Crowd Etiquette

I think deep down my questions were more directed about should I accept less than normal behaviour because I'm at a football match or not? Am i being too prudish because I take my kids ? Did it bothet me as much before ? I am a big strong bloke and have no problems in asking anyone to stop swearing, sit back or take their feet off the chair and not in a threatening way but a confident way it's more to do with the environment we are in and what's acceptable or not as where I sit it only seems to be me who is put off by this stuff or maybe I'm the only one who is willing to say something.

 

Got a bald, goatie bearded bloke that occasionally sits within earshot of us. Shouts racist abuse at the opposition players. Noticed him last season at 3-4 games. Before kickoff on Saturday, I pointed him out to my mate. Sure enough in the second half when Sunderland were playing towards the Ponty, he started with his "You f***ing lovely personn" directed at Grabban.
Stewards must hear it as they're stood about 4 rows behind him.

 

I hope you challenge him on it or, if you feel that it may not be safe to do so, at least bring it directly to the steward's attention. We all have a part to play in challenging behaviour like this.

 

I don't think if directly challenged you'd get a favourable response. He's a pretty big bloke. Other folk round him just look at each other and shake their heads.
Was reported via the Kick It Out app last season which I believe also gets passed to the club. Like I say, his attendence last season was infrequent. So probably not ST holder. Will see how it goes next game and take it from there.

 

had the pleasure of sitting behind a chain smoker for two seasons back in the day, 2 smokes a half

 

I occasionally lean forward during the game, mostly because I have a bad back and a change of position often helps. I guess it depends where you sit but I tend to be fairly central in the east stand upper, I'd be amazed if it blocks anyone's view. One if the problems with season ticket is that you may end up sat next to a complete tw&t and there's no way out. A few years back I was stuck next to this bloke, his teenage son and his mate. The lads started with little things to annoy me, and always took the p@ss out of me in subtle ways, one week they stuck a boiled sweet to my chair for example - during a goal celebration I took the opportunity to shove it in his coat hood. Things came to a head one week when the lad just barged into me to get to his seat rather than ask me to move as I was looking the other way, my natural instinct kicked in and I shoved him back, so dad then tells me he'll be waiting for me outside, etc. I told him he needed to teach his son some manners and I'd be happy to show him after the game, he never waited unfortunately. Like I say, put me off season tickets for a long time.

 

I know you shouldn't have to but if it does get to the point where you can't bear the people next to you, you could always just change your ST seat. I know that's more difficult if the best seats have gone and/or you're in a group.

 

It is an awful position to be in its like having a bad neighbour at home or a power mad boss at work. I just think more people should challenge stuff that's not right, it's harder doing that than ignoring it but the more people that stand up to it hopefully the more people that learn and things get better.

As for leaning forward watch ask how it affects people either side it's like standing up if one does everyone has to or they can't see but if you sit centrally everyone may be OK.

 

Yeah, sod other people, cos it's FOOTY and we're BLOKES and we're PROPER HARD because we SWEAR

 

I had a bloke who was twice my size, and I'm 13 stone, who spread himself out. They only pay for one seat not two.

 

Bringing bk terraces/standing might help

 

I was in the West Stand against Forest a few years ago. There was an asian woman with two kids next to me and a guy a couple of rows in front screaming racist abuse at the Forest players. I had a couple of goes at him but got little support from those sitting around me. It is a responsibility of ALL of us to stop behaviour like this. I should have reported him to the stewards and regret I didn't.

 

That's baldist

 

Haha! We used to sit behind two blokes in the ponty who smoked in stereo. One a pipe, the other a cigar.

My mate nicknamed then "Drax & Ferrybridge C"

Nice blokes though, and to their credit they both packed in before the smoking ban.