Norm v Staffordshire's Finest

[melv]

Not sure they're wasting taxpayers money, it's Norm's / Vale's money they're getting isn't it?

 

But they are taxpayers.

[Santa]

Can't really add much else other than to echo that it was an absolute p***take today by our local Police force.

 

I got into Stoke station at 1.50 and witnessed a group of Police officers on the platform looking more than a bit disappointed that no Donny fans were getting off the same train as me. There was a van full of even more Police waiting in the car park of the North Staffs Hotel and a chartered D&G bus with "Port Vale" on the electronic sign waiting outside the taxi rank. This was due to pick up away fans from The Terrace which is where the Police were supposed to be herding them all to.

 

We got a taxi up to the ground and coming off the D road we witnessed a load of Police motorcycles parked near McGuinness' doing nothing and a double decker bus parked up at Longport.

 

Worth bearing in mind that Ellis is due to stand for re-election next Spring. His majority is less than an average Vale attendance. The ball's very much in his court with this.

[Aussie Rules]

I'm trying to get my head around this overkill policing issue in and around Vale Park.

 

The last 'Australian Rules' football game I attended at the Subiaco Oval, Western Australia there was a near capacity crowd of 43,000.

 

There were police inside the stadium but their visible profile was low key, and with the stadium's CCTV and match stewards, the later having substantial authority to maintain order, ensured a great day out for everyone - more so for those of us on the winning side :D

 

Outside the stadium, both before and after the game and in and around Subiaco and suburbs, the police profile was very visible providing, in my opinion, quality traffic and pedestrian control.

 

Maybe Mr Ellis could pick-up a few tips from our local 'Boys in Blue'?

[werstayinup]

Go Norman, it was a joke, riot vans parked outside the queens head but no sign of any away fans, at full time the police by burslem park were stood, helmets in hand chatting together, before the match I heard one walking up Hamil ask his mate what he was doing on duty and he said that he fancied a bit of overtime....

 

There must of been a van on every street corner going up Hamil Road and if there wasn't then there were 3 or 4 police standing there chatting away,then they go and put 3 vans by the big steel fence,unbelievable.......you could slightly understand if there was a 2-3k following from clubs known for trouble but come on for 3-400 fans it's shocking

[werstayinup]

And he is spot on what a waste of taxpayers today officers with folded arms and almost falling asleep in one police van I did ask him if he wanted a coffee and I got a sarcastic smile.

 

The one parked by the club shop before the game had a jar of coffee and sugar on the dash,i did comment but they just smiled

 

I just hope that no serious crime was happening when the whole of Staffs finest were at VP

[geosname]

Did anyone film or photograph the officers and vehicles at the various locations?

 

Has anyone contacted rovers to ask who said what to whom?

 

I dont think this is an argument smurf can win with bullish bluster... disprove the statements, contradict their "intelligence" with documentary evidence, make them justify the manpower and resources used, shine the light on them.

[points-with-bone]

Mission accomplished.

 

Having finished getting this year's crop in we realized harvest was very poor and extra source of income was required to get the kraal through the winter snows. So I got youngsters of wife number five, they who understand such things, to go on 'Bird-that-Twitters' and 'Face-in-Book' and convince Staffordshire Criminals-in-Blue that they are warrior denizens of Doncaster and will forming angry impi on Saturday the 22nd to lay waste to Mother Town Of Burslem and desecrate its sacred shrines.

 

Criminals-in-Blue send many men in metal chariots while we sneak raiding party of six on pirogue up Canal-of-Mersey past Totem Stadium of the Undead. Then while Criminals-in Blue otherwise engaged we journeyed to Park-of-Trentham and dig up secret Nazi train of plundered gold that the Codheads do use to buy fancy-pant footballers from Spain

 

Back in kraal now, tired, but the winter will be fat

 

Points-with-Bone

[stevievalefan]

High lane was on high alert after the game heading towards Chell - every junction had a police motor-cyclist frantically waving through the traffic like some presidential convoy was coming through just behind us. Complete joke.

[Howjy04]

I wouldn't mind giving the little blonde Police woman ,by the fire station, a bit of overtime.Seriously,what a farce.I suppose the old bill will just say ' the plan worked ,no trouble.

[robf]

It was an absolute farce on Saturday. Walking past that away "compound" there were more police than away fans. I've written an article on the OVF front page and I stand by it - I could not agree more with Norman Smurthwaite on this occasion.

 

Funnily enough, I was taking my son to the club shop to buy a cap (to keep out the Burslem sun of all things! But that's another story) and I ran into Norman on the car park. He seemed to be taking it in good humour at the time "Have you seen my new fence?" he asked me but you could tell it had been a hell of a few days for him. At times like this, I feel for him, it must totally frustrating dealing with an organisation who are unbending and seem to have it in for the club.

[DaneValiant]

Is there no way for the FA to make it so the away team pays the percentage of the police cost for the number of away fans there. So yesterday Doncaster stump up about 9-10% of the police bill. It's not Vale's fault a few "Two Can Van Dammes" from Doncaster think we have some kind of rivalry and want a fight.

 

Also there maybe a chance of a more "reasonable" police cost if the plod had to run their quote past both teams.

 

Ps Go Smurf!!

[robf]

Did anyone film or photograph the officers and vehicles at the various locations?

 

Has anyone contacted rovers to ask who said what to whom?.

 

Yes. I have contacted the Footballers Supporters Federation about this and I hope to share their advice with OVF readers. The FSF have a regular column on poor policing procedures at games so I want to find out from their experience what we, as fans, can do. I don't know whether it will be a standard letter of complaint we can send or whatever but I will share any advice I receive as I think we, as fans, need to tell the police what we think.

[rsb]

Smurf owns the football club but Ellis and CO run the club and are laughing all the way to the bank now the Millwall game as been move to a Tuesday night less fans traveling but more police needed than a Saturday game as it will be dark when the match finishes and they will have more places to hide hope I don't have a break in it may take three weeks for them to attend as they no longer have the man power oh except for football matches

[Michael]

I don't blame Smurf for losing it over this, he was forced to spend money turning Hamil car park into a prisoner of war camp just in case Donny turned up with their AK47's and RPG's but only a couple of hundred turned up and in all fairness to them despite the long journey to see their team ripped apart actually clapped Uche and Enoch off the park when they got subbed! The police "Intelligence" came to the conclusion these donny fans were football's last bad ass firm but I'd be interested to see if their own police force see them the same so they must have to get their home ground looking like Alcatraz every home game do they?? Pathetic.

[ballgreenvale]

In over 50 years of watching football and visiting most of the away grounds last season I cant ever remember seeing so many police officers and vehicles at a match Why did we build the fence only to have it covered all the way along with police vans I object as a Port Vale fan and as a council tax payer at the total overeaction by Staffordshire police for a crowd of less than 5000. Someone has some serious questions to answer and I hope Smurf is successful in appealing these unecessary police costs. Of course the police will claim that there was no trouble because of their presence