Embarrassment.

[Jacko51]

I apologise, I do realise Wolves fans have not got a great reputation, but honestly the problem has been 80% addressed here. I genuinely cannot think of any game this season except Vale where we have seen any trouble. WHen it is, its just young lads. Away fans can share a drink in town, that sort of thing would have been unheard of ten years ago. I do fear that there could be worse problems if and when Wolves play Vale again, though I guess police may have that sorted.

 

95% of Wolves fans are ordinary fans just like the majority of Vale fans.

 

One thing I will add about away fans at Molineux, the vast majority are housed in the North Bank quadrant because the clubs "choose the smaller 1700 allocation. Thus there is not a problem being below fans. You would be next to the North Bank but they are more or less comatosed anyway. Vale, Orient, Sheff Utd and maybe Preston chose the same Steve Bull Lower tier because they wanted the larger 2700 allocation. Coventry actually had both, which I believe is on offer if clubs want both.

 

Anyway, as I say, genuinely not trying to antagonise anyone.

 

Wolves had the back two rows of the lower tier covered with netting. Why do they not do the front two rows of the upper tier when away fans are below? It's not rocket science and would solve a lot of the problems at a stroke.

[bycars bootboy]

We will no doubt find out in the fullness of time, only repeating what I heard, this game was horrible, we would appear the have a problem which is doubtlessly not helped by those who bury their heads in the sand and blame everyone else. I saw Vale fans throw a smoke bomb at Wolves fans, I saw wolves fans throwing stuff onto Vale fans, I saw Stewards attacked and forced out of the bar at half time and I also saw innocent Vale fans jostled and covered in beer by our own, but the one thing that made me ashamed more than anything was the young couple with their young son in tears as what can only be described as scum tried to get at about 5 Wolves fans outside the station. I travel to most Vale games and try to be as balenced as I can when I comment but what went on today was inescusable no matter what the provocation, I fear it will end badly our reputation at the moment is shocking, I shall now put my tin hat on and await the abuse !

 

Im not going to abuse you Fuzzy,but what were the wolves fans doing there, sheltered by some sort of curved plastic shelter, looking down on the vale fans not far from the station entrance.I saw a mini ambush and Vale fans reacted to the provocation.The police quickly moved the wolves fans away.Obviously, the young child being upset is unfortunate and parents have to be more streetwise, and be conscious of whats happening around them.Hope this helps to re-dress the imbalance in your post.

[Heatwave]

I apologise, I do realise Wolves fans have not got a great reputation, but honestly the problem has been 80% addressed here. I genuinely cannot think of any game this season except Vale where we have seen any trouble. WHen it is, its just young lads. Away fans can share a drink in town, that sort of thing would have been unheard of ten years ago. I do fear that there could be worse problems if and when Wolves play Vale again, though I guess police may have that sorted.

 

95% of Wolves fans are ordinary fans just like the majority of Vale fans.

 

One thing I will add about away fans at Molineux, the vast majority are housed in the North Bank quadrant because the clubs "choose the smaller 1700 allocation. Thus there is not a problem being below fans. You would be next to the North Bank but they are more or less comatosed anyway. Vale, Orient, Sheff Utd and maybe Preston chose the same Steve Bull Lower tier because they wanted the larger 2700 allocation. Coventry actually had both, which I believe is on offer if clubs want both.

 

Anyway, as I say, genuinely not trying to antagonise anyone.

 

PV (am I the only one who sees the irony?) I was in JL3 yesterday and didn't have most of the problems described. I did see it happening elsewhere though and did see a lot of provocation from those in the upper tier, even a middle aged 'gentleman' who seemed to be provoking a response. I know you apportioned at least some of the blame to Wolves fans but I think it should have been rather more than the 20% you gave.

 

I'd question the police tactics as well. I live locally (Coven), came on the normal service bus and after the match wanted to do some shopping at Asda and then get my bus back from Five Ways. I asked a senior police officer if I'd be able to do this and was told no, I'd have to go to the bus station where Vale fans would be escorted. I told him that the Arriva service didn't go from there but he didn't offer any help. So what I did was to go up the bank to Stafford Road and was astounded to see that although there was a police presence there was no restriction on which way I could go - I turned left, went back down past the student flats and got into Asda with no trouble. So what was the point of the cordon? As related elsewhere on this thread it didn't stop fighting on Stafford Road, so why have it? Pointless.

 

By the way, I got my bus back from Five Ways with no trouble, even having a good conversation with some Wolves fans at the same stop. I even saw the Vale fans getting their police escort back up the A449 - oh and by the way Vale nutters, when you scream abuse out of bus windows, just make sure it isn't Vale fans you're abusing.

[bycars bootboy]

For what it's worth here's my take on matters.

 

Yesterday was one of our "big days out" for many true, decent fans. We all should have enough experience to have known there were going to e numpties at the game, certainly from Vale's point of view. Some other posters have said that there were hundreds of people in Vale's ranks that are not genuine fans and only travel when they know there is a chance of trouble. Yet what can we, honest fans who simply want to cheer their favourites do?

 

We cannot choose seats and sit next to people we only want to. It's total pot luck as to where you are allocated a seat on occasions such as sell outs or near sell outs. this causes a whole stack of problems.

 

Families of dads, women and kids who want to watch Vale are now habitually subjected to abuse, irrational behaviour and down right criminal actions...and that is from our own fans! When you are faced with mobs of lads who are tanked/drugged up it's impossible to get any sense and it's now reached the stage that not only are we genuine fans having to watch pathetic excuses of players on the pitch but we are going to matches where violence and thuggery are expected and seem to be the norm.

 

I fully anticipate that the nerds/idiots/culprits who post on here will slate me and call for people like me to stay at home so they can continue their wrecking of our great game. I don't care.

 

I've supported Vale for over 30 years and admittedly have seen times of violence and stupid actions by many. BUT we have to now seriously question where we all want to be in future?

 

Vale set out to be a successful, family club and attract al people to the game, men, women and kids. No way this is going to progress when all we are getting now is sizeable away followings where people are frightened and threatened without any protection from so called stewards and police. I have seen kids and their parents sobbing at what is happening. That cannot be right.

 

These fans and I now unfortunately include my wife(as she has had enough) are drifting away from watching Vale. When it becomes a habit to go and support you club, home and away it keeps people interested in Vale. Over the course of this and last years seasons I have seen may, many families say they are not going again s they fear for their wives/kids safety. Once this happens, due to bad experiences at away games, I becomes nigh on impossible to get those fans back into the fold. That is where I fear for Vale's future.

 

What can be done?? Do we simply shrug our shoulders and say well it's happening everywhere so let it continue? I simply don' know. All I do know is that Vale's genuine support is going to dwindle and dwindle until or unless we all do something. Yes we are pathetic on the pitch but we true fans have to do something off the pitch to save our sanity/health and Club from reaching the very depths of despair.

 

Apologies for the rant but I love football and the Vale and I want to attend all matches in safety and do not wish to sit next to or anywhere near some of these nutters. I want to simply enjoy my match days out. Am I dreaming and wanting the impossible or is there any proper solutions to the problems that Vale are encountering now on a regular basis?

 

My season ticket will be renewed again next season and the ones after that but sadly my wife has now decided to call it a day. I am convinced there are many, many more who feel like her and Vale can ill afford to lose these wholehearted decent fans. Rant over.

 

Its a pity your wife feels that way and i can respect her decision, but buying a season ticket doesnt put her in perceived danger at away games.

[bycars bootboy]

I'm voting with my feet & my wallet & not going an away game for a very long time.

I was in JL6 with my wife & 14 year old son.

Once the drunks took their seats 10 mins before kick off(you could smell their breath) the atmosphere changed to a hostile one.

One man in his 40's or 50's spent the last 15 mins trying to pick a fight with a Wolves fan up above.

It meant a woman & her daughter left because she was scared someone from the upper level may throw something & it was cleat this idiot was not in control of himself, especially his language.

It cost me £56 & apart from Billy Knott, Duffy & Neal, the rest of the team(subs apart) ought to take a long hard look at themselves-it isn't the end of the season yet boys, there are still 13 games left & we don't look like we can buy a goal, least of all keep a clean sheet.

If I performed in my job like the players have since February, I would be out of a job.

One last thing....the seats at Wolves-crap kiddy-size seats where you sit with your knees up your backside-I didn't enjoy yesterday one bit so I'll save my money & won't be disappointed

 

See you at Notts county:yes:

[bertiepee]

Its a pity your wife feels that way and i can respect her decision, but buying a season ticket doesnt put her in perceived danger at away games.

 

No it doesnt put his wife in danger at away games but it does at home games, many a game this season on hamil road its been not pleasant, as much as I want to, no way am I going take my young grand child like I did my son 30years ago to vale park, the language in any part of the ground is not pleasant, its just not a nice place for kids, I love my team and plan on having my season ticket as usual but don, t blame anyone who thinking enough is enough

[bycars bootboy]

B&W, I would be livid but would like to think I would behave like a adult and I certainly would not retaliate because that would make the same as the cretin who threw it in the first place, we are again blaming others for our behaviour, did the Wolves fans chucking things from the stand cause the 100 strong bunch of Vale idiots to behave as they did - no they had behaved like that before they even got to the stadium in fact some where behaving like that before they even got to Wolverhampton. Was it the behaviour of Wolves fans above that caused a Vale fan to try and throw a smoke bomb into the Wolves stand - no. Was it Wolves fans that caused the beer fight in the concourse knocking a woman over - No was it the Wolves fans that caused the attack on stewards and police as they tried to eject some one - No was it wolves fans that caused Vale fans that caused damage to the train home - No was it Wolves fans that continually pulled the cord on the train -no was it Wolves fans that gave the police the run around at Stoke station when the majority live in Burslem no.If you are saying that it was Wolves fans provoking Vale that caused a large group of our fans to behave like they did you are wrong, they would have behaved like that whatever they made that decision weeks ago

 

And if you were a wolves fan yoth, you would no doubt be posting related observations about your own fans on your forum.

[Beza]

Ive been a Vale fan since 1961 gone through all the highs and lows, seen all the hooligan scenes of the late 60s all through the 70s 80s 90s and now the naughties and can honestly say things have not improved. We at Vale have always had a history of being a " main firm" so I dont things will change in the future I'm afraid. What the answer is god knows.

[bycars bootboy]

No it doesnt put his wife in danger at away games but it does at home games, many a game this season on hamil road its been not pleasant, as much as I want to, no way am I going take my young grand child like I did my son 30years ago to vale park, the language in any part of the ground is not pleasant, its just not a nice place for kids, I love my team and plan on having my season ticket as usual but don, t blame anyone who thinking enough is enough

 

Dont accept that 30 years ago it was any different than now.Hamil road has always been a hot bed for trouble due to the ground layout.Of course he and his good wife could buy a season ticket in the lorne street but he/she could answer that one for themselves.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

IF in the near future at league level Wolves play Stoke, Millwall, Cardiff it will kick off. So who are to blame? Just a thought.

 

Good point. If here is a common drnominator clubs need to look at themselves first and foremost. Our hooligans / troublemakers have caused problems on copious occasions this season - Wolves home and away, Bradford home, Oldham away, Sheff United away etc.

 

As Cavalier said we need to look at ourselves first and foremost and the SC and the club have to act and lead by example as do decent fans to root the scum out.

[steauavaliant]

Take it you didn't see the 20-30 wolves fans after the game appear from the canal area charge at the vale fans then? Though unfortunately for the Wolves fans they were totally out numbered and get a bit of a pasting..So to just blame all the trouble on Vale fans yesterday is just daft..

"Unfortunately"?????

[bycars bootboy]

I don't understand why that special train stopped at Stoke anyway..About 100 Vale lads got off there..Just a crazy descision with Stoke been at home too..

 

Bit nieve to assume that there are no Vale fans in the south of the city.Spoke to one from trent vale and one from stoke on the train.

[jk77]

Bit nieve to assume that there are no Vale fans in the south of the city.Spoke to one from trent vale and one from stoke on the train.

 

As I know a load who got off are in the VLF,and don't live that side of the city..

[onestepatatime]

Just a thought.

 

Would it be possible for decent Vale fans to form some kind of club between them that would enable us to purchase away tickets for members only, in a block, to sit together in "safe " areas? We could purchase block tickets so we all could sit together and away from scum/numpties etc , who would not be able to purchase tickets near to us all? Each away game would mean members of this club could , in advance, let the organiser know they wished to have seats with like minded members and the organiser would purchase the block of required tickets. I realise this seems simple but no doubt the more learned of you decent fans could comment and suggest tweaks or possible alternatives to this. It would mean a good deal of organising, I know but may be a start as to what we can do as genuine fans to prevent situations arising where we have to sit by or near any hooligan/idiot/ pratt etc.

 

I only offer this as an suggestion as it does appear we do want to solve the problem but no one seems to know how to start. My thought is an opening gambit and I look forward to learning what Vale's decent, peace loving fans want to add so we can all attend away games and at least sit together with safety and leave the bile to get their own tickets, far away from us as possible.

[bycars bootboy]

As I know a load who got off are in the VLF,and don't live that side of the city..

 

Ok,but train must stop at our main station to let locals off.