Stewarding today in Y26

[Royal Lady]

Is the answer, "the ones that want to stand up"?

[Rex]

If this is so then it is a strange turn of events. Cardiff stewards allowed people to stand throughout the match. A relaxed approach to stewarding. Refreshing and absolutely no issues arose from this.

[handbags_harris]

From memory, the following gave a very relaxed and non-confrontational approach to stewarding some of the most placid supporters in the country:

Leicester City
Millwall
Preston North End
Bristol City
Burnley
Watford
Derby County
Hull City
Swansea City
Doncaster Rovers
Cardiff City

11or 17 games where, in seated sections, absolutely no request has been given to away fans to sit down. Going by memory, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Barnsley, Leeds United and Coventry City should also be relaxed.

[Big Foot]

Can add QPR to that list too

[RoyalBlue]

Leicester are absolutely first class. Watford are always very tolerant although they don't seem overly keen on inflatables!

I thought Stevenage (staffed by Luton stewards) were pretty good too with most of the complaints about standing coming from our own supporters.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Portsmouth. Every one stood no problem and it proved for a great atmosphere.

[Tad Showbiz]

From memory, the following gave a very relaxed and non-confrontational approach to stewarding some of the most placid supporters in the country:

Leicester City
Millwall
Preston North End
Bristol City
Burnley
Watford
Derby County
Hull City
Swansea City
Doncaster Rovers
Cardiff City

11or 17 games where, in seated sections, absolutely no request has been given to away fans to sit down. Going by memory, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Barnsley, Leeds United and Coventry City should also be relaxed.

Having been to most of those grounds in recent seasons Handbags is spot on. Bristol City and Millwall easily have the most relaxed attitude to stewarding and maybe Reading should look to these clubs as an example of allowing home and away supporters to enjoy the matches/personal matchday experience.

[TFF]

From memory, the following gave a very relaxed and non-confrontational approach to stewarding some of the most placid supporters in the country:

Leicester City
Millwall
Preston North End
Bristol City
Burnley
Watford
Derby County
Hull City
Swansea City
Doncaster Rovers
Cardiff City

11or 17 games where, in seated sections, absolutely no request has been given to away fans to sit down. Going by memory, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Barnsley, Leeds United and Coventry City should also be relaxed.

I'm sure a great many of those clubs' supporters would speak similarly about RFC stewards. Lax treatment of the away fans seems to be what irks the Y26ers

[Svlad Cjelli]

..... Lax treatment of the away fans seems to be what irks the Y26ers

Perceived lax treatment of the away fans ......

But there is always a different approach to stewarding away fans, because the only options are to evict them or to ask the police to arrest them (assuming there are ground for this). There are none of the other measures that are available for stewarding home fans (warnings, clubs bans for small numbers of matches or longer, etc).

And unless an away fan is *really* out of order, the stewards won't wade into middle of a crowd and remove them - if they're going to be ejected whenever possible the tactic will be to wait until they go to the concourse and eject them from there.

As to making large groups of supporters sit down, it's absolutely impossible to do this - what do people expect the stewards to do, eject several hundred supporters? What would happen outside the ground if they did. In such circumstances, even the FLA agree that the best policy is for stewards to concentrate on aisles and walkways being kept clear, rather than trying to make people sit down.

The FLA guidelines in these cases are to try to get clubs to reduce the away allocations allowed to clubs which are believed to has "persistent standers". RFC has (rightly) resisted this, since this policy doesn't "punish" those actually responsible, doesn't actually make any difference, and reduces the revenue of the home club (Guess which of these was the reason RFC resisted?).

[Hoop Blah]

Perceived lax treatment of the away fans ......

At the QPR game there was nothing 'perceived' about it.

I think 3 Reading fans were thrown out for doing exactly the same, in fact less from what I saw, as one particular QPR fan who was spoken to six or seven times without being thrown out.

I can understand the policy of not going into the crowd and the more subtle ways of controlling the crowd but to throw 2 or 3 Reading fans out at the same time as not throwing out the fan that was egging them on with the same behaviour can't be seen as anything but lax and treating the two sets differently can it?

[prostak]

there was nothing 'perceived' about it.

I think [...] from what I saw,

You say it definitely wasn't just perception, but contradict that somewhat in the very next paragraph. I think I've seen about 3 home fans being thrown out in over 100 games at the Madejski. I also think I see away fans ejected at virtually every game at this level. But neither of us is actually using facts here, and until we can we will only be describing our perceptions.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Perceived lax treatment of the away fans ......

At the QPR game there was nothing 'perceived' about it.

I think 3 Reading fans were thrown out for doing exactly the same, in fact less from what I saw, as one particular QPR fan who was spoken to six or seven times without being thrown out.

I can understand the policy of not going into the crowd and the more subtle ways of controlling the crowd but to throw 2 or 3 Reading fans out at the same time as not throwing out the fan that was egging them on with the same behaviour can't be seen as anything but lax and treating the two sets differently can it?

I was specifically talking about the "away fans standing" issue so many mentioned, so I'm not going to try and defend the stewarding on this - see other posts recently on this subject.

[Hoop Blah]

there was nothing 'perceived' about it.

I think [...] from what I saw,

You say it definitely wasn't just perception, but contradict that somewhat in the very next paragraph. I think I've seen about 3 home fans being thrown out in over 100 games at the Madejski. I also think I see away fans ejected at virtually every game at this level. But neither of us is actually using facts here, and until we can we will only be describing our perceptions.

It was definately 2, and I think 3 (it's a couple of weeks ago now so I'm struggling to remember) that were thrown out. The QPR lad was spoken to at least 6 times by stewards, tango's and the Police and didn't change his behaviour once. He spent pretty much the whole game jumping around on the stairs goading Reading fans, offering them outside, slitting throat gestures etc etc.

I don't know where you sit but I've seen half a dozen Reading fans thrown out over the last 2 or 3 games. It's just getting a bit silly now and certainly spoiling my enjoyment of the 'match day experience.

[STAR Liaison]

Portsmouth. Every one stood no problem and it proved for a great atmosphere.

I'm afraid it was not 'no problem' as I had complaints from some of our older fans who find standing for a complete game impossible and so they have to miss some of the game when all the away support stands.

I know they may not make the atmosphere you want but they have usually proved by the time they have supported Reading that they are 'real' fans too.

This is why the safe standing debate needs a solution that allows people to choose whether they stand or not rather than the current 'no persistent standing' or your preferred 'standing only'.

[North Somerset Royal]

Personally I would prefer to stand but standing in all seater stadiums does cause problems not only for our older followers but also kiddies who are the future of the club. At Norwich it also led to an argument and scuffle breaking out amongst our own fans which meant that in the ensuing melee many of us (standing or not) missed part of the action on the pitch.
Therefore until we get designated standing areas I say remain seated.

[biscuitman]

This is why the safe standing debate needs a solution that allows people to choose whether they stand or not rather than the current 'no persistent standing' or your preferred 'standing only'.

Completely agree and it obviously puts you personally in a dfficult, awkward position. I'm in support of standing but more in the choice aspect. Portsmouth was good, great banter/atmosphere but I don't want to be stood infront of an 8 year old or a couple of older fans cant do the 90 minutes on their feet. The demand has increased dramatically at Reading and other clubs to stand at away games and it's getting noticed more now than ever (See Jon Keen's article in the Evening Post).
The authorites need to realise this. I recently recieved a letter from Rob Wilson MP and his views were so outdated it was laughable, several times he quoted Hillsborough, 80's Hooliganism, police control and female fans???

In response to the choice of standing/sitting the only real answer could of been the away end at Ninian Park which was a perfect example of common sense and now that's gone..Brilliant.

[FORSTERS_RIGHT_FOOT]

Find it weird safe standing can happen in other countries like Germany, but not here.

Plus you get to drink beer in the stands.

[RoyalBlue]

..... Lax treatment of the away fans seems to be what irks the Y26ers

Perceived lax treatment of the away fans ......

But there is always a different approach to stewarding away fans, because the only options are to evict them or to ask the police to arrest them (assuming there are ground for this). There are none of the other measures that are available for stewarding home fans (warnings, clubs bans for small numbers of matches or longer, etc).

And unless an away fan is *really* out of order, the stewards won't wade into middle of a crowd and remove them - if they're going to be ejected whenever possible the tactic will be to wait until they go to the concourse and eject them from there.

As to making large groups of supporters sit down, it's absolutely impossible to do this - what do people expect the stewards to do, eject several hundred supporters? What would happen outside the ground if they did. In such circumstances, even the FLA agree that the best policy is for stewards to concentrate on aisles and walkways being kept clear, rather than trying to make people sit down.

.

So maybe there should be an understanding that several hundred Reading fans are going to stand and the stewards are going to follow the FLA advice and concentrate on aisles and walkways being kept clear. If there are any threats to reduce the ticket allocation as a consequence, RFC can then (rightly) refuse to do so on the same grounds that it won't do it for visiting supporters!

Incidentally, have the club ever been open and honest and provided figures relating to the number of miscreant visiting supporters quietly ejected when they have gone to the concourse?

Were home fans to see figures supporting what we are told, maybe they would feel a little less hard done by when they see away supporters apparently allowed to do exactly what they like.

[jonboy29red]

well my argument with the stewards at the qpr game has now got me an official warning!! for having an opnion

[Rex]

Three verbals/ investigation with a union rep.