Behind the posts

[Guest]

Not had chance to fully read the article on behaviour and stewarding in last night's programme but last night the atmosphere was very unpleasant and I am glad my son was at home in bed. We are in danger of making behind the opposition goal a no go zone!

There appears to be an ever-increasing number of foul mouthed disrespectful individuals who not only make the atmosphere uncomfortable for those of us with young children, but also -"sexist I know- our female supporters!

I am not sure whether the answer is to force the issue and wait for somebody to confront this little mob?

Do we have any "Guardian Angel" volunteers? Am I alone in thinking this behaviour unacceptable?

[timo]

Good point Kevin. Are you talking about one group of supporters in particular or is it a more general concern about the atmosphere?

[Barry Proudfoot]

I think there is always going to be swearing on the terraces especially in the heat of the moment.

 

I agree in some part with what you are saying Kevin, although I didn't notice any uncomfotable atmosphere last night, but I have done in other games this season.

[paulc27]

I do agree, but to me it does seem to be small minority who are all about 12-16 years old, surely this can be stopped with ease? obvioulsy its a passionate game and people will swear, its all part of the game and happens on the pitch, in the dugout (especially in boretree's dugout!!), and on the side line. If you watch football on tv you can lip read players swearing. Its not a new thing but for the most part i dont think people are offended but when its a little group of chavs that are swearing for the sake of it then its just wrong. Personally i would rather see 10 off the gate than listen to these little brats who think they are funny.

[&yB]

You don’t always want to report any unpleasantness at your club on your own forum, others may take advantage of it, but it is important that everyone reads, digests and acts upon the Policing Ourselves… article in last night’s programme. I know that neither the club officials or BTSA committee condoned the recent slipping of behaviour standards, and we are working to stamp this out without going over the top for what we believe is not a big problem, only a blip. We really don’t want to have employed stewards telling us want to do where to stand etc, it’s the freedom and friendliness of non-league football that makes it attractive to many of us, so we must all work together to minimise any anti-social behaviour at our games. We know it’s only a few who are spoiling it for the rest of us and our potential new fans too, and are closing in on identifying who you are too.

[Guest]

The general atmosphere at the club, the ground, the whole place basically is terrific!

It is definitely not a criticism of our support for the team which is great!

It appears to me to be just a group of young lads behind the goal determined to really abuse the other team, officials and so on! I know sometimes the other team officials and so on do deserve some abuse but this is completely over the top!

[GazzaBTFC]

I think the general atmosphere is good but are we talking about a small contigent of young lads here? If so, we have their number and on the back of the article, the BTSA will be speaking to the club to about procedures as to how to deal with them, and others, to be implimented this Saturday.

 

If it was left to myself, I would've kick the little sod's out but that is really a last resort. We don't want to make this an unhappy club where you can't enjoy yourselves and watch a good game with the odd "slip" in language (lets face it, I'm no angel in that respect - I shall improve...I promise - and we all do it).

 

I cannot see any reason why, with a sensible attitude, we cannot police ourselves and if things happen that are NOT in keeping with the "rules" of good behaviour, the guilty party be dealt with in a firm and fair manner.

[Essendon Bomber]

I thought the atmosphere was feisty last night, but I wouldn't have said unpleasant. Perhaps I missed something.

There certainly has been some unnecessary and unacceptable behaviour from some of the youngsters in previous games, which has been discussed in previous threads, though I felt that it hadn't resurfaced in the last couple of matches. If it is the youngsters that are the problem, I'm sure a bit of self policing on our part will do the trick. If its general heat of the moment swearing that offends, well that's football terraces and I'm as guilty as any.

I'd a teacher with me at the Exeter game who commented to me at half time about the language. Seem to recall his own self-restraint evaporating when the equaliser went in...

[Kevin M (CCFC)]

..and of course you have a teacher coaching and another teacher in goal...bet language from both of them can be a bit choice at times!

[jl]

There appears to be a small number of youngsters that are just out to cause a bit of grief. It's easy..just kick them out..they are neither wanted nor needed.

[timo]

I dont think these lads should be kicked out just like that, perhaps an official warning would do the trick to stop the nasty side. They are probably good fans behind the bravado and could turn into loyal supporters in the future once they calm down.

[extaffyjim]

Hard to judge without being there. If its the same as the lads who were at the Bryco cup game earlier in the season, then they should go really, as they clearly had no interest in the game.

However, if theyre actually supporting us, and get a bit mouthy or whatever, well thats no worse than some of the adult fans. And thats not a dig, i include myself in that.

Someone said on the ryman forum that a coin was thrown onto the pitch. Any truth in that?

[BrightBlue]

Quote:

Someone said on the ryman forum that a coin was thrown onto the pitch. Any truth in that?

The lads involved are not fans. They are not swearing out of frustration. They are doing it because they think it is funny. I on the other hand do not. Yes the atmosphere where I was standing was unpleasent. Not only was there swearing at the away team and the officials but they were also mimicking our supporters when they were cheering on the team. This is not on!

As for the coin throwing.... yes it did happen. Two coins were thrown. By whom? I didn't see. One is probably still on the pitch as no one picked it up. The other coin was directed at their number 7, who picked it up and then threw it back at the lads. The lads then... wait for it.... started shouting at the ref that he had thrown the coins! Unbelievable!

Standing behind the goal used to be enjoyable... for how much longer.... I don't know.

[Dan Sampford]

He at one point put it in his sock

[Anglian]

This is my first post.

 

Over the years there have been lots of occasions when I thought a post was needed. But in the end I couldn't be bothered to log on.

 

But the issue of the juveniles behind the goal has moved me to contribute.

 

The behaviour of these youngsters is awful. The post that said they are just swearing for swearing's sake was spot on. I didn't see a coin thrown, but certainly a visiting player tossed a coin into the crowd - it wasn't thrown as such. You could then hear a coin being kicked around the metal stand.

 

On some occaisons the crowd behind the goal and the 'keeper establish something of a rapport. Some goalies clap the fans after the game and the crowd sometimes applaud the goalie, whatever the result. This won't happen now.

 

It pains me to think that the Club will certainly get a bad name among others clubs.

 

I am not a regular at New Lodge anymore (not for this reason, I have moved house), but get to most evening games (and, yes, alright, the glory Saturday games too). In times past, people from work or friends have come along. I wouldn't encourage them to come if they were thinking of standing with me in my favourite spot. As for bringing the other half - think again. While my wife came along from time to time, I don't even ask her now.

 

So what to do about it?

 

Ian's message, well written and all, wouldn't have been read by the villains of the piece. I suppose it is up to us to tackle them. Again, in the past, when I was a club official (what a give away) from time to time I would speak to people who were spoiling it for others (or coming in free through a gap in the fence). But no, I don't think I want the harrasment - these foul mouthed youngsters are, as a group, quite threatening. The crowds were thinner in my time too and I think the boys see the large crowds a an opportunity to disappear among a sea of faces - I wonder too whether the darkness 'helps' them?

 

My choices are to put up with it, stand elsewhere, or, on balance, not visit New Lodge at all.

 

I think a couple of matches with yellow-jacketed 'stewards' with cameras might do the trick, but, again, I am looking for someone else to do it, not me.

 

By the way, as I said, i don't visit often. About 18 months ago the games were awful. Many people changed the habits of a lifetime and simply didn't come anymore - alternatives were more attractive. On the evidence of the Slough and Staines game, the club now has a product that is very attractive - the final outcome of both matches, very much like Northood, was in doubt until the last few minutes. This is what brings people down, fine football, genuine excitement and , for the most part, a content crowd.

 

Let's hpe it carries on.

 

(Braintree was an abberation - George Borg had so motivated his side that few could have lived with them - trust me, I've seen them several times over the last few seasons, and that performance was exceptional. That isn't to say they won't be a place either side of us at season's end, but I think we ought to enjoy this competition.)

 

If you've got this far, thanks for persevering [color:"black"] [/color]

[GazzaBTFC]

All I've been reading is that there is a group of 12 - 16 year old boys (being polite here through gritted teeth and fingers) that are the main cause of the problem. They have been spoken to and they have been told. If anyone has been witness to thier behaviour, why hasn't anyone come and told either a club official or a member of the BTSA committe? At the time of the incident?

 

There is only one way to deal with those people and that is to chuck 'em out!!! If no one wishes to do so, I will. I have given the club my support (of various degrees) since 1974 and it has always been a friendly club. I do not wish for that to change. As for the allegation that some of them a associated with the club as a youth player, then they should be dealt with by either the Chairman, thier manager or both!!!

 

(PS - if I had my way, I'd build some stocks, I'd wheel 'em out in to the middle of the pitch before kick off and at half time, I'll put the little b*gg**s in there and we can all throw things at 'em!!! Squshy, stainy, mucky things - They had the right idea in the middle ages!!! Problem with society today is that a clip round the ear hole is unacceptable and if I have ever seen a group of lads the require that sort of policing, it is them!!! Never did me any harm. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />).

[c'mon ricay]

I know who these individuals are from days at Mayflower School, they are on mass thoroughly nasty pieces of work. A bunch of little chavs who spend most of their time hanging around Lake Meadows Park in numbers up to 100 on weekends making it a no go area unless you went to be beaten up or lose you’re possessions and were most probably the people dealing drugs in the park as I have it on good authority it was them. As far as I am aware from the few times I have been to games this season, owing to being at uni they have shown no interest in the game whatsoever and frankly if they have thrown coins at opposition players they should be banned as we don’t want the name of the club tarnished by such people (if you can call them that, bloody chav scum). But we can go to far with this as we could end up with the absurd and totally unpolicable situation when swearing was banned (for about ten minutes) as football is a passionate game etc, etc Hopefully. we don’t have to resort to stewards as that gives an impression that we are club where trouble occurs and creates an unpleasant and unfriendly atmosphere and costs the club money which could be better spent. It may be an idea to have a child and family seating area designated as a non-swearing zone to encourage people with young families etc to come along may get the gates up but against when I was a youngster I use to sit with my dad in the pacman stand and as far I can remember the language was always fairly clean

[Nitetime Neil]

Quote:

"if I had my way, I'd build some stocks, I'd wheel 'em out in to the middle of the pitch before kick off and at half time, I'll put the little b*gg**s in there and we can all throw things at 'em!!! Squshy, stainy, mucky things - They had the right idea in the middle ages!!!"

Hey, you've hit on something here Gaz - sounds more fun than even the kids penalty shoot outs last season!!! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[EFM The Firm, The Voice]

Quote:

As for bringing the other half - think again. While my wife came along from time to time, I don't even ask her now.

What about the other half though?

I don't know why you're all moaning about these kids, they are obviously young and impressinable so maybe they've seen older 'ricky fans behave in a anti-social way, can't imagine when though <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Just get them to form a comedy firm and to channel thier efforts through mindless posts on other peoples message boards. I hear that's worked at other clubs. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

[GazzaBTFC]

Of course it does Thornsey but hey, how many times have St Albans fans been pulled up for throwing things on the pitch and being drunk and disorderly? And when you lot get found out you go bleating all over the forum of how hard done by you are.

 

If there were a bunch of supporters that were so full of bullsh*t at times it you lot.