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#Post#: 5841--------------------------------------------------
Spectator Encroachment
DIR By: reflector
Date: March 11, 2019, 8:52 am
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I'm a bit surprised that there has been no comment regarding
the two incidents in England and another in Scotland over the
weekend where spectators have gone on to the pitch and attacked
players. Clearly this has to be nipped in the bud and it is to
be hoped that the courts and the respective FAs deal with these
incidents quickly and with the sort of severity that sends out
the message that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.
A banning order on an individual would be quite insufficient,
especially as I doubt whether they can be properly enforced
anyway.
I wasn't at the Villa game yesterday but talking to someone who
was, it was quite clear from the crowd reaction a significant
proportion of the home fans saw the idiot who attacked Grealish
as some sort of hero so we mustn't think that people like that
have no support. The players on both sides acted with
commendable restraint in the circumstances but the supporters
have to be shown that the consequences will be dire. Who knows,
the next thug might be carrying a knife and no player or
official will be safe unless it is shown that it simply doesn't
pay.
#Post#: 5844--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spectator Encroachment
DIR By: Readingfan
Date: March 11, 2019, 10:43 am
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What would you do if a referee if Grealish had to go injured
because of a fan attack? Would you give consideration to
abandoning the game?
#Post#: 5851--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spectator Encroachment
DIR By: Welshexref
Date: March 11, 2019, 11:01 am
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Absolutely. There has been a huge outcry in the media from
points deductions to slaying the first born!
It's very difficult. Most grounds are I believe pretty well
stewarded and you can never fully legislate for the idiot.
However even though it might be a first offence for Birmingham I
think the football authorities need to stamp down before this
gets to epidemic proportions. Maybe one home game behind closed
doors to get the ball rolling? I'm not sure that a simple fine
for the club hits the spectators who cheer such intrusions.
Harsh on the innocent but I'm not sure there is any real option.
Doubtless the perpetrator will get 3 hours litter picking
instead of a jail sentence.
As a complete aside Miss Welshexref (aged 16) was most upset at
the attack as young Mr Grealish apparently has 'the cutest
bottom in the football league'!!
#Post#: 5865--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spectator Encroachment
DIR By: Readingfan
Date: March 11, 2019, 11:31 am
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HTML https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-47523268
14 week jail sentence and £350 fine is too light in my opinion.
#Post#: 5876--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spectator Encroachment
DIR By: bmb
Date: March 11, 2019, 12:50 pm
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--- Quote from: Readingfan link ---
>
>
HTML https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-47523268
>
> 14 week jail sentence and £350 fine is too light in my
opinion.
>
--- End Quote ---
Agreed. I am however pleased it was actually a jail sentence, I
was expecting the usual laxidaziness from the authorities and a
very light community service punishment or some such rubbish.
#Post#: 5883--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spectator Encroachment
DIR By: Microscopist
Date: March 11, 2019, 2:12 pm
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Of course it help when they actual catch the offenders - memo to
Merseyside police.
#Post#: 5884--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spectator Encroachment
DIR By: reflector
Date: March 11, 2019, 2:27 pm
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--- Quote from: bmb link ---
>
> [quote author=Readingfan link=topic=628.msg5865#msg5865
date=1552321876]
>
HTML https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-47523268
>
> 14 week jail sentence and £350 fine is too light in my
opinion.
>
--- End Quote ---
Agreed. I am however pleased it was actually a jail sentence, I
was expecting the usual laxidaziness from the authorities and a
very light community service punishment or some such rubbish.
[/quote]
I agree - an immediate jail sentence was important although the
length seems very lenient as he'll probably be out in 6 or 7
weeks. I was also impressed that he was dealt with so quickly.
Often these things drag on for months but in this case only
about 24 hours after committing the offence, he was beginning
his sentence. We now need a speedy response from the football
authorities.
#Post#: 5887--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spectator Encroachment
DIR By: bruntyboy
Date: March 11, 2019, 3:00 pm
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Of course the FA, the BBC, SKY etc never have a bad word to say
when a giant killing occurs in a cup competition or at the
conclusion of the league play offs and the inevitable "good
natured" pitch invasion occurs. The losing team's players are
usually still on the pitch.
Perhaps we need a sniper in the floodlight pylons "pour
encourager les autres".
#Post#: 5888--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spectator Encroachment
DIR By: Tweed
Date: March 11, 2019, 3:18 pm
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I think there has been a ridiculous clamour for stadium shut
downs and points deductions and I have to say I'm not for it at
all. Sport should be an entertainment for supporters and success
should be measured purely on sporting merit.
For instance I've got a weekend away lined up for this weekend.
Train tickets and hotel booked for Motherwell's trip to
Hibernian. The last two weeks there have been regrettable
incidents at Easter Road yet some people want the game played
behind closed doors. That to me is fundamentally unfair. These
raspers who invade pitches are breaking the law of the land and
there is a limit to what any club can do to stop someone.
To me the clubs responsibility is to ensure proper stewarding is
in place, requisite searches are done outside the ground (for
weapons and fireworks) and if something happens they react.
Other than that the perpetrators need the full weight of the law
thrown at them which will hopefully provide a suitable
deterrent.
The incidents with Grealish and Tavernier whilst regrettable and
disgraceful, how do you think Birmingham or Hibernian could have
better dealt with it? The buckfast bottle at Easter Road when
Hibernian played Celtic is one of the few cases I think
Hibernian could be due a fine - they let the glass bottle in and
they don't have sufficient security in place to identify the
moron so he/she is still at large.
Strict liability sounds great but you just need to look at the
number of repeat offending fanbases in Europe to see that it
doesn't work. No punishment is worth it if it doesn't deter and
denying someone their freedom as has happened in the Birmingham
case is I hope the action which will cause the penny to start to
drop amongst these idiots who seem to infiltrate every support.
#Post#: 5896--------------------------------------------------
Re: Spectator Encroachment
DIR By: reflector
Date: March 12, 2019, 3:22 am
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Tweed asks how Birmingham and Hibs could have dealt with it
better. The short answer is I don't know and I accept it isn't
easy but someone has to take responsibility for it and surely
the home club has to be accountable for the safety of the ground
and everyone in it. Not much has been made of it but in a way
almost more serious is that a steward was reported as being led
away after attempting to knee Grealish in the back during his
goal celebrations. I believe no charges are being laid as a
result of that but, if true, there does seem to be a problem
with stewarding at St Andrews, whether that be because there
aren't enough or that they need to be better trained and
supervised. Maybe going back to the days of more police in the
grounds would be sensible, especially for potential trouble
spots such as the second city derby.
That said, I do think that Mr Grealish should have had more
control after scoring. I fully understand that, particularly
after what happened earlier, he had reason to be pleased scoring
what turned out to be the winning goal for the Club he had
supported all his life and in what for him was the most
important game of the season but going into the crowd to
celebrate with his own supporters was foolish and perhaps should
bring a post match sanction stronger than a yellow card. If
players are to be better protected it is incumbent on them to
show responsibility, whatever the emotions of the moment.
One other word about his assailant, who incidentally I find
lives only three miles or so from me. I see in addition to his
prison sentence and fine, he was also ordered to pay £100
compensation to Jack Grealish. I am not sure what wages he is
on at Villa but I suspect that £100 wouldn't even register on
the Grealish bank statement.
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