[Archived] Sit Down For The Rovers

[RevidgeBlue]

I don't think I'm necessarily an old fuddy duddy but the first half to day was rendered virtually unwatchable by a group of about a dozen lads in front of us on rows 15 and 16 who insisted on standing throughout proceedings.

They had already got off to a flier prior to kick off by almost coming to blows with another fellow fan about some dispute over Neill.

Once the game started most of these little oiks (###### as farts and most of whom appeared to be no more than 12 - 18 with a couple of older ringleaders) showed little interest in the game, but far more in turning their backs on the play and attempting to incite the Arsenal fans.

We were also treated to the full repertoire of their witty songs.

"You cannot drink, you cannot smoke, the Emirates is a f ing joke"

"Your support is f ing ######" (Yeah good one with 60 k in the ground)

A ludicrous song about Wenger being a paedophile

So on and so on.

The stewards were far too lenient with these little scroats, one would come down and try and be reasonable with them, they'd take no notice whatsoever, then three or four more stewards would come down and again give them another chance, only to be met with abuse such as "You cockney c..........."

The restraint the stewards showed was unbelievable but again it all detracted from what was happening on the pitch.

The second half wasn't as bad despite them sneaking in cans of Strongbow (what's the point?) and they even managed a football related song after 65 mins - something about Burnley. Nevertheless one of the guys I was with was so peed off with their behaviour he said he wasn't going to bother going to any more away games.

Come on guys, have a bit of consideration for others. You're spoiling everyone else's enjoyment, you're giving the Club a bad name and you're just making yourselves look completely idiotic at the end of the day.

It's not big and it's not clever.

[Fife Rover]

Surely if they were in the area allocated to the away fans there must have been a large majority of decent Rovers fans around them. Why did they not put these "little oiks" straight about how to behave, and let them know in no uncertain terms that their conduct is not on?

[RevidgeBlue]

Surely if they were in the area allocated to the away fans there must have been a large majority of decent Rovers fans around them. Why did they not put these "little oiks" straight about how to behave, and let them know in no uncertain terms that their conduct is not on?

There were probably about a dozen of them being particularly obnoxious but they obviously had another ten or fifteen mates sat around them who were keeping stum but who seemed impressed and in awe of their pals "bravado"

Personally I wasn't prepared to get in an argument or pick a fight with potentially twenty odd of them. Not my job anyway. Conversely they're still Rovers fans (just) and I couldn't bring myself to actively urge the stewards to lob 'em out.

Perhaps others in small groups of two to four felt the same.

[AggyBlue]

and I couldn't bring myself to actively urge the stewards to lob 'em out.

Well someone did complain. That was the reason given by the police when they started chucking them out.

Great padded seats, double the leg room of most other stadiums. Very comfy. I thought the stadium was very pleasing on the eye.

The way we played today we would probably have beaten all but the top six teams.

They had ten outfield players who ran at us with pace. All had the ability to beat defenders. With our lack of pace throughout the team, we just couldn't cope. Every time they went forward they looked like they could score.

[RevidgeBlue]

Great padded seats, double the leg room of most other stadiums. Very comfy. I thought the stadium was very pleasing on the eye.

The way we played today we would probably have beaten all but the top six teams.

They had ten outfield players who ran at us with pace. All had the ability to beat defenders. With our lack of pace throughout the team, we just couldn't cope. Every time they went forward they looked like they could score.

Spot on on both counts. The stadium, the lay out, the pitch of the terracing, the general feeling of comfort and spaciousness and the leg room etc just blew me away.

[FourLaneBlue]

In the past I've found that away games tend to attract the more obnoxious parts of our support and also they tend to drink far more than they do when it is a home game. I do it myself but I don't think I lose sight of the the effect that I have on other people. In other words...it's a day out. No problem with that as long as they can have a drink without embarrassing themselves but obviously you always get the odd few.

There seems to be a problem with "fans" not caring about the needs of others. This is most apparent when disabled fans who have trouble standing for long periods have had fans (or chavs) in front of them who have responded with abuse when having been asked to sit down so their fellow Rovers fans might have a chance of seeing a small part of the game. This has happened on more than one occasion in my view and I don't attend all away games so it must have happened many more times.

For the money that fans pay the service they receive on occasion is abysmal. It doesn't mean it is the club's fault (it's not usually) but it is their responsibility to make sure that lowlifes don't stop decent people enjoying what they have paid good money to see.

All it takes most of the time is a tiny bit of consideration for a fellow fan who might not always have been as fortunate as themself.

[RevidgeBlue]

It just seems to be a desperate need to flout the rules thing. "If it's an all seater stadium we'll stand up" "If the steward comes down we'll give him as much grief as we can without getting thrown out" "If you're not meant to to drink in sight of the pitch we'll sneak a can in etc."

Personally I'm not desperately averse to standing up if some toerags in front are doing the same (not that you should have to) but as soon as we did that today we got grief off people in the couple of rows behind us!.

And as you say on another day there'll be someone there who can't or won't stand up, and why should they have to?

[West Sussex Rover]

They also play the, im under 16, if you touch me i will get the police on you for assault card. We have it every day from the school kiddies down here in the south.

If they are physically or verbally abbusive, they just cry wolf and the police are always happy to oblige!

[AggyBlue]

It just seems to be a desperate need to flout the rules thing. "If it's an all seater stadium we'll stand up" "If the steward comes down we'll give him as much grief as we can without getting thrown out" "If you're not meant to to drink in sight of the pitch we'll sneak a can in etc."

That's just typical of teenagers isn't it?

With terracing, you just moved away. These days you can't.

Mind you, when I think back to my teenage away days...

[pick32]

salzburg was an all seater stadium and when i was there i didnt see wot rovers fan sat down everybody was stood up. aggyblue i think its fer to say that at rovers most of the grief isnt actualy from teenagers so its abit unfair to blame teenagers in general.

[RevidgeBlue]

salzburg was an all seater stadium and when i was there i didnt see wot rovers fan sat down everybody was stood up. aggyblue i think its fer to say that at rovers most of the grief isnt actualy from teenagers so its abit unfair to blame teenagers in general.

Oh my gawd.

[AggyBlue]

salzburg was an all seater stadium and when i was there i didnt see wot rovers fan sat down everybody was stood up. aggyblue i think its fer to say that at rovers most of the grief isnt actualy from teenagers so its abit unfair to blame teenagers in general.

My response of 'typical teenagers' was to what Rev said. I know, I have two teenage lads and was even one myself once.

Mine do the opposite of what they should be doing, that is until I snatch them.

I know most of those thrown out at Arsenal were not teenagers, I wasn't implying they were.

[West Aussie]

The West Aussies siblings were at this match, visiting from Aus. She rang me at three O clock in the morning to let me know how the game went, This was their first experience of a Rovers match since small children. My question was how was the atmosphere, her reply was she could not believe how many drunk teenagers were being obnoxius and getting thrown out, she said is this normal at games!

I'm with Revidge on this one having good banter and supporting your team is one thing however groups of idiots just intent on winding up stewards and annoying your own fans entertainment, I can't understand where they get off on this.

As has been said I guess in our day on the terraces if some idiot was carrying on or some 10 foot bloke stood in your view you always had the option of moving a few paces, but seating in sell out crowds your stuck.

All in all she said the ground and atmosphere was awesome, how were Rovers I asked, that Nonda she said I'll leave to another tread

[Jordan]

Revidge blue drives a yeallow roller scate

who r yta

BOOO kick revidge outr ------- steven xcarr

[Exiled_Rover]

Not sure if you've been to The Morgue, Rev, but right now these guys would be welcome. Though I suppose with your attitude you sit near me in the Jack Walker - you'd fit right in.

[Ricky]

Had a couple by any chance Jordan

[stuwilky]

Revidge blue drives a yeallow roller scate

who r yta

BOOO kick revidge outr ------- steven xcarr

I take it Jordan got in at 5am from the football followed by the customary night out in some dingy club in deepest, darkest Yorkshire.

[Mr. E]

haha, I'd just like to note that in other countries you'd get verbally abused for sitting down and not joining in with the singing.

and I still don't really get this about games in England. What is the point of going to a football match if you're going to sit quietly the entire time ? Wouldn't it be much better if you just watched the game at home ?

[roversmum]

Right, so those fans who don't want to stand and noisily watch the match should not go, Mr E. What a load of nonsense. I hope you haven't got a granny if that's the way you think of others and if you have, wouldn't you expect her to be given some consideration in such circumstances? And no, sitting and watching the match at home is not the same.

You will be older one day, and if you are one of those who drinks themselves senseless on a regular basis no doubt your older years will be accompanied by related ill-health.

[OhmiBRFC]

where I was stood i had to keep standing up due to the arse fans to the right always standing up and I couldn't see

[John Howarth]

Spot on on both counts. The stadium, the lay out, the pitch of the terracing, the general feeling of comfort and spaciousness and the leg room etc just blew me away.

The stadium itself was quite impressive and as you say the seats were very comfortable with plenty of leg room. However, the facilities I found in the away sector below the seating were at the least very primitive. Usual breeze block feeling, no betting facilities and the fact that the area was far to small. Getting to the loo at half time, and having to negotiate past everyone trying to get a drink was pretty hard work. Just a pity that the feeling of spaciousness above ground was not the same underneath. Also, if the new stadium has a capacity for 60,000 why did Arsenal not try to increase that figure, by filling the top level of the ground with seats instead of the wavy effect. It looked quite nice, but they surely must have lost 4000 seats plus.

[AggyBlue]

where I was stood i had to keep standing up due to the arse fans to the right always standing up and I couldn't see

I saw at least one fan get dragged out for pointing that out to a steward

[OhmiBRFC]

Was quite bad, and I fealt bad for standing up because there was some children 2 rows up and I had to keep standing up so they would have. They were hard work them arse fans

[Mr. E]

Right, so those fans who don't want to stand and noisily watch the match should not go, Mr E. What a load of nonsense. I hope you haven't got a granny if that's the way you think of others and if you have, wouldn't you expect her to be given some consideration in such circumstances? And no, sitting and watching the match at home is not the same.

You will be older one day, and if you are one of those who drinks themselves senseless on a regular basis no doubt your older years will be accompanied by related ill-health.

I wasn't implying who should or who should not go to matches, I understand things work differently in England...but still to me the point of going to a game is to create an atmosphere and urge your team on (which consists of a hell of lot more than clapping or giving the odd cheer every now and then)

and no worries, I don't drink much at all

[RevidgeBlue]

haha, I'd just like to note that in other countries you'd get verbally abused for sitting down and not joining in with the singing.

and I still don't really get this about games in England. What is the point of going to a football match if you're going to sit quietly the entire time ? Wouldn't it be much better if you just watched the game at home ?

That's just rubbish.

There's a world of difference between

a) Watching the game, having a good crack, singing your hearts out getting behind the team, jumping up if the play gets exciting and

b ) Going in solely to direct abuse towards opposition fans and goad the stewards and standing up throughout for the sheer hell of it.