NickJ Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 I wasn't at all embarrassed. As I said earlier as Supporter Liaison it is my job to consider the feelings and needs of all supporters, not just a minority of people who think it's OK to run on the pitch at the end of the game. I will never please everybody, so I will just continue to do what I think is right. Dave It may have been only a minority that ran on the pitch, but if this thread is representative a significant majority of the remainder have no problem with it, notwithstanding "stadium safety", so maybe, in your role as Supporters Liaison for all supporters, your approach could be re-considered? Which takes me on to my suggestion mentioned several times on this thread, which I think is a reasonable compromise, any chance of a reply to that? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southvillekiddy Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 I have been to the last two Lions flag days, but couldn't make it this Saturday. I heard it went really went, and I'm pleased that fans and Police all got on well. No one wants to be a killjoy for the sake of it, and I do understand that people who run on the pitch see it as being a harmless bit of exuberance. But not everyone else sees it that way. Anyway, I'll just end up repeating myself if I continue this debate any more, so I look forward to having exactly the same one this time next year. Dear Dave, thanks for replying. the Flag day was brilliant, maybe the best ever, and I thanked several Policemen for treating exuberant kiddies with care. Despite exaggerated claims elsewhere there was no trouble. I saw it with my kids from the opposite side of the road to the Lions from start to finish. I'm pleased you have made the effort before to attend previous flag days. Those type of fans want City to succeed with every fibre of their being and they will spend their last penny following the team. A greater understanding of what makes them tick would be a tremendous asset to the Club. i'm sorry to say that sometimes we are made to feel unwelcome, as though the Club would prefer it if our type of raucous passionate support were to disappear. Where is the atmosphere that creates a true Home advantage to come from at Ashton Gate if not from them? And I've got to say, shortly following the celebration of the East End on saturday, it's not that long ago, before the re-opening, that you were telling me that the east End was a "magnet for trouble" On the issue of re-opening the East End and developing atmosphere with murals and flags these fans were ahead of the Club in seeing the necessity for making Ashton Gate a stadium with atmosphere again. My point is it should not be a massive step for the Club to do a better job in harnessing all that imaginative joy and fun at being a City fan. eg. on the day the police were flexible because they could see there would be no trouble on West street. Likewise the Club could have let the kiddies onto the pitch on saturday. A big thing for them to be close in spirit to their foot-balling heroes - especially following all the tension of this season. Could the Club back the Lions Flag day next year, eg, in working with the Police to have part of West Street closed off, developing a lead initiated by the fans. Can the Club even at this late stage make efforts to ensure we have an atmosphere at Ashton gate next season. At the moment the singers believe they have been placed as far as possible from the Away fans. Why should the proximity of Home and Away fans be seen as a problem? It's actually an asset in developing an atmosphere. "Stadium management" is surely that. It should not primarily be about safety - rather how can we create a spectacle, create an atmosphere that increases city's chances of winning and improve it week by week. best wishes SK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ten minutes of rough Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 I wasn't at all embarrassed. As I said earlier as Supporter Liaison it is my job to consider the feelings and needs of all supporters, not just a minority of people who think it's OK to run on the pitch at the end of the game. I will never please everybody, so I will just continue to do what I think is right. But it's not the 'minority. by the looks of things, certainly looking at the response from the City fans on here it's not. But you consider it a minority that wish to run onto the pitch, and that tells me you are not considering the real interest the majority of City fans in wishing to go on the pitch in a peaceful manner. After all it was the last home match and with all the rubbish fans have had to put up with of late, both on and off the pitch I think you might have missed a trick here don't you? Surely as a supporter liason officer it would be part of your remit to reach out to supporters and as I said previously 'cement' some support from the youngsters especially. Your 'I will just do what I think is right' comment is arrogant in the extreme, with that attitude you should look for something else to do on a Saturday, or live up to the job title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calculus Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 But it's not the 'minority. by the looks of things, certainly looking at the response from the City fans on here it's not. But you consider it a minority that wish to run onto the pitch, and that tells me you are not considering the real interest the majority of City fans in wishing to go on the pitch in a peaceful manner. After all it was the last home match and with all the rubbish fans have had to put up with of late, both on and off the pitch I think you might have missed a trick here don't you? Surely as a supporter liason officer it would be part of your remit to reach out to supporters and as I said previously 'cement' some support from the youngsters especially. Your 'I will just do what I think is right' comment is arrogant in the extreme, with that attitude you should look for something else to do on a Saturday, or live up to the job title. Are we now to assume that the relative few who post on OTIB represent fans as a whole? DL is doing his best to represent all fans and I know he meets quite a few in real life, not just on the twittersphere. Possibly the arrogance is with the few pitch-invaders or OTIB posters that think they merit special treatment. They don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italian dave Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 Come on, lighten up on DL please! What do you expect - he's going to come on here and condone something that's a criminal offence??He says himself he expects to be in the same position next year - he knows it's not the end of the world. But it's very unfair to push him into a corner and then act all surprised and outraged when he won't condone a pitch invasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ten minutes of rough Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 Well the title of this thread was that a few that went onto the pitch were 'Morons' despite being a grumpy wotsit I can't see that a few enthusiastic kid's to be morons, and hardly a criminal offence, the game was over so where was the problem? Like I said if it was co-ordinated properly with a positive attitude from the club it might have been good PR, instead again as football supporters we even class ourselves as morons. With all the carp that is BCFC in the way we are treated it would have been a real positive gesture to allow folk onto the playing surface, under what was special circumstances, but this is City. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ten minutes of rough Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 Are we now to assume that the relative few who post on OTIB represent fans as a whole? DL is doing his best to represent all fans and I know he meets quite a few in real life, not just on the twittersphere. Possibly the arrogance is with the few pitch-invaders or OTIB posters that think they merit special treatment. They don't. For God's sake , BCFC is a commercial venture, without the goodwill of the fans there would be no City, and to treat the fans with contempt such as this and on other occasions is testament to that we actually need staff down there that put the paying public first. It's the first rule of business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRock Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 It really wouldn't have taken much effort to have come up with a workable solution. The players could have headed to the Williams stand, people could have been allowed on the pitch. I think most of us were as apathetic about applauding the players for their season's efforts, as the players were playing in the football match. You would have thought someone in Authority would have thought that through if nothing else. The problem as I see it is that the Club, on occasions, just don't get it. It is the highlight of the season for most sub-10 year olds to be able to walk on the pitch their heroes play on. These sub 10 year olds are the future life blood of the Club. For the rest of us it's just fun to walk on the pitch, look up at the stands - a totally different perspective. A unique once in a season experience. Even those who don't go on the pitch have the experiencing of watching the sea of people drift around the pitch. That in itself is an amazing sight. But no, come up with any excuse - this season couldn't use the pitch damage one, nor the potential fights with rival fans. Nope, fallback on the good old health and safety excuse. Not a good season for 'official fan experiences,' started with the ticketing fiasco for the Bradford game and ended with a whimper of a goodbye. Thank god for the 'fan-driven experiences' - hats off to the East End boys and the Three Lions. Don't fight it officialdom, embrace it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calculus Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 For God's sake , BCFC is a commercial venture, without the goodwill of the fans there would be no City, and to treat the fans with contempt such as this and on other occasions is testament to that we actually need staff down there that put the paying public first. It's the first rule of business. There you go again speaking for all fans. From where I was sat in the Dolman I can tell you that not many were cheering the pitch invaders on, just the opposite in fact. Still, wouldn't expect to get through to the heavily discounted uber-fans from the EE. Whatever you think the first rule of business is, let me assure you that BCFC gets less gate money from the EE than anywhere else in the ground and oddly enough they seem to be the most self important and needy, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Robbo Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 Come on, lighten up on DL please! What do you expect - he's going to come on here and condone something that's a criminal offence?? He says himself he expects to be in the same position next year - he knows it's not the end of the world. But it's very unfair to push him into a corner and then act all surprised and outraged when he won't condone a pitch invasion. It's an offence to trespass on the field of play, Dave. Not after the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
italian dave Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 It's an offence to trespass on the field of play, Dave. Not after the match. It's an offence when you are "at" a football match, not just during the 90 minutes of the game. There's been cases of prosecutions for pitch invasions after a game has finished, eg a Barnsley fan got a caution at the end of the 08/09 season. That was because there were Wolves fans on the pitch at the time! Clearly it's not likely to be an issue after Saturdays game: all I'm saying is don't expect a club official to go on record saying it's OK: both he and the club would be answering to the FA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ten minutes of rough Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 There you go again speaking for all fans. From where I was sat in the Dolman I can tell you that not many were cheering the pitch invaders on, just the opposite in fact. Still, wouldn't expect to get through to the heavily discounted uber-fans from the EE. Whatever you think the first rule of business is, let me assure you that BCFC gets less gate money from the EE than anywhere else in the ground and oddly enough they seem to be the most self important and needy, Yes but it was the Dullman, the EE was /is so important to the club, atmosphere can mean extra points, and the difference between promotion or relegation. so I guess the EE is a special case. Far too long the Gate has been like a library, any sort of show of support would be welcome, (not the drums eh?) I loved it when the EE was rocking, and so did the players, hopefully the new EE will be even louder and unruly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneManMob Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 the EE was /is so important to the club, atmosphere can mean extra points, and the difference between promotion or relegation. so I guess the EE is a special case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ten minutes of rough Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 I think Moor2See (post#101) makes some great points. For most children (and some adults) it's a huge thing to actually be allowed on the pitch, to run around, have a kickabout, pose for pictures in the goalmouth, take a penalty... When else can it happen? I haven't been down for an open day for many years, but even then the pitch was very much out of bounds. I have been part of a few pitch invasions in my time, really great ones celebrating things. On Saturday there was nothing to celebrate so it was a shame the opportunity was lost for people to go on the pitch, see the ground from a different perspective, take some photos etc. My solution would have been to keep people off the pitch at the final whistle (nothing to celebrate so pointless running on really), let the players do their lap and as they reached the tunnel open the gates to let people on if they wanted. The players could stay and talk to the fans and autographs/photos if they wished and the fans could mingle around for half an hour or so, simples. DaveL, I understand what the club were trying to achieve but I really think no one fully understands what it means to a youngster to actually step on the pitch. You yourself walk around on it all the time so have lost that feeling maybe? Example: quite a few years ago when my children were little we went onto the pitch at the end of a season, they grabbed a few blades of grass and took them home wrapped in a tissue. They spent all summer showing people 'Actual Bristol City grass', but that's what kids do. You are a long time grown up, let the kids have something magical to remember? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixtyseconds Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 SK They got it wrong over that magnet for trouble. Totally wrong. And they continued to get it wrong and some more. And and wrong makes Bristol City a duller boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTFiGO!?! Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 SK They got it wrong over that magnet for trouble. Totally wrong. And they continued to get it wrong and some more. And and wrong makes Bristol City a duller boy. They did get it badly wrong. The powers that be, however, appear to be totally non-negotiable until things do go badly tits up, then there's a grovelling apology and an assurance that lessens will be learnt. It smacks of arrogance and yet those who think it's a reasonable request to allow people onto the pitch as a minor reward for a shite season are labelled 'entitled'. I would hazard a guest that the majority of people would be either indifferent or for a change of policy re this. It's the club who have decided they are doing what is best for all. We've watched enough abject parades of the pitch already this season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carey 6 Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 Unless we get promoted, that will be the last time I'll stay for the lap of 'honour' the only reason I stayed was to give Louis and Marv a clap off anyway. Players took the piss taking 15-20 minutes to come out by which time most had already left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowshed Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 It really wouldn't have taken much effort to have come up with a workable solution. The players could have headed to the Williams stand, people could have been allowed on the pitch. I think most of us were as apathetic about applauding the players for their season's efforts, as the players were playing in the football match. You would have thought someone in Authority would have thought that through if nothing else. The problem as I see it is that the Club, on occasions, just don't get it. It is the highlight of the season for most sub-10 year olds to be able to walk on the pitch their heroes play on. These sub 10 year olds are the future life blood of the Club. For the rest of us it's just fun to walk on the pitch, look up at the stands - a totally different perspective. A unique once in a season experience. Even those who don't go on the pitch have the experiencing of watching the sea of people drift around the pitch. That in itself is an amazing sight. But no, come up with any excuse - this season couldn't use the pitch damage one, nor the potential fights with rival fans. Nope, fallback on the good old health and safety excuse. Not a good season for 'official fan experiences,' started with the ticketing fiasco for the Bradford game and ended with a whimper of a goodbye. Thank god for the 'fan-driven experiences' - hats off to the East End boys and the Three Lions. Don't fight it officialdom, embrace it! Excellent post Bristol City needs an enablong culture. A culture that increases fan experience whether that be big flags or being able to go on the pitch ONCE a season. A child now of four or five may have to wait a long time to go on the pitch as I enjopyed as a child it it is only for promotion, that time may see them become a teenager. The club invite childrens football teams to wave flags on the pitch why not every kid, and anybody else who wants to do it once a season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRock Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 ... and one final comment from me. Even at fifty something I really wanted to go pitch side to look at the Old Girl one last time. To take in the 360 degree Ashton Gate experience. Would have thought many others wanted to do the same. But no, the Club know best. I just watched the stewards start pushing people around on the pitch, shrugged my shoulders and, I suspect like thousands of others, left with an 'empty' feeling. What could have been a terrific ' lifetime memory' was a nothing experience. Pity, we all know that SL/JL want the best and are doing the best for our football club. This ' being allowed on the pitch' in itself is only a very minor fan issue in the grand scale of things that are going on at the Club. However, the problem with running a large organisation is you need to look at the detail as well as the big picture. Yes, the grand objectives the Club has set are impressive and, I for one, am extremely grateful we have the Lansdowns with us. Sometimes though, I wonder if the grand vision is blinding the day to day, month to month detail of operating a successful business - whether on/off the pitch. Any how's, can't retrieve the situation now. Let's just hope this is another of this season's entry for the 'Lessons Learnt' log and we can all move on, united as a Club, and look forward to better times. COYRs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calculus Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 Yes but it was the Dullman, the EE was /is so important to the club, atmosphere can mean extra points, and the difference between promotion or relegation. so I guess the EE is a special case. Far too long the Gate has been like a library, any sort of show of support would be welcome, (not the drums eh?) I loved it when the EE was rocking, and so did the players, hopefully the new EE will be even louder and unruly True that the EE was louder than I've heard before on Saturday and a good thing too. I agree that a good noisy atmosphere can add to the event and help the teams performance. I hope that the new Gate will be louder (without drums) and that the club manage to get safe standing into some areas. What I don't get is why you want the new EE to be even louder and unruly. I get 'louder', but there should be no place for 'unruly'. People should behave themselves and have a bit of respect for others as well - and that's not what happened on Saturday. Keeping being 'unruly' will only ever bring us higher policing and stewarding levels and a general mistrust of football fans. If some fans behave like idiots that need to be controlled they shouldn't then complain about the consequences. Simple stuff really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ten minutes of rough Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 True that the EE was louder than I've heard before on Saturday and a good thing too. I agree that a good noisy atmosphere can add to the event and help the teams performance. I hope that the new Gate will be louder (without drums) and that the club manage to get safe standing into some areas. What I don't get is why you want the new EE to be even louder and unruly. I get 'louder', but there should be no place for 'unruly'. People should behave themselves and have a bit of respect for others as well - and that's not what happened on Saturday. Keeping being 'unruly' will only ever bring us higher policing and stewarding levels and a general mistrust of football fans. If some fans behave like idiots that need to be controlled they shouldn't then complain about the consequences. Simple stuff really. The 'unruly' comment was tongue in cheek, but I hope you see what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRISTOL86 Posted April 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 But it's not the 'minority. by the looks of things, certainly looking at the response from the City fans on here it's not. But you consider it a minority that wish to run onto the pitch, and that tells me you are not considering the real interest the majority of City fans in wishing to go on the pitch in a peaceful manner. After all it was the last home match and with all the rubbish fans have had to put up with of late, both on and off the pitch I think you might have missed a trick here don't you? Surely as a supporter liason officer it would be part of your remit to reach out to supporters and as I said previously 'cement' some support from the youngsters especially. Your 'I will just do what I think is right' comment is arrogant in the extreme, with that attitude you should look for something else to do on a Saturday, or live up to the job title. You say the majority want to go onto the pitch yet for everyone on the pitch there were 50 in the stands? The majority of forum posters possibly, the majority of fans? No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phileas Fogg Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 You say the majority want to go onto the pitch yet for everyone on the pitch there were 50 in the stands? The majority of forum posters possibly, the majority of fans? No. How do you know? Could be quite different if people were actually allowed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTFiGO!?! Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 You say the majority want to go onto the pitch yet for everyone on the pitch there were 50 in the stands? The majority of forum posters possibly, the majority of fans? No. I suspect the majority of people couldn't be arsed with the aggro, given the club's stance. If the club had made it clear people were welcome to, in their own time, most people would've taken the opportunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nogbad the Bad Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 I was the person making the announcements, and as Supporter Liaison it is my job to consider the feelings and needs of all supporters, not just a minority of people who think it's OK to run on the pitch at the end of the game. I also need to respond to requests from our Safety Officer. I'm sure that no-one coming on wished any harm on any one. I'm sure you could put it down to youthful exuberance or sometimes a deliberate attempt to push the boundaries. But for every action there is a consequence, and that's why we try and keep people off the pitch at the end of the game. I bet you that for every one person who ran on the pitch yesterday there were at least ten people up in the stands thinking 'why don't those idiots get off the pitch, so that the players can get back on', as evidenced by the booing that those who ran on received. And every person who ran onto the pitch will also have increased our policing and stewarding costs in the future, as well as delaying the players return to the pitch by at least 15 minutes and causing massive inconvenience to the vast majority of supporters who chose to stay off. Dave, I think your background is well known. Correct me if I'm wrong but you moved to Bristol as an adult and put aside any previous allegiances to actively support Bristol City as your local club. All credit to you for that, if only more people who moved to Bristol did the same. You were well known as a passionate - and humourous - Bristol City fan on this very forum for years before you became employed by the club. However you were not born in Bristol, and did not grow up supporting Bristol City, so you were never an excited 10/12/16/18 year old boy eagerly anticipating running on to the pitch after the final game of the season to get close to, and congratulate his BCFC heroes. You got it badly wrong to threaten the young fans with the possibility of arrest and bans imo. and it showed a real lack of understanding of Bristol City fans and the rites of passage and traditions that go hand in hand with being a fanatical City supporter from a young age. And make no mistake, the end of season pitch invasion for young fans - however the season has gone - is traditional, the comparatively recently introduced lap of honour is not. Those in the stands who booed the youngsters - and in my opinion they were very few, and were almost encouraged to do so anyway - must have either been recent additions to the fanbase with little idea of the history and traditions of the club, or simply joyless ageing hypocrites who wish to deny youngsters of today the freedoms and pleasures they took for granted in their youth. Either way, a very sad state of affairs when the traditional end of season celebration is so frowned upon, and this particular family of City fans left the ground very quickly, and very subdued, on hearing the excessive lecturing and threats coming from the tannoy. Yet again I can't help asking the question - do Bristol City want enthusiastic young fans or not? If they do for goodness sake don't deny them a bit of unfettered harmless pleasure at the end of yet another disappointing season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ten minutes of rough Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 You say the majority want to go onto the pitch yet for everyone on the pitch there were 50 in the stands? The majority of forum posters possibly, the majority of fans? No. No I didn't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Rob Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 Dave, I think your background is well known. Correct me if I'm wrong but you moved to Bristol as an adult and put aside any previous allegiances to actively support Bristol City as your local club. All credit to you for that, if only more people who moved to Bristol did the same. You were well known as a passionate - and humourous - Bristol City fan on this very forum for years before you became employed by the club. However you were not born in Bristol, and did not grow up supporting Bristol City, so you were never an excited 10/12/16/18 year old boy eagerly anticipating running on to the pitch after the final game of the season to get close to, and congratulate his BCFC heroes. You got it badly wrong to threaten the young fans with the possibility of arrest and bans imo. and it showed a real lack of understanding of Bristol City fans and the rites of passage and traditions that go hand in hand with being a fanatical City supporter from a young age. And make no mistake, the end of season pitch invasion for young fans - however the season has gone - is traditional, the comparatively recently introduced lap of honour is not. Those in the stands who booed the youngsters - and in my opinion they were very few, and were almost encouraged to do so anyway - must have either been recent additions to the fanbase with little idea of the history and traditions of the club, or simply joyless ageing hypocrites who wish to deny youngsters of today the freedoms and pleasures they took for granted in their youth. Either way, a very sad state of affairs when the traditional end of season celebration is so frowned upon, and this particular family of City fans left the ground very quickly, and very subdued, on hearing the excessive lecturing and threats coming from the tannoy. Yet again I can't help asking the question - do Bristol City want enthusiastic young fans or not? If they do for goodness sake don't deny them a bit of unfettered harmless pleasure at the end of yet another disappointing season. #NigelFarage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaxbourton Red Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 It was a piss take lap of honour. The players couldn't give a shit when they walked past the Eastend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickJ Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 Dave It may have been only a minority that ran on the pitch, but if this thread is representative a significant majority of the remainder have no problem with it, notwithstanding "stadium safety", so maybe, in your role as Supporters Liaison for all supporters, your approach could be re-considered? Which takes me on to my suggestion mentioned several times on this thread, which I think is a reasonable compromise, any chance of a reply to that? Thanks. Dave. Been out all day but I can see you've been on here today and this evening yet you haven't responded to my question which I've asked several times now. Its not the first time either. On another site you moaned when some posters called you a See You Next Tuesday behind pseudonyms but wouldn't talk to you face to face. Yet in your role as Fans Liaison Officer you refuse to respond to what I feel is a very reasonable, constructive, suggestion from somebody ie me who took the trouble to meet you - as you requested. I may develop a complex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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