after the game

[Maneki Neko]

why are the gates locked between east and north stand, when we all just walk around the stadium and then go past all of the away fans anyway?

[Green]

Why does Noddy have a bell on his hat?

[Maneki Neko]

because he chooses to?

[RoyalBlue]

why are the gates locked between east and north stand, when we all just walk around the stadium and then go past all of the away fans anyway?

I believe the thinking is that if there is any post game bad feeling between supporters it will have diffused, and the numbers reduced by the time the two sets of fans finally get to meet! Conveniently any trouble that there still might be is then more likely to take place in the area of the retail park rather than the stadium!

In previous years this arrangement hasn't prevented the likes of Millwall and Portsmouth haring around the long way to get at the departing home support!

All in all, far more of an inconvenience to the generally well behaved supporters than an effective means of preventing trouble.

[LWJ]

Anyone know why the riot police blocked off the middle of the East stand concourse after the game?

[Maneki Neko]

why are the gates locked between east and north stand, when we all just walk around the stadium and then go past all of the away fans anyway?

I believe the thinking is that if there is any post game bad feeling between supporters it will have diffused, and the numbers reduced by the time the two sets of fans finally get to meet! Conveniently any trouble that there still might be is then more likely to take place in the area of the retail park rather than the stadium!

In previous years this arrangement hasn't prevented the likes of Millwall and Portsmouth haring around the long way to get at the departing home support!

All in all, far more of an inconvenience to the generally well behaved supporters than an effective means of preventing trouble.

or just hold the away fans for 5 minutes while the home fans disperse?
has happened to me as a reading away fan loads.

[Green]

Fine until one fan cites false imprisonment.

Are such draconian measures really necessary at a family club like Reading?

[LUX]

Are such draconian measures really necessary at a family club like Reading?

hang on, one question at a time, please. I'm still trying to figure out the answer to your Noddy one.

[No Fixed Abode]

why are the gates locked between east and north stand, when we all just walk around the stadium and then go past all of the away fans anyway?

Why have segregation?

[bobby1413]

why are the gates locked between east and north stand, when we all just walk around the stadium and then go past all of the away fans anyway?

Why have segregation?

You sound like one of those passionless Rugby fans when you ask questions like that

[Maneki Neko]

why are the gates locked between east and north stand, when we all just walk around the stadium and then go past all of the away fans anyway?

Why have segregation?

cos I h8 all away fans and don't want to sit with them
this isn't rugby.

still don't see why I should run the aggro gauntlet after every game.

[No Fixed Abode]

why are the gates locked between east and north stand, when we all just walk around the stadium and then go past all of the away fans anyway?

Why have segregation?

cos I h8 all away fans and don't want to sit with them
this isn't rugby.

still don't see why I should run the aggro gauntlet after every game.

Oh right - so it's ok to have segregation in football because you don't like someone as they support a different team to you but you want a World where everyone is free to roam as they choose? There's no consistency here at all.

[sandman]

Why have segregation?

cos I h8 all away fans and don't want to sit with them
this isn't rugby.

still don't see why I should run the aggro gauntlet after every game.

Oh right - so it's ok to have segregation in football because you don't like someone as they support a different team to you but you want a World where everyone is free to roam as they choose? There's no consistency here at all.

Oh so that's your game.

[RoyalBlue]

Fine until one fan cites false imprisonment.

Are such draconian measures really necessary at a family club like Reading?

Hardly the same as penning people into Trafalgar Square for hours is it! (and I don't believe people had much luck suing for that). I think the police are able to claim that they can legally hold people back for a reasonable time if they feel that is necessary to prevent a breach of the peace.

And I too have been held back for 5-10 minutes at away ground - 'for your own safety' - whilst the home fans disperse. This is another case where the club would apparently prefer to make life more difficult for home fans than deal with the away fans (and yes, they too claim away fans can't be kept back despite that being pretty common practice around the country).

[Ian Royal]

why are the gates locked between east and north stand, when we all just walk around the stadium and then go past all of the away fans anyway?

I believe the thinking is that if there is any post game bad feeling between supporters it will have diffused, and the numbers reduced by the time the two sets of fans finally get to meet! Conveniently any trouble that there still might be is then more likely to take place in the area of the retail park rather than the stadium!

In previous years this arrangement hasn't prevented the likes of Millwall and Portsmouth haring around the long way to get at the departing home support!

All in all, far more of an inconvenience to the generally well behaved supporters than an effective means of preventing trouble.

or just hold the away fans for 5 minutes while the home fans disperse?
has happened to me as a reading away fan loads.

Takes way longer than that. Didn't they used to hold the home fans until the away fans dispersed? That's the more efficient way if you're holding anyone as there's fewer of them and they've got further to go.

[Elm Park Kid]

Anyone know why the riot police blocked off the middle of the East stand concourse after the game?

I asked someone I know who was policing the game about this and she said she thinks it was in response to missiles being thrown from the Y26 lot. I'm not entirely sure what blocking off the middle of the east stand achieves though as all you have to do is go outside and walk round . . . . .

[Mr.Swainey]

After the game is where the real fun begins.

[leon]

Fcuking hell is there any thread he won't spam with shit?

Club policies ffs

[Green]

Fine until one fan cites false imprisonment.

Are such draconian measures really necessary at a family club like Reading?

Hardly the same as penning people into Trafalgar Square for hours is it! (and I don't believe people had much luck suing for that). I think the police are able to claim that they can legally hold people back for a reasonable time if they feel that is necessary to prevent a breach of the peace.

And I too have been held back for 5-10 minutes at away ground - 'for your own safety' - whilst the home fans disperse. This is another case where the club would apparently prefer to make life more difficult for home fans than deal with the away fans (and yes, they too claim away fans can't be kept back despite that being pretty common practice around the country).

Tell that to the European Court of Human Rights mate.

[bobby1413]

Anyone know why the riot police blocked off the middle of the East stand concourse after the game?

I asked someone I know who was policing the game about this and she said she thinks it was in response to missiles being thrown from the Y26 lot. I'm not entirely sure what blocking off the middle of the east stand achieves though as all you have to do is go outside and walk round . . . . .

The Police can't win in this case.

Last year against Bradford... pitch invasion by that d1ck doing somersaults... pitch invasion by another few hundred at the end, one of which decides to throw a flare.

Against West Brom - trouble in their end

A big occasion against Palace needs a larger police presence. How do you decide what's proportionate? Had their been trouble and the Police were not as high in numbers they would have been criticised. It just so happens to be that in this case there was a ton of Police but nothing really of note happened.

Police standing in the East Stand - I can only imagine it's a visible deterent for anyone exiting that they are there. But I honestly don't know - probably as likely that they were just spare and that's the position they chose to take.