The Albion Roar - 11 Sep - WITH GUESTS RICHARD HEBBERD & PC DARREN BALKHAM

[The Large One]

I'll allow you a few minuets to finish of reading the thread before you stick your ore in.

 

[Stoo82]

I'll get you next time TLO. Next time.

 

[cjd]

Are the qusetions to Hebbard and Balkham going to be answered from a 'personal' point of view, or 'official'....?

If it is only an 'official' point of view, then there is little point in asking questions.

However, if from a 'personal' point of view...........

1) Do they view 'seating only' at football stadiums, the only way...? and their view on limited safe terrracing....?

2) Do they fully understand that supporting a football team, often involves showing passion......as opposed to going to a sweet shop to buy a Mars bar...?

3) Given that football supporting does involve 'passion' at times, what are their limits on what is acceptable and what is NOT acceptable....?

4) What do they regard are the greater evil.......racist and homophobic chanting.......or short outbursts of foul language due to excess of passion...?....no glib answers.....one or the other please.A scale of 1 to 10 will do.

5) Given that approxiamately 3,500 supporters ( in the South stand) stand and make their way, on masse, to the exits at full-time, how does this 'danger' equate with just a few supporters standing at various intervals during the game.....yet the latter attract such attention from the stewards...?

6) Do they view a match at the Albion (whether it be Withdean or Falmer) should be just a family orientated and sanitised atmosphere.......or do they accept that football supporting is a long- held opportunity to link your allegiance and passion to a local side, giving supporters an identity with their home area......and a sense of belonging...?

7) Is there any right of appeal to Club officials decisions to ban supporters......and does that supporter have the right, or the opportunity AND time to call for witnesses on his/her behalf...?

8) Apart from going on a very 'local' radio show, what other steps are the Club, stewards and police going to take, to try and bridge the gap between the present animosity that some supporters feel towards the stewards.....and of course vice-versa...?

Think that will do for now.

 

[The Merry Prankster]

I'll allow you a few minuets to finish of reading the thread before you stick your ore in.

Oar.

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

do they ask people to sit to protect the view of fellow patrons, or for health and safety reasons?

 

[The Large One]

Are the qusetions to Hebbard and Balkham going to be answered from a 'personal' point of view, or 'official'....?

If it is only an 'official' point of view, then there is little point in asking questions.

Not 100% sure what you mean by 'personal' or 'official' - the two can sometimes be the same.

However, they've been asked on in a professional capacity, and will hopefully answer in a professional capacity. Whether that contradicts with their personal opinion or not, who knows? Some people ARE their jobs.

Some of your question you ask are ones I intended to ask anyway, so I will try to get in as many as possible.

One thing I would say is that both guests are coming on willingly - I didn't have to twist either of them's arms for it. To me, that represents an intention to clarify positions and explain their roles. If they intend to come on and give a series of stock answers and meaningless returns, I will be pissed off, as they would have wasted my time as well as theirs.

I am pretty confident that this is not going to be the case and that hopefully somewhere down the line there will be some clarification and explanation of issues on both sides.

 

[cjd]

Not 100% sure what you mean by 'personal' or 'official' - the two can sometimes be the same.

However, they've been asked on in a professional capacity, and will hopefully answer in a professional capacity. Whether that contradicts with their personal opinion or not, who knows? Some people ARE their jobs.

Some of your question you ask are ones I intended to ask anyway, so I will try to get in as many as possible.

One thing I would say is that both guests are coming on willingly - I didn't have to twist either of them's arms for it. To me, that represents an intention to clarify positions and explain their roles. If they intend to come on and give a series of stock answers and meaningless returns, I will be pissed off, as they would have wasted my time as well as theirs.

I am pretty confident that this is not going to be the case and that hopefully somewhere down the line there will be some clarification and explanation of issues on both sides.

Cheers for the reply...and good luck.

 

[les dynam]

do they have targets? i.e. are they given targets by the club on the number of match-day ejections and bans issued?

do they prefer prefer to steward and manage an atmospheric sold out withdean, or do they prefer 6,000 fans quietly watching the match

did they attend the game at villa park either as fans or in some work capacity? if not, they missed out on perhaps learning a few things on stewarding best practice

 

[severnside gull]

Am I alone in thinking that they will simply fall back on the most despised, misused and abused three words in the English laguage, Health and Safety?

I would need a lot of convincing that there will ever be a meaningful middle ground between the fans' aspirations and the stewards' fulfillment of their self-perceived obligations.

 

[Tooting Gull]

What is Hebberd's personal view of the current UK alcohol ban regulations at sporting stadia, and would he be in favour of any relaxation of the rules (if it was on the national agenda) so that people could drink from plastic glasses in the stands, or in view of the pitch?

The ban has been in place since 1985, but football is a very different experience now, and grounds are also very different places.

Supporters are allowed to drink in the stands at top-class rugby matches, and while football supporters probably deserved that discrimination and second-class treatment in the 1980s, it is hard to see why they still do.

 

[Richy_Seagull]

Why are the "response stewards" (do not know their official term) dressed in such threatening uniform, and is Richard aware that it has come to the fans attention that some seem to be lacking the man management part of the job?

Are they aware that the way that the stewards are (over)reacting are driving people away from Withdean, and destroying any atmosphere there once was?

 

[les dynam]

Why are the "response stewards" (do not know their official term) dressed in such threatening uniform, and is Richard aware that it has come to the fans attention that some seem to be lacking the man management part of the job?

Are they aware that the way that the stewards are (over)reacting are driving people away from Withdean, and destroying any atmosphere there once was?

and to follow on from this question, are the club's executive staff aware that several members of their staff (stewards and the others involved like hebbard) are actively driving away regular customers? people who have supported and financially backed the club for many many years.

 

[Firingblanks1]

1. Why do away fans get away with singing or shouting homophobic abuse. No different from racist abuse?
On another note, thank you for taking action against abusive fans who think it OK to use the c*** word etc at the top of their voices, near and around where children sit. It is no longer 1975 and has no place in a football stadiums......I wait to be flamed!

 

[The Large One]

Anything else that needs asking?

 

[les dynam]

1. Why do away fans get away with singing or shouting homophobic abuse. No different from racist abuse?
On another note, thank you for taking action against abusive fans who think it OK to use the c*** word etc at the top of their voices, near and around where children sit. It is no longer 1975 and has no place in a football stadiums......I wait to be flamed!

when did this happen then? at exactly which match please

 

[Giraffe]

I think you will find Darren Balkham is actually a very pleasant and helpful person, I always say Hello to him whenever I see him

Spot on, one of the loveliest guys I know.

That said the stewards let the side down.

 

[Giraffe]

And although born overlooking Oldham football club (I believe), he has lived in Sussex most of his life and as such has more than a passing professional liking for the club. You may diss the stewards but PC Balkham is a damn good bloke.

 

[Twizzle]

Can you ask why you can be ejected for foul and abusive language as a fan but not when committing the same offence as a player when on the pitch ?

Would that include slide tackles or shoulder checking?
Of course some rules surely have to be specific to fan behavior. The ref takes care of player behavior anyway.

I'd like you to ask if stewarding is modified for Withdean Stadium specifically, and if anything will lighten-up when we have our own stadium filled?

 

[clapham_gull]

I think you will find Darren Balkham is actually a very pleasant and helpful person, I always say Hello to him whenever I see him

Before this becomes like a speech at his leaving do, I'll just reiterate that. I think we are very lucky to have him even though he his choice of football team is frankly disgusting.

I think we're quite lucky to have RH as well to be honest, I'd imagine his stadium knowledge has been invaluable.

 

[stewardxxx]

Spot on, one of the loveliest guys I know.

That said the stewards let the side down.

SOME of the stewards let the side down - there doesn't seem to be much criteria required to get a job these days - which, considering the unemployment situation is a shock as I would have thought they could be picky with who they employ...