Stewarding


Jamie_Beatson
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I'll be writing to the club an G4S about the ridiculous behaviour of one of their stewards at today's game. No problems at all until the guy with the beard decided he'd target two people out of the couple of hundred singing "hearts are paedos".

When the second saints goal went in he literally sprinted from the exit he was in to point out one fan to be removed by his two colleagues. There were dozens around the guy singing the same song but he ran and singled him out, before running out the back of the stand as his mates did the dirty work.

Inevitably, his behaviour simply provoked anger towards the stewards and led to far more people singing the apparently offensive song.

What a bunch of knobs.

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My first match in many months so don't have too much to add.

Because of what has been posted on here recently, I kept half an eye on the stewards, and I was troubled.

There seems to be some sort of Gang mentality down the score board end of the east stand. A them and us mentality.

Over zealous. Aggressive posturing. Heavy handed enforcement of the rules, as described above.

Unfortunately, it was also apparent that some fans were antagonising them to a certain extent. From historical anecdotes I can see why, but if these officious jobsworths tried ignoring the petty behaviour, I am pretty sure it will stop when the protagonists get bored.

A lighter touch approach would benefit in the short term.

You can count on my support, but unfortunately I am not at as many games as I would like.

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Can't quote on my phone Jamie, but please carry out your intentions as it's the only way things will change. I'm away for the wife's birthday so wasn't there today, but it happened at the Hibs game as well, and a guy I know who's s diehard gave up his season ticket as he's had enough.For fans to be getting antagonised and villainised in the way they are is obscene, especially in today's financial climate, and the mire articulate complaints to the club, the better imo

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your right Dave this is the aftermath of the Hibs game,with feelings running high.so G4S could'nt get 100 hibs to sit down so they turned on the home support .hense the /]'#@#'[]/ famous reply NOT MY STAND in reference to away supports

6 fans around me today said they were;nt coming back after the Hibs game [this includes a mum dad and son]

this guy openly laughs in your face

either he's giong cause trouble or folk are going stop coming and i'm talking real die hards

and you know things are bad when you get easy going guys like Dev and Jamie wound up,C'MON SAINTS GET THIS SORTED

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Saints can put up as many smokescreens as they want but they employ them to apply their policy in conjunction with their security team, the Police and SPL regs.

If G4S aren't doing what Saints have contracted them to do, they can manage to the stage of termination of contract.

Whilst they could consider employing their own stewards, effectively it should be a worse situation as it removes impartiality.

That however appears to be the prob with G4S. Security operations like this should have rotation of staff to eliminate familiarty yet we have the same people week after week and agendas and even vendetas build - the talk of the beardy guy? This is very unprofessional for G4S. They are meant to ship teams around to neutral areas. They are charging Saints regardless but probably struggling to get staff.

Saints providing there own stewarding would be a disaster...

Edited by McD
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Bit I dont get, why is it that the folk that want to stand always want to stand at the front where they re gonna block peoples view ? If people want to stand why dont they go to the back where they cant obstruct others ? Stewards need to be rotated more, equally us as fans just cant do whatever we want. The second lad that got taken out yesterday was spouting offensive drivel the whole game. He was shouting far worse stuff than just " Hearts are paedos ". Hibs game I saw one boy asked to leave for throwing something, surely correct decision. Other boy near the end taken out by Police for no more than disagreeing with a steward, not right. I think we need security to control things, I d like to see them rotated better though so its not the same boys week in week out allowing bad feelings to simmer.

Edited by Strawman
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What I think we need is are fans liasons. Basically for each section of the ground, a season ticket holder who can work with the stewards and help calm situations but who also reports directly to he club in regards to any incidents and how they are handled by G4S. I think also, a meeting in the first instance between G4S, the club, and a selection of fans where ground rules can be set and where concerns can be explained in the calmness of a non match situation. Then monthly meetings to tackle any ongoing problems.

There are some things that are obviously not on regarding fan behaviour and we cannot give the fans carte blanche because some will just go way way OTT but there are other areas where G4S themselves are going OTT.

We are in the lucky position of rarely having any problems with the stewards at the Ormond end of the East Stand, mainly I think, because we have a decent bit of continuity and have the same guys most weeks. Indeed the only times we have had any aggro has been when we have a stranger stewarding. In these instances , I myself have been subject to a few threats etc. I have always though, stood up to them and if they continue with their threatening stance I have simply demanded that they get the supervisor.

Whatever happens, it needs to be sorted before it gets any worse.

Ghostie.

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