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Quoted from heppy88

Unfortunately, for those taking part the buzz of the fight is more important than what’s happening on the pitch, more important than their team maintaining momentum. So obviously more important than staying in the league. I hated it in the eighties and the nineties and now it just makes me sad that blokes in their forties and fifties feel the need to act like apes. They must lead sad lives and have tiny cocks.

Have we forgotten how some of our fans behaved at Burton? Look at the West Ham fans today. It isn't like the Eighties when some supporters just went to football games for a fight. Yes, you will still get a few idiots wanting to show how hard they are, but nowadays most fans are more in tune with what will happen financially if they get relegated and their frustration shows through. I hate violence at any sports game but you do get a minority who feel that is the only way they can vent there frustration when things aren't going well.

Quoted from Perkins

Luckily episodes like today are few and far between these days, although sadly ones like today can result in repercussions for the club, which they must have realised when they decided to dispense with the presence of Humbersides finest inside the ground.
This was a game of handbags compared to the violence a lot of us saw and experienced in the eighties, and i think some of the knuckledraggers involved must sometimes think they missed out on the violence during those years. But if that type of violence were to rear its head again, most of those involved today would excrement themselves and go running home crying to mummy.

Yes, but it's creeping back into the game and to deny it would be foolish. As for the morons who got involved today, they should have no part to play in this club. Plenty of video evidence. Ban them. For life. FFS as if the club are not already in enough of a mess already without these idiots adding to it.

If your going to try and promote families to come to the games then you should safeguard the safety of those fans. It was clear from early morning that the police were expecting trouble, as the police presence in cleethorpes was intimidating before any so called Vale fans arrived. So if the club refused policing, after advice to the contrary, just to save a few quid, then the club should be fined. How many had to die in the eighties before lessons were learnt?Seems like some on the board have short memories!

Quoted from heppy88

If your going to try and promote families to come to the games then you should safeguard the safety of those fans. It was clear from early morning that the police were expecting trouble, as the police presence in cleethorpes was intimidating before any so called Vale fans arrived. So if the club refused policing, after advice to the contrary, just to save a few quid, then the club should be fined. How many had to die in the eighties before lessons were learnt?Seems like some on the board have short memories!

Don't be a drama queen......... Today was not good but to categorize it with the sad events in history is a bit insulting TBH.

I'm sorry Heppy I get the stuff about stewards and police but this would not be a talking point if people behaved themselves.

Only just heard about the bother in Cleethorpes pre match. Was the safety Officer informed? What a contrast. Match at Chesterfield stopped so helicopter can access seriously ill supporter while we appear unwilling to protect fans, players and poorly paid stewards. The Club should conduct their own enquiry and propose changes.

Quoted from heppy88

Unfortunately, for those taking part the buzz of the fight is more important than what’s happening on the pitch, more important than their team maintaining momentum. So obviously more important than staying in the league. I hated it in the eighties and the nineties and now it just makes me sad that blokes in their forties and fifties feel the need to act like apes. They must lead sad lives and have tiny cocks.

Can't help but take issue with that comment. I lead a sad life and have a tiny c0ck but I've never behaved like that.

Quoted from Croxton

Only just heard about the bother in Cleethorpes pre match. Was the safety Officer informed? What a contrast. Match at Chesterfield stopped so helicopter can access seriously ill supporter while we appear unwilling to protect fans, players and poorly paid stewards. The Club should conduct their own enquiry and propose changes.

I have not got a clue what you are talking about here and I sense neither have you.

How can you compare an excellent emergency first aid response with the behavior of a number of morons.

Maybe GTFC would have made better arrangements if they had better Police intel before today, who knows?

Quoted from Croxton

Only just heard about the bother in Cleethorpes pre match. Was the safety Officer informed? What a contrast. Match at Chesterfield stopped so helicopter can access seriously ill supporter while we appear unwilling to protect fans, players and poorly paid stewards. The Club should conduct their own enquiry and propose changes.

The club have had the enquiry straight after the game and i have seen the report which concluded ..

Cause of trouble - The fans
Influencing factors - The fans not respecting stewards who asked fans to return to their seats
Future control measures - Ban the fans
Are the club in anyway at fault - No. Its all the fans fault

Quoted from mariner91

Can't help but take issue with that comment. I lead a sad life and have a tiny member but I've never behaved like that.

Post of the week Matt! :)

Quoted from mariner91

Can't help but take issue with that comment. I lead a sad life and have a tiny c0ck but I've never behaved like that.

Are you Donald Trump in disguise?

Are you not aware of the policy changes re policing announced by the club earlier this season Herts? Something clearly was amiss today. My point was about two match interruptions managed differently. I do not prejudge hence my call for a thorough safety officer report.
Again Herts., you express yourself in an insulting way to two posters on this subject. Your assessment of the game is measured and temperate but your gratuitous comments about the fan trouble weaken your own points.

Quoted from Vance Warner

To be fair I've never known Port Vale to travel in numbers like that. It clearly took the authorities by surprise but you would think once they knew there was a coachload of lads looking for trouble they could change the decision and have police in the ground.

You obviously don't get to many Town Port Vale games, there has been trouble at some of these games going back years.

My understanding is that a couple of coaches had a police escort to the ground and on the A180 at least 2 police spotter cars on the fly overs.

Clearly excrement preparation by the Safety Officer and the stewards weren't up to much either just letting those who ran on to the pitch back into the stand, at many away games I've see Town fans carted off for similar offences.

Quoted from jock dock tower

Are you Donald Trump in disguise?

Nah, my hands are a decent size. Which just makes my todger look even smaller ;D.

Quoted from mariner91

I lead a sad life and have a tiny c0ck.

That's what your wife told me.

Quoted from Croxton

Are you not aware of the policy changes re policing announced by the club earlier this season Herts? Something clearly was amiss today. My point was about two match interruptions managed differently. I do not prejudge hence my call for a thorough safety officer report.
Again Herts., you express yourself in an insulting way to two posters on this subject. Your assessment of the game is measured and temperate but your gratuitous comments about the fan trouble weaken your own points.

What was "amiss today" was people behaving like responsive adults which is the point I was trying to make.

Other than calling Heppy a "drama queen" (no offence Heppy) which I still stand by looking at his outrageous comparison please C&P where I have been insulting.

Quoted from lukeo

I put my Nike cap on today which I haven't worn since I was 10.. I was hoping that it would make me feel hard as intercourse because I'm assuming that's what makes these kind of people think that? They all seem to wear them.... It didn't it just made my dandruff itch

Probably because it makes it harder to see their faces on CCTV unless the cameras are low down, in which case they're still unlikely to get a clear view with bodies in the way.

Quoted from KingstonMariner

Probably because it makes it harder to see their faces on CCTV unless the cameras are low down, in which case they're still unlikely to get a clear view with bodies in the way.

If everyone wears the same clothes and has their face covered it makes it very hard to get a conviction. I doubt the CCTV is that good quality which is why the coppers always have those handheld things - when they are there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMCsVdZaVI8

If the police were there anyway due to intelligence...why do the club have to pay for them to enter the ground? The police is a government/tax-payer funded public service! Perhaps I'm missing something here but I just don't get it!

I’m not being funny but you don’t have to have an NVQ in safety at football matches or whatever worthless qualification or safety officer has to know that if there is likely to be trouble at Blundell Park you take the away fans out the Harrington street side of the ground .
Also when did a couple of parked mini buses became the segregation between the home and away fans ?
This idiot is great at making 13 year olds sit down in the pontoon but has no idea when it comes to performing his real job

Quoted from grimps

I’m not being funny but you don’t have to have an NVQ in safety at football matches or whatever worthless qualification or safety officer has to know that if there is likely to be trouble at Blundell Park you take the away fans out the Harrington street side of the ground .
Also when did a couple of parked mini buses became the segregation between the home and away fans ?
This idiot is great at making 13 year olds sit down in the pontoon but has no idea when it comes to performing his real job

I think you are spot on there.

Crowd trouble never a nice thing. But out of 5000 + people there was only a small amount causing the affray. The police were on the scene quickly and there was not much going on around the streets after the game. Don't let us give it too much publicity and let the powers that be get it sorted..

Just a quick comment on this.

1- why was the gate open allowing away fans free passage? (Even more so if this was full time)

2- where is the segregation between fans around cons corner these days?

From that video we're just as much to blame to be honest. Every person in that corner their are pathetic. Notice not one has a football shirt, scarf or anything on..

Quoted from Croxton

Are you not aware of the policy changes re policing announced by the club earlier this season Herts? Something clearly was amiss today. My point was about two match interruptions managed differently. I do not prejudge hencea my call for a thorough safety officer report.
Again Herts., you express yourself in an insulting way to two posters on this subject. Your assessment of the game is measured and temperate but your gratuitous comments about the fan trouble weaken your own points.

That would be akin to asking King Herod to investigate the disappearance of children!

Quoted from lukeo

From that video we're just as much to blame to be honest. Every person in that corner their are pathetic. Notice not one has a football shirt, scarf or anything on..

Not quite sure I get this comment luke.

Does that mean 87 year old Albert forthright in the main stand likes to go steaming in to the rozzers because he's not got his scarf with him?

Quoted from lukeo

From that video we're just as much to blame to be honest. Every person in that corner their are pathetic. Notice not one has a football shirt, scarf or anything on..

Whilst you can’t deny that our fans were involved. It was the Vale fans that brought it on. Why the away gate was opened is a mystery to me. Half a dozen coppers I the away end would have prevented all that.
Shame on Town if we actually were advised to have policing but turned down to save a few bob.

Herts. Play the ball not the man. You could have avoided the perjorative 'drama queen' remark to Heppy and the inference that I don't have a clue what I am saying. Yes, all agree that the morons are the issue but you seem to want to play down the club's role in deciding the level of policing inside the ground. You completely ignored my reference to changes announced earlier in the season.

Quoted from Mighty_Mariner

If the police were there anyway due to intelligence...why do the club have to pay for them to enter the ground? The police is a government/tax-payer funded public service! Perhaps I'm missing something here but I just don't get it!

BP is private property and the police have to be invited to come in. That’s why police presence in the ground costs clubs money. The same thing applies at places like Freshney Place. Any negligence here looks like it belongs to the club. Too much reliance on CCTV?

Hearts, deaths occurred here and abroad simply because crowd control was not managed effectively. Do you think the events yesterday were managed effectively? Do you think we had enough stewards to contain the situation? Do you think a couple of parked transits is effective crowd control? Do you think allowing two sets of " fans" to converge on a public street to bash it out is good crowd control? Do you think as long as no one gets injured or dies as a result of violence in the ground it is acceptable and anyone who thinks otherwise is being a "drama queen"? FFS it takes one punch to kill someone!

It's true that the club could have done better, but can we not turn to criticing the club more than the knob heads who took part.

Quoted from Mariner93er

It's true that the club could have done better, but can we not turn to criticing the club more than the knob heads who took part.

Sadly there are 'knobheads' who follow every football club, that is a known fact.

The club know that but failed miserably to put measures in place to prevent knobheads being, knobheads.

I walked back to my car behind a young lad (7/8 years of age) and his Dad who was explaining that he wouldn't take him to Lincoln next week because of these idiots.

The club ( rightly) tries to attract young fans with cheap tickets but once in attendance failed miserably to protect them and other law abiding fans. Someone need some to answer for this and not let it be swept under the carpet.

People are paid to be responsible for their actions and judgements

Quoted from Cloudy

Sadly there are 'knobheads' who follow every football club, that is a known fact.

The club know that but failed miserably to put measures in place to prevent knobheads being, knobheads.

I walked back to my car behind a young lad (7/8 years of age) and his Dad who was explaining that he wouldn't take him to Lincoln next week because of these idiots.

The club ( rightly) tries to attract young fans with cheap tickets but once in attendance failed miserably to protect them and other law abiding fans. Someone need some to answer for this and not let it be swept under the carpet.

People are paid to be responsible for their actions and judgements

It will be swept under the carpet because I think we all know whose decision it was not to have a police presence in the ground. Vale played up and stormed the gates simply because they saw the stewards weren’t up to the job of maintaining order

Quoted from mariner91

Can't help but take issue with that comment. I lead a sad life and have a tiny c0ck but I've never behaved like that.

Are you Stephen Marley? ;)

Quoted from Mallyner

Are you Stephen Marley? ;)

Nah, one or two people on here know my name ;D.

Quoted from Gibson617

Crowd trouble never a nice thing. But out of 5000 + people there was only a small amount causing the affray. The police were on the scene quickly and there was not much going on around the streets after the game. Don't let us give it too much publicity and let the powers that be get it sorted..

Really, from my view in the Youngs stand it seemed several minutes before plod turned up in the ground if they did.

Quoted from mariner91

Nah, one or two people on here know my name ;D.

I assume it won't be Nobby? :)

My point being whenever there is trouble you never see 'shirts' (I think that's what they call them) people wearing the colours involved.

Quoted from lukeo

My point being whenever there is trouble you never see 'shirts' (I think that's what they call them) people wearing the colours involved.

Without trying to put words into Lukeo's mouth. "Not everyone who wears Stone Island and Burberry are neanderthal thugs, but all neanderthal thugs wear Stone Island and Burberry". The "Casual" culture is a blight on football and belongs in the 80's.

Quoted from heppy88

Hearts, deaths occurred here and abroad simply because crowd control was not managed effectively. Do you think the events yesterday were managed effectively? Do you think we had enough stewards to contain the situation? Do you think a couple of parked transits is effective crowd control? Do you think allowing two sets of " fans" to converge on a public street to bash it out is good crowd control? Do you think as long as no one gets injured or dies as a result of violence in the ground it is acceptable and anyone who thinks otherwise is being a "drama queen"? FFS it takes one punch to kill someone!

I agree the club where ill prepared for the visit of Port Vale who have a reputation but to liken yesterdays events which in essence where a load of lads in baseball caps and "label" clothing running up to each other shouting "come on then" to some of the tragedies of the past is over egging the pudding IMHO.

And ......... to answer your barbed question no I don't think it's acceptable for people who attend football matches to behave in that manner regardless of the nature of the incident or outcome. Yes a football club should take steps to protect people but moreover people need to behave like responsible adults as well.

Quoted from moosey_club

The club have had the enquiry straight after the game and i have seen the report which concluded ..

Cause of trouble - The fans
Influencing factors - The fans not respecting stewards who asked fans to return to their seats
Future control measures - Ban the fans
Are the club in anyway at fault - No. Its all the fans fault

The blame belongs fairly and squarely with those causing the trouble. Don't call them fans though.

I felt sorry for our stewards yesterday, they were put on the frontline that turned pretty nasty and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear over the next few days that some were assaulted.

You just have to look at the majority of them and it would suggest they are not suited to this situation. I’m not sure what the recruitment policy is but some are very old, overweight and young adults who look petrified. If you want to cut costs and not have policing in the ground you need to have some proper crowd safety. By that, proper bouncer types or tough folk from the gym who would be able to respond adequately or prevent disorder by their presence.

Also, I’m not sure what training our stewards have but before half-time a few fans could be seen drinking pints next to them in the Imp corner infront of the burger bar while the match was still in play. At the back of the Pontoon stewards watched as a lad who was that drunk he couldn’t walk and was rolling around on the floor, not with laughter.

The Club were naive not to expect disorder, giving free tickets away would attract undesirables.

The club is at fault for not ensuring the safety of the Stewards in the away end, the Stewards who work in the away end have been described by the majority of away clubs fans as being the best in the league. Our Stewards are not thugs like at other clubs, and good honest Stewards come in all shapes and sizes. This is on the board hands, shame on you.

The Head Steward is at fault though for not getting the Police in and who opened the gate to let those fans out should have locked it behind them.

The fighting was no more than handbags and gesturing, years ago it would have got ugly but when Hooligans are wearing pink stone island top with a hipster scarf wrapped round his neck it comes across as bit of a joke. He's probably had to many frappochino's up Cleethorpes and the fresh air has gone whistling through his empty skull.

If you want act hard, if you want a punch up, there are plenty of places on the outskirts of every Town and city, fill your boots but do it at the ground where innocent bystanders can get caught up in then you are no more than cowards.

I don't think our stewards did themselves any favours when several Port Vale fans removed the plastic sheeting covering the first few rows in the Osmond, although some tried to replace it they gave up and allowed some of their fans to move in and sit there.

Should weakness in my opinion.

To be honest the stewards are just average people in high vis jackets I doubt they are very well trained to deal with situations like yesterday.

There should have been a couple of coppers about TBH.

Quoted from Cloudy

That would be akin to asking King Herod to investigate the disappearance of children!

PMSL! That's an appropriate thing to read on a Sunday.

Why doesn’t Mr Dale employ a few more people from his own company? That way he will get a few more quid going from the clubs budget into his pocket via the company in which he owns. Just a suggestion.

I do not understand why no further action was taken by the club when:

Trouble was reported up Cleethorpes and Port Vale fans were kettled to the ground
After the first goal, when they removed the plastic sheeting and a steward was caught up in the melee

We also seem to the only club in the football league that just throw away fan pitch invaders back into the stands.

This is the second time there has been a large disorder inside Blundell Park from an away following... someone at the club needs to be held accountable. I travel away and we're never given the opportunity to behave like that and actually get at opposition supporters.

I will give credit where it's due. The portacabin is better segregation than the temporary metal fence that used to be there!

Unfortunately for them, a few Port Vale fans names are already out in the open.

Hopefully when the club had had its investigation they truthfully explain why there were no police inside the ground, don't know the job description but regarding the SLO does he/she have no input on prior information regarding trouble?

Quoted from 1739

Why doesn’t Mr Dale employ a few more people from his own company? That way he will get a few more quid going from the clubs budget into his pocket via the company in which he owns. Just a suggestion.

Please don’t say he owns a security company or such like (lol)(lol)

Quoted from oldun

The blame belongs fairly and squarely with those causing the trouble. Don't call them fans though.

The actual root cause yesterday was Berrett scoring...he should be banned from all future matches. ;)

Our element in the lower jumped up to the hoardings and gave it the big un to the Vale end and Vale reacted...from that moment on the ability and effectiveness of our stewards, the lack of police in the ground, the gates being open all contributed to it escalating beyond what it should have.

That is the clubs fault.The club needs to review its arrangements in light of it.

Our stewards are essentially volunteers, supporters who use the opportunity to get paid and see some of the game....they are not professional crowd control, they are not physically upto hand to hand combat and pretty sure they dont sign upto to be either ( in general anyway)

The club management have a duty of care not only over the fans but also of their matchday employees. If I were one of the stewards on minimum wage who were assaulted (reportedly) whilst trying to stop away fans opening the gate, I’d be wanting serious words with the Stadium Manager.

Same old story from GTFC towers - short term cost cutting will come back to haunt us. Who knows who got caught up in that yesterday, could have been absolutely anyone including women and children. That on top of a potential fine from the FA, injuries to staff, poor experiences for potential long-term fans (read customers) and nationwide negative press coverage, not a good look for an organisation trying to curry favour with the local council and get local support for a new stadium.

That’s the third time in 2 years, after Sheff Utd and Mansfield, where something like this has happened (off the top of my head) - who is actually looking at the performance of the people making these decisions? Who are they answerable to? Ian Fleming as CEO? The board? Someone’s dropping the ball here, consistently, and fans deserve much better.

My final say on this (time being).

Do the club not run due diligence/risk assessments for each individual game. Or are they just banded naively as 1?

The safety of each and every single person (supporter/staff/press) is of the upmost importance, and unfortunately it seems that this hasn't happened on this (and allegedly) other occasions.

I don't think it would come to it, but what if someone had been seriously injured? what if the club were to lose points because of trouble?

The more we struggle through this season, the more amateurish the club looks.

Cue a statement from Fenty, oh no, I forgot we don't hear from him when we should, he only gushes forth periodically about 'all pulling together' and 'get behind the lads' when things get hot for him.

Come on John, speak to us, explain yesterday (if you can) its another chance to blame the fans (Vale ones obviously) after all you normally don't hesitate to lay everything at fans door. You could of course blame the police (I think the Sheffield United debacle was their fault according to you if I recall correctly)

I used to regularly compile health and safety risk assessments as a shop steward. It would not take a greatd eal of knowledge to do something similar at BP, and what I can not fathom out - along with others - is why they very obviously don't have them with procedures in place if something does kick off.

1. Categorise every team as soon as the season's fixture lists come out, based on past experience where available. Category 1 being the teams most likely to have a troublesome following down to Category 5, those with no history of football related violence. In fact, the police should have these already, so why not liaise with them in the first instance?

2. Put procedures into place for those games where there is the potential for trouble, including keeping the away fans inside the ground during the game itself, and only allowing away fans to exit onto Harrington Street.

3. Advise fans beforehand in the local press where the club have identified the high risk category games, and the procedures in place for both sets of fans to try and ensure a risk free environment.

That's really all folk need to know. They do need to know though that the club are not compromising their health and safety by not having valid risk assessments which will be carried out be professionally trained matchday personnel. It's not rocket science. It's logic and common sense.

The fact is that this was so avoidable. Sheff Utd was known about in advance.
Mansfield was a total surprise to all. Police and Town hooligans had no idea.
The police already had intelligence regarding yesterday and policed well in Cleethorpes.
I got caught up in a mini fracas near Wetherspoons pre-match, but Police were soon on hand.
So I don’t see how the club can escape blame on this one. I feel for the stewards and whilst they completely got it wrong they had no outside back up. Surely Nick Dale ( if it is still him in charge) has a lot to answer for !

We haven't paid for police inside the ground for some time i believe. We have undoubtedly saved a bit of dosh in that time, but yesterday, we weren't playing Barnet, we were playing Port Vale, with a well known and long standing hooligan element. They were causing trouble in Meggies all morning and had already been corralled by the police. There was always a chance something would kick off, but if you are going to make the decision to use your own stewards inside the ground, at least make sure you have the goons penned in. They had too much free reign. It's ok to cut costs against those sides fans that don't need to be managed, but any football fan will know that Port Vale are not such a set of fans. The club should have known that too.

Quoted from Civvy at last

The fact is that this was so avoidable. Sheff Utd was known about in advance.
Mansfield was a total surprise to all. Police and Town hooligans had no idea.
The police already had intelligence regarding yesterday and policed well in Cleethorpes.
I got caught up in a mini fracas near Wetherspoons pre-match, but Police were soon on hand.
So I don’t see how the club can escape blame on this one. I feel for the stewards and whilst they completely got it wrong they had no outside back up. Surely Nick Dale ( if it is still him in charge) has a lot to answer for !

Mansfield made it clear they were coming mob handed via lads on England duty plenty knew they were coming

While I echo the criticism of the club over yesterday's events, I do think the police still have questions to answer. As arryarryarry mentioned, it seemed to take some time for there to be any police response to the disorder in the ground, if there was one at all. There also were not that many officers deployed in Harrington Street as I left. So if the police had intelligence suggesting there was going to be trouble, why was the response so slow?

Quoted from jock dock tower

I used to regularly compile health and safety risk assessments as a shop steward. It would not take a greatd eal of knowledge to do something similar at BP, and what I can not fathom out - along with others - is why they very obviously don't have them with procedures in place if something does kick off.

1. Categorise every team as soon as the season's fixture lists come out, based on past experience where available. Category 1 being the teams most likely to have a troublesome following down to Category 5, those with no history of football related violence. In fact, the police should have these already, so why not liaise with them in the first instance?

2. Put procedures into place for those games where there is the potential for trouble, including keeping the away fans inside the ground during the game itself, and only allowing away fans to exit onto Harrington Street.

3. Advise fans beforehand in the local press where the club have identified the high risk category games, and the procedures in place for both sets of fans to try and ensure a risk free environment.

That's really all folk need to know. They do need to know though that the club are not compromising their health and safety by not having valid risk assessments which will be carried out be professionally trained matchday personnel. It's not rocket science. It's logic and common sense.

You dont need to do any asseesments to know that if there has been trouble before the match and a large risk element is in the away end then the fans exit at Harrington street , it's only what any Grimsby fan who has been a reguler for the last 3-0-40 years could tell you.
The fact out ground has huge wide open spaces instead of the old standing corners doesnt help either , someone decided we needed more car parking space than an actual fully funcioning football stadium

Just like to say a big well done to the lads and stewards that held the gate on Saturday, these male masturbators thought they would just march in through and slap innocent supporters about, you should be given free tickets for the rest of the season but no doubt you will be targeted now by the police and some will be looking at banning orders....crazy.

Not sure about that video on the Telegraph website. Is the loud mouth fool on the video, the same person who took the footage? If so, then what a wally he was too. The stuff coming out of his gob is unbelievable, whoever he is.

Quoted from grimps

You dont need to do any asseesments to know that if there has been trouble before the match and a large risk element is in the away end then the fans exit at Harrington street , it's only what any Grimsby fan who has been a reguler for the last 3-0-40 years could tell you.
The fact out ground has huge wide open spaces instead of the old standing corners doesnt help either , someone decided we needed more car parking space than an actual fully funcioning football stadium

Risk assessments would highlight all you say. They would also give suitable advice to anyone who needed it as to what to do in such situations. As I said it's all common sense and logic, but sometimes in situations maybe get out of hand sense and logic go out the window and that's when a risk assessment comes in handy.

I saw where most of the police were after the game. They blocked off 3 side streets between the Imperial and Tesco's. About 10 officers in each street formed a barrier across the road, right next to Grimsby Road. I know these roads gave access to buses for Vale fans but there was no interest from any Town fans from going that way.

A failure of police intelligence?

Certainly a failure of police intelligence would be nothing new. as far as football fans are concerned.

Police intelligence is an oxymoron 😁

.I believe that police can insist of policing inside if they believe there would be trouble. If we don't let them in then they could refuse to let the game go ahead on safety grounds. I believe this has happened before.

I would like to also say well done to the stewards that stopped the trouble escalating inside the ground, putting themselves between the two sets of idiots.

Quoted from TownSNAFU5

I saw where most of the police were after the game. They blocked off 3 side streets between the Imperial and Tesco's. About 10 officers in each street formed a barrier across the road, right next to Grimsby Road. I know these roads gave access to buses for Vale fans but there was no interest from any Town fans from going that way.

A failure of police intelligence?

I think the police did a fairly good job outside the ground. It was inside that was the problem and the club wouldn't pay for their presence, so we can't really criticise them for that.

Quoted from dapperz fun pub

Mansfield made it clear they were coming mob handed via lads on England duty plenty knew they were coming

I wasn't even aware there had been any trouble when Mansfield came to our place

Maybe if their fans had been policed like we were when we went to their place, then there wouldn't have been any issues

Or is it the usual.... one rule for us and another rule for everyone else?

I was speaking to one of Humbersides finest this morning and he told me that there was a large contingent of Stoke fans in Cleethorpes that came with the intention of causing trouble. They had been warned they were coming, hence the increased presence in the resort. I've known the police stop visiting fans on the A18 and either turn them back or escort them to the ground. I've also known them do this to our fans also, especially on the occasion a few years back when we played Scunny in a cup game. Why didn't they do this on Saturday?

Quoted from Perkins

I was speaking to one of Humbersides finest this morning and he told me that there was a large contingent of Stoke fans in Cleethorpes that came with the intention of causing trouble. They had been warned they were coming, hence the increased presence in the resort. I've known the police stop visiting fans on the A18 and either turn them back or escort them to the ground. I've also known them do this to our fans also, especially on the occasion a few years back when we played Scunny in a cup game. Why didn't they do this on Saturday?

He's talking balderdash if he thinks Stoke would go with Vale

Quoted from mariner91

Nah, one or two people on here know my name ;D.

We all do now Matt but surely having a little male private should be gnat ;).

Quoted from grimps

He's talking balderdash if he thinks Stoke would go with Vale

Stoke didn't have a game Saturday, and it's a well known fact that an element of Stoke fans jump on the bandwagon with their neighbours when they can. And unless my memory has gone completely ,there's always been trouble when we've played Stoke home or away it's been long standing. In fact a Stoke fan I used to work with used to brag about the fact that he used to do just that. But then he was an idiot.

Wilko said he wanted to make Blundell Park a fortress. I guess invading armies come with the territory.

Some Hamburg ultras come over and joined forces with Port Vale

Wouldn't be the first time Hamburgers have upset fans at BP.

Quoted from Perkins

Stoke didn't have a game Saturday, and it's a well known fact that an element of Stoke fans jump on the bandwagon with their neighbours when they can. And unless my memory has gone completely ,there's always been trouble when we've played Stoke home or away it's been long standing. In fact a Stoke fan I used to work with used to brag about the fact that he used to do just that. But then he was an idiot.

Flew into Manchester this afternoon airport and had a spare three hours around Piccadilly .
Stoke have their hands full this evening and no mistake.
Grimsby, team and fans, are well thought of too.

Only just catching up with this, what actually happened? Seen plenty of videos on Twitter of the Port Vale fans waiting outside the Lower Findus..

Awful scenes. Disgraceful.

Reading a national paper today showed that West Ham and the London Stadium had exactly the same issues. Moaning about not enough stewards to deal with the unruly fans, stewards not trained for this, and the plod turning up very late in the stadium at the 80th minute.

No excuse for us still, but we do not have the monopoly on poor club management.

Hello lads and lasses, Vale fan here , just thought i'd offer my thoughts if you don't object.
I was there having drove up with my lad and parked by Sidney Park.
Can i quell any mis-information about Stoke lads being with Vale, it has not and would never ever happen so sorry to whoever posted but that is drivel.
At our home game in October the Police Intelligence estimated 1200 GTFC fans and a potential for disorder. The reason i know this is because one of the lads who usually comes with us is Plod.
Anyone who came to that game would of thought the Queen or Theresa May was at the game , i have never seen so many old bill in my life . Total overkill but given Saturdays events maybe not. I think you bought about 600 ish if my memory serves me right.
On to events on Saturday, i am a 48 year old bloke who has followed Vale home and away for years. It was well known down here that there were 2 bus loads of so called ' lads' going to the game. No idea what went wrong between Staffs plod and is it Humberside plod ?
We have attracted an albeit younger chavvy mob of clowns over the past couple of seasons. The games they usually attend would be the likes of Bolton and Sheff Utd where there was quite serious trouble last season.
This season the games they were targeting were Lincoln, Grimsby and Mansfield. Lincoln was a damp squib because about 40 of them went to Benidorm on a Stag do.
Saturday was well known about and based also on the reputation yourselves have. The same clowns will be at Mansfield in about a months time.
Clearly the goal was the spark for the violence but i believe they had made themselves known in Cleethorpes before the game.
After the game me and my lad pretty much kept our gobs shut as it wasn't a nice experience walking back to the car.
Neither set of fans covered themselves in glory though our idiots clearly started the trouble.
Felt sorry for the stewards who were literally on a hiding to nothing.
My overall moan has to be with the old bill, if someone like me knew that there were 2 bus loads going up then what on earth were they doing/ thinking ?
I have seen moans about your chairmen etc not wanting to pay the costs so i can't comment on that.
Petty maybe this bit but the bloke who did the aerial video sounded an absolute moron too , some of his comments were bizarre.
Let us hope that this doesn't start some sort of idiotic mammary for tat rivalry between us because if we both manage to stay up i can imagine some sort of revenge mission would be on the cards next season.
Great atmosphere too in our end spoilt by the antics of a minority.
Whilst i am no angel and can handle myself i can honestly say i have never been to a football game with the intention of kicking someones head in.
Good luck in staying up as you are a proper club and hope you don't mind my observations.

You must have swear interpreter as mammary was not what i put :)

Some interesting background to the trouble thanks for posting. Hope we both stay up, us more so though obviously!

Fair post Adam. Always good to differentiate between us fans and those 'lads' as we know them, regardless of our affinities and colour of scarf.
There's a small but definite problem with the Vale following, and as much a problem with our own clubs security preparations when we clearly knew the potential for disorder and seemingly chose to ignore it.

Quoted from adam0202

You must have swear interpreter as mammary was not what i put :)

Quite a reasonable post mate... called it fair and square

I remember going to your place last game of the season (91-92) with us winning 1-0 to stay up and it relegated you

It wasn't pretty after that match but I don't think we've ever thought any more of it than just a show of frustration and emotion by your fans after being relegated ( similar to us at Burton, though that was us losing league status too )

IF we both stay up I don't envisage there will be any greater risk to the "normal" fans next season... the " t1t-for-tat " scenario could possibly happen but I'd say it's unlikely, especially as our away following is usually heavily policed, most times for no particular reason

As far as i am aware, the police did know of the threat and subdued them pretty well in the main, outside of the ground at least. They couldn't do much inside the ground as our club didn't pay for them to be inside the ground. They did eventually enter the ground however. I think the Vale idiots saw an opportunity inside the ground to cause a bit of mayhem and took it.

Quoted from ginnywings

As far as i am aware, the police did know of the threat and subdued them pretty well in the main, outside of the ground at least. They couldn't do much inside the ground as our club didn't pay for them to be inside the ground. They did eventually enter the ground however. I think the Vale idiots saw an opportunity inside the ground to cause a bit of mayhem and took it.

Just watched a cracking video on Facebook from L3 Visuals of the game and interestingly after vale score and we restart the game the camera pans to the corner of the ground where the vale fans kicked off and there was 6 police persons stood recording with a vid camera so the where some plod in the ground but no where to be seen when the trouble stared

Quoted from cleethorpes_mariner

Just watched a cracking video on Facebook from L3 Visuals of the game and interestingly after vale score and we restart the game the camera pans to the corner of the ground where the vale fans kicked off and there was 6 police persons stood recording with a vid camera so the where some plod in the ground but no where to be seen when the trouble stared

That puts paid to my theory then. We had a pretty good view of the incident from the Upper, but couldn't see all the way to the corner as we sit near the halfway line. Didn't see them myself, so just assumed they were outside the ground getting ready for the end of the game, which was only a couple of minutes away when we scored.

The only trouble i have witnessed was v Stoke. I will never forget being an 18 yo sat on the beam in the lower findus and watching Stoke fans break the goal. I think it was 89-90 the atmosphere was amazing and Stoke fans never stopped singing. I cacked myself thinking they nearly got through to the lower findus lol.

Anyone else remember that day.

I maybe mistaken and not sure if it was the same game but one of fans climbed the pole in the ponny with no top on.

Quoted from Meza

The only trouble i have witnessed was v Stoke. I will never forget being an 18 yo sat on the beam in the lower findus and watching Stoke fans break the goal. I think it was 89-90 the atmosphere was amazing and Stoke fans never stopped singing. I cacked myself thinking they nearly got through to the lower findus lol.

Anyone else remember that day.

I maybe mistaken and not sure if it was the same game but one of fans climbed the pole in the ponny with no top on.

Pretty sure if you search you tube under Grimsby v Stoke football trouble you will see the video of that day, makes Saturday look like a picnic but neither should be happening inside a football ground. Said to my brother on way to the game when we saw the massive police escort accompanying the Vale fans buses that it all appeared a bit OTT, obviously not. Just don’t expect that nowadays whereas 30 years ago be surprised if there was no trouble.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Pretty sure if you search you tube under Grimsby v Stoke football trouble you will see the video of that day, makes Saturday look like a picnic but neither should be happening inside a football ground. Said to my brother on way to the game when we saw the massive police escort accompanying the Vale fans buses that it all appeared a bit OTT, obviously not. Just don’t expect that nowadays whereas 30 years ago be surprised if there was no trouble.

Ah i might have a look. Thanks mate.

Yeah its a different era nowadays with young families in pretty much every stand.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Pretty sure if you search you tube under Grimsby v Stoke football trouble you will see the video of that day, makes Saturday look like a picnic but neither should be happening inside a football ground. Said to my brother on way to the game when we saw the massive police escort accompanying the Vale fans buses that it all appeared a bit OTT, obviously not. Just don’t expect that nowadays whereas 30 years ago be surprised if there was no trouble.

With respect I disagree, I think football fans do expect it at BP and I think that is why our home crowds are pretty excrement and generally away followings at BP very low. We've had the reputation for years with opposition fans of "punching above our weight" for hooligans. So that deters normal fans and attracts dickheads opposition fans. This won't end until we get away from Blundell Park - hemmed by lots of narrow streets and alleys around the ground - difficult to police. Cleethorpes just up the road and at the end of train line to get tanked up. How often is there trouble at the new stadia up and down the country (apart from West Ham!) - they are generally surrounded by big open circulation areas - easy to police easy to segregate.

Quoted from Limerick Mariner

With respect I disagree, I think football fans do expect it at BP and I think that is why our home crowds are pretty excrement and generally away followings at BP very low. We've had the reputation for years with opposition fans of "punching above our weight" for hooligans. So that deters normal fans and attracts dickheads opposition fans. This won't end until we get away from Blundell Park - hemmed by lots of narrow streets and alleys around the ground - difficult to police. Cleethorpes just up the road and at the end of train line to get tanked up. How often is there trouble at the new stadia up and down the country (apart from West Ham!) - they are generally surrounded by big open circulation areas - easy to police easy to segregate.

Well I do not live in Grimsby so cannot comment on the level of trouble that may take place before or after a game as we park near Tesco express on Grimsby road and only Mansfield fans have ventured that way in the last few years.

My mate is a Luton fan and my Son in Law, sadly a season ticket holder at Lincoln, both go to BP every season and neither have ever commented about trouble affecting their visit.

I agree many a football fan may have stopped going when we look back at the trouble that we witnessed v !eeds, Stoke and the Sheffield based teams which was not restricted to one area but seemed to break out anywhere within two miles of the ground but if people are not attending for that reason nowadays I would be surprised.

No doubt the next two fixtures may also sadly attract the wrong element but let’s hope not.

Quoted from Lincoln Mariner 56

Well I do not live in Grimsby so cannot comment on the level of trouble that may take place before or after a game as we park near Tesco express on Grimsby road and only Mansfield fans have ventured that way in the last few years.

My mate is a Luton fan and my Son in Law, sadly a season ticket holder at Lincoln, both go to BP every season and neither have ever commented about trouble affecting their visit.

I agree many a football fan may have stopped going when we look back at the trouble that we witnessed v !eeds, Stoke and the Sheffield based teams which was not restricted to one area but seemed to break out anywhere within two miles of the ground but if people are not attending for that reason nowadays I would be surprised.

No doubt the next two fixtures may also sadly attract the wrong element but let’s hope not.

Perhaps I over-egged it a bit - and should have said it is one of the factors that still discourages people including away fans, others being the run-down nature of the area and poor facilities at BP. Altogether making BP not a particularly enjoyable experience. Look at the clubs within an 80 mile radius of BP - most have new stadia or redeveloped ones. Before their moves to new grounds when did Rotherham, Chesterfield and Donny ever regularly have bigger home gates than us.

Quoted from ginnywings

That puts paid to my theory then. We had a pretty good view of the incident from the Upper, but couldn't see all the way to the corner as we sit near the halfway line. Didn't see them myself, so just assumed they were outside the ground getting ready for the end of the game, which was only a couple of minutes away when we scored.

Police were refused to police inside ground by GTFC as club said their stewards could handle it and despite police advising against this, club refused.

Police still policed outside and did good job there.

Filming inside was police spotter getting evidence that stewards could not handle it so they can take club to a review of their safety certificate perhaps re match safety I am told.

Cmon guys at club, don’t penny pinch on our safety when advised otherwise

Quoted from Lincspoacher

Police were refused to police inside ground by GTFC as club said their stewards could handle it and despite police advising against this, club refused.

Police still policed outside and did good job there.

Filming inside was police spotter getting evidence that stewards could not handle it so they can take club to a review of their safety certificate perhaps re match safety I am told.

Cmon guys at club, don’t penny pinch on our safety when advised otherwise

That would seem to explain things. The police did eventually appear in the ground when the stewards failed to get things under control. Whatever the why's and wherefore's, it was all a bit of a mess.

The thing is, you've got a guy sat in a box monitoring the crowd and issuing out bans for the littlest reasons going and I know of a few people who are hardant town fans who have been subjected to club bans for the stupidest things ever. This guy named nick dale must of clearly known that on Saturday due to the large police present outside the ground that there was a high risk of it kicking off in, so perhaps he should give himself a ban for letting it happen. Ive heard stewards where radioing him saying its going to go off and his words where you'll be fine. Now saying you'll be fine to an old guy, woman, is pretty sad in my eyes, some of those stewards are clearly not fit enough for this kind of thing its plain and simple, they might be good enough to be telling you to stand behind a line with a homosexual but when it comes down to it they haven't a chance and are going to get hurt. This though will be Nick Dales heaven, he will be rubbing his hands going through the footage so he can add more bans to the club than ever. Grimsby have and always will be an attraction to clubs with travelling mobs and Saturday was a prime example.

Quoted from OneLove

The thing is, you've got a guy sat in a box monitoring the crowd and issuing out bans for the littlest reasons going and I know of a few people who are hardant town fans who have been subjected to club bans for the stupidest things ever. This guy named nick dale must of clearly known that on Saturday due to the large police present outside the ground that there was a high risk of it kicking off in, so perhaps he should give himself a ban for letting it happen. Ive heard stewards where radioing him saying its going to go off and his words where you'll be fine. Now saying you'll be fine to an old guy, woman, is pretty sad in my eyes, some of those stewards are clearly not fit enough for this kind of thing its plain and simple, they might be good enough to be telling you to stand behind a line with a homosexual but when it comes down to it they haven't a chance and are going to get hurt. This though will be Nick Dales heaven, he will be rubbing his hands going through the footage so he can add more bans to the club than ever. Grimsby have and always will be an attraction to clubs with travelling mobs and Saturday was a prime example.

The only people that will get bans from this will be Grimsby fans , its always the case

If I was a steward than I would no way feel it was my job to get between rival "fans" nowadays, and that's from someone who followed town home and away in the 70/80's. As for apposition fans coming to BP, my daughter was at uni with a York fan and when she told him her father supported town his first comment was that it was one of the scariest grounds to visit, the locals were far from friendly.

We're alright when you get to know us 😂

Quoted from OneLove

The thing is, you've got a guy sat in a box monitoring the crowd and issuing out bans for the littlest reasons going and I know of a few people who are hardant town fans who have been subjected to club bans for the stupidest things ever. This guy named nick dale must of clearly known that on Saturday due to the large police present outside the ground that there was a high risk of it kicking off in, so perhaps he should give himself a ban for letting it happen. Ive heard stewards where radioing him saying its going to go off and his words where you'll be fine. Now saying you'll be fine to an old guy, woman, is pretty sad in my eyes, some of those stewards are clearly not fit enough for this kind of thing its plain and simple, they might be good enough to be telling you to stand behind a line with a homosexual but when it comes down to it they haven't a chance and are going to get hurt. This though will be Nick Dales heaven, he will be rubbing his hands going through the footage so he can add more bans to the club than ever. Grimsby have and always will be an attraction to clubs with travelling mobs and Saturday was a prime example.

Port Vale have to be the fatest worst dressed hooligans to visit BP.

Quoted from Marinerz93

Port Vale have to be the fatest worst dressed hooligans to visit BP.

If this doesn't win post of the week I don't know what will

Quoted from adam0202

Hello lads and lasses, Vale fan here , just thought i'd offer my thoughts if you don't object.
I was there having drove up with my lad and parked by Sidney Park.
Can i quell any mis-information about Stoke lads being with Vale, it has not and would never ever happen so sorry to whoever posted but that is drivel.
At our home game in October the Police Intelligence estimated 1200 GTFC fans and a potential for disorder. The reason i know this is because one of the lads who usually comes with us is Plod.
Anyone who came to that game would of thought the Queen or Theresa May was at the game , i have never seen so many old bill in my life . Total overkill but given Saturdays events maybe not. I think you bought about 600 ish if my memory serves me right.
On to events on Saturday, i am a 48 year old bloke who has followed Vale home and away for years. It was well known down here that there were 2 bus loads of so called ' lads' going to the game. No idea what went wrong between Staffs plod and is it Humberside plod ?
We have attracted an albeit younger chavvy mob of clowns over the past couple of seasons. The games they usually attend would be the likes of Bolton and Sheff Utd where there was quite serious trouble last season.
This season the games they were targeting were Lincoln, Grimsby and Mansfield. Lincoln was a damp squib because about 40 of them went to Benidorm on a Stag do.
Saturday was well known about and based also on the reputation yourselves have. The same clowns will be at Mansfield in about a months time.
Clearly the goal was the spark for the violence but i believe they had made themselves known in Cleethorpes before the game.
After the game me and my lad pretty much kept our gobs shut as it wasn't a nice experience walking back to the car.
Neither set of fans covered themselves in glory though our idiots clearly started the trouble.
Felt sorry for the stewards who were literally on a hiding to nothing.
My overall moan has to be with the old bill, if someone like me knew that there were 2 bus loads going up then what on earth were they doing/ thinking ?
I have seen moans about your chairmen etc not wanting to pay the costs so i can't comment on that.
Petty maybe this bit but the bloke who did the aerial video sounded an absolute moron too , some of his comments were bizarre.
Let us hope that this doesn't start some sort of idiotic mammary for tat rivalry between us because if we both manage to stay up i can imagine some sort of revenge mission would be on the cards next season.
Great atmosphere too in our end spoilt by the antics of a minority.
Whilst i am no angel and can handle myself i can honestly say i have never been to a football game with the intention of kicking someones head in.
Good luck in staying up as you are a proper club and hope you don't mind my observations.

Going by comments from my lad who went to the game at your ground, it's not just youngsters. He said it was middle aged blokes from the Vale mob looking for trouble, and was even 'offered out' round the back of the coaches away from the police. Or maybe my son just misinterpreted him, and he was making a very friendly invitation. Which must say lot for Vale's diversity and inclusion policy ;)

Quoted from Vance Warner

:)

Shame on the fishy I only put F A G and it translates it to that haha

I heard on RH this morning that Lincolnshire Police are going to be having an increased presence for tomorrow's game because of the trouble in BP last week ::)

It just seems a bit odd to me that Port Vale's "fans" started it all, yet the policing in Lincoln is being intensified because of Town visiting ( ahead of the kick-off already having been brought forward, probably on police advice)

I bet the Staffordshire police won't increase their numbers tomorrow when Stevenage turn up and are confronted by the same Vale fans that started the trouble though?

I expect tomorrow in Lincoln will be just like Mansfield all over again with the police matching supporter numbers almost one for one.... total over-kill

l assume too that it will be Lincoln who have to stump up for all the police costs?

Quoted from Marinerz93

Port Vale have to be the fattest worst dressed hooligans to visit BP.

Port Vale and Mansfield going at each other would be like watching an 80% off sale in Poundland..

Not sure i have seen any kind of announcement from the club over the trouble.

Has there been one ?

To save making a new thread let's draw a line here
____________________________

And start afresh for Saturday :o

Quoted from moosey_club

Not sure i have seen any kind of announcement from the club over the trouble.

Has there been one ?

RH were pushing the club for an announcement earlier in the week but didn't get one.... they had someone from Humberside police on there, giving their side of the story but the club didn't respond

It then seems to have gone off their radar / on to the back burner with the Targers getting a second win on the trot..

Still nothing official from the club though as far as I know as to why they didn't get the police in to BP ::)

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

RH were pushing the club for an announcement earlier in the week but didn't get one.... they had someone from Humberside police on there, giving their side of the story but the club didn't respond

It then seems to have gone off their radar / on to the back burner with the Targers getting a second win on the trot..

Still nothing official from the club though as far as I know as to why they didn't get the police in to BP ::)

Funny that because when “the club” thought the police were at fault for the trouble with Sheff Utd, they couldn’t wait to stick the boot in. In fact I think they had a statement up before the last trains had left Cleethorpes that day.

Yet when the club are demonstrably to blame, absolute silence.

hhhmmm. Interesting.