Safety of away fans and Stewards - poor!

[herefordbull]

I am a Hereford fan and I did not have the best of experiences today attending the game. I have been to valley parade around 2 or 3 times before today and never had or seen any problems.

It started off with numerous Hereford fans including myself being given warning from stewards for taking pictures, which is apparently against the law. I tried to explaining that I have been to a lot of grounds in the UK and abroad watching Hereford, England and other clubs and never been told I was breaking the law. For my explanation, I was then told I was being rude and abrupt toward the steward and I could ever return to my seat or be removed from the ground.

Then second half some of your stewards chose to ask the hereford fans to sit down even though we had been stood for the whole of the first half and around 15-20 minutes of the second. 1 fan said to the steward why are you asking us to when around the ground there is numerous home fans are stood. The steward's reply was they are in a different area, so can do what the stewards in those areas want. As the Hereford fan tried to explain a few things in a non aggressive or abusive way he was removed from the ground.

As he made his exit down the stairs another fan who knew who was near the bottom got up to ask why his friend was being thrown out only to be asked to leave for questioning a stewards authority. He then tried to calmly ask why he was being removed as his friend next to him watched the game. The steward said to his friend next to him can you move for him to get out and his reply was yes 1 second let me see the Hereford chance, the next thing the steward yanked him out of his seat, pushed him into a wall then he tried to steady himself only to be pushed into a wall a further 2 more times. If that was in the street that would be assault.

During the game we were goaded and gestured at by some of your so called fans, only several occasions we were goaded with slit throat gestures. Reported them to steward who laughed and just generally did not care.

After the game we left the ground where there was no police about just 1 or 2 stewards dotted about. There was around 30-40 youngster hanging round the corners by the away end and around 10 or more men who were clearly looking for trouble. As around 15 hereford walked the short 50 yards to the mini bus they were surrounded and then ended up getting attacked and had to defend themselves or someone would of been seriously injured. 1 women was punched and 1 women was spat at. After a few minutes of defending themselves some steward decided to come and police come not long after.

When some fans explained what happened like women getting spat or punched, 1 or 2 steward laughed and 1 even commented you had it coming to you for your conduct inside the ground.

When the fans spoke to the police they told us that the club do not want police near the ground and to only respond if any incidents occur.

The way the safety is/was run, I don't know how you ever were a premiership or championship club if you can't maintain 11.000 fans.

The sore point is going to be your loyal and law abiding fans who come to Hereford will now have problems as our trouble makers will hear about today and will try have a pop.

I had a great day in Bradford and we were totally outplayed but this put a downer on another good day out in Bradford.

[Giantstrawstacks]

Next time feel free to bring some of those SAS boys from Hereford to sort our yoof.

We're sick of those trash, they're ticks in the mane of our club

[Lofty]

I think you've said it yourself there mate - 30/40 out of 11,000. What percentage is that??

I think the lack of police is down to the fact that Hereford at home is hardly a big game and as such does not require a massive police presence. The stewards have a reputaion for being w@nkers but that's true at 95% of clubs, what do you expect for £5 an hour??

As for the young trouble makers they are nothing but scroats and the true City fans would like nothing more than to give them little bastards a bloody good hiding.

As I say 40 out of 11,000 goes to show that the majority of our fans are decent and well behaved. If there is trouble at the return fixture then that's not our fault, Hereford fans obviously aren't perfect either then if they want to retaliate?

[Kung fu Kanie!!]

We need these yooof coonts taking down a peg or two!!

[jimmy]

I am a Hereford fan and I did not have the best of experiences today attending the game. I have been to valley parade around 2 or 3 times before today and never had or seen any problems.

It started off with numerous Hereford fans including myself being given warning from stewards for taking pictures, which is apparently against the law. I tried to explaining that I have been to a lot of grounds in the UK and abroad watching Hereford, England and other clubs and never been told I was breaking the law. For my explanation, I was then told I was being rude and abrupt toward the steward and I could ever return to my seat or be removed from the ground.

Then second half some of your stewards chose to ask the hereford fans to sit down even though we had been stood for the whole of the first half and around 15-20 minutes of the second. 1 fan said to the steward why are you asking us to when around the ground there is numerous home fans are stood. The steward's reply was they are in a different area, so can do what the stewards in those areas want. As the Hereford fan tried to explain a few things in a non aggressive or abusive way he was removed from the ground.

As he made his exit down the stairs another fan who knew who was near the bottom got up to ask why his friend was being thrown out only to be asked to leave for questioning a stewards authority. He then tried to calmly ask why he was being removed as his friend next to him watched the game. The steward said to his friend next to him can you move for him to get out and his reply was yes 1 second let me see the Hereford chance, the next thing the steward yanked him out of his seat, pushed him into a wall then he tried to steady himself only to be pushed into a wall a further 2 more times. If that was in the street that would be assault.

During the game we were goaded and gestured at by some of your so called fans, only several occasions we were goaded with slit throat gestures. Reported them to steward who laughed and just generally did not care.

After the game we left the ground where there was no police about just 1 or 2 stewards dotted about. There was around 30-40 youngster hanging round the corners by the away end and around 10 or more men who were clearly looking for trouble. As around 15 hereford walked the short 50 yards to the mini bus they were surrounded and then ended up getting attacked and had to defend themselves or someone would of been seriously injured. 1 women was punched and 1 women was spat at. After a few minutes of defending themselves some steward decided to come and police come not long after.

When some fans explained what happened like women getting spat or punched, 1 or 2 steward laughed and 1 even commented you had it coming to you for your conduct inside the ground.

When the fans spoke to the police they told us that the club do not want police near the ground and to only respond if any incidents occur.

The way the safety is/was run, I don't know how you ever were a premiership or championship club if you can't maintain 11.000 fans.

The sore point is going to be your loyal and law abiding fans who come to Hereford will now have problems as our trouble makers will hear about today and will try have a pop.

I had a great day in Bradford and we were totally outplayed but this put a downer on another good day out in Bradford.

I am very sorry to hear of your bad day at our ground Bully. The stewards at Bratfud are b'astards of the highest order and they have even goaded fans to react. The problem seemed to have been alleviated in the home ends after numerous complaints from our fans to the club, looks like they have chosen to Bully the away fans now.

The young lads are known as the youth and are little scroats who seem to have a pop at anyone and are giving the club a bad name. Normally the police at the games are on top of the hooligans and it is very rare we have any trouble at any games now a days. Its away games when the old hooligans pick a game to turn up at when there seems to be trouble.

Once again sorry about your experience at VP and for your friends who got attacked.

[Parrot]

Sorry to hear of your unpleasant visit and i agree our stewards are complete fcukwits of the highest order

Unfortunately we seem to have a problem with an hardcore "Yoof" who are cowardly b4stards who think attacking normal rival fans who have come to watch the game is OK.

They are no way connected with the Bradford City "firm" and are a complete disgrace to BCFC in general, as are our stewards!

Next time you visit drop me a PM and i will ensure your next visit to VP is a better one

[herefordbull]

well like I said I visited when we beat you last time and had a cracking day out and today we were in the beehive and weatherspoons before game mingling with bradford fans.

So thanks for comments, I think there maybe a few letters arriving at VP next week, if the posties are not on strike as a few fans in our neck of the wood were not happy today.

[Giantstrawstacks]

It started off with numerous Hereford fans including myself being given warning from stewards for taking pictures, which is apparently against the law. I tried to explaining that I have been to a lot of grounds in the UK and abroad watching Hereford, England and other clubs and never been told I was breaking the law.

It's not against the law as such, certainly not criminal law. But it's a breach of ticket conditions to take pictures - but I believe this only applies to the field of play & during the game. After all prior to kick off parents take photos of their kids being mascots. AFAIK this is policy at all league clubs and for copyright reasons. But I certainly see nothing wrong in taking pictures of each other in the stadium.

Did you take any pictures of our yoof?- would be post 'em on a "wall of scroats"

[Spoonhead]

Worth a read:

http://bcafc.livewwware.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=50374

[jimmy]

well like I said I visited when we beat you last time and had a cracking day out and today we were in the beehive and weatherspoons before game mingling with bradford fans.

So thanks for comments, I think there maybe a few letters arriving at VP next week, if the posties are not on strike as a few fans in our neck of the wood were not happy today.

The club listened to what our fans had to say about the gestapo stewards, so you might actually get a response and some warnings handed out.

[Giantstrawstacks]

Anyone else think it's about time we ended crowd segregation for games like Hereford?

The segragation seems to cause more problems than it solves at games like this. Obviously for games like L66ds it's still be needed..

[jimmy]

Anyone else think it's about time we ended crowd segregation for games like Hereford?

The segragation seems to cause more problems than it solves at games like this. Obviously for games like L66ds it's still be needed..

No! Every team has its dickheads who will see it as a chance to goad fans and cause twubble.

[Portadown Loyal]

City seems to suffer (if thats what you want to call it) for three different sets o lads (firms)

Obviously they have the Ointment but these guys are I reckon roughly 25 plus upwards in age, Then theirs the Youth who are late teens early twenties and then this emergance of the new U.5's I believe their called who are literally still school kids and these are the lot who week in week out cause bother along Midland road.

The actual youth you will find, well I found quite a few of them are semi decent lads, Have met a few of them or so at recent gatherings shall we say, Along with the actual Ointment lads.

Its these knobbers in the U'5s or whatever there called that are troubling the club and going to get them fined as its them who are doing the pitch invasions and the lobbing of stuff onto the pitch and at goalkeepers, but unfortunately this comes along with the cheap season ticket territory as they have to pay a pittance at that age. They have quite a few vids on youtube,

Had quite a few f/book requests from some of them in the u.5s, all fantastically denied as not a peado lol but they all seem to come from Thornton Grammer, must be something they teach in home economics

[sweetcakes]

About time the older lads put the ****ers in there place picking on Hereford ffs how sad can you go whats betting if we diddraw l666s in a cup game Midland RD would not have a single one of these twats hanging around

[beer and footie]

walking down the midland road yesterday, i passed by the naughty children.
I couldnt see a single copper along the entire midland road.
That for me is a first

[mowgli]

walking down the midland road yesterday, i passed by the naughty children.
I couldnt see a single copper along the entire midland road.
That for me is a first

The coppers will have their heads screwed on, if you lock up one of these little bast@rds you're going to spend the rest of the shift babysitting while you wait for an appropriate adult. With the way these vermin have been brought up that could be a very long wait as the parents are most likely at the post office putting the lottery on, buying 10 scratchcards, a bottle of lambrini and 20 cigs. I was hoping to see a Hereford fan just go wading into them yesterday with fists flying, it would have been like Moses parting the seas, you'd have never seen so many sh!t filled tracky bottoms.

[Jose]

Sorry fella to hear about it, most of our lot in the Kop saw the trouble and immediately thought it was the Secret Police (stewards) who were to blame, which shows the amount of faith we have in them.

Suggest you write in FAO Mark Lawn club chairman and he'll sort it out. It's a joke of the highest order and embarassing. I often like to goad our stewards, wtf are that lot doing who parade in front of the Kop whenever there is a goalmouth incident?

The ones nearest the Sunwin looked like Al Qaeda's secret SS, not a word of the Queen's between em.

[emj]

Anyone else think it's about time we ended crowd segregation for games like Hereford?

The segragation seems to cause more problems than it solves at games like this. Obviously for games like L66ds it's still be needed..

No! I sit in the top row of the E block. I started to sit there last season when it was fairly empty.
Gradually that area is filling up. There are quite a few "young ones" coming sitting there, and there is one obvious reason. They are next to the away fans.

I dont think the Hereford fans did anything wrong. Most of them looked a mature age (old git like me ).
The stewards were not in the most pleasant of moods. They looked like they were up for something, walking around glaring at folk.

I park on the midland Road. The usual young chavs were there at the end of the game. There is more of them now, each week the numbers are growing.
Every game the police are there with the cameras, videoing the crowd. Yesterday for the first time they wasnt there, and it kicked off.

[emj]

Now I heard a little whisper a few weeks back. One of the little trouble causers on the midland road has a dad who is in the police force.

[Johnny Yen]

Sorry to hear of your bad experience at City.
Please don't tar us all with the same brush; the vast majority of us pride ourselves with being a friendly welcoming club.

We have issues ourselves, mainly with the prick that's employed as safety officer.

If you ever visit again, like Parrot says get in touch and we'll give you a hospitable welcome.
And if any of the kiddies bother you, we'll knock the little bastards spark out.
(It’s how we still deal with delinquents up here )

I am a Hereford fan and I did not have the best of experiences today attending the game. I have been to valley parade around 2 or 3 times before today and never had or seen any problems.
.