Stewarding
 

Firstly, well done everyone who was a steward yesterday, I didn't envy you the job of sorting that lot out...

However, forget the yobs from YCFC as we can't do anything about them, yesterday was embaressing from our clubs point of view.

Our ability to handle the away fans must surely be looked at & improved from Saturday. It started when we failed to stop them hanging their banners over the advertising. We should have stopped it there & then & it got worse from there. We accepted £10,000 plus from York City & should in future invest some of that back in making sure we can control the unsavouries within their support.

It smacks of crossing your fingers & hoping nothing happens

Stewards should have been within the terrace not on the pitch, fans should be ejected if they throw things on the pitch, Darren needed some protection & got none

Away fans should be forced behind the barriers, we let them do whatever they wanted.

Oh & I think nightclub bouncers could be used but probably should be dressed as stewards. Less likely to antagonise......

All in all, off the pitch , a shambles!

But not a dig at anyone involved just think we need to prepare a little better so it doesn't happen again

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Would it not be an idea for the away teams to provide stewards for thier own section of fans,after all they should know roughly the amount of away support they get and probably know the faces of the hoodlams to watch out for?And another piont,a couple of weeks ago there was an article to do with trouble at conference games in the non league paper,and it named a few YCFC being one of the named as well as Grays,I cant off the top of my head think of the others.You would have thought that somebody would have seen this article and made precautionary measures just incase.

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Whilst not wishing to sound like an apologist for our louts, the atmosphere in the York end wasn't helped by several factors.

A lot of us arrived with 10 minutes to go until kick off only to find huge lines waiting to get in and only ONE turnstile at the away end. This lead to many people missing 5-10 minutes of the match. When the 'bouncer' style stewerds were asked if they could perhaps open another turnstile or ask for kick off to be delayed by 5 minutes we were told in no uncertain terms it was not their problem.

What did happen though was that one of the said 'bouncer' style stewerds opened a large gate and started letting fans in if they gave him the exact cash.... i hope these fans were included in the gate and that your club got ALL the cash.

I like Accrington and we had a great day out around the pubs with no sniff of trouble, but for a gate of only just over 2,000 this was without doubt the worst organisation of away fans that I have seen in over 25 years of watching City.

I fear it may be your downfall if a club with a BIG hooligan following were to travel in numbers to your ground.

Best wishes for the rest of the season.

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Got to agree that it appeared to be a bit of a shambles on Saturday and what the hell were Max & Paddy doing there? Stewards should be easily identifyable and preferably not resemble nightclub heavies

Having been "moved on" for briefly standing in the "no go area" speaking to a photographer friend who was on the touchline, it's a bit galling to see visitors getting away with totally ignoring the "rules". The stewards are quick to step in when its something petty. And didn't you notice how the "Safety Officer" appeared to lead from the back when the going got tough!

Oh, and full marks to young Randolph, I really feared that the antics of the nutters behine hime might cost us the game -- but thankfully he was truly professional and kept his head.

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I hope the Club are taking notice of this. I wonder if it happens on a regular basis. What was the bouncer doing opening a gate in the first place, was it to line his own pocket. I hope the Club have an investigation into this accusation.

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I talked to some York fans after the match and they were very apologetic about the hooligan element in their midst who caused the trouble. However, there do need to be substantial ground and security improvements at the IES. Quite frankly, at least initially, the York yobs could have run the length of the pitch and caused havoc at the Clayton End and in the stands. If there are other incidents our admittance to the Football League as things stand will surely be an issue should we qualify through promotion. Congratulations to those who managed to get things back under control on Saturday. It could have been a lot worse.

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Willie miller you know nothing about stewarding, unless of course your hiding certain qualifications away from us.

This makes me sick to the back teeth when our fans complain about our stewards. Please remember

ALL OUR STEWARDS ARE VOLUNTARY.
Personally I do it so I can give a little back to the club that has given me so much enjoyment over the last 18 years. This regularly means I miss most of the game, have to tell the little kids whos parents don't give a sh1t to stop running, get down off the barriers and get behind the barriers. Of which sometimes your son is one.

I don't have to take the abuse I get, the ignorance week in week out, but i do, and until you are willing to make a commitment like that i suggest you keep your gob shut.

You do not know what went on in the york end on saturday. And before you praise the holier than though darren randolph ask why he chose to incite the york fans into throwing stuff at him after our second goal. Also ask our other players who scored in the first half why they went to the york fans to celebrate their goal and why gary roberts was booked for inciting the crowd.

You say we were embarrassing, what was embarrassing was the conduct of our own playing staff and the complete lack of common sense.

When you feel like a big enough man to take on the situation we did on saturday then come to me and we'll put you in a jacket infront of the york thugs from saturday and see what you do.

I'm willing to bet you'd end up in hospital.

As it was the second half went ahead thanks to the stewards and police, who were also getting things thrown at them and spat at. Even two of yorks own directors were helpless in the situation.

Please next time before you post sh1te like that think about what you're saying. Oh and the reason the stewards were pitchside was for their and the fans own safety. Like it sates in our training.

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Get off your high horse never said it was stewards fault, I even spoke about it to you personally after the game & said the same thing:confused:

I said we should have prepared better, employed a few more & not tried to "cross our fingers" & hope nothing happens!

As for the dig about my children??????????????????????????

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What is the situation regarding stewarding at other clubs? Do they all rely on vounteers?

Clearly voluntary stewarding is not effective when there are more than 500 opposing fans and that will always be the case at bigger and more local games and it is these games that generate the passion on the pitch and off it. To blame our players for what happened is scandalous.

There was a basic lack of enforcement of ground rules from the very beginning. Whether it was effective entry into the game - it's hardly Hillsborough, but that is what can happen if fan safety is not put first - or a lack of shepherding the York fans behind the barrier. That is for their safety and also that of our own goalkeeper. The club failed in that respect on Saturday.

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look willie you did say a few things to me after the game but to say well done to the stewards and then call us embarrassing what kind of reaction do you expect from me. Nice to see you spreading your comments around other forums as well though so its not just ours.

And yes your lad does run around the ground and yes i have had to tell him off, not trying to insult you just stating a fact that as stewards we are not baby sitters!!!

Anyway i think you've got some of it right when you said we should have employed more. Yes we should start by employing on a wage our own gate people and stewards like every other club in the conference I mean FFS we don't even get a brew.

To be honest with the treatment we get from home and away fans alike each week it isn't worth it. some of us just love the club enough to put that to the back of our minds and get on with the job.

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You've got it all wrong, thats why I said get off your high horse!!!!!

You, the stewards weren't embaressing! But the some total of how we handled the situation was

AMATUER

UNPROFESSIONAL

LAUGHABLE

EMBARESSING

The Club should now have a look at what we will do the next time 50 or so yobs want to come to Accy & have a plan! We go away & aren't allowed to fart!!!!! We should have paid to have a few more, simple. We should have paid for a couple of coppers. We should have had a 2nd entrance for the away fans. Etc Etc

We could be a League club next season Sparkie!!! You want that every week!!!!!

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I think what loweiy was saying was spot on, the club should bite the bullet and pay for police, it will only be a few games a season e.g. york and morecambe but at the end of the day it will pay off :)

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One of my thoughts is that we are not ready for league football.

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If they have trouble with fans here I would hate to think what would happen with fans from a club like Port Vale.

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Please, children, Sparkie, you are spot on, congratulations on a job well done and well handled. Secondly, opening a gate and paying a bouncer is tantamount to another Hillsborough if we are not careful. I personally used to be a steward at Stanley, Man utd, lancashire Cricket ground and Wigan Athletic and Warriors. If we are to progress upwards, I fear all stewards may need a professional qualification up to NVQ level and may also include a first aid qualification as well. I also think that if we are to progress in the league, we may have to start paying the stewards (usually about £20 a match and £25 for Senior stewards and Ground Regulation Stewards (bouncers)) Now assuming we have 10 stewards, 2 Seniors and 4 GRS that equates to £350 per match. That is what we will have to pay, plus policing possibly. And before anyone asks, no I don't want to do it again I prefer to pay to watch Stanley these days, as Sparkie quite rightly says, the stewards are there to watch the crowd for potential flash points NOT the match. Keep up the good work to all the stewards

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the stewards are training up to a NVQ at the moment, but yesterday looked bad and looked even worse in LET tonight, I reckon a police presence normally sorts the prats out and then the minority of thugs can be dealt with by the police!

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A York fans view that talks a lot of sense, especially the last bit about a guy who threw a bin on the pitch & still managed to watch 90 minutes of football. Now tell me we handled it the right way?

"To my recollection, no-one spilled onto the pitch after the actions of either Bell or Randolph, that happended after the goal. Order was hardly 'restored' either. Accrington made a rod for their own back by throwing people back into the crowd who had gone onto the pitch, if they considered them to be trouble makers surely they should have been thrown out, thereby ending the problem? This obviously stemmed from the fact that the guys working there were more used to dealing with crowd surfing students at concerts or stopping women darting into the mens toilets in some sub-standard nightclub.

The Safety Officer was obviously out of his depth, to his credit, he listend to the comments of City fans but just looked like a nodding dog. No attempt was made to convey anything to the players until one of the stewards showed Randolph one of the 'missiles' thrown onto the pitch. I presumed it to be a coin. The baiting on show from Accrington would have antagonised any football fans, the away was universal in it's annoyance and contempt. What's worse is that it stems from the management and coaching staff down to the players, maybe they have some sort of inferiority complex? The referee isn't going to take a goal away from them but nothing, not even a symbolic gesture was made to tell the players to stop. They are as much thugs as anyone else and demonstrated an overwhelming stupidity.

I would have said that the main antagonism was caused by kids and a few boozed up fans who shouldn't have even got into the ground. Compared to the antics of some fans at BC it was relatively minor though it still shouldn't have been condoned. I don't think City should be singled out as a example of thuggery, I'm sure Accrington fans wouldn't have reacted kindly to deliberate taunts and jibes. It's a bit like a pub landlord serving someone 15 pints then complaining when they're sick on his shoes. I never thought the stewards or police had the game under control, had they wanted to City fans could have run onto the pitch at any time. The reason they didn't is because behind the bravado a lot are bottleless or actually realise it's a bad idea.

All in all it's highly regrettable but I don't think City fans should be hanging their heads in shame. The game was dealt with in a highly amateurish fashion that lacked any kind of pro-active approach. The comments from Accy fans that 'that's how we always deal with away fans and we've never had a problem' sums it up. It was obvious that some police presence was needed and that more than 1 turnstile was needed. Rather than counting the extra £10,000 they were getting they should have looked at how to deal with such a match in the first place. The reason the kids were behaving in such a way was because they were allowed to get away with it. If throwing a metal bin on the pitch doesn't get you chucked out, what will?"

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at the end of the day, there is nothing we can do about it now - so stop the moaning on here and take your questions to the upcoming fans forum where they can be discussed through the correct channels, not on an internet forum :rolleyes:

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Why not on an internet forum? you will probably get more advice and sense written on here then at some fans forum where the correct channels will "get back to you".

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whats the use in discussing it with people who arent in the position to do anything about the problem?
seems stupid to me...

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Sme of those people could be at the games and might not feel stong enough to use official channels so voice their opinions here.

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theres a difference between making a point and going on about it for 2 pages...

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It will always be that way especially if a large number of people feel srongley enough about a subject.

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not sayin people shouldnt feel strongly about the subject - quite the contrary in fact - i just want to get across that bantering about on an internet forum aint gonna get anything done about the problem

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If there is someone on here with access to official channels then the could collate the genuine concerns and present them.

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Lets not bother having the forum then or lets just have it for predictions & spot the ball!

I for one was cheesed off with what I saw Saturday in OUR ground, surely the management & directors will be doing the same discussing it but in their boardroom.

Fans Forum seems a perfect way for "fans" to discuss the subject!

Or you could book on the coach to Grays & we could all discuss it there......? :)

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haha - look im jus sayin that the fans forum is comin up v soon so thers no need 2 drag the argy out on here!

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...lets have a change of scenery for the argy at least!! :P

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its a discussion :) with people fronting what they think about the situation!

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I think the problem was the York fans. Last season we had more from Carlisle than York brought, we get more from Morecambe than York brought, the season before last we had more from Chester than York brought, more from Shrewsbury than York brought, yet we didn't have the problems like last Saturday. What does that tell you ?

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What does that tell you ?[/quote]
It tells me we were very lucky that only York lost ! (I think)

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Come on if the carry on that surfaced on Saturday is because they lost what can we expect in the CCL 2?

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Ahhh but at the time of most of the problems they hadn't lost. In fact the pitch invasion happened when they equalised!!!

Let's just point out that it was a minority of York Fans that caused the problems and most york fans are passionate supporters of their team just like ourselves.

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So again the minority shame the majority who came to support ther team win lose or draw. Its sad that it happens especially after the good humour I saw with the Worcester fans.

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having just spent an hour reading the various york forums on saturdays trouble I have to make comment, we all agreed that various York idiots were idiots but,
1 Jimmy Bell was out of order belting the ball at their fans.
2 Gary Roberts was out of order inciting an already volatile crowd with his goal celebrations
3 Darren Randolph gave as good as he got, which is not helpful to the coppers and stewards trying to hold back the tide.
4 Bouncers have no right to be working within a football ground. If they must then FFS put them in some sort of stewarding jacket not black and whites. BOMBER JACKETS?
5 Many of their fans had been drinking since 11. Having been turned away from Stanley matches in the past for smelling of drink after only a few pints I cannot understand how a large quantity of fans got in.
6 As per Jase's comments earlier, why were they allowed in the aisleway. We get moved every time. Give em an inch and they'll take an aisleway

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OMG another one siding with york fans against the club :(

1. was he? did he?

2. no he was not out of order. players do that all the time at every level.

3. i see you leave out the racist monkey chants aimed at him

4. says who? you? they are not stewards they are security and have every right to be there. they have been there all season and no one complained. you didn't complain before did you?

5. just like many of our fans. me and many others. turn away everyone you think has had a few and you will have an empty ground. we also have the sports bar open all the game

6. stewards could not move them. police in riot gear could not move them. what are you talking about "allowed"

The only people to blame are the York City fans who caused the trouble. stop looking for scapegoats. the game has gone and all you people can do is slag off the club and staff.

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I think a lot of points york fans have made have correct but i dont think for one minute that excuses how they behaved, our problem was our ineffciency to enforce the rules of a football ground, Yorks was breaking them, in the end though its our responsibility being the home team to keep them under control and it never happend which is why it escalated as fast as it did.

When frank lashed out at a woking player he was ejected immediatly at that was in the 90th minute, would it happen at stanley?

Lee

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frankly Someone, yes Jimmy Bell fired the ball into the crowd at pace on purpose, yes Gary Roberts was out of order, whether it happens at every level or not, yes Randoplph was out of order responding to the abuse monkey chants or not, Yes I say that bouncers have no right to be in a football ground wearing black and whites, they are tantamount to incitement in the wrong situation, drunken fans should not be in a football ground Stanley fans or otherwise. We were expecting a lot of York fans and we know or should have known that they have an unruly element (see NLP or York website or even ask the police as that is what they are there for) and as for allowing, they should have been made to observe ground safety rules from the moment they got in.

I am not for one moment siding with York, their behaviour was was unacceptable. But, from the moment this game was scheduled we could have had better plans underway. The comments levelled on this forum are not necessarily to slag off the club or its officials but to point out where things are wrong that shouldn't be. We know that representatives of the club read this forum and hopefully they will take on board what we as fans think or see that just maybe they haven't, ie, the supposed bouncers taking money at the gate and whether the club know anything about it. York fans have been quick to level blame at their own undesirables but also have laughed at our ground, fans, club, stewards and matchday organisation. They have come from higher levels of football whereas we have come from a lower level and some of their criticism is unfair and unwarranted, but some is true, And they are not the first club to call comments like this. We are in the top tier of non-league football and have aspirations of going higher, we need to get our house in order and this is not looking for scapegoats or slagging off ASFC. There are lessons to be learned from saturday and I hope they are learned.

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Learn what? Some lads stood in the walkway. Big deal.

Give it a rest. your making a big fuss about nothing. What could have been? what might have been? Duh. go to the york forum and tell them off for there part and we might have some respect for you. The officials of ASFC saw what happened on Saturday. your just making it worse by banging on about it over and over again.

Third in the league and having a laugh.

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no-one... lets see who's having a laugh when its more serious next time and you or someone with you gets a kicking because of ineptitude

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When we eventually get in to the next round of A cup lets hope we don't draw a Millwall or Luton or someone like them we would be on here talking about far worse then a few Yorkies causing trouble, lets get the house in order then No one can complain.

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from graham charnley & mick schultz:

Many comments have been made about the Stewarding of our last home game against York City. We would like to take the opportunity of congratulating everyone involved in stewarding the match, particularly all the people who worked so hard in controlling the visiting fans.

Our stewards exercised great patience with the few visiting fans that insisted on breaking the ground regulations by blocking the walkway behind the goal. Stewards are in place within the ground to help people, support the ground rules and make sure that everyone including visiting spectators enjoy the experience of match days here in Accrington.
Without doubt the training and qualification of our stewards, on this occasion proved to be valuable.

The afternoon ended without any real problem other than a few boisterous fans at the away end who clearly did not want to do as our stewards were asking of them.

The events on the field against York City were also successful a 2 – 1 win, climbing to 3rd place in the table and a great crowd combined to give Accrington Stanley an excellent day.

Graham Charnley - Ground Director
Mick Schultz - Safety Officer