Stewarding

Willie Miller · 31-10-2005, 11:12

Firstly, well done everyone who was a steward yesterday, I didn't envy you the job of sorting that lot out...

However, forget the yobs from YCFC as we can't do anything about them, yesterday was embaressing from our clubs point of view.

Our ability to handle the away fans must surely be looked at & improved from Saturday. It started when we failed to stop them hanging their banners over the advertising. We should have stopped it there & then & it got worse from there. We accepted £10,000 plus from York City & should in future invest some of that back in making sure we can control the unsavouries within their support.

It smacks of crossing your fingers & hoping nothing happens

Stewards should have been within the terrace not on the pitch, fans should be ejected if they throw things on the pitch, Darren needed some protection & got none

Away fans should be forced behind the barriers, we let them do whatever they wanted.

Oh & I think nightclub bouncers could be used but probably should be dressed as stewards. Less likely to antagonise......

All in all, off the pitch , a shambles!

But not a dig at anyone involved just think we need to prepare a little better so it doesn't happen again

mthead · 31-10-2005, 11:36

Would it not be an idea for the away teams to provide stewards for thier own section of fans,after all they should know roughly the amount of away support they get and probably know the faces of the hoodlams to watch out for?And another piont,a couple of weeks ago there was an article to do with trouble at conference games in the non league paper,and it named a few YCFC being one of the named as well as Grays,I cant off the top of my head think of the others.You would have thought that somebody would have seen this article and made precautionary measures just incase.

Just Visiting (YCFC) · 31-10-2005, 12:10

Whilst not wishing to sound like an apologist for our louts, the atmosphere in the York end wasn't helped by several factors.

A lot of us arrived with 10 minutes to go until kick off only to find huge lines waiting to get in and only ONE turnstile at the away end. This lead to many people missing 5-10 minutes of the match. When the 'bouncer' style stewerds were asked if they could perhaps open another turnstile or ask for kick off to be delayed by 5 minutes we were told in no uncertain terms it was not their problem.

What did happen though was that one of the said 'bouncer' style stewerds opened a large gate and started letting fans in if they gave him the exact cash.... i hope these fans were included in the gate and that your club got ALL the cash.

I like Accrington and we had a great day out around the pubs with no sniff of trouble, but for a gate of only just over 2,000 this was without doubt the worst organisation of away fans that I have seen in over 25 years of watching City.

I fear it may be your downfall if a club with a BIG hooligan following were to travel in numbers to your ground.

Best wishes for the rest of the season.

SimonStone · 31-10-2005, 12:31

Got to agree that it appeared to be a bit of a shambles on Saturday and what the hell were Max & Paddy doing there? Stewards should be easily identifyable and preferably not resemble nightclub heavies

Having been "moved on" for briefly standing in the "no go area" speaking to a photographer friend who was on the touchline, it's a bit galling to see visitors getting away with totally ignoring the "rules". The stewards are quick to step in when its something petty. And didn't you notice how the "Safety Officer" appeared to lead from the back when the going got tough!

Oh, and full marks to young Randolph, I really feared that the antics of the nutters behine hime might cost us the game -- but thankfully he was truly professional and kept his head.

JEFF · 31-10-2005, 12:36

Quote:

What did happen though was that one of the said 'bouncer' style stewerds opened a large gate and started letting fans in if they gave him the exact cash.... i hope these fans were included in the gate and that your club got ALL the cash.

I hope the Club are taking notice of this. I wonder if it happens on a regular basis. What was the bouncer doing opening a gate in the first place, was it to line his own pocket. I hope the Club have an investigation into this accusation.

qualtrough · 31-10-2005, 14:42

I talked to some York fans after the match and they were very apologetic about the hooligan element in their midst who caused the trouble. However, there do need to be substantial ground and security improvements at the IES. Quite frankly, at least initially, the York yobs could have run the length of the pitch and caused havoc at the Clayton End and in the stands. If there are other incidents our admittance to the Football League as things stand will surely be an issue should we qualify through promotion. Congratulations to those who managed to get things back under control on Saturday. It could have been a lot worse.

sparkie · 31-10-2005, 15:33

Willie miller you know nothing about stewarding, unless of course your hiding certain qualifications away from us.

This makes me sick to the back teeth when our fans complain about our stewards. Please remember

ALL OUR STEWARDS ARE VOLUNTARY.
Personally I do it so I can give a little back to the club that has given me so much enjoyment over the last 18 years. This regularly means I miss most of the game, have to tell the little kids whos parents don't give a sh1t to stop running, get down off the barriers and get behind the barriers. Of which sometimes your son is one.

I don't have to take the abuse I get, the ignorance week in week out, but i do, and until you are willing to make a commitment like that i suggest you keep your gob shut.

You do not know what went on in the york end on saturday. And before you praise the holier than though darren randolph ask why he chose to incite the york fans into throwing stuff at him after our second goal. Also ask our other players who scored in the first half why they went to the york fans to celebrate their goal and why gary roberts was booked for inciting the crowd.

You say we were embarrassing, what was embarrassing was the conduct of our own playing staff and the complete lack of common sense.

When you feel like a big enough man to take on the situation we did on saturday then come to me and we'll put you in a jacket infront of the york thugs from saturday and see what you do.

I'm willing to bet you'd end up in hospital.

As it was the second half went ahead thanks to the stewards and police, who were also getting things thrown at them and spat at. Even two of yorks own directors were helpless in the situation.

Please next time before you post sh1te like that think about what you're saying. Oh and the reason the stewards were pitchside was for their and the fans own safety. Like it sates in our training.

Willie Miller · 31-10-2005, 16:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparkie

Willie miller you know nothing about stewarding, unless of course your hiding certain qualifications away from us.

This makes me sick to the back teeth when our fans complain about our stewards. Please remember

ALL OUR STEWARDS ARE VOLUNTARY.
Personally I do it so I can give a little back to the club that has given me so much enjoyment over the last 18 years. This regularly means I miss most of the game, have to tell the little kids whos parents don't give a sh1t to stop running, get down off the barriers and get behind the barriers. Of which sometimes your son is one.

I don't have to take the abuse I get, the ignorance week in week out, but i do, and until you are willing to make a commitment like that i suggest you keep your gob shut.

You do not know what went on in the york end on saturday. And before you praise the holier than though darren randolph ask why he chose to incite the york fans into throwing stuff at him after our second goal. Also ask our other players who scored in the first half why they went to the york fans to celebrate their goal and why gary roberts was booked for inciting the crowd.

You say we were embarrassing, what was embarrassing was the conduct of our own playing staff and the complete lack of common sense.

When you feel like a big enough man to take on the situation we did on saturday then come to me and we'll put you in a jacket infront of the york thugs from saturday and see what you do.

I'm willing to bet you'd end up in hospital.

As it was the second half went ahead thanks to the stewards and police, who were also getting things thrown at them and spat at. Even two of yorks own directors were helpless in the situation.

Please next time before you post sh1te like that think about what you're saying. Oh and the reason the stewards were pitchside was for their and the fans own safety. Like it sates in our training.

Get off your high horse never said it was stewards fault, I even spoke about it to you personally after the game & said the same thing

I said we should have prepared better, employed a few more & not tried to "cross our fingers" & hope nothing happens!

As for the dig about my children??????????????????????????

Whalley Red · 31-10-2005, 16:17

What is the situation regarding stewarding at other clubs? Do they all rely on vounteers?

Clearly voluntary stewarding is not effective when there are more than 500 opposing fans and that will always be the case at bigger and more local games and it is these games that generate the passion on the pitch and off it. To blame our players for what happened is scandalous.

There was a basic lack of enforcement of ground rules from the very beginning. Whether it was effective entry into the game - it's hardly Hillsborough, but that is what can happen if fan safety is not put first - or a lack of shepherding the York fans behind the barrier. That is for their safety and also that of our own goalkeeper. The club failed in that respect on Saturday.

sparkie · 31-10-2005, 16:22

look willie you did say a few things to me after the game but to say well done to the stewards and then call us embarrassing what kind of reaction do you expect from me. Nice to see you spreading your comments around other forums as well though so its not just ours.

And yes your lad does run around the ground and yes i have had to tell him off, not trying to insult you just stating a fact that as stewards we are not baby sitters!!!

Anyway i think you've got some of it right when you said we should have employed more. Yes we should start by employing on a wage our own gate people and stewards like every other club in the conference I mean FFS we don't even get a brew.

To be honest with the treatment we get from home and away fans alike each week it isn't worth it. some of us just love the club enough to put that to the back of our minds and get on with the job.

Willie Miller · 31-10-2005, 16:30

You've got it all wrong, thats why I said get off your high horse!!!!!

You, the stewards weren't embaressing! But the some total of how we handled the situation was

AMATUER

UNPROFESSIONAL

LAUGHABLE

EMBARESSING

The Club should now have a look at what we will do the next time 50 or so yobs want to come to Accy & have a plan! We go away & aren't allowed to fart!!!!! We should have paid to have a few more, simple. We should have paid for a couple of coppers. We should have had a 2nd entrance for the away fans. Etc Etc

We could be a League club next season Sparkie!!! You want that every week!!!!!

zayno14 · 31-10-2005, 16:54

I think what loweiy was saying was spot on, the club should bite the bullet and pay for police, it will only be a few games a season e.g. york and morecambe but at the end of the day it will pay off

maccawozzagod · 31-10-2005, 19:18

One of my thoughts is that we are not ready for league football.

SPUGGIE J · 31-10-2005, 19:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by maccawozzagod

One of my thoughts is that we are not ready for league football.

If they have trouble with fans here I would hate to think what would happen with fans from a club like Port Vale.

Outback Ozzy · 31-10-2005, 19:40

Please, children, Sparkie, you are spot on, congratulations on a job well done and well handled. Secondly, opening a gate and paying a bouncer is tantamount to another Hillsborough if we are not careful. I personally used to be a steward at Stanley, Man utd, lancashire Cricket ground and Wigan Athletic and Warriors. If we are to progress upwards, I fear all stewards may need a professional qualification up to NVQ level and may also include a first aid qualification as well. I also think that if we are to progress in the league, we may have to start paying the stewards (usually about £20 a match and £25 for Senior stewards and Ground Regulation Stewards (bouncers)) Now assuming we have 10 stewards, 2 Seniors and 4 GRS that equates to £350 per match. That is what we will have to pay, plus policing possibly. And before anyone asks, no I don't want to do it again I prefer to pay to watch Stanley these days, as Sparkie quite rightly says, the stewards are there to watch the crowd for potential flash points NOT the match. Keep up the good work to all the stewards