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[GoneFishing]

To everyone asking why there was no police presence i think the answer is obvious - money.

[CB]

Reasons why it was the Chester fans fault are quite clear. If you find yourself in the wrong end you do NOT go and stand right in the middle of the opposing fans, start singing, then goading and eventually swinging punches.

Most normal people would tell a steward they were in the wrong end, who would then quite happily move them round to the correct side. The fact they didn't do this means they brought all this grief on themselves.

[Midlands Alty]

For anyone to suggest that this was caused by anyone other than 30 or so Chester scumbags is totally incorrect, and insulting to all of us Alty fans who don't have any fight in us really.
There was a group of Chester fans stood to the left of where I stood behind the goal which grew gradually from around 2.30pm. I told a steward but nothing happened and, by kick off, the size of the group was around 30, with others scattered around the Golf Road End (I knew the others were also Chester fans as I saw them talikng to the larger group). As soon as the match kicked off, 2-3 of these fans, stood at the back of the Golf Road End, pretended to be Alty fans charging at the larger group which is how the whole thing started. It was totally premeditated and planned. At the end of it, their steward seemed amusedby it all - their stewards were surely only at the ground to identify these idiots BEFORE anything happened?
My 11 year old son has been coming to Alty with me for 7 years, but was scared today. Also, our stewards should not have been put in the position they were today. The response time from the local police also seemed incredibly slow to me?

[62vintage]

To everyone asking why there was no police presence i think the answer is obvious - money.

Where peoples safety is concerned money should not come into it. Apparently Chester are known for this kind of thing and everybody was expecting a big crowd today.
Surely it is better to be safe than sorry, and some todays  projected gate money spent on a police presence.

[CB]

Oh, and another thing. Why after the first scuffle were the Chester lot not immediately rounded up and escorted away? Instead, they were allowed to stand as they were, practically mingling with the Alty fans, hence the back chat, goading and Alty fans getting irate.

What was the point of the Chester stewards being there if they provided no protection at all?

[GoneFishing]

Chester brought a large following a few years ago without any trouble, and that was the real Chester, not this fans club nonsense. FC United caused problems once but not when they returned, Millwall caused so much fear even Tesco closed, but their fans behaved impeccably. My point is you never know who is going to cause trouble.

[WiganAlty]

First of all, I would question the use of the word "fans" in the thread header - they don't deserve this accolade.

As has been noted above, there were a number of these idiots in the GRE when I arrived at 2:30, openly drinking alcohol, and were approached by stewards who appeared only to ask them to drink up and then (fortunately as it transpires) removed the empty bottles and cans. Surely if they had refused to stop drinking, then they should have been ejected?

It also beggars belief that the perpetuators of the attack should not only be allowed to walk back to the Chester supporters area, but were escorted there by our stewards despite many people telling the stewards that they had been responsible. Hopefully someone had the foresight to use the video equipment that caused controversy as few seasons ago.

I appreciate that our stewards are volunteers and do an excellent job, but I think that today they were let down badly by the club by not having a police presence, especially given that one steward I spoke to was intimating his concerns well before the game, and that it was thought fit to have Chester's own stewards there (presumably to identify troublemmakers?). The stewards were under intense pressure to cope with the aforementioned situation, and also trying to contain either the same (or more) morons who seemed intent on pulling the segregation fence down, as well as the others who were still in the GRE later in the first half. Indeed, from the GRE, I saw a steward being attacked by one of these village idiots - surely stewards should not have to deal with this?

Whilst there are economic issues associated with this, after we have counted the cash from the large away support, how many people will not come again, or will not bring their kids/friends to future games? My daughter who was with me will certainly be thinking twice before coming again.

I sincerely hope that the board send a letter to the Chester City board regarding the situation - whilst with the best will in the world Chester City cannot be responsible for any tool(s) who decide to turn up in their name, they should be doing everything possible to identify these people and make sure they do not attend any further matches.

And whilst we can argue the toss over this for some considerable time, does anyone know how the injured Alty supporter is?

[pughalex22]

First of all, I would question the use of the word "fans" in the thread header - they don't deserve this accolade.

As has been noted above, there were a number of these idiots in the GRE when I arrived at 2:30, openly drinking alcohol, and were approached by stewards who appeared only to ask them to drink up and then (fortunately as it transpires) removed the empty bottles and cans. Surely if they had refused to stop drinking, then they should have been ejected?

It also beggars belief that the perpetuators of the attack should not only be allowed to walk back to the Chester supporters area, but were escorted there by our stewards despite many people telling the stewards that they had been responsible. Hopefully someone had the foresight to use the video equipment that caused controversy as few seasons ago.

I appreciate that our stewards are volunteers and do an excellent job, but I think that today they were let down badly by the club by not having a police presence, especially given that one steward I spoke to was intimating his concerns well before the game, and that it was thought fit to have Chester's own stewards there (presumably to identify troublemmakers?). The stewards were under intense pressure to cope with the aforementioned situation, and also trying to contain either the same (or more) morons who seemed intent on pulling the segregation fence down, as well as the others who were still in the GRE later in the first half. Indeed, from the GRE, I saw a steward being attacked by one of these village idiots - surely stewards should not have to deal with this?

Whilst there are economic issues associated with this, after we have counted the cash from the large away support, how many people will not come again, or will not bring their kids/friends to future games? My daughter who was with me will certainly be thinking twice before coming again.

I sincerely hope that the board send a letter to the Chester City board regarding the situation - whilst with the best will in the world Chester City cannot be responsible for any tool(s) who decide to turn up in their name, they should be doing everything possible to identify these people and make sure they do not attend any further matches.

And whilst we can argue the toss over this for some considerable time, does anyone know how the injured Alty supporter is?

excellent point!

[Beaver]

To everyone asking why there was no police presence i think the answer is obvious - money.

We've known for a while they'd bring more than 1000 to Moss Lane. The club should have paid for police regardless of knowing if trouble was expected. That should be standard for an away following of that size.

[Bob]

To everyone asking why there was no police presence i think the answer is obvious - money.

We've known for a while they'd bring more than 1000 to Moss Lane. The club should have paid for police regardless of knowing if trouble was expected. That should be standard for an away following of that size.

I agree.  The revenue generated from such a following would more than cover the cost.  I've seen police here for smaller away support.

[markecky]

As a few people spoke to the chairman,I hope he will put as statement on to explain the facts about why no police were there.  Its not about money which is quite rightly what most people would think.

I am baffled as to why these matters weren't taken out of the clubs hands anyway by a joint GMP and Cheshire police project?

It was a dickheads dream.  Bank holiday, come out of the pub in Chester, jump on one train for a tenner, off train and into pub.

They took 850 to Oxford including a group of fans under banning orders who were stopped by Cheshire Police who travelled with them.  What made police think that they wouldn't come 25 miles to Alty?

The saddest thing for me today is that I actually told my Dad not to come as I knew this would happen today.  The sight of a couple of coppers would have changed everything.

I feel sad that our stewards had to get involved in all this put the warning signs were there from 2:30 and pointed out calmly to them.

[Toff Apple]

as it was when wrexham fans were in the golf road end.  I object when supporters who are well known alty fans have said to the stewards on both occasions now that there are opposition fans in the end, the response is to ask those fans if they are.  Surely the club should have an automatic response to a potential threat such as this which would be to bring more stewards into the area and contact the opposition stewards who were present, not disbelieve those who stand there week in week out.  Our stewards do a great job, I am proud that they steward 99% of games in a superb and inconspiquous way, however they are not geared up for today or last time vs. Wrexham.  As for the older chester fans grouped near the front, they seemed to have made their way into the golf road end because they couldn't be bothered queing at the chequers end.  I detest violence at games and the incidents in the first few mins made me ill at ease for the entire half.  It is not what any alty fan goes to watch a game for.

[bumble]

There's a statement on the website from GR

[Paul Cain's Chip Pan]

I would just like to convey my best wishes to those who were injured this afternoon and to wish them a full and speedy recovery. How terrible that people went out to watch a game of football this afternoon and instead had to contend with behaviour like this. Sickening!

[markecky]

It should also be pointed out that about 980 didn't cause any mither, managed to go in the right end and enjoy there teams win.

If you stand in an oppositions end singing songs (especially that you are the baby squad or blazing squad or whatever f#king squad) you are there for one reason only and thats to cause trouble.