[Albion] Small sections of our away support at FGR

[Lenny Rider]

Clearly after supporting the club for 50 years and being nearly 60 I’m going to have a different view than many others, but I have to say the behaviour of a small section of our support last night shocked and disappointed me.

Pissed up/Coked up whatever, what enjoyment can you get from constantly singing infantile Albion themed songs, some of which didn’t properly rhyme , constantly swearing, I doubt they even remember the game this morning, let alone the goals.

Maybe it was the surroundings, minimal coppers, limited stewarding, but I can’t recall people being allowed to behave in this manner at the EPL away games Ive attended in the last 5 years?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I agree mate. Embarrassing.

To add, Stoke away, early noughties, there was a row of 6 lads, 16/17 years old, mouthing off, making racial comments about the Stoke striker, being annoying twats. Older people sitting nearby were visibly angry. I hadn't seen such tomfoolery before. Bottom line, give twats the opportunity to behave like twats (minimal stewarding, allowing people in who are clearly and malodourously pissed) they will. That was the first time I'd seen that after many years of lower league football and an aging fan base of die hards. Oh well.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Clearly after supporting the club for 50 years and being nearly 60 I’m going to have a different view than many others, but I have to say the behaviour of a small section of our support last night shocked and disappointed me.

Pissed up/Coked up whatever, what enjoyment can you get from constantly singing infantile Albion themed songs, some of which didn’t properly rhyme , constantly swearing, I doubt they even remember the game this morning, let alone the goals.

Maybe it was the surroundings, minimal coppers, limited stewarding, but I can’t recall people being allowed to behave in this manner at the EPL away games Ive attended in the last 5 years?

Amazing what a comfortable middle age period does to the psyche.

Bet many of our elders were saying exactly the same thing back in the early 80’s at Barnet away.

 

[Stat Brother]

Yet West Ham was surprisingly pleasurable.
None of the usual London away support around me, good bantz, with no cringing or bafflement from this old fogey.

I guess Tracksuit From Matalan kept everyone (except himself) honest!

 

[herecomesaregular]

Always been the case for any reasonably close by Albion away game. I remember being abused and spat on by Albion fans at Bristol Rovers away in 1992 (?) as we had to walk a pathway infront of the away terrace to get to a different part of the terracing. We had Albion scarfs on but doh of course Rovers played in blue and white... Then there was Orient away in the paint pot cup one year, load of aggro with your own fans off their tits even though the away attendance was tiny. The only Albion away games worth going to I found were the ones furthest away!

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

It's "the ones who are old enough to know better" that deserve the biggest facepalms.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

In the old days you could just move away from groups of knobbeads. Big advantage of terracing and one that I often made use of. With reserved seating it’s not so easy. At Old Trafford a few weeks ago a group of teenagers hurled themselves down the rows after each of our goals. Totally contrived and deliberate. Luckily it was several seats to my left as I would struggle if they had landed on me. Not that they would give a shit I suppose.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Amazing what a comfortable middle age period does to the psyche.

Bet many of our elders were saying exactly the same thing back in the early 80’s at Barnet away.

Back then Cocaine was only available to Popstars and The Landed Gentry.

One of these ‘fans’ had eyes like a killer shark last night, don’t get me wrong like a large number of people in my generation I’ve dabbled in things I maybe shouldn’t have , but why take Coke when going to football?

Surely you’re there to enjoy yourself watching the Albion?

 

[Is it PotG?]

The make up of the bulk of the away support has been changing quite significantly each year since we got promoted.

 

[Durlston]

Forest Green is one of those places that you get treated like a proper human being. Some 'fans' will abuse that and sing derogatory songs about farmers, tractors or whatever else the area is maybe known for - which is a shame because you're never going to get a more welcoming football league club. The depressing thing is that the weekend match against Leeds is going to be horrible, played in a toxic atmosphere and there'll be a 17-page thread about trouble going off everywhere.

A poster on here said that football and the behaviour of crowds can reflect society and the way it's going. I don't want to bring up what's happened this week in the news but maybe there is an element of truth in what he said. Broken Britain? Certainly. At the moment.

 

[BBassic]

Back then Cocaine was only available to Popstars and The Landed Gentry.

One of these ‘fans’ had eyes like a killer shark last night, don’t get me wrong like a large number of people in my generation I’ve dabbled in things I maybe shouldn’t have , but why take Coke when going to football?

Surely you’re there to enjoy yourself watching the Albion?

I think for some people taking coke is as much a part of the watching the Albion experience as having a few bevvies is.

It's not for me personally. I get a bit shouty when I've had a couple of beers, heaven knows what I'd be like on the powder.

 

[schmunk]

The make up of the bulk of the away support has been changing quite significantly each year since we got promoted.

Well, glossy lips and bold eyebrows have come back in a big way this year.

 

[Originunknown]

Sorry to hear this Harty, and others with similar accounts. They should not be ruining other people's enjoyment but not worth pointing this out to most of them. There are some good kids still, however maybe they are more of a minority these days

 

[Beanstalk]

It's always been a bit of a mixed bag. As [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] said, West Ham was great on Sunday.

It's not an age thing either. We all know British crowds have a Coke problem at the moment. I stood next to a posh 50+ year old at Spurs in the cup last year who was gurning his nut off and a bloody nightmare to stand next to.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Forest Green is one of those places that you get treated like a proper human being. Some 'fans' will abuse that and sing derogatory songs about farmers, tractors or whatever else the area is maybe known for - which is a shame because you're never going to get a more welcoming football league club. The depressing thing is that the weekend match against Leeds is going to be horrible, played in a toxic atmosphere and there'll be a 17-page thread about trouble going off everywhere.

A poster on here said that football and the behaviour of crowds can reflect society and the way it's going. I don't want to bring up what's happened this week in the news but maybe there is an element of truth in what he said. Broken Britain? Certainly. At the moment.

If you mean the gun crime in Liverpool, that’s more gang related. A whole load of safeguarding and grooming issues going on rather than antisocial behavior. Merseyside is awash with police at the moment. We see them every time we go out.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Back then Cocaine was only available to Popstars and The Landed Gentry.

One of these ‘fans’ had eyes like a killer shark last night, don’t get me wrong like a large number of people in my generation I’ve dabbled in things I maybe shouldn’t have , but why take Coke when going to football?

Surely you’re there to enjoy yourself watching the Albion?

I'll tell you.

They don't really like football. The coke facilitates an interaction with the surroundings that gives them the buzz. Having 'dabbled' in the past the idea of taking a drug that makes you smug and so very pleased with yourself that you just want to give yourself a great big hug, then jogging along to the football seems....most peculiar. I can only imagine that the football alone doesn't give them the buzz they want.

An old pal of mine, now in his late 60s, was part of the Chelsea contingent of nutters in the 80s. He has no interest in football and only went for the buzz of fighting. Spent the whole game with his back to the pitch, eyeballing away supporters. Turns out he has some mental health issues including seasonal affective disorder, and using a UV lamp during winter has helped him move away from all that nonsense. That and, er, growing up, of course.

Remember the middle aged coked up Millwall supporters abusing fellow Millwall supporters at the cup final? Selfish people. That's the other ingredient - no concern for their fellow humans.

I am sure someone will be along in a minute to defend the right of people to enjoy themselves, and accuse the likes of me of being a killjoy who should just shut up and mind his own business.

 

[Durlston]

If you mean the gun crime in Liverpool, that’s more gang related. A whole load of safeguarding and grooming issues going on rather than antisocial behavior.

Yes, the first thing is what I meant but I fully respect the fact that you went last night so you had first-hand experience of what happened.

But there is a link between all the coke that's snorted and the more money for drug dealers/gangsters. I used to dabble in the powder but never at football - just on a night out.

Sorry, I'm on a real downer this morning with a couple of personal problems re family and money. I hope nobody is upset or offended with anything I've said. I just feel so low at the moment mate.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I makes you smug and so very pleased with yourself

Herr Tubthumper does not need drugs for this.

 

[osgood]

Clearly after supporting the club for 50 years and being nearly 60 I’m going to have a different view than many others, but I have to say the behaviour of a small section of our support last night shocked and disappointed me.

Pissed up/Coked up whatever, what enjoyment can you get from constantly singing infantile Albion themed songs, some of which didn’t properly rhyme , constantly swearing, I doubt they even remember the game this morning, let alone the goals.

Maybe it was the surroundings, minimal coppers, limited stewarding, but I can’t recall people being allowed to behave in this manner at the EPL away games Ive attended in the last 5 years?

No, this is becoming the norm !
The price of success !
any guess as to what the "we hate palace" count was ?

 

[wellquickwoody]

Back then Cocaine was only available to Popstars and The Landed Gentry.

One of these ‘fans’ had eyes like a killer shark last night, don’t get me wrong like a large number of people in my generation I’ve dabbled in things I maybe shouldn’t have , but why take Coke when going to football?

Surely you’re there to enjoy yourself watching the Albion?

We did Holstein and Tenants Extra, they do Columbian Long Cut