From a saints lad in the home end...

[Barry the Badger]

and there's still a decent atmosphere, then that's alright by me. I was in Block N and started a few, which I don't usually, and I smashed up my knees celebrating with people in different rows, which isn't an everyday occurence either - there was still something special about it..

 

I think my dissapointment was more due to not having been to Fratton before, I expected it to be absolutely electric. On another day I probably would've said it was a decent atmosphere, but it was nothing special, and it should have been.

[Saint Malc]

I've been to crap? not half many, many times including '76 when I went in the Fratton End thinking all the Saints lot were meeting in there only to be on my own fully decked out in Saints gear. The police soon escorted me round the pitch where I got soaked ;-)

 

But yesterday was the funniest I have ever seen. We were sat as close as you could get to them. If you look at the pitch from the away end we were as far left as you could get and we could see the vitriol and hatred close up. They really, really hate us. When the final whistle went they, who were in the upper tier of the main stand, had to pass us to get out of the ground separated only by a wrought iron gate. I have never seen so many 50-60 year old men so angry. It was like going to the zoo and watching animals in a cage. How we laughed at them? Unfortunately, this enraged them even more and they started to throw coins (I didn't know they could afford to) missing us............just! One plastic bottle hit my daughter on the shoulder but it was the coke escaping through the unscrewed bottle top that hurt her pride more because it splashed her coat.

 

They really are thick morons. People say its great to have a rival but I don't. I hope they go out of existence, never to return.

[Dalek2003]

They did look a bit odd on the TV.

[sotonjoe]

It worked to stop a bunch of people on either side from getting furious with aggressive posturing under the premise of wanting a fight rather than watching a match, but other than that the atmosphere wasn't that different. And to be honest, for 99% of matches that's fine. I do feel there was a slight edge missing, but if that's played off against the possibility of getting my head stoved in with a breeze block, and there's still a decent atmosphere, then that's alright by me. I was in Block N and started a few, which I don't usually, and I smashed up my knees celebrating with people in different rows, which isn't an everyday occurence either - there was still something special about it.

 

I have a bunch of videos from bus 9 with a load of singing, which begins exactly as the bus goes across the Eastern Road bridge onto the island. Everyone knew there was atmosphere and it was going to have to be made, but plenty were waiting until the opposition was in sight.

 

Oh, and of course I was stone cold sober - but then as I watched football for 25 years before I started drinking that's not really an issue for me, I don't need a drink to go mental at football.

 

Any chance you could upload those videos from bus 9 as i was on that one too? cheers

[Bourno]

I was in block N and it was almost continuous singing from our lot throughout the game. I couldn't hear the Fratton End unless they combined with the rest of the ground to make some noise. It obviously depends where you were sat/stood in the ground but the Saints support seemed loud and very good to me and the home fans disappointing.

 

I was in block N row G and our area sang non-stop - could barely hear the skates. funny that the majority of Skates in the North stand corner were watching us all game and not the match. Half time I had my flask and sardines to refuel then sang for the next 45+ had a very sore throat this morning.

[Sour Mash]

Atmosphere on Sunday was a weird one. Was actually better before kick off than during the actual game. When we were loud, we were really loud, but there were too many quiet periods for such a big game and too many people just stand there and don't get involved. Also, none of the decent p**s taking songs about their current financial plight took off, with fans around me on the far right preferring to sing "Looks like a Wotsit" at Kitson or "I've got a Shed" than anything decent. God knows what we'll sing if we're not "top of the leeeeaaagggue" anymore, plus doesn't help we still struggle to get OWTS going properly with it ending up as a jumbled up mess. Smoke bomb/flare did the trick and got everyone going and their lot were very quiet after we scored.

 

Having said that was one of the best goal celebrations for a long time with everyone piling over the segregated area and plenty of abuse of the skates on that side, they really are a thick, gormless bunch.

 

However, there is one thing they do much better than us at home and that's pretty much the whole ground gets involved one way or another. Can you imagine the Kingsland giving their players as much stick as ours got from the lot on our right? Plus they get a bit of noise going from all round the ground.

Edited 20 December, 2011 by Sour Mash

[The9]

I think my dissapointment was more due to not having been to Fratton before, I expected it to be absolutely electric. On another day I probably would've said it was a decent atmosphere, but it was nothing special, and it should have been.

 

Yeah, having been there 8 times now the 2004 and 2005 atmospheres were something else, especially 2004 as it was a close game. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but having that bunch of spadges foaming at you and hurling stuff as you become more and more furious at missing kick off certainly raises the ire more than Bingoing into the away end.

 

Not to mention that they had 1500 outside the ground next to the turnstiles in 2004 20 minutes after kick off whilst the match was live on tv... that one's right up there with timewasting at 1-0 down in the "huh?" category.

[Wurzel]

However, there is one thing they do much better than us at home and that's pretty much the whole ground gets involved one way or another. Can you imagine the Kingsland giving their players as much stick as ours got from the lot on our right? Plus they get a bit of noise going from all round the ground.

 

Said it a million times but it's worth saying again. They get a bit of noise going all round the ground BECAUSE they sing songs slow enough and for long enough that the whole ground is able to join in with them. Shalala, PUP, Poor little scummer etc, 4-1 etc etc , ALL at the right speed and don't fizzle out after one verse. We will never have SMS rocking all round the ground whilst everything is sung like a race to get to the finish. Compare the old Marian Pahars song (sung correct speed all round the ground) to the RickyLambertswupngochene one .

[Sour Mash]

Said it a million times but it's worth saying again. They get a bit of noise going all round the ground BECAUSE they sing songs slow enough and for long enough that the whole ground is able to join in with them. Shalala, PUP, Poor little scummer etc, 4-1 etc etc , ALL at the right speed and don't fizzle out after one verse. We will never have SMS rocking all round the ground whilst everything is sung like a race to get to the finish. Compare the old Marian Pahars song (sung correct speed all round the ground) to the RickyLambertswupngochene one .

I agree that they've got songs that are easier to sing around the ground PuP is always an easy one to sound loud, but its still not the same. They had songs starting from all over, we never get that. From in-line with the 18 yard box at the Northam end, heading down you've got 75% of St Mary's that is very quiet. Forget even singing, the amound of stick our players were getting from the skates, I can't ever imagine the Kingsland or Chapel doing the same to their lot.

[alehouseboys]

St Mary's is 'dead from the waist down' most of the time, south of the halfway line is mostly comatose. If the Chapel (what a waste of a good end) would get going it would probably rub off on either side.

 

But their sh*thole is like the old Dell, small stands, tight to the pitch, any noise quickly goes round the ground. They've got one decent stand, the fartton end, which has great acoustics and gets the other small stands involved easily. When we play them at SMS, it's one of the games that most of the stadium gets going, farrton isn't like that most weeks. If you're lucky enough to know an honest skate, they'll tell you that when they knocked down the original fartton end and replaced it with an open terrace the place was like a morgue.

[Turkish]

St Mary's is 'dead from the waist down' most of the time, south of the halfway line is mostly comatose. If the Chapel (what a waste of a good end) would get going it would probably rub off on either side.But their sh*thole is like the old Dell, small stands, tight to the pitch, any noise quickly goes round the ground. They've got one decent stand, the fartton end, which has great acoustics and gets the other small stands involved easily. When we play them at SMS, it's one of the games that most of the stadium gets going, farrton isn't like that most weeks. If you're lucky enough to know an honest skate, they'll tell you that when they knocked down the original fartton end and replaced it with an open terrace the place was like a morgue.

 

I agree, i dont understand the obsession with having to be next to the away fans. One of the best atmospheres at SMS was the MK Dons JPT semi when we had 4/5's on the Northam and it looked and sounded fantastic from my seat the Itchen at that time. The Chapel could be like that, imagine the noise 6,000 fans could create and the other stand would join in as the atmosphere would spread.

[Fan The Flames]

Forget even singing, the amound of stick our players were getting from the skates, I can't ever imagine the Kingsland or Chapel doing the same to their lot.

 

I hope not as well, it was a pathetic sight seeing a 50 year old man giving the w@nker sign to our players at throw ins.

[Jez]

I blame the atmosphere being ruined (well, it wasn't ruined at all, but according to some on here, it was sub-standard) on those ridiuculous random drummers that played in the middle of the pitch from about 12.35 all the way through constantly to about 12.57. Yes, I looked at my watch when they left the stadium.

 

Pre game, when I turned up, about 12.15 or so, it was a great atmosphere, loads of Saints singing as the Pompey end still half empty, and generating loads of excitement etc. Then them drummers/band got going and killed any kind of atmosphere that had been generated. So when all the drunk skates turned up 5/10 prior to kick off, all they could hear was the drums doing some repetitive boring noise.

[rshephard3]

Does anyone else have absolutely no problem with anything about saturday? The atmosphere? The bubble? The fact women, shock horror, might be in the saints end at Fratton? Not everyone who sings songs about saints and sits in the away end at Fratton has to be clad in a stone island jacket pretending he's hard enough for a fight from behind a line of coppers harder than him. This isn't the 80's where street cred at football was determined by how many blacks you abused and heads you trampled. Grow up FFS. Rant over. Point at Fratton and no fights suits me going into Palace after Christmas. And before anyone calls me an old bore, I'm 24!

[Sour Mash]

Does anyone else have absolutely no problem with anything about saturday? The atmosphere? The bubble? The fact women, shock horror, might be in the saints end at Fratton? Not everyone who sings songs about saints and sits in the away end at Fratton has to be clad in a stone island jacket pretending he's hard enough for a fight from behind a line of coppers harder than him. This isn't the 80's where street cred at football was determined by how many blacks you abused and heads you trampled. Grow up FFS. Rant over. Point at Fratton and no fights suits me going into Palace after Christmas. And before anyone calls me an old bore, I'm 24!

How much can you get wrong in a single post? The game was on Sunday. I think you're the only person on this whole thread that has mentioned "Stone Island" or "blacks". Odd.

[ericb]

And before anyone calls me an old bore, I'm 24!

 

Young bore! To be fair we had a few of your type on our bus, including one lad that decided to bring his rucksack with him for some reason! Personally i thought the bubble really killed the edge of the game and whilst the support wasn't terrible it was obvious that we had a much more "family" crowd than normal for Fratton away.

 

So i guess the police succeeded in what they wanted, taking one of the bitterest most passionate derbys and turning it into a family occasions. Sad really since Saints Pompey are the last of the games that really make you buzz at football these days. They weren't for everyone before but that was part of what was special (and dare i say it fun) but sunday it reminded me of a london game without the **** up and being forced on bingo buses.

 

Really hope they don't do the bubble again but it seems a lot of the more delicate saints fans on here actually liked it, which is a depressing thought.

[rshephard3]

Young bore! To be fair we had a few of your type on our bus, including one lad that decided to bring his rucksack with him for some reason! Personally i thought the bubble really killed the edge of the game and whilst the support wasn't terrible it was obvious that we had a much more "family" crowd than normal for Fratton away.

 

So i guess the police succeeded in what they wanted, taking one of the bitterest most passionate derbys and turning it into a family occasions. Sad really since Saints Pompey are the last of the games that really make you buzz at football these days. They weren't for everyone before but that was part of what was special (and dare i say it fun) but sunday it reminded me of a london game without the **** up and being forced on bingo buses.

 

Really hope they don't do the bubble again but it seems a lot of the more delicate saints fans on here actually liked it, which is a depressing thought.

 

Definitely take the point that the bubble took the edge off. But of course that was the plan. In fairness to the police what people describe as 'the edge' is exactly the reason they have a job on to provide a duty of care to the public. I just had a really enjoyable day on SUNDAY and find it hard to believe the number of people finding fault with it.

[Tokyo-Saint]

If only someone had gotten beaten up or stabbed on the way in. It would have really added something to the atmosphere, improved our singing and made the derby special. Things aren't as good as they used to be.

 

Seriously though, I agree with a few points, the drums before the game spoiled the pre-match banter, the pompey songs were simpler (well they had to be) and therefore built easier, enabling the whole ground to pick up on them, while ours just begin and end. I would have liked to have heard a long non stop version of 'when the saints', the version that just keeps going.

 

Another problem is we are often reacting to what they are singing -

 

Play up pompey - **** off pompey

Sha la la - Sha la la

the fecken **** da de da Portsmouth song - Our one the same but with f*ck off at the end

Who ar ya - Who are ya

 

etc etc This didn't help as we were just reacting to their songs and not getting our own in to support our team.

[saintscottofthenortham]

I was in block N row G and our area sang non-stop - could barely hear the skates. funny that the majority of Skates in the North stand corner were watching us all game and not the match. Half time I had my flask and sardines to refuel then sang for the next 45+ had a very sore throat this morning.

 

I too was Block N row G. We might have shared a hug.

[ericb]

i love the way people jump to extremes, saying that the edge has been taken off equates too...

 

If only someone had gotten beaten up or stabbed on the way in. It would have really added something to the atmosphere, improved our singing and made the derby special. Things aren't as good as they used to be.

 

When actually it's the chance to drink on the train down, take the **** out of the skates whilst you walk there and the actual act of walking in a large group of saints through pompey really has you buzzing by the time you get in. Added to that that those doing the walk aren't the women and kids on the bingo buses so you've got your main element for atmosphere in one place and those that "like to have a nice sunday and watch the game" can go by bus.

 

as for this,

Definitely take the point that the bubble took the edge off. But of course that was the plan. In fairness to the police what people describe as 'the edge' is exactly the reason they have a job on to provide a duty of care to the public. I just had a really enjoyable day on SUNDAY and find it hard to believe the number of people finding fault with it.

 

Jesus mate are you sure you're 24? You probably vote tory and tut at your mates who get battered or stay out all night doing things they shouldn't! **** seriously at your age i was chasing every ****ing buzz i could find and living life to the full, i was always taught it's better to regret something you have done than haven't. I bet your mates think you're a barrel of laughs! (and that's even without getting into the fact that we're basically letting the police tell us what we can and can't do, which is an even bigger issue in itself).

 

Sometimes i despair at out support, this is pompey away, not "an enjoyable SUNDAY" (like the day of the week makes a ****ing difference) it shouldn't be enjoyable it should be a great ****ing buzz and the skates should be wishing they had our support.

[Tokyo-Saint]

I was joking mate.....

[ericb]

I was joking mate.....

 

Fair enough but annoys the **** out of me how people are just sitting back and letting the police turn derbys into bubbles here. Just because they like being herded in and out on buses singing about whether their downstairs or upstairs doesn't mean the rest of us should put up with it.

 

Our support seems ****ing gutless to me, talking up the bubble and playing into the polices plan. **** one mong on here said all games should be like it, what a ****ing joke.

[View From The Top]

Fair enough but annoys the **** out of me how people are just sitting back and letting the police turn derbys into bubbles here. Just because they like being herded in and out on buses singing about whether their downstairs or upstairs doesn't mean the rest of us should put up with it.

 

Our support seems ****ing gutless to me, talking up the bubble and playing into the polices plan. **** one mong on here said all games should be like it, what a ****ing joke.

 

It's not a case of sitting back and letting the OB do it, it's a case of not having a 'kin choice.

 

You think if you let Hants OB know that you prefer the "old way" they are going to just shelve future plans?

 

Like it or not, the days of the Goldsmith walk are gone and dripping about it ain't going to change a thing.

[Tokyo-Saint]

A bubble train would have been much more fun. For those like me who don't live in Southampton, the who bubble aspect was a pain in the arse.

 

I didnt drink on the day as I had to drive to Southampton to get the bus in the other direction. However, it looked pretty easy to sneak drink on to the bus. I did not see one person check other than to ask, "what's in the bag?". I am pleased I didn't drink though as the wait for the toilet going there and then once we got into their crap ground. I would have missed half of the match Quing for a ****.

 

VFTT is right, no point in moaning over something we can't change. What are we going to do? Boycott the match? Happy clappys will take the seat if you don't. Football has changed and is still changing, best get used to it or follow a different sport with a bit of an edge. Go and watch the boxing, real edge there. I watched a friend box at Portsmouth Town hall, that was the opposite of the bubble trip, face to face with the inbreds.

[Chez]

It's not a case of sitting back and letting the OB do it, it's a case of not having a 'kin choice.

 

You think if you let Hants OB know that you prefer the "old way" they are going to just shelve future plans?

 

Like it or not, the days of the Goldsmith walk are gone and dripping about it ain't going to change a thing.

not totally true, the bubble tactic is going to be challenged in court and that might spell the end of it. Moaning about it to the FSF is a good place to start as they need some weight of opinion behind their challenge.

[View From The Top]

not totally true, the bubble tactic is going to be challenged in court and that might spell the end of it. Moaning about it to the FSF is a good place to start as they need some weight of opinion behind their challenge.

 

I'm fully behind the FSF challenge but I'm willing to lay odds on it not succeeding.

[CityRanger]

Don't worry everyone, our dinlows will be out in force when they come back to our place, shouting obscenities from the side of the pitch as if the 40 grand a week superstars give a flying one at our fans pantomine antics...

Our whole ground will sing though and when it gets going it's good, so don't make out them ***ts down the road are better fans than us. They hate us more, thats true, but it's not passion, we've got miles more class nuff said

[red&white56]

What would really annoy the skates is if we start being nice to them - we applaud their players when they do somethig good, we only sing about our team and we don't respond to their provocation (songs, gestures or verbals).

 

That would confuse the hell out of them and show them up as a bunch of nasty, vicious mongs that they really are....

[Griffo]

What would really annoy the skates is if we start being nice to them - we applaud their players when they do somethig good, we only sing about our team and we don't respond to their provocation (songs, gestures or verbals).

 

That would confuse the hell out of them and show them up as a bunch of nasty, vicious mongs that they really are....

 

Not too sure about that one myself..

[OldNick]

Fair enough but annoys the **** out of me how people are just sitting back and letting the police turn derbys into bubbles here. Just because they like being herded in and out on buses singing about whether their downstairs or upstairs doesn't mean the rest of us should put up with it.

 

Our support seems ****ing gutless to me, talking up the bubble and playing into the polices plan. **** one mong on here said all games should be like it, what a ****ing joke.

So the buzz is about a few fans being cornered and the s### kicked out of them by 'fans' of either side. It seems to me the 'Buzz' is standing behind a line of police and throwing obscenities at fans of Pompey. I saw too much of it in the late 60-70's to want more.

All this women and kids shouldn't be there stuff is bizarre. You may want to go back to class war, rickets and adject poverty for the masses so you can get the working mans game back but like the wind up gramaphone it is rightly a thing of the past. I recall when it was unsafe for females and kids to go into the town centre on matchdays due to the trouble.

I loved the buzz of 1984 when we took 6000 to FP and the tense atmosphere, it wasnt about the football it was about where the next coin/brick/attack was likely to come from.

I dont want my kids to go through that, and so call me a pussy i vote for the bubble.

I hope it was such a success that when they come to SMS it will be used again

[Fan The Flames]

Unless successfully challenged, and I think there is every reason why a challenge would succeed, the bubble is here to stay. From a Police point of view it works, they completly controlled the situation, minimised contact between fans, changed the demographics of the supporters and took the edge out of the fixture which will in turn helps to diffuse tensions in the future. All those that enjoyed the bubble could have got the supporters coaches in the past and be driven straight to the ground.

 

All those that missed the buzz of walking through Portsmouth in a big group can do that any week end of the year, why don't you meet up in Southampton have a few drinks and then stroll through Portmouth with your chests out, choose a football weekend and give a load of ****** signs to the locals.

 

What people are missing is the chance to indulge in pantomine hardness, thats hardly something to lament really.

 

The edge was taken of the atmosphere because the game was tense, if we had gone two up in 30 mins the signing would have been different.

[70's Mike]

So the buzz is about a few fans being cornered and the s### kicked out of them by 'fans' of either side. It seems to me the 'Buzz' is standing behind a line of police and throwing obscenities at fans of Pompey. I saw too much of it in the late 60-70's to want more.

All this women and kids shouldn't be there stuff is bizarre. You may want to go back to class war, rickets and adject poverty for the masses so you can get the working mans game back but like the wind up gramaphone it is rightly a thing of the past. I recall when it was unsafe for females and kids to go into the town centre on matchdays due to the trouble.

I loved the buzz of 1984 when we took 6000 to FP and the tense atmosphere, it wasnt about the football it was about where the next coin/brick/attack was likely to come from.

I dont want my kids to go through that, and so call me a pussy i vote for the bubble.

I hope it was such a success that when they come to SMS it will be used again

 

9000 in 84

[ericb]

So the buzz is about a few fans being cornered and the s### kicked out of them by 'fans' of either side.

 

That's brilliantly missing the point, well done. If you actually read what i said originally (novel i know) i said that the buzz, the feeling of actually going to what is - whether you hate them or not - a very special game in english football is heightened by the walk, by being able to see that vitriol in person.

 

Again i never said that women and children shouldn't go, but that those that go by train are a very different crowd from those that go by bingo bus. The walk down goldsmiths adds to that, whatever you think it's fun and it gets the adrenaline running, and by having the police taking that option away and forcing us onto sterile (their words) buses and areas it loses something.

 

I'm sorry but as a saints fan, hell as a football fan and as a [shock horror] bloke i enjoy it and think it's ****ing up the game by taking it away. I'm a ****ing long way from being a tory but i really do think the world we live in is a little bit too sanitised boring and well.. safe.

 

What happened to making your own choices? What happened to the laugh of going with a group of mates, on the **** and that feeling of walking into enemy territory. I mean yeah it's tribal, yeah it's probably stupid, but it's part of growing up and lets be honest it's one of those things that's fun in life.

 

See the problem i have with football now is that there's too many of the internet types more worried about stats and figures than the culture of the game (by that i mean terrace culture). Look at this place, half the people here are addicted to a ****ing football spreadsheet on their computer or irrelevant **** on twitter, what happened to enjoying it for pride in your city? Or a group of mates going on the ****. There was a 24 year old nipper on here saying it was a sunday. Like the day of the week makes a difference.

 

As to your point about trouble, no i don't want any kids or women to get their heads stoved in, but i do want them to experience the rush of winning somewhere they shouldn't. To know what it feels like to take a chance in life and enjoy the buzz of doing something that's stupid in other people's eyes. Not to give up and let the police (or anyone in power) tell them what to do. If they wanted to do it in the way you describe the bingo buses would still go, but people miss out on that train ride, and as someone who said they'd been in '84 you MUST know what that feels like right?

 

As for worrying about trouble well let's be honest we all grow up of course, i no longer stay up till 7/8am caning my own body to the point i can't stand anymore, but it's sad when that decision is taken out of your hands by some pitiful excuse that doesn't hold the light of day (was it really that bad other times since the 80s? i mean think about it, really?).

 

Anyway rant over, but i just think the best away day of the season was ****ed up by the police. And there are a lot here to happy to endorse it and ffs even suggest it for other games, or maybe just (and this is an unpopular view) they were too scared to go otherwise. Something that's stupid in itself as these days even the goldsmiths is safe as **** to be honest.

 

As for VFFT's point about what we do not making a difference, you're probably right. Short of a court action i doubt it will. But i for one would seriously think about doing it again (and i'm old hat at fratton), i just didn't really realise how much they'd [hampshire police] take the **** out of us and how much it'd ruin what can be one of those defining days in your life.

[OldNick]

That's brilliantly missing the point, well done. If you actually read what i said originally (novel i know) i said that the buzz, the feeling of actually going to what is - whether you hate them or not - a very special game in english football is heightened by the walk, by being able to see that vitriol in person.

 

Again i never said that women and children shouldn't go, but that those that go by train are a very different crowd from those that go by bingo bus. The walk down goldsmiths adds to that, whatever you think it's fun and it gets the adrenaline running, and by having the police taking that option away and forcing us onto sterile (their words) buses and areas it loses something.

 

I'm sorry but as a saints fan, hell as a football fan and as a [shock horror] bloke i enjoy it and think it's ****ing up the game by taking it away. I'm a ****ing long way from being a tory but i really do think the world we live in is a little bit too sanitised boring and well.. safe.

 

What happened to making your own choices? What happened to the laugh of going with a group of mates, on the **** and that feeling of walking into enemy territory. I mean yeah it's tribal, yeah it's probably stupid, but it's part of growing up and lets be honest it's one of those things that's fun in life.

 

See the problem i have with football now is that there's too many of the internet types more worried about stats and figures than the culture of the game (by that i mean terrace culture). Look at this place, half the people here are addicted to a ****ing football spreadsheet on their computer or irrelevant **** on twitter, what happened to enjoying it for pride in your city? Or a group of mates going on the ****. There was a 24 year old nipper on here saying it was a sunday. Like the day of the week makes a difference.

 

As to your point about trouble, no i don't want any kids or women to get their heads stoved in, but i do want them to experience the rush of winning somewhere they shouldn't. To know what it feels like to take a chance in life and enjoy the buzz of doing something that's stupid in other people's eyes. Not to give up and let the police (or anyone in power) tell them what to do. If they wanted to do it in the way you describe the bingo buses would still go, but people miss out on that train ride, and as someone who said they'd been in '84 you MUST know what that feels like right?

 

As for worrying about trouble well let's be honest we all grow up of course, i no longer stay up till 7/8am caning my own body to the point i can't stand anymore, but it's sad when that decision is taken out of your hands by some pitiful excuse that doesn't hold the light of day (was it really that bad other times since the 80s? i mean think about it, really?).

 

Anyway rant over, but i just think the best away day of the season was ****ed up by the police. And there are a lot here to happy to endorse it and ffs even suggest it for other games, or maybe just (and this is an unpopular view) they were too scared to go otherwise. Something that's stupid in itself as these days even the goldsmiths is safe as **** to be honest.

 

As for VFFT's point about what we do not making a difference, you're probably right. Short of a court action i doubt it will. But i for one would seriously think about doing it again (and i'm old hat at fratton), i just didn't really realise how much they'd [hampshire police] take the **** out of us and how much it'd ruin what can be one of those defining days in your life.

yeah i remember that feeling of 84, it still sends a tingle down the spine when I watch the last few minutes and when we score, but that still doesnt cover the fact that the normal man in the street who is not a football fan gets terrorised by groups of fans who have lost all sense of reason on such days. I have no pride when i recall seeing woman and kids cowering in doorways as a group of Saints fans looking for trouble passed by. They would have been safe of course but they weren't sure. The bubble didnt stop fans hurling obsenities at each other in the ground though.Perhaps the bubble made it more accessible for families to go and so dilute the 'lad' element in the crowd, but all games when the tickets are only released to S/t holders etc did that anyway. Do you recall in the 90's when Pompey were in the old 1st division they came to the Dell and we sold only tickets to S/t holders and members on the fear of trouble ? The home section was not full and it was normal football supporters in our part, and the atmosphere was dull.So it is not the first time.

The walk down Goldsmiths would only be by escort at the cost of hundreds of Police, yes an adrenaline rush perhaps but sooner or later there would be a fatality and that could never be brushed over. I assume when you do talk of walking down Goldsmiths it was in an escort, i did it in 84 when there wasn't but the police soon learn t they couldnt do that again.

I can go without having a drink before and during the game, it was harsh that they let the Pompey fans have a drink, and perhaps they were more up for it due to that, but the cameras showed as they went around the ground that the majority of them should have arrived in a bingo bus

[Griffo]

That's brilliantly missing the point, well done. If you actually read what i said originally (novel i know) i said that the buzz, the feeling of actually going to what is - whether you hate them or not - a very special game in english football is heightened by the walk, by being able to see that vitriol in person.

 

Again i never said that women and children shouldn't go, but that those that go by train are a very different crowd from those that go by bingo bus. The walk down goldsmiths adds to that, whatever you think it's fun and it gets the adrenaline running, and by having the police taking that option away and forcing us onto sterile (their words) buses and areas it loses something.

 

I'm sorry but as a saints fan, hell as a football fan and as a [shock horror] bloke i enjoy it and think it's ****ing up the game by taking it away. I'm a ****ing long way from being a tory but i really do think the world we live in is a little bit too sanitised boring and well.. safe.

 

What happened to making your own choices? What happened to the laugh of going with a group of mates, on the **** and that feeling of walking into enemy territory. I mean yeah it's tribal, yeah it's probably stupid, but it's part of growing up and lets be honest it's one of those things that's fun in life.

 

See the problem i have with football now is that there's too many of the internet types more worried about stats and figures than the culture of the game (by that i mean terrace culture). Look at this place, half the people here are addicted to a ****ing football spreadsheet on their computer or irrelevant **** on twitter, what happened to enjoying it for pride in your city? Or a group of mates going on the ****. There was a 24 year old nipper on here saying it was a sunday. Like the day of the week makes a difference.

 

As to your point about trouble, no i don't want any kids or women to get their heads stoved in, but i do want them to experience the rush of winning somewhere they shouldn't. To know what it feels like to take a chance in life and enjoy the buzz of doing something that's stupid in other people's eyes. Not to give up and let the police (or anyone in power) tell them what to do. If they wanted to do it in the way you describe the bingo buses would still go, but people miss out on that train ride, and as someone who said they'd been in '84 you MUST know what that feels like right?

 

As for worrying about trouble well let's be honest we all grow up of course, i no longer stay up till 7/8am caning my own body to the point i can't stand anymore, but it's sad when that decision is taken out of your hands by some pitiful excuse that doesn't hold the light of day (was it really that bad other times since the 80s? i mean think about it, really?).

 

Anyway rant over, but i just think the best away day of the season was ****ed up by the police. And there are a lot here to happy to endorse it and ffs even suggest it for other games, or maybe just (and this is an unpopular view) they were too scared to go otherwise. Something that's stupid in itself as these days even the goldsmiths is safe as **** to be honest.

 

As for VFFT's point about what we do not making a difference, you're probably right. Short of a court action i doubt it will. But i for one would seriously think about doing it again (and i'm old hat at fratton), i just didn't really realise how much they'd [hampshire police] take the **** out of us and how much it'd ruin what can be one of those defining days in your life.

 

Cracking post.

[The9]

This is still about whether you want to go to the match or have a row with a Skate really though isn't it ? For the people who wanted to watch the match, the bubble worked. I have to say it suited me fine, even though the stories of 2004 and 2005 (not that it happened) are a lot more interesting.

[Chez]

it's about choice. If you want safe as houses, won't come into contact with the opposing fans, then the bingo bus is there and always has been. If you want to travel by train, where you might get a few insults thrown at you by the locals then you should be allowed to.

 

I'm interested to know of the bubble was cheaper to police. Cops on bridges, helicopter, spotter plane, horses and the same number of police on duty - 250. Add in all the extra organisation time and Burrows public appearances and it was probably more expensive. It certainly was for the fans.

[Tokyo-Saint]

yeah i remember that feeling of 84, it still sends a tingle down the spine when I watch the last few minutes and when we score, but that still doesnt cover the fact that the normal man in the street who is not a football fan gets terrorised by groups of fans who have lost all sense of reason on such days. I have no pride when i recall seeing woman and kids cowering in doorways as a group of Saints fans looking for trouble passed by. They would have been safe of course but they weren't sure. The bubble didnt stop fans hurling obsenities at each other in the ground though.Perhaps the bubble made it more accessible for families to go and so dilute the 'lad' element in the crowd, but all games when the tickets are only released to S/t holders etc did that anyway. Do you recall in the 90's when Pompey were in the old 1st division they came to the Dell and we sold only tickets to S/t holders and members on the fear of trouble ? The home section was not full and it was normal football supporters in our part, and the atmosphere was dull.So it is not the first time.

The walk down Goldsmiths would only be by escort at the cost of hundreds of Police, yes an adrenaline rush perhaps but sooner or later there would be a fatality and that could never be brushed over. I assume when you do talk of walking down Goldsmiths it was in an escort, i did it in 84 when there wasn't but the police soon learn t they couldnt do that again.

I can go without having a drink before and during the game, it was harsh that they let the Pompey fans have a drink, and perhaps they were more up for it due to that, but the cameras showed as they went around the ground that the majority of them should have arrived in a bingo bus

 

Good post and I agree with most of it. However, as I am a fairly young male bit of a semi retired 'lad' I would love to walk through Portsmouth in a big group singing, it would really be a great atmosphere. However, I am not so selfish that I cannot see the disadvantages of me having fun.

 

1) The police really do not want the difficult job of herding us to the ground, shouting at lads form both sides to get back, pushing us and them around. It is much easier and safer (for everyone involved including the police) to just shut off an area and bus us in.

2) It is great if you are in a large pack, safely in numbers etc. However, if there is any trouble, it is always a small group of two or three that get their heads kicked by a larger group. This is what happened in Bristol and almost every time you hear about football violence it's the same. Football hardmen don't like a fair fight, they prefer getting a few digs in when the odds are stacked in their favour.

 

I would prefer it if the bubble didn't exist but I can appreciate the argument for it and think it will be here to stay.

[Whitey Grandad]

This is still about whether you want to go to the match or have a row with a Skate really though isn't it ? For the people who wanted to watch the match, the bubble worked. I have to say it suited me fine, even though the stories of 2004 and 2005 (not that it happened) are a lot more interesting.

Except for those who wanted to go but could not/would not because of the restrictive and impractical ticket arrangements. It seems that those who used the bubble were quite happy with it but those who couldnt go because of it aren't, which is obvious really.

[View From The Top]

Except for those who wanted to go but could not/would not because of the restrictive and impractical ticket arrangements. It seems that those who used the bubble were quite happy with it but those who couldnt go because of it aren't, which is obvious really.

 

The ticket/travel arrangements could and were overcome by many. Whilst it was certainly a pain in the @rse it was used as an excuse by plenty.

[Whitey Grandad]

The ticket/travel arrangements could and were overcome by many. Whilst it was certainly a pain in the @rse it was used as an excuse by plenty.

But a perfectly valid excuse. Since it was a sell-out I suppose those that organised it will call it a success. It's a terrible indictment of modern Britain.

[OldNick]

it's about choice. If you want safe as houses, won't come into contact with the opposing fans, then the bingo bus is there and always has been. If you want to travel by train, where you might get a few insults thrown at you by the locals then you should be allowed to.

 

I'm interested to know of the bubble was cheaper to police. Cops on bridges, helicopter, spotter plane, horses and the same number of police on duty - 250. Add in all the extra organisation time and Burrows public appearances and it was probably more expensive. It certainly was for the fans.

it is not about me personally, as Im able to look after myself to a degree. I would not expect to walk down Goldsmith ave abusing Pompey fans and not get abuse back and perhaps worse. The civil liberties argument is interesting, as what about non football fans who wish to go about their daily business but have to hide away or live in fear of rampaging football fans. Local people will be very happy how things went, and in time the police costs can be downgraded as both sets of supporters will know that you cant have a go and so will file into games like any other and just trade insults across the divides.

As for indictment of modern society, surely the real aggro many of us witnessed in the late 60-70-early 80's showed the past as worse than now.

[Chez]

as what about non football fans who wish to go about their daily business but have to hide away or live in fear of rampaging football fans. Local people will be very happy how things went

actually, much of the local community were up in arms about the road closures and the increased traffic on the M27 because of it. The local community were also not happy with the cost of the policing. Reduced police costs some time in the future? Gee, I can't wait to see that materialise.