Police and Stewards

[Bronson]

I was in the front row today behind the home goal, and it quickly became apparent that most of the row behind me were rangers fans due to their conversations and comments during the first half. I wasn't particularly chuffed but not a lot i can complain about as they weren't being loud or displaying colours.

However when the 1st goal went in (was it chalked off?) they all erupted and jumped to their feet. In response top this they got the full Bronson and Big T fan hairdryer treatment for several minutes, it then became clear that the row behind them were rangers fans too as they were telling the ones who celebrated to leave it and not make a scene.

I then tried to speak to a policeman who completely ignored me despite him knowing i was trying to get his attention and he walked off. I then approached the sergeant and explained to him and his response was "we'll keep an eye on them". When 2nd goal went in they were smarter and sat on their hands and kept their mouths shut.

As we left the stadium i told an officer that the policing was a disgrace, to which he replied that it wasn't an offence for rangers fans to be in the home end and it was a stewarding issue. I then asked what role the police are supposed to be filling, when he couldn't answer i suggested it was simply to pass the buck. At this point i was firmly told to "GET OUT".

Weez also spoke to a policeman at half time asking why 60 extra officers were at the game when they're not prepared to act when there are clearly a number of away fans cheering in the home end, causing offence to the ict fans.She was told that its not against the law to support rangers and that there are plenty of rangers fans in inverness. To which weez explained that it offended her and others around her, he said it was a stewarding issue as it was not a crime.

So i guess i'm just fed up with this 5hit every time the old firm come visiting.  If 2 rows of rangers fans did that in parkhead you can bet your last penny they would be ejected before their feet touched the ground.

The stewards sit gormlessly swinging their legs, staring at the ground picking their noses doing absolutely nothing when actions are required, the police simply aren't interested and their attitude is disgraceful.

Yet to cap it all we were approached as the game kicked off by a steward and told to remove our jackets from the rail in front of us as we were covering advertising boards, and that she was only doing her job as instructed by the police!!!!!

I really would like someone from the club to explain the clubs policy on this situation, and the roles the police and stewards are expected to play.

[Guest TinCanFan]

I agree, the policing and the stewarding today was rubbish.  When the dissallowed goal and the real goal went in, a number of people in the West Stand stood up and cheered and so did a few in the uncovered area at the end of the Main Stand towards where the away fans are.  Was anything done? No.  It seems to me that the police doing the game were grade A morons and probably have the IQ of dead, wet fish and the same goes for the Hitler lovers, sorry I mean the stewards.  Who also seem to be idiots.

[ICTFCkev]

They are a complete Effin joke . . . End of!!    :33:

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

I simply cannot understand why Brosnon wasnt arrested and handcuffed and locked up.  :023:

[Row S]

Yes and what was the point of the extra policing if they were not going to deal with Huns in the home end?  Worse than that, what about the several renditions of "The Sash" which must have been clearly audible on Setanta?  Scumbags the lot of them!

Despite official complaints about this in the past still we see no visible evidence of the authorities or our club dealing with it.  Makes me so feckin angry!!!!!!

Now if we were to go to Ibronx or Darkheid and start singing anti-Protestant or anti-Catholic songs it would be a different story.  One rule for down there and a different one for the TCS.  In the absence of proper action the OF fans will continue to think the authorities up here are just a push over.   

[12th Man]

I would normally agree but two police men ejected three fans in main stand section A for celebrating the goal with no one to assist, well done to them.

[Alex MacLeod]

Two questions to answer here.

1. Did any of the Rangers fans actually cause offence?

2. Would we have made a record attendance had they not been there?

We cant have our cake and eat it. The club needs the gate reciepts to survive. There are not enough ICT fans to fill the seats so they're sold to opposition. I dont like it any more than anyone else but I am a realist. Bums on seats make revenue. I'm also old enough to remember the days before segregation. The days when there was great banter all around the ground.

[caley89]

what really p1ssed me off today was how th police in the away stand let th rangers fans stand at th corners. as the game went on and on more and more joined them and nothing was done. and ofcourse i see th lads in section G got a talkin too at the start of the game again. fliping disgraceful. it's the same usuall crap, police n stewards are sh1t scared of the old firm fans but have no hesitation in telling a group of young home supporters to sit down.

however after a while the lads did stand up again and made a decent bit of noise once again!! :clapping03:

[12th Man]

Two questions to answer here.

1. Did any of the Rangers fans actually cause offence?

2. Would we have made a record attendance had they not been there?

We cant have our cake and eat it. The club needs the gate reciepts to survive. There are not enough ICT fans to fill the seats so they're sold to opposition. I dont like it any more than anyone else but I am a realist. Bums on seats make revenue. I'm also old enough to remember the days before segregation. The days when there was great banter all around the ground.

Times have moved on.

I certainly wouldn't imagine any ICT fan would be stupid enough to sit in amongst the home section at an away game and start celebrating when ICT score a goal, unless they are trying to entice fans for a fight,for this reason opposition fans should be kicked out to keep the peace.

Take their money and let them in and Then kick them out.

[Libero]

Two questions to answer here.

1. Did any of the Rangers fans actually cause offence?

2. Would we have made a record attendance had they not been there?

We cant have our cake and eat it. The club needs the gate reciepts to survive. There are not enough ICT fans to fill the seats so they're sold to opposition. I dont like it any more than anyone else but I am a realist. Bums on seats make revenue. I'm also old enough to remember the days before segregation. The days when there was great banter all around the ground.

i disagree with that statement, i believe there are enough ICT fans to fill the seats but too many fans are put off for one of the following reasons:

1) ticket prices are too high (extortionate IMO)

2) fans are unwilling to sit next to or share stands with oppposition fans (as is the case when the old firm are up)

3) the somewhat arctic conditions that the fans are often subjected to

4) little confidence in the stewarding to deal with away fans in the home end

5) problems regarding parking at the ground which could be described as shambolic at times

i always feel that clubs who are able to muster large travelling supports for away cup games (as we have in recent years) should do their upmost to entice all of these fans to games on a regular basis. whether it be through subsidised ticket prices or some other scheme to attract fans. We need to make the whole match day experience more appealing rather than giving fans excuses not to turn up.

[Alex MacLeod]

1) ticket prices are too high (extortionate IMO) Give or take a quid or two there's no difference to any other SPL team

2) fans are unwilling to sit next to or share stands with oppposition fans (as is the case when the old firm are up) If home fans sat in the seat then it wouldn't be avsailabe to anyone else3) the somewhat arctic conditions that the fans are often subjected to. We live in a cold climate and should be used to it.

4) little confidence in the stewarding to deal with away fans in the home end. Same answer as 2

5) problems regarding parking at the ground which could be described as shambolic at times. Same problems at most stadia who provide parking. Lots dont.

Wake up and smell the coffee. This is the real world.

[Libero]

1) ticket prices are too high (extortionate IMO) Give or take a quid or two there's no difference to any other SPL team

2) fans are unwilling to sit next to or share stands with oppposition fans (as is the case when the old firm are up) If home fans sat in the seat then it wouldn't be avsailabe to anyone else3) the somewhat arctic conditions that the fans are often subjected to. We live in a cold climate and should be used to it.

4) little confidence in the stewarding to deal with away fans in the home end. Same answer as 2

5) problems regarding parking at the ground which could be described as shambolic at times. Same problems at most stadia who provide parking. Lots dont.

Wake up and smell the coffee. This is the real world.

1) i'm not talking one or two quid, I dont think this problem is limited to ICT but the whole SPL has a vastly inflated ticketing structure.

2) as mentioned by other posters in other threads rangers fans were in home areas. home fans cannot buy seats for the home end if theyve already been sold to rangers fans

3) theres not a lot can be done with the weather but like it or not some fans will not go to games particularly in the winter time due to cold temperatures down by the sea.

4) same answer as 2 but i would add that inevitably OF fans will get into the home end but it is up to the stewards and police to remove them as necessary. ( or not at all as some posters are claiming today )

5) i have never encountered parking problems akin to ours at any other ground i have visited in scotland

believe me i do realise we are in the real world, not too much a fan of coffee though.

i realise things will never be perfect but there are always ways to improve, when suggestions and/or complaints are made which should lead to improvements but are ignored or not taken then i feel fans have every right to complain or moan

[gordyfromsneck]

5) i have never encountered parking problems akin to ours at any other ground i have visited in scotland

I would suggest that no other ground in Scotland is bounded in 3 sides by the sea. Partly an excuse.

[L_G]

Most SPL clubs don't provide car parks at all.

Anyway back to the main issue.

I do know that the club are trying harder and harder to ensure that these seats go to 'home' fans only.  It is almost impossible to stop people buying tickets.  They now have their database and can see who the true fans are and the ones who only go to Rangers or Celtic games, but we have season ticket holders who supported the old firm in a previous life, maybe they use priviledged pre-sale period to buy for friends.  Also heard of a Rangers and Celtic fan who share a season ticket, allowing them to buy tickets legitimately for the home end for these games.  I'm guessing these would be the more discreet 'away' fans though as they do this all the time.

The police are right, as in it is a stewarding issue and the police can only get involved if a criminal offence is comitted.  I do believe that looking back to our first ganes against the old firm, things are improving, but we still have a problem.  Alex is right though, we would not sell out if it wasn't for a some 'away' fans, so if they sit and behave and don't show colours, I don't have a huge problem.  I did hear of rangers fans who came through the turnstiles in the main stand with tops and scarves on display and later were removed after a bit of an altrication in the Gents.  They seemed to be of the opinion they had every right to be there.  How stupid can you get.

We could talk about the rights and wrongs of it all day, but where do we go from here.

If you had a problem with away fans (celebrating inappropriately or being abusive), do you know the seat numbers?  The club will know who bought these seats and will be able to block these sales for future games.  Season ticket holders could see themselves penalised if they have bought tickets for away fans. 

Supporters Trust could bring this up again at our monthly meeting with the club, so if we have definite details it would help.  No point moaning that they were there and nobody would deal with it.  Let's get to the bottom of it for once and for all and find out where they are coming from.  Taking action now, just might help for next time.

e-mail:

lg@caleythistleonline.com  and/or

info@ictsupporterstrust.co.uk

[tm4tj]

Good point LG, people can whinge all they want, but hard fact and evidence will be required to put an end to it.  No use saying that will not put a stop to it, lets weed them out one by one and we will eventually be clean.

[Johnboy]

I simply cannot understand why Brosnon wasnt arrested and handcuffed and locked up.  :023:

Do you think such an action might have made reformed him, and turned him into a semi-civilised human being?

:023:

[+Gringo]

I fully appreciate the fact that the club have to do their best to make money on these big games and a bum on a seat is better than an empty one. But the fact is it is so annoying having paid your entry fee to have to sit next to an away fan (especially Tic or a Hun) - it is not comfortable and it is not right.

One question I would like answer to though is this:

Why do season ticket holders have to purchase a ticket(s) for this SPL match? Surely their season ticket allows them in without pruchasing one or are the OF games excluded from the price?

[tm4tj]

Season ticket holders get the early option to purchase extra tickets for these busy games to try and alleviate the problems of the tickets falling into the wrong hands.

[maimie]

1) ticket prices are too high (extortionate IMO) Give or take a quid or two there's no difference to any other SPL team

2) fans are unwilling to sit next to or share stands with oppposition fans (as is the case when the old firm are up) If home fans sat in the seat then it wouldn't be avsailabe to anyone else3) the somewhat arctic conditions that the fans are often subjected to. We live in a cold climate and should be used to it.

4) little confidence in the stewarding to deal with away fans in the home end. Same answer as 2

5) problems regarding parking at the ground which could be described as shambolic at times. Same problems at most stadia who provide parking. Lots dont.

Wake up and smell the coffee. This is the real world.

:clapping03: :clapping03:

[+Gringo]

Season ticket holders get the early option to purchase extra tickets for these busy games to try and alleviate the problems of the tickets falling into the wrong hands.

Works then.  :004:

[RiG]

There were Rangers fans in the Wetherspoons on Church Street selling tickets for the Home end.

[+Tree]

I am more concerned that the Stewards (and some police) allowed the Rangers fans to enter the field of play yet again to celebrate the winning goal. How many times will this happen before they stop this happening.

Did they take the offenders away - No! They simply popped them back over the wall.

I am sure that everyone will recall the action taken earlier this season when this happened (on a much lower scale!) at the North stand end. Double standards!

As an aside, it would be much more accurate for the announcer to state prior to games that seating for home fans is mandatory and away fans can do whatever they like.

[Action Man]

Question. ICTFC are playing at Ibrox / Parkhead, if they win they qualify for a European place / gain top six / win the league.

Away tickets are sold out. You are offerred a seat in the home end. Do you...

a. Turn it down because it's not right and miss an amazing game. ( and victory. )

b. Turn it down becuase you couldn't stand the smell.

c. Take it because it is the only way to see your team play.

I'm not saying it's right, it just happens.

[Guest macgint71]

How many police were on compared to the amount of away supporters? wake up and smell the coffee,  there is no way they can arrest everyone who jumped the wall as they wouldn't have enough cells to put them in. The best policy was to put them back over and pick off the trouble makers. The police were videoing the ringleaders who were singing sectatrian songs so once identified they can be banned from every club in Scotland. As for standing up, what are they going to do, wade in tell them to sit down and then let them(1000) stand up again. It would turn into a farce the best option was to let them sit down and let the situation resolve itself, as from where I was sitting they were sitting down the majority of the game since their team gave them nothing to shout about.

I don't know about another clubs and really I'm not interested about what would happen here and there but I'm interested what happens at Inverness. If an individual has a complaint about a certain company(ie stewarding one) or authority (ie police) or Club then complain to them and get them to sort it instead of coming onto sites like ours and moaning in an attempt to conduct a kangaroo court amongst people who think they know but who actually don't.

Lets get back to talking about the game of football, the positives and the negatives.

There thats that off my chest!!

[RichieKass]

I was also lucky enough to be sharing a row with a few rangers fans, i made a point telling my friend very loudly how upset i get when i find away fans in the home end, to which i got a few dodgy looks. I'm not happy about sharing the stand with away fans, espeically not little 18 years old pr1cks who reckon they're cool as they try and boast to me they are rangers fans as we're queing for the turnstyles.

However what is the solution? I don't think there is an easy one, and whilst i'd love to see them all chucked out, if they're not causing a scene in the ground and they are not wearing away colours they are perfectly in their rights to sit in the home and and cheer at a rangers goal if they want. It would have been feckin hilairious if we'd won yesterday though - i would have made a point of making fun of every hun in the north stand.

On a positive note, great to see so many youngsters at the game supporting ICT - the future is in good hands it would seem...