Disgraceful Scenes at Home Park

[Jason H]

Don't think anyone's saying that you shouldn't take children to a football match, but perhaps if you are taking them to a derby, between two teams that haven't met for 8 years, you should be expecting a bit of aggro.

Trouble at football isn't exactly a new concept, I don't condone it but I also don't see the point of whinging and moaning about it. The more you do, the more it marrs the result, and what was a brilliant game of football.

The thing is, aggro, yes - I can understand there are enough neanderthals on both sides who think having a fight is a pleasant way to pass an evening. I don't understand it myself, but hey, I last raised my fists in anger in the schoolyard. However, when innocent people are being attacked, this is very different.

People want to watch their team play, and for most it is about the day out and the 90 minutes of competitive action. It is not about being caught up in a warzone.

 

[Washington DC Grecian]

I fully expected trouble what I did not expect is for idiots to be hitting out at pensioners, women and young children....

 

[ecfctis]

Would it not be better to switch the away end to the end nearest the car park in December, keep the home support locked in for 15 minutes and then we can all get in our cars and buses and be out of there before it gets stupid again, as it will. Half the problem with Home Park is that for away support its such a long walk to get out that Policing is a nightmare, yobs can hide in a massive park FFS, how do you control that easily?
I would like to praise the stewards we met last night, we stayed behind and were then taken out onto the pitch, led to the opposite side of the ground and exited into the car park. Had no trouble at all as we just looked like a group of home fans leaving.

Have to agree with this. However it does go to demonstrate that some powers that be have some weird ideas on the best safety logistics of Home Park.
The away fans are directed past the car park side of the ground and right around the away end past the corner where it seems the home hooligans congregate. Simply asking for trouble! On top of this a lot of this area is poorly lit. The problem is that with only one or two derby games a seasons Argyle will hardly change the normal proceedures for the average away attendance.
Unfortunately, we will have similar problems at SJP, and we will probably not change our proceedures just for one game a season.
Not easy, the best solution is for the minority 'thug' element to change their ways - not likely - but in the meantime the powers that be have to be sure to put into place the 'best safety solution' for all.
For Tuesday evenings game the organisation seemed lacking on several fronts. No doubt the police will absolve themselves of all blame!

 

[greenawayr]

Completely agree about the lack of police presence outside the away end. If there hadn't been so many fans inside the ground it could have easily been a free for all outside with everyone getting caught up in it.

By the sounds of things, that could've been the case, I was just lucky enough to get out early and keep my head down, and also not be wearing my city shirt.

Its so sad that we have to share a country with these idiots, and in all likelihood, fund their sad existence with our tax pounds!

Jay, ECFC01, I understand what you are saying, there was always going to be some trouble, but some of the stories I've heard now, are not only beyond what you'd expect, but completely avoidable if the personnel were in the right place.

 

[ecfc01]

To be fair he asks a sensible question. Obviously we should be able to take our kids anywhere but life isn't always like that.

It's all down to personal choice, would I take my girlfriend and/or kid to the first Plymouth v Exeter match in 8 years knowing there was going to be trouble? - No I wouldn't. Some would though and that is fair enough but then you have to expect you could get caught up in some trouble.

Ive seen your missis mate i'm sure she would stick up for you

on a serious note We all know PAFC vs ECFC is not for the faint hairted

 

[Grecian_Jay]

Ive seen your missis mate i'm sure she would stick up for you

on a serious note We all know PAFC vs ECFC is not for the faint hairted

She would be the one gobbing off probably!

 

[STURTZ]

For me the most shocking bit wwas the use of distress flares as weapons. I saw three of these being thrown, one in the ground, one waiting around the back of the stand and one in the car park. The last two at least were thrown with intent to hurt with no consideration taken as to who they might hit, the one in the car park looked as if it was aimed to cause real damage to someone.

I work with flares sometimes as a pyrotechnic devices and respect them as the dangerous items that they are. they create a lot of smoke sometimes causing breathing problems, they are so bright that close up they can cause problems with eyesight but most of all they get extremely hot, the metal casing sometimes glowing almost white hot and staying dangerously hot for some time after they have gone out. Anyone unlucky enough to have copped one of those in the face would at best have been scarred for life, possibly blinded even disabled and suffering terrible pain.

I noticed when the final flare was thrown, in the car park, the police charged into the crowd in an obvious attempt to find the tw*t that was throwing them. I hope they got the person.

 

[mammooman]

For me the most shocking bit wwas the use of distress flares as weapons. I saw three of these being thrown, one in the ground, one waiting around the back of the stand and one in the car park. The last two at least were thrown with intent to hurt with no consideration taken as to who they might hit, the one in the car park looked as if it was aimed to cause real damage to someone.

I work with flares sometimes as a pyrotechnic devices and respect them as the dangerous items that they are. they create a lot of smoke sometimes causing breathing problems, they are so bright that close up they can cause problems with eyesight but most of all they get extremely hot, the metal casing sometimes glowing almost white hot and staying dangerously hot for some time after they have gone out. Anyone unlucky enough to have copped one of those in the face would at best have been scarred for life, possibly blinded even disabled and suffering terrible pain.

I noticed when the final flare was thrown, in the car park, the police charged into the crowd in an obvious attempt to find the tw*t that was throwing them. I hope they got the person.

Good post Sturtz...would be interesting to see what happened to the bar steward once/if they got him though.

a) slap on the wrist, dont do it again
b) same as above with banning order
c) same as above with taking home to parents who side with the child and threaten the police with discrimination and getting the wrong person
d) couldn't find him

 

[becky]

I didnt watch the match but i did drop off my partner and his friends for the match and i have to admit i was waiting for my partner and his mates after the match ( who were being held in the grounds ) and in that time i witnessed argyle fans fighting, shouting and blocking off the main road, they then decided to light up a flare and throw it into the carpark ( top end ) they then headed towards myself ( sitting in my car ) and starting banging on my car and then trying to throw things at my car and other cars, with the police coming behind them there must have been around 100 argyle "supporters" ( if you can call them that ), it was very scary for me, and others in the cars behind me. it is an absolute disgrace that people will behave in this manner! football is meant to be an enjoyable game, and yes, we all have a laugh, shout, singing songs and all the banter that goes with it, i sure do when i go to the matches but to be that violent, plymouth should be ashamed of themselves. Poor innocent adults and CHILDREN running up the roads crying and scared... unbelieveable plymouth. absolute disgrace to Devon.

 

[Hants_red]

Write up on the BBC website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-11724388