Stewards at Reading

[Sandhurst Red]

Living where we do, I tend to go to more away games than visits to Ashton Gate these days and was looking forward to our yearly visit to Reading as it is very close for us.

Today I took my 2 year old son and 5 year old daughter and having been unable to get tickets in the family section when tickets went on sale I had some concern.

Arriving at the ground, I asked a steward if the seats were not suitable or it started chucking down with rain (as forecast) was there an alternative area we could sit. I was pointed to a 'Family' steward who would be on hand to help should we require anything.....

Well Reading should be ashamed of themselves and how useless the stewards they employ are. When it started to rain in the second half, a lot us toward the front of the stand were getting soaked and so wanted to move. This weather was not unexpected and we'd been given a head's up about what may happen with thunder and lightning about 5 minutes prior. Unsurprisingly, lots of people all dashed up the stairs when the heavens opened and it caused chaos. Fans ended up stood all over the place, whilst over to the right hand side - there were hundreds of empty seats that were in the dry that could have been used. 

All the stewards did was look at each other, the 'Family' steward I mentioned earlier could not have cared less - despite my 2 year old son getting pushed over.  

One city fan should be ashamed of himself for shouting obscenities in the face of a disabled child and his carer when being asked to move by the carer as the child could not see. At one point I counted 8 stewards just talking to each other, with people in gangways, standing in front of others and not actually doing what they are there to do in assisting supporters etc. 

Not sure if others had similar experiences, but for my two children it has spoilt an otherwise fab afternoon out watching City on the road and a lack of care from a football club I have failed to see in the last 20 years of going to games.

Not a gripe at city, potentially at some of our supporters and their conduct, but most certainly Reading Football club and stewards who could not have done less.

 

[gordie]

It's sad to here that our own supporters can act like this

[Shtanley]

They honestly kill any chance  of an atmosphere by making people sit in their seats and blaring out music and gibberish before the game. Plastic fc 

[Red DNA]

You need to send this to Reading FC or they'll never learn from their mistakes. 

[bristolcitysweden]

Common sence is underrated

[Bristol Rob]

The FLO might take this up on your behalf.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Reading this, sounds like you should send it to FLO. Also the FSF would probably be interested.

@Shtanley Blaring music pre game, happens at grounds up and down the country. I don't like it either but it seems to be part of the game now.

Making sit in allocated seats away end seems a bit Ott.

Additionally, and a bit off topic, it reaffirms to me that our stewards are some of the better ones IMO.

[Simon79]

1 hour ago, Sandhurst Red said:

One city fan should be ashamed of himself for shouting obscenities in the face of a disabled child and his carer when being asked to move by the carer as the child could not see.

Really makes my p**s boil this. Was anything done about this? COYR 

[Clarky89]

Thought the stewards were the best I've encountered. Funny how personal experiences can vary! 

[joe jordans teeth]

Let's be honest about this,stewards are not the sharpest tool in the box hence them being stewards.

[Carey 6]

I hate Reading away. Same problems every single year. Worst away day all season imo. Got to be done because of how easy it is though. 

Much prefer the away games where we have 1000 odd there and everyone just sits wherever they like. 

Every single away game should be unreserved seating. I believe City offer this don't they? 

 

[Eddie Notgetinya]

For the second year running the stone island wearing schoolboys have arrived late and spent the whole game stood on the steps because they don't want to sit at the front. From a health and safety point of view I was surprised that the stewards just stood by and allowed this to happen.

They weren't in my way but they must of ruined the view for plenty that got in early and claimed their seat. I came back at half time to find a scrawny bunch of kids in my seat and got a '***** sake' when I told him I had been sitting there!

[Charlie BCFC]

I remember them last season and they sent so many of our fans away for standing up on the stairs shouting yet they never spoke to the Reading fans once. It's fair to say they are awful and I'm sure many of the Reading fans  would agree.

[Mr Popodopolous]

The laugh emoji was my phone playing up.

Assuming a steward a fan of the home  side and aren't stationed pitchside or backgate...

They get paid to deal with not much and get paid for what in many cases is a second job which entails watching their side for at least a decent chunk.

Yep, they sure sound daft to me. 

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, Sandhurst Red said:

Living where we do, I tend to go to more away games than visits to Ashton Gate these days and was looking forward to our yearly visit to Reading as it is very close for us.

Today I took my 2 year old son and 5 year old daughter and having been unable to get tickets in the family section when tickets went on sale I had some concern.

Arriving at the ground, I asked a steward if the seats were not suitable or it started chucking down with rain (as forecast) was there an alternative area we could sit. I was pointed to a 'Family' steward who would be on hand to help should we require anything.....

Well Reading should be ashamed of themselves and how useless the stewards they employ are. When it started to rain in the second half, a lot us toward the front of the stand were getting soaked and so wanted to move. This weather was not unexpected and we'd been given a head's up about what may happen with thunder and lightning about 5 minutes prior. Unsurprisingly, lots of people all dashed up the stairs when the heavens opened and it caused chaos. Fans ended up stood all over the place, whilst over to the right hand side - there were hundreds of empty seats that were in the dry that could have been used. 

All the stewards did was look at each other, the 'Family' steward I mentioned earlier could not have cared less - despite my 2 year old son getting pushed over.  

One city fan should be ashamed of himself for shouting obscenities in the face of a disabled child and his carer when being asked to move by the carer as the child could not see. At one point I counted 8 stewards just talking to each other, with people in gangways, standing in front of others and not actually doing what they are there to do in assisting supporters etc. 

Not sure if others had similar experiences, but for my two children it has spoilt an otherwise fab afternoon out watching City on the road and a lack of care from a football club I have failed to see in the last 20 years of going to games.

Not a gripe at city, potentially at some of our supporters and their conduct, but most certainly Reading Football club and stewards who could not have done less.

 

 

1 hour ago, Carey 6 said:

I hate Reading away. Same problems every single year. Worst away day all season imo. Got to be done because of how easy it is though. 

Much prefer the away games where we have 1000 odd there and everyone just sits wherever they like. 

Every single away game should be unreserved seating. I believe City offer this don't they? 

 

 

1 hour ago, NorwichbasedWurzel said:

For the second year running the stone island wearing schoolboys have arrived late and spent the whole game stood on the steps because they don't want to sit at the front. From a health and safety point of view I was surprised that the stewards just stood by and allowed this to happen.

They weren't in my way but they must of ruined the view for plenty that got in early and claimed their seat. I came back at half time to find a scrawny bunch of kids in my seat and got a '***** sake' when I told him I had been sitting there!

 

58 minutes ago, Flint says No said:

I remember them last season and they sent so many of our fans away for standing up on the stairs shouting yet they never spoke to the Reading fans once. It's fair to say they are awful and I'm sure many of the Reading fans  would agree.

You all confirm why Joe asked that we don't go to Reading this season.  It is the easiest away game for us, but having gone the last 2 seasons, Joe made me make the right decision.

Reading just get it wrong.

[Ecko]

Jobsworth *******.

[Sandhurst Red]

12 hours ago, Simon79 said:

Really makes my p**s boil this. Was anything done about this? COYR 

Sadly not. The stewards just stood and watched. The poor disabled child was sat there (he has Bristol City logos on both of the wheels of his chair and so will be known) and was just shouted at. His carer/dad asked politely for the guy to move and just got a dog load of abuse thrown at him and a load of finger gestures. Makes me livid that people can behave like this, made worse that we all share a common cause in supporting.the same team.

[exAtyeoMax]

6 minutes ago, Sandhurst Red said:

Sadly not. The stewards just stood and watched. The poor disabled child was sat there (he has Bristol City logos on both of the wheels of his chair and so will be known) and was just shouted at. His carer/dad asked politely for the guy to move and just got a dog load of abuse thrown at him and a load of finger gestures. Makes me livid that people can behave like this, made worse that we all share a common cause in supporting.the same team.

That's really sad. I hope they are not too upset by this. 

[Dave]

I attended yesterday in my wheelchair, and could not see either of our key second half moments.

I saw Jamie P shoot but only knew he had missed from the gasps, as view blocked.

I saw Aden approach the ball, but I had to wait until I got home to see the ball hit the back of the net.

I understand the excitement of the moment, but just wish people would take in the fact that when they stand there are people behind them who can't.

COYR

[42nite]

City should ask Reading for a video of this incident.

And if possible identify the individual. Get him out of our club.

[Dave]

On a separate point everyone was quick to rush to the disabled area when the storm arrived, but gave little consideration to the fellow City fans allocated to this area.

 

[hoxton casual]

13 minutes ago, 42nite said:

City should ask Reading for a video of this incident.

And if possible identify the individual. Get him out of our club.

I dont want to share a club with people like that but every club has them as football clubs reflect the rest of the world we live in. As a father of a son with learning disabilities it uosets me but i try not to let other peoples bad behaviour ruon my days out.

[Septic Peg]

20 minutes ago, 42nite said:

City should ask Reading for a video of this incident.

And if possible identify the individual. Get him out of our club.

Absolutely. If the Madejski is anything like AG, it'll have videos that can pick up people picking their nose.

If some cocky lad stood in front of my child and after asking to move, got given a mouthful, that cocky lad would be walking like John Wayne for the rest of his life. 

@AdamB time to make some enquiries lad? 

[42nite]

12 minutes ago, Septic Peg said:

Absolutely. If the Madejski is anything like AG, it'll have videos that can pick up people picking their nose.

If some cocky lad stood in front of my child and after asking to move, got given a mouthful, that cocky lad would be walking like John Wayne for the rest of his life. 

@AdamB time to make some enquiries lad? 

Exactly.

Back to the OP,  the stewards should have dealt with this. But they didn't, so time for us to act.

(I would hope)

 

[Olé]

I don't know about the stewards (although they were bloody keen to check your tickets repeatedly, it was like passport control) but exiting the stand is worse than I ever remember it at the Madjeski, it made me long for the 1mph crawl out of the Dolman. At one point I actually thought they were checking tickets on the way out as well as literally nothing was moving.

Thankfully the long delay leaving the stand left us stuck watching several (presumably Mockney accented) The Only Way Is Essex casting rejects in Reading hospitality grinning inanely at the away fans, in that way you can only do after a defeat if the only exercise your brain gets is between choosing to wear double denim or a polo shirt 3 sizes too small.

[Reigate Red]

Agree there was a lot of ticket checking but I suspect that was to stop people moving from one side of the middle barrier to the other as happened last year.

I thought the city BS3 related T shirts that the serving staff were wearing was a nice touch.

[Davefevs]

4 hours ago, Dave said:

On a separate point everyone was quick to rush to the disabled area when the storm arrived, but gave little consideration to the fellow City fans allocated to this area.

 

Same last year, although not rain related.  Was because people in small groups couldn't sit in their pre-allocated seats, sonstood together on the wheelchair concourse.  To be fair the three middle-aged blokes behind me were as good as gold, helped form a bit of a barrier around Joe.

Another supporter sat in the Carer row and when asked to show his ticket, just effed and jeffed at the female steward, who was then ignored in her plea from help from her make steward, who just shrugged his shoulders.  The stewards are useless, but in some ways I don't blame them...could turn nasty quite easily.

Much of it stems from ticketing policy.  Got to be some way of reserving a section for the 'standers' at the back and expectations that unless you get in early you might not get to stand with your mates.  For everywhere else, allocated seats only.  When booking, you're asked if you want to stand at the back and take a risk of your exact spot being taken, or sit in an allocated section.