Port Vale - Rant re Stewarding & Security

Having been to Port Vale for the past 3 years I want to point out the inept way the police and stewards deal with the local idiots! It was quite clear when, during the first half a brawl broke out between stewards and home supporters that there was a high majority of idiots in the ground, whose sole purpose was to get at away supporters and/or cause trouble. At the conclusion of the game I was surprised to see these same idiots been allowed to simply walk through the police cordon and up to the away fans car park. For those of you who have not been to Port Vale, the away car park has only one exit and there is no reason to for any one other than away fans to be there.

3 years ago we had a reds fan seriously assaulted at Port Vale, Last year the club coaches were attacked, this year I heard of one fan covered in blood and others getting punched. When is Port Vale going to act and sort this out!

I am not claiming that Barnsley fans are angels far from it, but ask any visiting supporter to Oakwell they will tell you that they are surprised at the zealous nature of our police and stewards. Yesterday was one of my wife’s rare forays to watch the reds, I would like for her to be able to attend the game without worrying about our safety! I will be speaking to the club tomorrow to complain.

 

I know, it's always the same there, that's why we don't use that car park - we park in nearby streets and just walk away "pretending" we are home supporters - always take off or cover up anything red though before we leave the ground. It's the only away ground we go to - and we go to them all - where we have to do that.

 

you should email both clubs and the league

 

You will be pleased to know that Staffordshire Police,

have won the &quot;Most Gay friendly force in England&quot; award.</p>

 

COMING UP TO 1000th POST... MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!!!

 

You or Me???

 

The police can't win!

if they hold you back, you moan (I'm sure you;ve actually complained about your civil liberties being attacked, whilst invariably telling us all how we'd be better off under Maggie - ID cards and all!), if they don't hold the other team's fans back, you moan. And yet you're the only one who ever seems to have "discussions" with the police. Anyone'd think you had a history! (I'd have thought if anyone could take discipline it's a former member of HM armed forces!)

anyway, I trust Mo wasn't too frightened (I can't imagine it myself). Pass on my regards. Has she forgiven you for being sick on the dog yet???

 

One of the lads on Maceys bus was it with a plank of wood ..

... head and face a right mess ... happened near the Vine pub, I said last week on here that it was a dodgy place and not safe to wander around in ones or twos

 

RE: One of the lads on Maceys bus was it with a plank of wood ..

It's an awful place. Unsafe and really I don't know why I go sometimes.</p>

 

Good job they get really crap crowds....

... would be much worse if there was more of 'em!

 

RE: Good job they get really crap crowds....

In the past I've seen wholesale fist fighting, Police wading in with batons, Chavs lined up to attck the coaches (that was last year), Thugs waiting with bricks.</p>

I travel safely now, every away game with the Hoyland Reds.</p>

When we play Port Vale, we get there for 12pm and straight into their social club where we have always been made welcome.</p>

The coach parks almost on the social club doorstep,  off we jump and straight into their social club, then straight back on  coach after the match.</p>

Police shift the Chavs and then escort away.</p>

I like to wear my colours to ganes but woldn't dare round there.</p>

I wouldn't dare take my car there.</p>

 

Been loads of times, seen trouble there in past

and obviously remeber the horrible incident with Harrow,
but my impression of their fans yesterday was that it was a bunch of juveniles, agree though the police and stewards should have sorted them, the only 1 who got chucked out looked about 14 or 15, at no time did i feel threatened by their childish behavour yesterday,
to be fair if you wander round most away towns in colours you are going to attract some attention, it shouldnt be but thats the society we live in, and to be fair the area around, and the town centre, if yyou can call it that is pretty run down and depressing at PV isnt it

 

RE: The police can't win!

I will not bite at Allan (now write 100 times).

Eff it! I will continue this debate next saturday on the train!

 

RE: Been loads of times, seen trouble there in past

True.</p>

Those chavvy 14 -15 year olds were more of a laugh than anything, but there are some amongst them that have a different agenda and it's not a very nice one.</p>

 

The stewards are clueless, complete baffoons ....

... so that doesn't help, last season one of them was even trying to start a fight with the Barnsley fans, unbelievable!

 

RE: Been loads of times, seen trouble there in past

I agree about wandering around strange towns in colours, that is not my point. There have been assualts on Reds supporters in the past three years at the ground and within 100 yards of the ground, this is down to poor policing. Some may remember 30 or so chavs all under 18 throwing bricks at Reds fans 3 or 4 years ago from the high wall at the back of the car park. The police's reaction was to stop the Reds fans from reacting and not chasing the chavs away.

I personally am not intimidated by the odd 16 year old in a burberry hat, but when they are in a gang of 20 or so its amazing how brave they get. After all, a whack on the head from a chunk of wood will hurt whoever weilds it.

 

There were a few older louts at the back but

the whole bunch, chavs and lads were so small in number that the number of police and stewards would have easily controlled any trouble, in the ground we were under no threat at all, if they had got into our end i think they may have regretted it, i wouldnt like to tangle with some of our fans,
but seriously they were there solely to try to stir up trouble and should have been sorted, esp when, after moving to the goal PV were attacking in the second half they re appeared with 5 mins of the match left

 

I'm not disagreeing London

it is one of the worst places we visit, not really worried by their fans as much as the local police actions re controlling a bunch of kids whoem the police should easily sort out, those kids yesterday were really just a bunch of juvenile knobheads, agree in larger groups they can be intimidating, wouldnt say brave as they would only attack away fans in ones or twos, not a huge group,
incidently the year harrow was attacked, as we were driving away from the ground there were gangs of reds fans roaming round the area between the pub were the reds fans had been and the town centre, we said at the time they were looking for trouble and PV is the sort of place they would find it

 

RE: I'm not disagreeing London

I believe we both agree that the policing at PV is poor. I travel with Harrow & the London Tykes to most games and yesterday was one of the few times that we would not travel by train. Thats a sad reflect on PV.

BTW, I thought the reds support yesterday was excellent and at times more than they deserved!

 

good support yesterday

thought we were unlucky not to go ahead in the first half, for the first 15-20 mins we played exiting footy, gave away a goal due to poor defending, Ozzie gave up his chase of the attacker, Carbon inefective, and then heads dropped and we coceded an abismal goal, after that we were appauling for the rest of half,
AR obviously got them going at half time and if it wasnt for a hugely deflected goal we would have won,
anyway re the police, first time i went to PV on train was late 1970's, was a bit intimidating but got a lift to the ground on a milk float (honest), after the game we got a police escort back to the station, it was in the days we took footy specials to most away games, and i remember being herded down side streets with bricks raining down on us from over the houses, so its always been the same there