Well-Made Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 and the Club have their say: Official page Motherwell FC would like to acknowledge and thank the many supporters who made the long trip to Dingwall on Saturday. Colour and vibrancy has become synonymous with our travelling support and it is very much appreciated, particularly by the management staff and players. Unfortunately however, there were several incidents both before and during the match that has caused difficulty and embarrassment for the club, including five separate smoke canisters. These incidents were acknowledged by the match commander and will be included in the SPL delegate’s report. We recognise that it was only a very small minority of our support and that our fans normally enjoy away trips without incident. Events on Saturday however fall way below the usual impeccable standards. Smoke canisters, fireworks and pyrotechnics are absolutely forbidden from Scottish Football grounds and are frowned upon by Motherwell Football Club and the authorities. We would ask our fans to refrain from using anything of this nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Oops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_M_F_C Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 What were the other embarrasing incidents? and where is the offer to discuss difficulties experienced by the fans? Folk being too drunk to enter is what I would imagine they are referring to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Folk being too drunk to enter is what I would imagine they are referring to. £20 saved... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazilian Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 What were the other embarrasing incidents? and where is the offer to discuss difficulties experienced by the fans? club have to acknowledge rule breaches, thats fine and most would accept that, but to generate ill feeling/antagonise with 'embarassment' is a bit rich. never much in the way of acknowledgement to the frequently embarassing treatment the fans that do go to games have to endure. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_M_F_C Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 £20 saved... Aye, a couple more pints and I'd have saved a score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bop Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 They'l see what embarrassing looks like when everyone chucks the shite and the East Stand is empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
well-army Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 They'l see what embarrassing looks like when everyone chucks the shite and the East Stand is empty. As much as i applaude you guys for the atmosphere and colour you bring to the support i can see the clubs point re the smoke bombs. If they are banned from all Scottish grounds then would it not be the club who are held responsible (Is there not some kind on fine) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special aka Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 club have to acknowledge rule breaches, thats fine and most would accept that, but to generate ill feeling/antagonise with 'embarassment' is a bit rich. never much in the way of acknowledgement to the frequently embarassing treatment the fans that do go to games have to endure. Agree with that. When I got to the ticket portacabin several lads were being obstructed by Jobsworths, asking how much they'd had to drink and that pre-match drinking was not allowed. I shouted over that he better go and shutdown the Mallard then and throw everyone out who has been enjoying County's pre-match corporate hospitality. Suppose being 6'7" has its advantages - I got no reply. Intervene where stadium legislation is being breached, by all means, but indiscriminate targetting of football fans is bang out of order - I do hope you make a statement on that MFC. The behaviour of Stewards and cops was chalk and cheese compared to the opening day of the season, and as a result I doubt I'll be back at Victoria Park. Celtic visit in a couple of weeks, and I bet Saturday's brave Stewards wont be nearly as brave :wank: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 When I got to the ticket portacabin several lads were being obstructed by Jobsworths, asking how much they'd had to drink and that pre-match drinking was not allowed. I shouted over that he better go and shutdown the Mallard then and throw everyone out who has been enjoying County's pre-match corporate hospitality. Suppose being 6'7" has its advantages - I got no reply. Intervene where stadium legislation is being breached, by all means, but indiscriminate targetting of football fans is bang out of order I'm not defending the stewards (as I obviously wasn't even there) and agree that it's important that customers are dealt with using as light a touch as possible. From a legal perspective, however, stadium legislation is being breached if: (7)Any person who— (a)is drunk in; or (b)while drunk, attempts to enter the relevant area of a designated sports ground at any time during the period of a designated sporting event shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_P Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 club have to acknowledge rule breaches, thats fine and most would accept that, but to generate ill feeling/antagonise with 'embarassment' is a bit rich. never much in the way of acknowledgement to the frequently embarassing treatment the fans that do go to games have to endure. Poor choice of wording indeed. A cards on the table - this is what it could potentially cost us - style statement similar to the type they put out to attempt dissuade folk from the end of season pitch invasion might I suspect have generated more understanding. Instead I suspect such terms will remain locked in the memories of some of the people the club will be looking to fork out annual subs for Well Society memberships in a few weeks times. I'm sure the irony also won't be lost in talking about off the field incidents being embarassing after a 3-0 defeat on it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Diggle Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Getting pished and going to the game on a Saturday - holy utter fuck, what IS the world coming to? Football is and always has been an end of week release for the man or woman in the street. It is now being run for armchair viewers, phone in hoggers and prawn sandwich munchers the world over. We can argue the for and and against their deployment but I realise that the club may be in a position with the smoke pellets and something might have to be done there with the lads who are into that. But I'm sure if handled in the right way its do-able Putting out a press release written Miss Jean brodie is hardly the answer. The people who are running our club, running our game quite fucking urgently need to get into the minds of the men and women who follow football week in week out. Very shortly while they're counting their TV money in the bowels of the stadium all of us will be pushin a trolley round Tesco of a match day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weeyin Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Getting pished and going to the game on a Saturday - holy utter fuck, what IS the world coming to? Football is and always has been an end of week release for the man or woman in the street. True, but when you were getting pelted in the heid with Double Diamond cans full of pish, wading through streams of steaming boak and running the gauntlet of bears looking for a rumble on the way home, it lost some of its sparkle to many. There's a reason we are some way off seeing alcohol permitted inside Scottish grounds again, and the reason is there are too many fans across the board that turn having a day out into being a jaikie. As a nation, we gave the authorities far too much ammunition to treat us like weans and it's been a long road to get them to even consider changing their minds. Rightly or wrongly, every time an incident as minor as a smoke bomb (which we all know are banned inside stadiums) is brought to their attention, it adds to the difficulty of moving things forward. There needs to be a middle ground. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooie Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 I'd have been more disgraceful had the 80 odd "drunken idiots" hadn't turned up. Barely anybody there in our end other than these pesky trouble makers. Comparisons to the Bradford fire are so wide of the mark its unreal. Some people on here should stick to wetting the bed. I had hoped this thread was dying and I wouldn't have to respond to your post. However, there were more than 300 'Well fans in the stadium and the drunks numbered about 20. Many of the pisspots didn't make it all the way to Victoria Park and that's a plus. Maybe it was you or one of your pals who was on the floor of The Mallard pissed out of his mind an hour before kick-off and maybe it was he or you who wet himself. Most of his/your noisy and obnoxious mates who weren't sitting down in the pub could barely stand up. If that's how you want to behave, take it to the San Giro or the Greyskulls Arena. I don't think we need your "atmosphere". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain7_mfc Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Christ.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 If we're quoting rules, if someone could post the bit from the licensing laws indicating its an offence to sell a drunk person a pint, that'd be cool, because that's every pub in the land shut down. as mentioned, I look forward to taking on the hordes of Celtic fans arriving in a week or two. Do us proud, you brave hi viz men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthefringes Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 1361814872[/url]' post='375122']I had hoped this thread was dying and I wouldn't have to respond to your post. However, there were more than 300 'Well fans in the stadium and the drunks numbered about 20. Many of the pisspots didn't make it all the way to Victoria Park and that's a plus. Maybe it was you or one of your pals who was on the floor of The Mallard pissed out of his mind an hour before kick-off and maybe it was he or you who wet himself. Most of his/your noisy and obnoxious mates who weren't sitting down in the pub could barely stand up. If that's how you want to behave, take it to the San Giro or the Greyskulls Arena. I don't think we need your "atmosphere". Let's get it right and not let your perception get in the way of a good story. There was around half a dozen including my son & I from the bus of doom who entered The Mallard pre match. Still, numbering around a third of our support, the majority making it to Victoria Park until the stewarding went awry. You have to ask, when did stewarding license offer doctoring qualifications? I was sat nearby and the lads in question were guilty of nothing more than high jinks and some chronic patter. Don't recall them being asked not to partake by the management or security either. Given a high ranking club official was in that establishment and didn't see fit to chin them for 'embarrasing' the club... perhaps your mock outrage is better served at Porkheid given you seem so easily offended. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazzie Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 True, but when you were getting pelted in the heid with Double Diamond cans full of pish, wading through streams of steaming boak and running the gauntlet of bears looking for a rumble on the way home, it lost some of its sparkle to many. There's a reason we are some way off seeing alcohol permitted inside Scottish grounds again, and the reason is there are too many fans across the board that turn having a day out into being a jaikie. As a nation, we gave the authorities far too much ammunition to treat us like weans and it's been a long road to get them to even consider changing their minds. Rightly or wrongly, every time an incident as minor as a smoke bomb (which we all know are banned inside stadiums) is brought to their attention, it adds to the difficulty of moving things forward. There needs to be a middle ground. This makes absolutely no sense. What does smoke bombs and booze have to do with each other? Surely it's a sober, premeditated decision to go and buy a smoke bomb, pack it in your bag and leave the house? I enjoy a drunk day at the football, but I've never attacked anyone, lay on the floor or pissed myself. A bit harsh to tar everyone with the same brush. There are many absolute roasters that watch Motherwell sober every week. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew23 Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Several things I'd say on this matter. First and foremost I'll start with the stewarding. On arrival to Dingwall the police could not have been more helpful, wishing the first fans to arrive a good day and directing the fans to the closest and best pubs for away fans. Understandably after a long journey up and time spent in a pub there were going to be drunken fans, but at the end of the day en route to the match there was absolutely no disorder, very little 'exceedingly' drunk individuals nor was there likely to be inside the stadium. There were a number of foreign fans from clubs in Finland, France, Norway and Denmark in attendance all of which were astonished at the level of stewarding. Several of these fans whom had travelled thousands of miles to attend the game were declined entry on the grounds some 50 year old women stewards believed them to be drunk. One of which has travelled to Germany, every ground in France, to Norway & England amongst several 'Well games... He was refused entry for the first time in his life. Now for me this was the most ridiculous part of the day is that these guys were on holiday, don't speak exemplary English and therefore could not argue their case. Attempts to fight the corner of fans denied entry went in vein as we know, and I counted 18 individuals being refused entry. Less than a handful of which I'd determine to be too drunk. Those who argued would've otherwise entered the ground trouble free but as a result of their efforts to have these fans see the match, they were sent packing also. I have never seen fans treated in this manner and when I myself questioned police, they too agreed the stewarding was over the top but were not in a position to contradict them. It is at this stage where I would ask, where was our safety officer, why were the Fir Park stewards deployed to the gate doing sweet F'A about what was going on and most importantly, where was the mention of this in the club statement? I acknowledge that the smoke canisters in the stadium are in disagreement to stadium rules, and those who let them off leave themselves in a precarious position when choosing to do so and I fully accept stewarding will change as a result. However, much of the damage was done by the time the smoke was used. My biggest gripe is the use of the term "embarrassing" in what is a poorly worded knee jerk reaction statement. I would argue the contrary of the guys involved on bringing atmosphere to Fir Park and beyond. Without their passion and noise our support is dead and could be classed up there with as soulless as Accies, Inverness or St Mirren. One incident of smoke canisters most likely not used by any of the main heads up the end of the East does not change the long way the support has come, nor does it change the value these fans bring to our club. I most certainly wouldn't call the only section in the stadium that consistently closes in on a sell out an embarrassment, but on you go MFC, see where that gets you. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzyB Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 That's an awful statement from MFC. Quote the rules and say MFC agrees with the rules and leave it at that. But to call people who would've spent about £100 travelling for 10 hours to see the game an "embarrassment" is out of order and just plain stupid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Fine post Andrew but wasted here. It should be sent to MFC and RCFC. Maybe they can answer some of your concerns, but I wouldn't be holding my breath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_M_F_C Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 I had hoped this thread was dying and I wouldn't have to respond to your post. However, there were more than 300 'Well fans in the stadium and the drunks numbered about 20. Many of the pisspots didn't make it all the way to Victoria Park and that's a plus. Maybe it was you or one of your pals who was on the floor of The Mallard pissed out of his mind an hour before kick-off and maybe it was he or you who wet himself. Most of his/your noisy and obnoxious mates who weren't sitting down in the pub could barely stand up. If that's how you want to behave, take it to the San Giro or the Greyskulls Arena. I don't think we need your "atmosphere". "pisspots" "noisy and obnoxious" "300 'Well fans" "take it to the San Giro or the Greyskulls Arena" I don't think Motherwell needs your crap ill informed patter and your holier than thou approach. I don't remember anybody rolling about on the floor, maybe I was too blotto but. And I'm pretty sure nobody wet themselves as there was 80 odd guys on that bus, and had somebody peed their pants, they'd never be allowed to forget it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special aka Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 That's an awful statement from MFC. Quote the rules and say MFC agrees with the rules and leave it at that. But to call people who would've spent about £100 travelling for 10 hours to see the game an "embarrassment" is out of order and just plain stupid! The major "embarrassment" on Saturday was the utter shyte served up by those in Motherwell strips. In the space of 2 days we've experienced 2 time served mechanisms to disenfranchise fans ------ a gutless lack of commitment on the pitch and a Club statement akin to what we've seen today. 2 substantial OG's just ahead of Well Society renewal time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 I think the back pages today expressing why Rangers cannot be done for sectairian singing because they are actively taking steps to address it and the words they have used to describe the aspect of their support have been quite hard hitting and it isn't daft for us to follow a similar course of language and actions on a smaller scale because if they try to fine us and not them we can point to the quite obvious parallels. I was in the ground early on Saturday and was welcomed by stewards who were very amicable. As kick off approached it was very clear there was a nervousness about the group of lads who moved from directly behind the goal to a block to the right of that at the end of the warm up. I actually think some other Motherwell fans moving to get away from them maybe sent the message to the stewards they were worth watching but from then on the relationship between fans and stewards seemed frosty. Because I was in the ground at 1420 I didn't see any of the stuff going on outside but it does sound a bit on the harsh side in some cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitler had a fine Tache Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Maybe it was you or one of your pals who was on the floor of The Mallard pissed out of his mind an hour before kick-off Sounds about right . Quite glad a didnae chuck a score away watching that pish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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