Fantastic day yesterday but ended on a slightly sour note (for me)

First of all, I want to echo the comments already made.

As one of the walkers to Bradford, it was a proud and emotional day that reinforced all of the positives about the people of our town and our football club. The welcome we received from City fans and the people we passed on the streets of Bradford is something that I will never forget. Massive thanks to all of the organisers (from both clubs). Okay the football was sh^te but the result was insignificant yesterday (although at least some pretence of attacking intent would have been welcomed).

Anyway, at the end of a long and tiring day me and my (even more knackered than me) brother boarded the train from Bradford to Leeds.

Leeds station was heaving with police and when we got off the train me and my brother (who was wearing a BFC training top) were approached by a police officer who asked if we were Barnsley fans. When told yes she said we had to wait with her.

"Where are you going, lads" she asked.

"Home" I said "I live in Leeds"

"Can you prove it?" she replies.

So there I am, getting out my driving licence to prove that I do indeed live in Leeds and that having been up since 3am to walk 26 miles to watch a football match all I am doing is trying to get home.

"Are you his brother? You don't look like each other" she says randomly, but having examined the evidence and decided that she believes our story and that these two exhausted middle-aged man are not football thugs, she lets us proceed. Her parting shot, as she turns to a colleague, is "I'm letting these two go through, Ray".

Unbelievable.

On a day which demonstrated that football fans can unite for a common cause, and can behave with dignity and compassion, it's clear that we are still thugs in the eyes of the law. If I'd have thought about it I might have asked why I had to prove who I was and where I lived. But I was too tired and too shocked to really register what was going on.

Anyone who read the excellent piece on West Yorkshire Police in the last WSB might not be shocked by this account. But yesterday, of all days, it left a bitter taste.

 

Horrible experience and not necessary at all, there have been many such incidents with the police this season, i had one with SYP/Cleveland or Durham whoever they were after the Sheff Utd match when he tried herding me with the utd fans to the train station ! and whilst i am a 6'4 hairy arsed bloke i was with my 13 year old my mate his 10 year old and his 70 year old mum.And i had not had a drink in fact i was on call and was rushing home to respond to a call from work.
I could have ****ted him

 

Your 13 year old mate has a 10 year old? Blimey!

 

I'm a big supporter of the police, on the whole I think they do a pretty good job particularly on match days, but stories like this do nothing to help them and their public image. Whatever happened to them applying a modicum of common sense.

 

sorry for the poor grammar like but i knew what i meant

 

Shameful mate, you can still hold your head up high, orrible bullying ****s.

 

Disgusting. The whole police dept at the top needs shaking up and reminding they are a public service and the public are the ones they are serving.

 

I was surprised at the police presence at Valley Parade yesterday. Way, way over the top for a match that probably didn't have a scrap of trouble either before, during or afterwards. Leaving the ground to go along Midland Road there were dozens of them, all lined up expecting trouble. I know we, and other clubs, attract our fair share of idiots but yesterday's turnout was too much. Goodness knows what that must have cost the club.

 

Sounds as though there was a bit of trouble though
https://claretandbanter.uk/threads/trouble-today-of-all-days.44673/

 

Oh well, thought I was being a bit optimistic. Didn't see any, but then I don't go drinking in the town before or after. I go to watch a football match, that's all.

 

Some 'fans' are an absolute disgrace.

 

The police were rounding up all the 12 year old casuals outside the ground. Waste of time really cos their mothers would have been wanting them home and in bed for half 6 so they would have had to go home.

Remember Huddersfield last season when police were escorting them all back up to train station and they asked me and my mates to walk up with them. Majority of them went to the school that I taught at

 

The biggest cause of trouble at football these days are the police.

Half of the 'violent disorder' you hear about is orchestrated by the police in order to justify the ex ordinate bills etc.

 

The biggest cause of trouble at football these days are the police.

Half of the 'violent disorder' you hear about is orchestrated by the police in order to justify the ex ordinate bills etc.

 

I went with the Manx and although I never saw the incident in cleckheaton happen it sounds like a minibus pulled up and gave this bloke a good slap for nothing whatsoever, the bloke who got slapped was with his young son aswell, it sounds like a few barnsleys fans then chased this minibus down the road.

Not saying it's right but if you saw it unfold in front of you I'd dare say most would want to give them a clip, I know 1 Barnsley fan got hit in Bradford and wasn't in a good way.

 

I went with the Manx and although I never saw the incident in cleckheaton happen it sounds like a minibus pulled up and gave this bloke a good slap for nothing whatsoever, the bloke who got slapped was with his young son aswell, it sounds like a few barnsleys fans then chased this minibus down the road.

Not saying it's right but if you saw it unfold in front of you I'd dare say most would want to give them a clip, I know 1 Barnsley fan got hit in Bradford and wasn't in a good way.