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[Mrs Warbouys]

Go to 5.40 secs, never a penalty but look what happens after it goes in!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=E4anym3TszY#!

PS I bet Woking don't segregated half their ground as a sterile area!

[AltyTunnelSteward]

Pete,

I'm not looking for a row but the last paragraph is a cheap shot IMHO.

You and some others might not choose to volunteer to Steward or to give up your own time to acquire qualifications in crowd safety and that is your right.

However some people do and then give up even more of their own time to sort out the organisation of games, speak to and meet with the Council, Police and other Clubs, arrange additional stewards, turn up over three hours prior to kick off to ensure the ground is safe etc.

We might or might not agree with the implementation of segregation or the extent of any sterile area but, having done the job some time ago, I'd not want to do it again but I am grateful that someone wants to do it otherwise we'd be playing behind closed doors

[Mrs Warbouys]

No, I just pay £13 to watch BSN football and have my matchday experience overlooked in favour of 20 people with beards and wolly hats that come here once a season.

[joe]

I'm with Socrates on this one. I've never seen another club in Britain with a sterile area as ridiculous as ours! Whats up with the purpose built segregation and sterile area which worked without a hitch for many years?

[markecky]

I wondered how long it would be before this was turned into a "don't criticise volunteers" issue.

No one is criticising stewards, chairman anyone and everyone is grateful for the work that they do.

People have complained about this situation as they have every right to do as paying customers. People have also offered ways around the issue.


It raises so many more issues than it solves:

1) It displaces people from where they usually stand, usually with friends so changes their matchday experience.

2) It means that the younger/old enough to know better (and usually noiser lads) have to stand down the side with people who choose not to sing and shout.  This ruins two lots of supporters experience, making the younger lads feel awkward and the older ones annoyed that they have to listen to it.

3) Maybe people shouldnt swear at football matches but they do.  When we were taunted by that tit from Gainsborough last game of the season with some badge kissing it forced people who wouldnt normally be involved in that to listen to it.  I've always said that if you are easily offended by some swearing don't stand in the noisest bit of the ground and people normally don't.  This takes way there choice.

4) I have never seen a sterile area bigger than the space allocated for people to stand before.


And people have offered sensible suggestions:


1) If away fans want cover they can sit down and get cover. Otherwise they stand on the away end.

2) If we want a larger sterile area then cut a third of the away end off with a fence to keep fans further away from the corner.  The sterile area in the corner has worked fine for 30 years (bar one incident), why not now?

3) If we must give cover on the pop side then move the fences down to create a 10 metre sterile area further on.  Then people can spread out under the higher roof and not have a restricted view.


I very rarely feel the need to criticise what the club does but on this occasion someone has got it wrong.  And the fact they are volunteers shouldn't take away the right to say how you feel.

I feel very strongly about this (can you tell?).  I would never want to do anything that jeopardised the safety of our wonderful stewards and organisers without whom we wouldn't be able to watch the game.  However this current situation is complete overkill.

Its also worth remembering that this forum represents 30-40 out of 550, how many people are complaining who we don't hear of or who could stop or have stopped coming.

Its a situation that can be fixed.  I hope it doesn't arise again this season.

[fuertes]

Haven't been to a home game in a good while, but it definitely seems like the club have got it wrong here.

And those scenes were bloody ridiculous by the way. Running on to the pitch? What a numpty.

[markecky]

And an after thought, before I get off this box.

If an away crowd turn up and they look like they have the potential to cause some trouble then the home fans should only be allowed to two thirds of the way down.  Then our corner would be an extended sterile area.  This could inconvenience the away fans if its raining but that's life, inconvenience the people who come once a year not 25 times a year.

That has worked fine in other matches and no one has complained.

And finally, I don't want anyone to think I am suggesting putting stewards in danger just so we can watch the match from where we want.  However there has to be a balance and its gone to much the other way at present.

Rant over.

[Mrs Warbouys]

Everyone appreciates the hard work all volunteers do, and take great pleasure telling people about the clubs fantastic volunteers. But as said elsewhere, customer satisfaction needs to be taken on board also, without anyone getting offended or being offended on behalf of people.Football is an entertainment business, and the satisfaction of the 750 hardcore supporters as just as important as everyone else's. No volunteers = no football club, but so does no supporters.I love how I'm the first one to be pulled up on mentioning this when people have aired views on it for over 12 months by the way.The view of the Carole Nash and family terrace goal is virtually non existent from the first third of the popular side.So effectively your paying to watch half a match.

[Hamilton]

Back to the original footage, the ref looked like one of those "Look at me!" refs with his body language; chest out, head up type of thing.

[AltySi]

Well said Ecky, one thing that really hacks me off about our club, is that if you dare criticise anything, all you get back is the same old "I don't see you volunteering" spiel, blah blah. As Ecky said, as a paying customer we are entitled to have an opinion

[Darren]

I asked for the an additional sterile area to be built a few years ago but it always came down to money, I suggested
like the one they used to have at the Drillfield. One of the reasons i gave up was the amount of time i had
to imput into planning a game and i know i didn't always get it right hence all your displeasure.
I agree looking back it was an odd thing to do but at the time it seemed right.
I am no longer involed but apologise for starting this crazy situation.
Lets hope the club can finally come up with a sensible solution.

[CB]

Agree completely with Ecky and Socrates. This issue has been going on for YEARS and despite numerous complaints, we are still being ignored.

Premier League clubs don't have sterile areas a tenth of what we have, it's absolutely ridiculous. The bit in the corner is a natural and suitable sterile area, anything else is overkill.

I swear if we have to put up with it again this season I am going to go ballistic.

[Jenga]

Segregation at Manchester United, two or threes covered by green netting and some stewards.

Segregation at Moss Lane, two rows of fences, a sterile area as long as anyone has seen and some stewards.

Something is not right here me thinks.

[Paul Cain's Chip Pan]

Classy though wasn't it, scoring his pen then goading the keeper. Sole should be severely punished for starting all that trouble in my opinion.

[Darren]

Segregation at Manchester United, two or threes covered by green netting and some stewards.

Segregation at Moss Lane, two rows of fences, a sterile area as long as anyone has seen and some stewards.

Something is not right here me thinks.

There's more stewards and police in that area thaat Altricham use in a whole season, they have the money and resources