Nottinghamshire Police

Funny you should say this because I had exactly the same problem! I got the 06:28 train from GY and arrived shortly before your train.

I tried to break free from the group of Town fans at the station to go for a wee and I was walking over, Officer 458 (probably same one as you) then walked infront of me. I then asked him politely to move, explaining I needed the toilet.

He then stated that if I walked past him I would be arrested on the spot! I couldn't believe it. Obviously I wanted to see the game so just took his collar number and joined the group of Town fans and went to the ground.

I tweeted @FSF_Faircop who would like to speak to me tomorrow about the situation.

Shame about the whole thing is, I was speaking to a copper in the ground who was criticising the organisation of the whole thing and was horrified when I told him what happened earlier.

But hey ho, we're all trouble causers just because we watch football aren't we...

Quoted from LH

Police at Notts County were brilliant from my experience. Asked two constables and a sergeant where the nearest Town pub was and they answered in a civil manner and wished us well for the day.

Seemed a completely different atmosphere at Mansfield - one of our party had the contents of his sandwich searched! They gave the "we have intelligence" spiel as the reason. It seems as though the Mansfield FLO isn't well liked by their fanbase much.

Was there even any "trouble" other than their firm of five telling the Town fans that they'd be/been running in the ground? Seemed like total overkill that will no doubt been seen as a success for Notts Police.

Didn't they know it's tampons not sandwiches? Or had they thought he'd said 'smoke bomb' when he said he had smokey bacon in his sarney?

I get all the public order stuff, but necessarily antagonising people does't help. How difficult would it be to let someone go to the bog!

The worst thought about going to Donny in December is it's on miner-beating, paedophile-protecting, lying-about-dead-football-fans South Yorks Police's patch.

There intelligence from Wycombe away would of been , somebody ignited a green smoke bomb in the stadium and the rest suffer.............. Thanks green smoke bomber. Glad you had fun

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I think the stewarding before the games is getting ridiculous. I was in the ground early, and watched as people queued to get in. Whatever your age you were searched - patted down do they call it - and to see young and old getting patted down and bags searched doesn't feel British. We were trying to get into Field Mill not Downing Street.

They didn't pat down females while I was watching, which begs the question why? Either we are all suspects or don't bother at all.

I am sure they are under instruction but does wearing a fluorescent jacket give you carte blanche to search somebody from top to toe?

Obviously not heard that pyrotechnics are the new tampon.

I got talking to one policeman and he even admitted that the amount of coppers was ridiculous, he also said he didn't understand why it was an early kick off

I saw 8 police officers escorting , 2 police vans slowly moving alongside a group of 10 town fans.... it did seem
a little over the top... as for being searched... I dont have a problem with it .  Me , the young lady and  9 year old Tom had a
frisk and bag search... lasted about 30 seconds... having worked in security at 2 international airports I fully
understand why this is done... people dont complain when theyre off on a plane... and with what SOME people want to take into football grounds , its perfectly understandable... I thought during the game , and afterwards... the police were well
mannered both in the ground and at the station... a good afternoon out...

Quoted from N2K

Funny you should say this because I had exactly the same problem! I got the 06:28 train from GY and arrived shortly before your train.

I tried to break free from the group of Town fans at the station to go for a wee and I was walking over, Officer 458 (probably same one as you) then walked infront of me. I then asked him politely to move, explaining I needed the toilet.

He then stated that if I walked past him I would be arrested on the spot! I couldn't believe it. Obviously I wanted to see the game so just took his collar number and joined the group of Town fans and went to the ground.

I tweeted @FSF_Faircop who would like to speak to me tomorrow about the situation.

Shame about the whole thing is, I was speaking to a copper in the ground who was criticising the organisation of the whole thing and was horrified when I told him what happened earlier.

But hey ho, we're all trouble causers just because we watch football aren't we...

Well worth videoing the police in that sort of situation. I've seen officers attitude change when they know they're accountable for their actions. It always surprises me when there's middle class outrage when protesters are kettled in London. That sort of thing goes on every weekend up and down the country at football and no-one seems to do anything about it.

Quoted from Vance Warner

Well worth videoing the police in that sort of situation. I've seen officers attitude change when they know they're accountable for their actions. It always surprises me when there's middle class outrage when protesters are kettled in London. That sort of thing goes on every weekend up and down the country at football and no-one seems to do anything about it.

I was about to record him and ask him "would I be arrested if I go to the toilet" but literally as I reached for my pocket, Town fans got ushered on. Definitely going to be recording from the start from now on.

Quoted from Paris Mariner

Was nobody else miffed by their shoddy handling of the situation prematch?

I arrived from Skegness to Mansfield around 10:20. I asked to leave the station which was a no, then to go to the toilet (I genuinely needed to go having left my home at 6:45) - also a no. I was told in uncertain terms to go and join the other Town fans herded up down the platform. I then thought, I'll hang back, as I was alone, and try and go into town when everyone else has been taken away so to speak. No. The police officer who I tried to plead with said "all Grimsby fans are idiots" which I denied, he responded with "it only takes a minority to cause a lot of trouble". We arrived at a closed ground having to stand in a retail car park for 10-20 minutes until they opened it. Terrible policing - antagonised everyone, treated like a presumed criminal, no civil liberties - absolutely pathetic. Really spoilt my day.

I tweeted the FSF to which, disappointingly, I had no reply.

You should have p!ssed down his leg.