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IMPORTANT - South Stand Display vs Cardiff


James

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If, like me, you hate reading off that awful Bristol Post site...

A dispute has broken out between a group of Bristol City fans and management after they attempted to create a St George’s Cross display during the match against Cardiff City.

The fans said the display cost around £500 and that the plan for the match on Saturday (November 4) had been vetoed by the club. But the club has responded saying that the group applied for red and white squares on cardboard, not the English flag and that it was deemed "antagonistic" to the Welsh fans.

Section 82, a collection of City fans, had planned a huge St George’s Cross display using cardboard squares to be unveiled just before the Remembrance minute's silence before City’s win against Cardiff at Ashton Gate.

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Section 82 BCFC @Section82BCFC
We planned and organised a St George display in the South stand, the club are currently messing it up and moving all the card around...

The managing director of Ashton Gate Stadium, Mark Kelly said

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“I’m personally very disappointed by the events surrounding the attempted display for the game against Cardiff City on Saturday. The stadium was asked originally by S82 if there would be any objection to providing red and white square on cardboard to present in the South Stand before kick-off, just ahead of the minute’s silence for Remembrance.

“Ashton Gate’s head of security allowed late access to the stadium on Friday evening for the group to distribute the red and white cards. At this time, we expected to see a pattern of a red poppy on a white background, or something similar. However, it became apparent that what was actually being laid out was a St George’s Cross.”

The display, which would have been put on in the stadiums South Stand is believed to have been funded by fans at a cost of £500.

There were concerns the St George's Cross could cause trouble with Welsh fans before the minute silence and Section 82 said stewards had rearranged the cards intended to be used to create the huge flag across the stand.

The group uploaded a video of stewards moving the cards around on the morning of the match. Mr Kelly went on to explain the reasons the flag was deemed a problem. He said:

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“After dialogue with Ashton Gate’s head of security, the EFL [English Football League] and Avon and Somerset Police, all were agreed that positioning the St George’s Cross directly opposite the Wales fans, ahead of the minute’s silence, had the potential to be deeply antagonistic.


The club said that there were attempts to come to an agreement with Section 82 for a mosaic of red and white cards but that the group refused.

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 “It was clear from social media posts throughout Friday evening that the motive was always to display a St George’s Cross during the minute’s silence for Remembrance Day."
“The Bristol City V Cardiff game has been identified by the police and SAG (Safety Advisory Group) as a high risk event and was the subject of an extraordinary SAG meeting and a change of date due to perceived risk of trouble during the game at the stadium.

“It is the duty of the stadium team to provide a safe environment for all and mitigate any risk or potential flashpoint. Whilst reviewing this decision, the stadium team consulted with the EFL, AV&S Police and the Cardiff City safety manager, all of whom supported the decision as a positive risk aversion.”

 

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7 hours ago, Spoons said:

Genuine question to the organisers of the display @Harry , did the club ask before you put the display out what it was going to be ie a England flag? 

Now I know why no answers to this question because the answer was no.

Both parties at fault in equal measure for me. S82 for not being open and honest regarding plans for their ' red n white card'.

Club at fault for not asking prior to the £500 expense and time wasted by volunteers of the ' England flag plan'.

Lets be clear neither side comes out with any credit.

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3 minutes ago, Spoons said:

Now I know why no answers to this question because the answer was no.

Both parties at fault in equal measure for me. S82 for not being open and honest regarding plans for their ' red n white card'.

Club at fault for not asking prior to the £500 expense and time wasted by volunteers of the ' England flag plan'.

Lets be clear neither side comes out with any credit.

The club never asked the nature of the display. We never said and the police knew of the flag design and were okay. M Kelly has outright lied in his statement 

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Fed up to the back teeth of this politically correct bullsh1t. 

Cant display our own national flag?

cant have the lights off in stands for night games even though every ground you visit to watch city does it. 

Love the way the club is going but we seriously have some softies looking after things within the club on these items. 

Club ask us to make the gate a fortress yet do everything in their powers to be ultra nice to the opposition!

 

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7 minutes ago, CotswoldRed said:

I'd like to know what action the club are going to take to prevent the antagonistic actions of Cardiff fans who sang their national anthem. 

@Mkelly it mustn't happen again. 

Yes, get BCFC lawyers on this and dock them points. Report them to the EFL as I was deaply  offended and had to leave early...

Joke.

Instead the Cardiff fans responded with a “what the f###ing hell is that” chant. Let’s respect but come on, let’s have common sense, something that’s lost in today’s world. 

 

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I think some of the vitriol toward the club on this issue is a massive over-reaction. Can see how altering the display is annoying, but really, the club are not  out to annoy supporters or treat them like mere £ signs. 

Someone at the club, had the notion it might rile up away fans and cause trouble. (not a wholly outrageous concern given the history between the clubs).  They  then made the decision not to risk it. Whether that be correct or not is obviously up for debate but to label it a '**** up' and attacking individual members of staff at BCFC is way over the top.

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9 minutes ago, SonOfDjuric said:

The club never asked the nature of the display. We never said and the police knew of the flag design and were okay. M Kelly has outright lied in his statement 

So the police knew and the club didn't ? Might have been a idea to tell them as well as the police. 

All seems very avoidable from both sides.

 

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5 minutes ago, SyntaxtheRed said:

I think some of the vitriol toward the club on this issue is a massive over-reaction. Can see how altering the display is annoying, but really, the club are not  out to annoy supporters or treat them like mere £ signs. 

Someone at the club, had the notion it might rile up away fans and cause trouble. (not a wholly outrageous concern given the history between the clubs).  They  then made the decision not to risk it. Whether that be correct or not is obviously up for debate but to label it a '**** up' and attacking individual members of staff at BCFC is way over the top.

Finally some sense spoken !

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6 minutes ago, SyntaxtheRed said:

I think some of the vitriol toward the club on this issue is a massive over-reaction. Can see how altering the display is annoying, but really, the club are not  out to annoy supporters or treat them like mere £ signs. 

Someone at the club, had the notion it might rile up away fans and cause trouble. (not a wholly outrageous concern given the history between the clubs).  They  then made the decision not to risk it. Whether that be correct or not is obviously up for debate but to label it a '**** up' and attacking individual members of staff at BCFC is way over the top.

Hiya Dave.

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7 minutes ago, SyntaxtheRed said:

I think some of the vitriol toward the club on this issue is a massive over-reaction. Can see how altering the display is annoying, but really, the club are not  out to annoy supporters or treat them like mere £ signs. 

Someone at the club, had the notion it might rile up away fans and cause trouble. (not a wholly outrageous concern given the history between the clubs).  They  then made the decision not to risk it. Whether that be correct or not is obviously up for debate but to label it a '**** up' and attacking individual members of staff at BCFC is way over the top.

Im pretty sure I saw somewhere that the display was to be after the minutes silence? If so then since when was it offensive for English fans to declare that fact?

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3 minutes ago, Loon plage said:

Im pretty sure I saw somewhere that the display was to be after the minutes silence? If so then since when was it offensive for English fans to declare that fact?

I don't know if it's offensive to the Welsh or not. I can't imagine they'd be too bothered haha. I don't really care. I'm just saying that the club made a call, rightly or wrongly to avoid possible unrest in the crowd. 

Based on that intention - I feel the sentiment toward the club and people working within it, is an over-reaction.  

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No one comes out of this with much credit sadly.

S82, a red and white card display is somewhat vague.

The club, should have clarified what a red and white card display might entail. 

Time, money and effort on both sides could have been saved, City could have come out of this by looking less scared of out National flag and applied consistency by refusing Cardiff fans from hanging their Welsh flags (not that I think they should have been banned); section 82 could have been clearer by their intentions.

Suggest Mr Storr makes a clear statement as to his objections.

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by the same token,i dont know why the use of card wasnt questioned at the time of asking either. that was always an invitation for hundreds of darts flying around? to me,that posed more of a risk than upsetting the away fans??

dont get me wrong,im all for some atmosphere etc and welcome anything like this ,just seems the wrong info was given and wrong questions asked. hopefully next time, things like this could get thought out a bit earlier and save any ill feeling as i dont think anyone intended to upset anyone here.

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What a load of crap, how can it be wrong to display the English flag in an English stadium?

Why were Cardiff never made to cover up this massive welsh flag on the roof at Ninian Park whenever they played English teams? Because no one would ever find it offensive so why do people think an English flag would upset people?

AA79B7DD-36F6-4E75-A88F-FBCF9E88F5AC-11873-00001141B0BE351E.jpeg

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Well, I have just read all of this, and as I sit at the front of the Dolman Stand (in the wheelchair area) so at the game I could not make out what the display was, due to viewing angle.

When I got home and saw pictures I honestly though it was red poppies on a white background.

Good idea but there are a few lessons for all parties.

ps. I hope changing pattern to red and white quarters is not an idea for next seasons kit, that would make 75% of Bristol very angry.

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So the club take down a st George flag as not to incite trouble yet employ welsh stewards who everytime a song was sung he didn’t like did the pathetic head tapping thing that Cardiff fans do - if that’s not inciting trouble then what is? Was stood in the gangway on the right hand side of the Lansdown lounge or whatever it’s called. Lucky we won or else could see this going very tits up 

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1 hour ago, SonOfDjuric said:

iThe club never asked the nature of the display. We never said and the police knew of the flag design and were okay. M Kelly has outright lied in his statement 

 

1 hour ago, SyntaxtheRed said:

I think some of the vitriol toward the club on this issue is a massive over-reaction. Can see how altering the display is annoying, but really, the club are not  out to annoy supporters or treat them like mere £ signs. 

 

If the above is true somebody has had little regard for fans. That is going beyond going out to annoy supporters.

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