BM response to stewarding complaints

Re: CCTV looks everywhere ?

How do you know? I don't sit in the Ponty because of those reasons, and I'm a fully grown adult.

 

Re: CCTV looks everywhere ?

You don't sit in the ponty because of 'louts'?

 

Re: CCTV looks everywhere ?

I would say there's very few, if any, grounds in this country (and I've been to most of them) where the home fans are targeted by the stewards and/or police more than the away fans but that is the case at Oakwell and has been for years. Almost every match there's more stewards/police in and near the ponty than the North Stand. Almost every match there's a copper with a video camera filming the folks in the ponty. Is that really necessary? And if it is, why don't we see it at other grounds to the same extent? I would say if the stewards/police backed off a bit from that end of the ground there would be fewer incidents. I don't condone smashing seats and letting off smoke bombs etc. but in my opinion their current approach is causing more problems than it's solving

 

Re: CCTV looks everywhere ?

Spot on. As a rule away supporters are always under most scrutiny, certainly at the away games I've been to over the few years. But that is reversed at Oakwell. There have been a catalogue of incidents in the North Stand this season. Wednesday fans with a smoke bomb, Wigan, Bolton, Forest all with smoke bombs, persistent standing, every team with a 1000 plus following stands in gangways and the camera position at the top of the stand. All seemingly unchecked. Coventry went on the pitch when they scored, Wednesday spilled onto the pitch, Wigan spilled onto the pitch. I can only remember stewards actually going into the away end once, against Blackpool I believe. Yet there is always a camera pointed on the East Stand corner and occasionally the Ponty End. I've never worked it out. We're not Millwall or Cardiff. We haven't got a 'hooligan corner.' It's an away fans dream Oakwell.