Our Stewards...

I got thrown out that day for the exact same. I’ve never been so embarrassed in all my life. On the streets after though there seemed to be loads of Barnsley fans young and old on the streets.

Not once have I caused trouble or plan to cause any trouble at a football game.

I will never step foot in that ground for as long as I live because of how the stewards treat us that day, and the media after that game made out Barnsley fans were the problem.

Flip side, the police that day were fantastic in my view. Handled the fans who were rightly so angry to be ejected brilliantly.

 

He looks a rabbit in the headlights……lad probably needs a few quid but untrained

 

I was close to that incident. And can't say for sure what sparked it off. Accusations of racism towards one steward which the steward reacted to. ( Not the way a steward should react but can happen) It then just snowballed. And innocents got caught up in it.
One steward who was quite close to us not involved in the incident said. Our fans had the worst reputation for kicking off. (There was an incident the previous time we played em.)
Stewards need to be trained to take the heat out of a situation. There was an incident at Cambridge the got totally unnecessarily out of hand. A lot of finger pointing at fans instead of an approach in the right manner. (Some fans can't hold their watter and have to get involved causing an unnecessary confrontation) That other fans can understand. 10 mins of arguing then mayhem. the lad protesting his innocence in a sort of way. If they'd have left it at that those around would have got the message knowing they were being watched. He got thrown out I believe because of the interference of others trying to make their point vociferously. If people think some Stewards are not prone to outbursts. Think again.

 

They were lined up and proper spoiling for trouble at the end of the game, blocking gangways then getting at people just trying to exit the ground.

 

Yep, I've been to over 50 grounds up and down the country, and never so much had a cross word with anyone. Opposition fans, police or stewards alike. Even at Charlton when I was told I would be thrown out, I did as I was told and took a seat.

I also won't go back to Charlton. The scenes after the game were ugly to say the least, and I'll never understand why they were trying to block the exit at full time, despite there being no tannoy announcement to say our fans were being held back.

The only thing I will add about the policing that day is, there was an unsavoury incident in the concourse at full time which left a bad taste in my mouth. 3 policemen came charging into the away end, in single file, with the one at the front holding his hand out in front of him. There was a lad, about 18 coming out, staring at his phone, completely oblivious to the policemen coming towards him. The front officer barged straight through him. Understandably the lad got up and reacted quite angrily, at which point, the 3rd policeman turned around and immediately whipped out his baton (not a euphemism). The lad backed off then, but if anything it was needlessly adding to a dire situation.

I agree with a comment further up about stewards having a thankless job. On that occasion though, the situation was definitely made worse by their behaviour.