A Steward's viewpoint

[Mr Angry]

Can I just say that the stewards in the Upper West are great, there is no issue with standing during moments of excitement and the only time i have seen a steward in action when confronted with a situation, his actions meant that there were no fisiticuffs, and no-one got thrown out.

[reading_lad]

Can I just say that the stewards in the Upper West are great, there is no issue with standing during moments of excitement and the only time i have seen a steward in action when confronted with a situation, his actions meant that there were no fisiticuffs, and no-one got thrown out.

sorry this made me laugh, west stand standing during moments of excitment

[OldBiscuit]

Oh did they? Well, anyway, it's still rubbish, because I sit to the right of the disabled section and have never seen anyone persistently standing in front of it. The only standing I ever see is at the back of Y25/26.

Theres no persistent standing in front of the disabled fans, but as soon as it gets exciting, all the rows in front are on their feet. Its unfortunate, but not acceptable.

[OldBiscuit]

I only came on here to give you an insight into what it's like. You want answers after answers from me which I simply don't have. I work 5 hours part time per week and do the job i'm told to do.

Stewards and Fans are never going to be the best of friends. When I watch my team play I prefer to stand, it's natural, but when i'm told to sit i sit, simply because I know how annoying it is to have to tell people the same thing over and over. I wasn't expecting you all to start saying "actually yeah we'll all sit down from now on" that wasn't the point of me coming on here. I do a job that i'm employed to. I get told to ask people to sit and that's what I do. If I don't then I get sacked, so it's a no brainer really. I don't know why the FA feel it's dangerous to stand, I don't know why they have other rules as well. I'm personally pro standing, but don't think it's just at Reading where you get told to sit down. It happens everywhere

I think your wasting your time trying to be rational. You and the Ref are in a 'no-win' situation, but without you both there would be no game. Theres nothing worse than some idiot that persistently stands up in front of you, especially when nothing is happening, and when you ask them to sit down, you get attitude. I have seen incidents of bad stewarding, but generally, i think you people do an alright job.

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

I personally believe you're one of the nerdy little fcukers who's told to stand at the back of the concourse for the entire game!

LARGELY stewards are OK. You have bad-bad stewards who really are over zealous and arrogant pricks, then the ones that are really bad - the good-bad ones, who try to reason with you and be your best mate instead of just shutting it and letting you get on with your harmless fun.

[working class hero]

If the stewards have read this load of self serving whining then they may be less tolerant in future..... I would be less likely to be patient if I had read what a low opinion the world had of my role.

[Skin]

I think your wasting your time trying to be rational. You and the Ref are in a 'no-win' situation, but without you both there would be no game. Theres nothing worse than some idiot that persistently stands up in front of you, especially when nothing is happening, and when you ask them to sit down, you get attitude. I have seen incidents of bad stewarding, but generally, i think you people do an alright job.

[STAR Liaison]

LARGELY stewards are OK.

One of the points made to us in the meeting is that if we, the supporters, want more of the OK stewards and have the same stewards every game rather than a load of agency stewards that we can help by not being abusive.

As Yellow Jacket has said the stewards are human and when you are paid for just a few hours then why would you put up with being sworn at and pushed around. To be honest they have my respect for just wearing a yellow jacket as I spent a game shadowing a steward and when I wore the jacket I was amazed at the looks of hate I got by just being there. I was shadowing so I did not do anything but stand there observing and I got abuse for that.

I suppose the point I want to get across is that if the supporters were to make an effort to, if not be nice to stewards, be less nasty then we may find that we too have a more enjoyable game.

And before you say I will be nice if they let me stand, remember it is not them who make the rules and so they cannot make the decision to let you stand. If you want to stand you should be actively lobbying politically to change the law, as that ultimately is the only way to get what you want.

[Forbury Lion]

Can I just say that the stewards in the Upper West are great, there is no issue with standing during moments of excitement and the only time i have seen a steward in action when confronted with a situation, his actions meant that there were no fisiticuffs, and no-one got thrown out.

sorry this made me laugh, west stand standing during moments of excitment

Presumably that time when they were randomly selected for half time pizza?

[Forbury Lion]

LARGELY stewards are OK.

You mean the fat ones because they can't climb up to the top of the East Stand?

[Skin]

If you want to stand you should be actively lobbying politically to change the law, as that ultimately is the only way to get what you want.

..So what do the club think about this? Will they support their suporters or keep ignoring the issue and just hide behind their threats?

Did you actually ask them at 'the meeting'?

[STAR Liaison]

If you want to stand you should be actively lobbying politically to change the law, as that ultimately is the only way to get what you want.

..So what do the club think about this? Will they support their suporters or keep ignoring the issue and just hide behind their threats?

Did you actually ask them at 'the meeting'?

The point I was trying to make is that it is up to the individual to do something rather than always expecting the club to 'fight your battles for you'.

Not that this is the only way - but it IS the only way YOU can influence the laws. The club is not ignoring the issue, but it is not for them to change the law, and some politicians are not ignoring it but as they can change the law it makes sense for the individual to lobby their MP about it too.

[Hoop Blah]

The point I was trying to make is that it is up to the individual to do something rather than always expecting the club to 'fight your battles for you'.

Not that this is the only way - but it IS the only way YOU can influence the laws. The club is not ignoring the issue, but it is not for them to change the law, and some politicians are not ignoring it but as they can change the law it makes sense for the individual to lobby their MP about it too.

The clubs carry much more weight with the powers that be though.

The supporter representation groups like yourselves have more weight with the clubs than individual fans and thats why you're being asked to push the case with the club.

[Royal Lady]

The steward right down the front of Y24 was watching the game, every time I looked at him. HTH.

[STAR Liaison]

The point I was trying to make is that it is up to the individual to do something rather than always expecting the club to 'fight your battles for you'.

Not that this is the only way - but it IS the only way YOU can influence the laws. The club is not ignoring the issue, but it is not for them to change the law, and some politicians are not ignoring it but as they can change the law it makes sense for the individual to lobby their MP about it too.

The clubs carry much more weight with the powers that be though.

The supporter representation groups like yourselves have more weight with the clubs than individual fans and thats why you're being asked to push the case with the club.

That is true, and why supporters groups are trying to get the law changed. My point is that when there is a variety of opinion within the supporters repreesntative body (and there is according to the very few emails actually sent to STAR on the matter), it is more important that an individual should make their opinion known to the politicians who are the only ones who can change the law that governs the rules on standing.

[Seal]

Y26 had a little pick at the stewards last night when told to sit down. Half hearted attempt at 'Stand up if you hate stewards' followed by a slightly fuller redendition of 'go get a proper job' which I think the steward seemed to take as a bit of light hearted banter.

I decided last night that another thing that annoys me about stewards is the way they stand up when you do. I sit in row D in Y26, and when there is a moment of excitement and we stand the female steward down at the front follows suit. It is very pointless and bugs me. She knows full well we're going to sit back down when the attack finishes!

[Sharpy]

Y26 had a little pick at the stewards last night when told to sit down. Half hearted attempt at 'Stand up if you hate stewards' followed by a slightly fuller redendition of 'go get a proper job' which I think the steward seemed to take as a bit of light hearted banter.

I decided last night that another thing that annoys me about stewards is the way they stand up when you do. I sit in row D in Y26, and when there is a moment of excitement and we stand the female steward down at the front follows suit. It is very pointless and bugs me. She knows full well we're going to sit back down when the attack finishes!

recovered mate?!! i saw your train was delayed lucky oxf*rd, i had to wait an half an hour and got in at midnight

[Seal]

Didn't get home till about half midnight as stopped off for a last pint at Paddington. Train being delayed saved our night - apologies for dashing off!

[OldBiscuit]

I personally believe you're one of the nerdy little fcukers who's told to stand at the back of the concourse for the entire game!

Do you mean me or the Steward?

[Royal Lady]

FAO STAR and Stewards at RFC - I'm presuming that the City of Manchester Stadium is due to be shut down soon by the FA due to the persistent standing by HOME fans - the ones to my left, behind the goal, stood ALL game and on NO occasion did a steward ask any of them to sit down. Add to this the fact that we were fenced in outside the ground when trying to leave and I'd be very interested to hear who is in the right here, Man City for allowing their fans to stand PERSISTENTLY and keeping AWAY fans behind for a short time at the end of the game, or RFC who make HOME fans sit down all game and make HOME fans circumnavigate the stadium in order to get home. Seems to me, RFC make up some of these "safety rules" themselves.