Policing of PVFC - Chairman's Statement

[valiant58]

Perhaps a one Norman Smurthwaite song today should be sung to show our support to him.

[bycarspete]

I still question, if all the so called morons attend the games

[Fosse69]

I know that Norman reads this site and so I will echo what I suggested to Bill Bratt years ago. This was why not erect a 3 metre high fence from the corner of the club shop with big gates which would be locked on match days to the club's outer perimeter wall. Surely this would save many thousands of £ssss over a season as the number of stewards and police needed would be minimised. In fact the police wouldn't hardly need to be on the club's land at all so the costs would then be next to nothing.

Bratt said it wasn't allowed because of Council planning but I feel that he was talking as he usually did....piffle. If it is for safety purposes then why would the town planning dept object?

Since any trouble tends to be after the game, would closing the fence gates at say 4.30 suffice?

[Another shropshire valiant]

The behaviour of some of our "so called fans" was epitomised on the final home game of our promotion season against Northampton, at the final whistle 99% of the fans who ran on to the pitch went straight to the tunnel to celebrate (including me) whilst a small group of knuckle dragged ran straight across to the Hamil End to abuse the away fans......words fail me!

 

[Mario]

Its all very well talking but when is something proactive going to be done?

 

I would close off the first block of the the Railway stand and Paddock,this would discourage the idiots who think it is clever to goad away supporters who could be sitting in some cases more than 50yds away.

[billbee33]

I know that Norman reads this site and so I will echo what I suggested to Bill Bratt years ago. This was why not erect a 3 metre high fence from the corner of the club shop with big gates which would be locked on match days to the club's outer perimeter wall. Surely this would save many thousands of £ssss over a season as the number of stewards and police needed would be minimised. In fact the police wouldn't hardly need to be on the club's land at all so the costs would then be next to nothing.

Bratt said it wasn't allowed because of Council planning but I feel that he was talking as he usually did....piffle. If it is for safety purposes then why would the town planning dept object?

 

Totally agree with everything you say old sage, also the club should close down one third of the Railway paddock for the rest of this season while the club and the Police assess how to deal with the numb headed scum that is blighting our great club, It would also be a good idea to shut down half the Hamil road end, from the Railway end to the centre of goal for the time being.

[Birches Head Fred]

I would bet there is a very heavy handed approach by the boys in blue today with a number of arrests as they bid to 'prove their case'.

 

It's a sad state of affairs and Norman must be struggling to understand how to cope/deal with it. I wish we knew of an answer but unfortunately until we can rid ourselves of the fans who are hell-bent on causing trouble (both home and away) we will be stuck with excessive charges for policing and, sadly a club with a very poor reputation in the footballing community.

[PVTony]

Could stewards be equipped with camera's to photograph the foul mouthed yobbo's that intimidate away fans with abusive chants and hand signals?

 

Once photgraphed they could be banned.

 

Policing cost would diminish and many other decent footballing fans and families would be encouraged to attend.

[Davebrad]

I know we,ve got our idiot,s unfortuantly, but in some cases the police do goad the fan,s by there attitude. Also its them who tell the club how many police are needed, and its overtime for many of them,now a cynic might say easters coming...at the Bradford game they changed the cateorgry 1-7 to more police. A fence across the car park might do the trick, to stop trouble there, but the idiots are in the park now...

[Row L]

Is it just me, or does Norman look like he is having a *** on the screen grab of his statement! :)

 

Regardless of whether he is in the chamber or not, the sooner some people grow up at games and treat the opposition supporters with some respect, the sooner we can be police free, not get fleeced by Staffs police and can help preserve the club for the future.

[melv]

I would bet there is a very heavy handed approach by the boys in blue today with a number of arrests as they bid to 'prove their case'.

 

That would not surprise me at all.We were talking last night about Smurfs statement in the Sentinel and the same was mentioned.If anyone see's any heavy handed policing then get your phone out and video it.

[timvalefan]

How about the authorities doing what they are supposed to do. If the stewards see anyone making obscene gestures or using abusive language, evict them from the ground, instead of just standing there grinning, the police are no better. I usually leave the ground a couple of minutes early and walk up Hamil Rd towards the park. There are usually loads of lads with scarfs around the faces waiting.(I don't think they have been to the game). Now if I see that every home game, why can't the police? They normally just stand around looking. Why aren't these lads moved on?

[melv]

Could stewards be equipped with camera's to photograph the foul mouthed yobbo's that intimidate away fans with abusive chants and hand signals?

 

Once photgraphed they could be banned.

 

Policing cost would diminish and many other decent footballing fans and families would be encouraged to attend.

 

A photograph would not prove they were shouting abusive or racist chants.It would have to be video with sound.To equip them with anything like that would cost more money.

[Vital Spark]

I can fully understand both sides to this disagreement. Sadly, the common problem for both parties is the clowns intent on causing trouble everywhere they go. Until we see a consistent improvement in our behaviour, then sadly the police are always going to air on the side of caution, unfortunately at great cost to our clubs finances. It's an extremely difficult situation, because when the police got it spectacularly wrong at Moilineux last March, it was these same hooligans who prevented innocent Vale fans and families from getting a real pasting by Wolves thugs in the streets above the away end.

 

Back at Vale Park, I think a reorganisation of where Vale fans sit could ease the problem, perhaps closing parts of the Railway Paddock and Stand may help. Maybe if the Bycars was refurbished and made more appealing to home fans then the draw of the Paddock may diminish.

[PVTony]

I can fully understand both sides to this disagreement. Sadly, the common problem for both parties is the clowns intent on causing trouble everywhere they go. Until we see a consistent improvement in our behaviour, then sadly the police are always going to air on the side of caution, unfortunately at great cost to our clubs finances. It's an extremely difficult situation, because when the police got it spectacularly wrong at Moilineux last March, it was these same hooligans who prevented innocent Vale fans and families from getting a real pasting by Wolves thugs in the streets above the away end.

 

Back at Vale Park, I think a reorganisation of where Vale fans sit could ease the problem, perhaps closing parts of the Railway Paddock and Stand may help. Maybe if the Bycars was refurbished and made more appealing to home fans then the draw of the Paddock may diminish.

 

The hooligans don't care about nice refurbishments, they just want to be nearest the away fans to shout abuse and wave their fists.