Stewarding Issues

[Fezpian]

I noticed some of our stewards trying to eject a dapper looking old age pensioner from the Stonebridge Rd stand for the monstrous crime of taking a traditional celebratory swig from his hip flask after a Fleet goal went in. I guess they had a sting in their tails from the Northwich game when the 'Brain Dead' got the better of them and upset a few Northwich fans by their moronic threatening behaviour. Perhaps instead of soft targeting these vulnerable old folk, who can still conjure up a well thought out and coherent sentence, they should clamp down on the extreme bad language and that beats with the drum and is abhorrent to those supporters that still keep the bed upright with their theasaurus.

[Emily]

I wonder if that was the same steward making a show of himself in the bar at half time.

 

Loved the way he thought he could justify his appalling behaviour by saying "You don't pay my wages"! Fair play to the guy in the away shirt who retorted that as a season ticket holder he does pay his wages.

 

The stewards then stormed the away end. They only brought about 30 supportes, why did 5 stewards need to deal with them?

 

Think we need to be a little bit selective with our stewards next season, before we get ourselves a bad reputation.

[Riverview Supporter]

Apparantly someone tried to climb a barrier and was chucked out so someone else complained.

 

 

[Andy Y. (G&NFC)]

I was in the bar during the altercation and as I left I could hear a steward on one of their radios asking for some sort of help with problems in the away end, so it would have been very difficult for a steward to be at both ends at the same time and to have changed sex as well!

 

As for the Problems with the away end? I would have thought the fact we had to be segregated when they had so few supporters might have given you a clue that they have a reputation for being troublesome. There looked to be one or two of them who looked well oiled to me which could explain why they were kicked out.

 

Our stewards may or may not be the best you will ever see and I would agree that one or two are jobsworths, however they are light-years ahead of some of the stewards at other grounds! Northwich and Rushden being two prime examples. If they didnt do the job, you wouldn't be able to watch a game so don't criticise to much!

[PatMan]

Originally Posted By: Andy Y. (G&NFC)

I was in the bar during the altercation and as I left I could hear a steward on one of their radios asking for some sort of help with problems in the away end, so it would have been very difficult for a steward to be at both ends at the same time and to have changed sex as well!

As for the Problems with the away end? I would have thought the fact we had to be segregated when they had so few supporters might have given you a clue that they have a reputation for being troublesome. There looked to be one or two of them who looked well oiled to me which could explain why they were kicked out.

Our stewards may or may not be the best you will ever see and I would agree that one or two are jobsworths, however they are light-years ahead of some of the stewards at other grounds! Northwich and Rushden being two prime examples. If they didnt do the job, you wouldn't be able to watch a game so don't criticise to much!

I can confirm that the steward from the bar 'incident' was also involved at the away end, he just walked/ran after he took the radio message! And who said anything about sex change? I know some of them are 'big girls blouses', but this would have to have been a seriously ugly woman!
And as paying fans we have every right to criticise the stewards, just as we have a right to criticise players and managers etc. If these stewards cause more problems than they prevent, they will give GNFC a bad name throughout the league - surely something we want to avoid after Thursday night!

[redowl]

I would like to remind the stewards and directors that the person who was subjected to that verbal ear bashing by three stewards, was one of the Loyal400 and over the years donated a great deal to this club when it realy needed it.I wonder if they would be as loyal if We didnt pay them as they were told yesterday so please stewards these people have fought and died for freedom of speech, for you as well as themselves so keep that in mind next time.

[BustaGut]

I remember back in the 70,s being called the faithful 5 hundred never the loyal 400 .

from where I was situated in the ground,It looked to me as if they, threw out a young child, a chap in his 80,s and one rather large gentleman, if it was as stated for drinking out of a hip flask, unless that was a pee take there, then they will have to stop the drinking that takes place outside the club bar surley ???

[jc]

It's only drinking in view of the pitch that is prohibited.

[BustaGut]

Originally Posted By: jc

It's only drinking in view of the pitch that is prohibited.

I must admit I have failed to see any signs prohibiting drinking etc around the ground,only the likes of the no smoking signs around the old stand, guess I need to look harder

[Big J R]

Some very interesting points here.

 

All county F.A.'s have clamped down over the last two seasons with regard to alcohol at grounds, with guidance from the local police forces.

 

Although I find the case of having a quick nip from a hip flask by a senior citizen and being ejected quite ridiculous, the idea behind the alcohol ban is two fold.

 

1) Obviously the intoxication issue.

2) The weapon issue. (i.e. Bottles/glasses)

 

We at Dorking recently entertained firstly Portsmouth F.C. and then a team from Crystal Palace F.C., who both bought many many supporters for benefit games for our late captain, Stewart Vaughan who recently succumbed to cancer at the young age of 28.

 

Both away teams later thanked us for our friendly welcome and hospitality.

 

I had the honour to assist our safety officer and have to say that stewarding was a pleasure with only one very minor infringement.

 

The whole idea behind stewarding is to be firm, fair, BUT polite !

 

If people have an issue with ground stewards, their first course of action is to WRITE to the Club Secretary. If this fails to get a satisfactory response, then write to the F.A.

[Stu M]

Just out of interest, if the chap in question was taking a swig out of a hip flask, I assume the stewards knew for a fact it was whiskey or such like and not Horlicks, Dandelion & Burdock or non-alcoholic Kaliber?

[Andy Y. (G&NFC)]

As I said in my earlier post......

 

The St Albans game had to be segregated because some of their supporters have caused problems at other grounds this season.

 

Now I'm not claiming to be an expert on drunks (actually I am but thats another story!) but if the gentleman who was thrown out was stone cold sober, you can smack me around the face with a wet fish. ( Cue several replies from St Albans fans who claim he is a member of the Salvation Army!)

 

All I'm trying to say is thay the stewards do a hard job and if they werent there we would be up that brown creek without a paddle. Some are good, some not so and some appear to be piss poor, but give them a chance!

 

As an aside, I was carrying a radio that I use at work on Thursday and I was spotted and spoken to in a polite and courteous manner by all concerned and one of the first ones to act was one of the "little blonde females" that a couple of people are keen to criticise. So she was awake at least "some" of the time!

[Laz]

It was sad to see your stewards taking the standard Conference approach on Saturday! One in particular completely lost control. Here's my view of events as an away fan...

 

One of our supporters, his family and couple of kids had had a few too many drinks in the pub near the ground before the game. He was was boasting how he was going in the home end so that he could use your bar at half time.

 

Having gained entry, rather than keep quiet he started singing. According to him some friendly banter ensued; not surprisingly he and his posse were returned to the away end, much to the disappointment of all those already standing there.

 

At half time he asked one of your stewards if he could go to the pub. He was told he could, but a female steward refused to let us all out. He continued to argue and eventually insulted her using abusive language.

 

A gang of your stewards, quite rightly, came to eject him. An argument started and one of our fans filmed it. The steward then grabbed the guy's phone and started to demand that he delete everything.

 

He then tried to grab my phone. I suggested that would be theft. He said that it was illegal to film him under the data protection act. I asked if this was the 1984 act. He declined to answer!

 

The steward then started to get nasty and was continually using his comms to summon some additional assistance.

 

Finally the guy left the ground along with his group of family and friends and returned to the pub.

 

It's a shame stewarding in the Conference needs to be so aggresive. I for one won't miss it as we return to the Conference South next season.

 

Good luck for the future. GNFC is a well run club and an example to the likes of us. Please deal with your stewards.

[AFF]

I well remember one occasion when that particular fan used foul and abusive language to a steward, Laz. It was at the Fortress itself and Gibbo's first game in the chair. The fan was asked politely to show his ticket and then came the abuse - a cigarette was flicked at the steward, the fingers, spat at etc. etc.

 

The fan promptly complained to the new chairman who issued an apology to him in the next matchday programme. I have a copy of it right here, by co-incidence.

 

Perhaps the Board at the 'Fleet might print a suitable apology to him in their first programme next season:

 

"Sorry you were asked to leave after using foul and abusive language to a lady stewrad at Stonebridge Road when The Mighty Saints graced our turf at the last game of the season, old chap. That sort of behaviour is applauded here and the stewards have been disciplined and warned about their future behaviour. Please make yourself known on the next occasion and come to the boardroon where you, your father and your children will be made very welcome, and you can tank yourself up still further at our expense."

 

As a separate subject, the clown and the mobile phone incidents were mildly amusing in their own way, however, and a good example of an over-zealous approach.

[Laz]

I recall the incident. Shocking.

 

I hear said fan had a heated discussion with said chairman last week after the game in the clubhouse.

 

 

[AFF]

What? Not enough apologies to drunken oafs in the matchday programme lately?

 

;-)

[Laz]

Perhaps he was complaining that his bottle of lager was confiscated by our own stewards during the second half against Oxford last week?

[AFF]

Perhaps we should continue this discussion elswhere, Laz, rather than give our good friends from G & N [Kentish men/Men of Kent - it's something to do with the Medway, I think but someone will fill us in, no doubt] the wrong idea.

 

Good luck to you lot in the Conference Nationale next year from me.

 

[We wuz robbed on Saturday!]

[Andy Y. (G&NFC)]

I'm a bit of a loss when it comes to the last couple of posts?

 

If what "Laz" has said is true, I can't actually see what the stewards have done wrong?

 

The bloke is drunk and has abused a steward..... with his kids present (good role model that!) and has been ejected. In order to do that the steward has asked for extra help and (as far as I could see) hands were not laid on him in order to get him out of the ground. Can someone tell me exactly at what point has that become "over zealous?"

 

As for filming? The person filming was on private property. Anyone entering a football ground has to follow the rules and regulations laid down by that club, the F.A and and local (Council, Police, Fire regulations.) If you don't like it you can be refused entry or ejected.

 

Now everyone knows that people use mobiles to film things and in my job its an everyday hazard and one that could certainly be used to get me sacked if I were to slip up. Please believe me when I say that mobiles are dangerous things because the stuff thats filmed can be edited to make scenes look different to what really happened!

 

Most of the time its a thing that people do that Officials just put up with but I can fully understand how and why the stewards would have asked the guy filming to stop, and yes, the Data Protection Act does play a part, but in this case I would imagine that the stewards have come in with an ear-bashing and the filmings been done to provoke a response.

 

Whats important here, is that a drunk (with kids remember) was ejected from our ground after being abusive and "nobody" appears to have been hurt in the act of getting rid of him. His pride may have been hurt and his mates may feel hard done by, but all I can say to that is, "Oh dear, how sad, never mind!"

 

As I've alluded to in earlier posts, I don't think the stewarding at this level is particularly consistant and I reserve the right , as does anyone else, to complain if I've been given a hard time for no good reason. An example being the ridiculous antics of the Rushden "security" this season when they stood two stewards next to my 20 year old daughter, three young teenagers and myself because we had the cheek to stand whenever Gravesend attacked....... and we were in the back row of the stand! now that was over zealous!

 

 

[AFF]

Read the posts again, Andy.

 

I can only speak for myself. The idiot that was asked to leave, and then left, fully deserved his fate. No criticism from me of your people, whatsoever. No finger was laid on him, and your stewards showed the right level of restraint. My suggestion that an apology should be issued to him by your Chairman was intended as an example of 'irony'. A joke if you like. He is a thorough nuisance who should be thrown out more often than he is. That's our fan, I mean, not your Chairman.

 

The steward didn't handle the phone incidents terribly well, whatever were the rights and wrongs of the thing.

 

Good luck next season, once again.