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snakepit 1st half

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Back in the mid 80''s there was a crowd of 40 - 50 of us who were all mates who used to stand at the back of the centre pen of the Barclay, we always had a good relationship with the stewards and some of us used to stand on the very back step so we could leg it down the steps to be first at the bar at half time.

The first game of one season there was a new young steward who was put at the back of the Barclay who was trying to prove himself by Billy Big Bollocks and trying to stop me and a couple of others standing on the back step, so we stepped forward and then back, this happened a few times and he was starting to get very irate and threatening to get us banned so all the others joined us on the back step.

At this point one of the older more experienced stewards pulled him to one side and told him to wind his neck in before one of us put him on his backside and if one of us didn''t he would himself as we were a good bunch of lads and he didn''t want the relationship between the fans and the stewards spoilt.

We never did see this new Steward again after that.

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Sorry I have come to this rather late but I can''t let the allegation that the lad "struck out" at the steward go without comment. I sit very close to the lads and did not see this and frankly can''t believe it.

They are not "the type" of lads some here seem to be assuming. Speaking as an "middle-aged old fa*t" I have always found them to be pleasant, good-humoured, polite and friendly and completely refute the idea that they are "trouble makers." The issue has been building up for some weeks and whilst I can''t pretend to know all the background, it has seemed to me that one lad in particular has been judged by harsher standards than the rest of the crowd, which seems to have built up resentment. I think that they feel "picked on" and to me there seems to be an element of justification in this feeling.

To those that say, if they only sat down "it would be ok" - yes of course this is true, but I have said what many have - "what about those in front of me?"

I have every sympathy for the stewards: I have always found them very helpful. I would hate to do the job that they have and I am sure that they are acting in what they believe to be the correct way, but can only speak on what I see and it seems to me that they have misjudged this group.

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[quote user=" Badger"]Sorry I have come to this rather late but I can''t let the allegation that the lad "struck out" at the steward go without comment. I sit very close to the lads and did not see this and frankly can''t believe it. They are not "the type" of lads some here seem to be assuming. Speaking as an "middle-aged old fa*t" I have always found them to be pleasant, good-humoured, polite and friendly and completely refute the idea that they are "trouble makers." The issue has been building up for some weeks and whilst I can''t pretend to know all the background, it has seemed to me that one lad in particular has been judged by harsher standards than the rest of the crowd, which seems to have built up resentment. I think that they feel "picked on" and to me there seems to be an element of justification in this feeling. To those that say, if they only sat down "it would be ok" - yes of course this is true, but I have said what many have - "what about those in front of me?" I have every sympathy for the stewards: I have always found them very helpful. I would hate to do the job that they have and I am sure that they are acting in what they believe to be the correct way, but can only speak on what I see and it seems to me that they have misjudged this group.[/quote]

 

Maybe in a way they stand out because it''s the same people week on week?  Have these lads complained to the head stewards or the club about how they feel picked on?  It will all be on CCTV.

Sometimes youre better just doing as you are asked, then standing up when the game gets exciting and others stand too.

If the people in front of me stand I stand too, but if I stand and the person behind doesn''t want to stand or his 2 small kiddies can''t see, he has every right to ask me kindly to sit.

Maybe the groups of stewards in the LB are more old school and more tolerant.

Of course a lot of us want to stand, that''s what we used to do, but those days are gone, and unless the law is reversed it''s how it''s going to be.  As others have stated it should be enforced all around the ground, especially in the away supporters area.

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A day in the life of a Steward8-36 am My alarm clock goes off, its a match day today and the culmination of a heavy weeks safety training, I''ve spent the whole week at the Stadium learning to walk up and down stairs, I''m yet to have as many gold stars as my friend Dave but I do think I chose the right career path instead of McDonald''s 10-06am I head downstairs to find the wife relaxing with her feet up on the sofa, I instruct her to immediately remove her feet from the seat, not only is it a safety hazard but there could be anything on her shoes, how would she like it if someone else were to sit in that seat. 12-06pm I go to get my coat before heading to the match only to find one of the kids standing in the

garden outside, I immediately instruct him to sit down, I don’t know

how many times I need to stress just how dangerous standing up is to

him, he claims he was only having fun but that is no reason to

compromise other peoples safety even if nobody was in trouble, better safe than sorry is my motto 2-56pm The stadium is packed and we''re almost ready for action, I''ve been busy directing people to seats for the past half hour, befriending people then telling them off for the most meaningless things. There was one woman who tried to enter the ground wearing boots, HOW DARE SHE! can you imagine letting someone in with something that could be used as a

dangerous weapon, she insisted they were fashion wear and said she was

off shopping instead, good riddance to potential hardcore trouble makers

I say 3-10pm I spot a young lad shouting that his team are "by far the greatest team the world has ever seen". My mate Sid confirms my suspicions that the Brazil side of 1970 were the best of all time so I discipline him for lying. First there''s telling fibs then it leads to heroin and gun crime, still my objective as steward is to eradicate all evil from society so taking his season ticket off him was the right thing to do 3-49pm Half time - its the usual stampede to the concourses so these hooligans can drink even more beer to aid the riots they’ll no doubt be starting, one of them has been standing a whole yard in front of the yellow line drinking a pint of lager, I''ve radioed the gaffer but I have to wait until he moves another step before I can chuck him out. 3-53pm YES! the lager drinker finally moves forward, its been agony waiting for it but I feel he’s been causing a real threat to other peoples safety, I don’t want to be the man left with blood on his hands 4-23pm 2 kids have been spotted walking around the concourse, one is apparently armed with a plastic spoon, its times like these that I hate the danger element that’s involved but if it meant ensuring the safety of the fans I''d fight them, unless there’s someone smaller to pick on of course 4-52pm That’s it, game over, the drama however is not, one obvious hooligan has decided to hurdle the seats, he doesn’t realise the danger he is causing himself and others, I''ve called for the police as this is a serious matter, one of the boys in blue comes over and laughs in my face when I ask him to arrest the man for climbing over the seats, he obviously isn’t very well trained as I know this is actually a law, maybe he’s laughing at the supposed supporters idiocy and just how far he is willing to go to compromise his own safety. 5-36pm Another hectic day is over, unfortunately I lost our weekly contest of how many people we can throw out, although I did win a sweep stake for the stupidest warning after telling a fan he would have his season ticket taken off him if he continued to clap during the game, people criticise us stewards for not having a sense of humour but its a laugh a minute it really is. 7-03pm I go home via my local chippy, the

assistant obviously spots my luminous jacket and asks how Norwich got

on, I''m not stupid, they wont catch me out, I chucked 5 under 10s out

warned 15 pensioners and am trying to have 3 season tickets confiscated of people who wore to much bright clothing to the match, does he really think I have time to watch the game, its disgusting the lack of respect some people have for us stewards, ahem, safety officers 8-34pm I arrive home to find pandemonium in my house, my wife is running up and down the stairs screaming "F**king get in we’ve won 5 million f**king quid on the lottery", I proceed to throw her out of the premises as she is clearly celebrating far to much and foul language is just going over the top, with a bit of luck she won’t be allowed back in again, some people just take liberties. 10-48pm I settle down to watch the premiership, strange it seems people in the crowd actually watch the

game if only our supporters would grow up and not be hell bent on

causing trouble by standing up, getting excited or singing, it would

make my job a whole lot easier that’s for sure. 12-00pm I apply to join the police force for the 42nd time

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