depended on it , our crowd is far more "eclectic" than most , even teams like Norwich seem to have a largely middle aged and under , predominantly male crowd which makes for more of an atmosphere ......it's difficult for 12k out of a 26 k crowd to compensate for those who wouldn't make a racket if a shark bit them.

the days where chaps went to the Albion for a ruck are long gone and those who don't realise it are easily singled out and banned....it is not deemed as much of a problem by certain clubs , we are not one of them.

Rubbish at most grounds there is an area of vocal home support that carries the ground.
At the Amex ours is a bit lame and far to far away from the away support.

 

[sydney]

Rubbish at most grounds there is an area of vocal home support that carries the ground.
At the Amex ours is a bit lame and far to far away from the away support.

a lot of lads who go away don't bother with the home games , the seating system doesn't support a "singing section " as such .....something that could be easily remedied along with a family section and a pensioner section , also lockers for knitting and iPads to be kept safe and dry on inclement days , the Amex can "go off " same as any other ground but i guess a game where we struggle against an agricultural team we are expected to beat isn't going to be one of those days.

 

[BN41Albion]

Rubbish at most grounds there is an area of vocal home support that carries the ground.
At the Amex ours is a bit lame and far to far away from the away support.

As atmosphere is an issue at so many grounds around the country, I'd say those grounds are few and far between. There are some, but not many at the moment.

 

[drew]

a lot of lads who go away don't bother with the home games , the seating system doesn't support a "singing section " as such .....something that could be easily remedied along with a family section and a pensioner section , also lockers for knitting and iPads to be kept safe and dry on inclement days , the Amex can "go off " same as any other ground but i guess a game where we struggle against an agricultural team we are expected to beat isn't going to be one of those days.

Due to the loyalty points the amount that don't go to home games is going to be minimal. The vast majority are STH. Rarely does the away allocation get down to non STH and whilst there are no doubt a few that pass on their their away ticket that will diminish when these too go digital.