Pitch Invaders

[Saint Garrett]

Seriously, what is the point. Happened too many times this season, no idea where those guys came from last night, but got a load of abuse as they were dragged out down the kingsland.

Not sure what the club can do to stop it without bringing in a load more stewards.

[Turkish]

 

 

[Toadhall Saint]

Were they saints fans?

[Toadhall Saint]

  On 03/03/2022 at 12:19, Turkish said:

 

 

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Please no spent far too much time behind those things

[Sheaf Saint]

  On 03/03/2022 at 12:20, Toadhall Saint said:

Were they saints fans?

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I believe so, cos one of them was trying to congratulate JWP after he had scored the pen.

[Redbul]

Not sure they understand what happens to them after they're marched off either.  They aren't kicked out at the end of the North Tunnel, it's a sharp left into the custody suite where they're arrested and bailed to appear before the beak!  Match bans and fines will follow!

[S-Clarke]

They don't realise how utterly stupid they look, do they? When they watch it back in 5 or so years they'll grimace.

All we see are lumbering overweight morons struggling to stay on their feet thinking they are somehow looking amazing to avoid being caught, yet they look so daft and out of place by trying to avoid being caught. They're probably as far away from being 'cool' as you can get.

Edited 3 March, 2022 by S-Clarke

[Nordic Saint]

To be fair, the lengthy interruption came at exactly the right time to help us win that game. After we'd just regained the lead,  it gave our players a breather and stopped the threat of an immediate equaliser. I must admit thinking at the time, the longer they stay out there, the better. West Ham's players and fans never regained momentum after that.

[badgerx16]

  On 03/03/2022 at 12:37, Nordic Saint said:

To be fair, the lengthy interruption came at exactly the right time to help us win that game. After we'd just regained the lead,  it gave our players a breather and stopped the threat of an immediate equaliser. I must admit thinking at the time, the longer they stay out there, the better. West Ham's players and fans never regained momentum after that.

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As long as Keith Hackett doesn't think this is the latest variant of our famous 60 minute breather ploy.

[Saint Garrett]

  On 03/03/2022 at 12:24, Redbul said:

Not sure they understand what happens to them after they're marched off either.  They aren't kicked out at the end of the North Tunnel, it's a sharp left into the custody suite where they're arrested and bailed to appear before the beak!  Match bans and fines will follow!

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Is that true!? Seems to happen so much and you never hear they get banned. The guys last night expected cheers and applause from the fans and they just got about 5000 wanker signs 

[Toussaint]

They looked off their faces. I felt sorry for the very small and quite old steward who took the initiative and got a bit of rough treatment as a result.  I don't get our stewarding, all the old boys are in the front line while the young fit ones are loitering around the stands. I don't even know what their brief is or what their training is, I suspect very little on either front. I also notice the never enter the field of play either, I assume that's policy?  I needs to get sorted or something horrible is going to happen.

[Toussaint]

  On 03/03/2022 at 12:41, Saint Garrett said:

Is that true!? Seems to happen so much and you never hear they get banned. The guys last night expected cheers and applause from the fans and they just got about 5000 wanker signs 

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I think they do, it's often months later when you read the court appearances the echo or elsewhere,  it comes to light. It is a criminal offence to enter the field of play.

[Turkish]

  On 03/03/2022 at 12:41, Saint Garrett said:

Is that true!? Seems to happen so much and you never hear they get banned. The guys last night expected cheers and applause from the fans and they just got about 5000 wanker signs 

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I'm pretty sure it carries an automatic 3 year ban. 

i dont read too much into fans reaction, this is the same fan base that sang "on the pitch" after we beat Walsall to win promotion from league 1 then when a few got on the pitch chanted "wankers" at them 😕

[Toadhall Saint]

Yep 3 year ban - stupid.

[nta786]

Is there anything stopping these invaders going to another football game though? 

Or, could they not set up another account with a new customer number, buy a game through general sale and then go in again?

Are all stewards at the turnstiles trained to know who to look out for? Is there someone watching cameras for every turnstile entry?

I just wonder how it works and maybe that's why we are seeing it somewhat regularly again.

Edited 3 March, 2022 by nta786

[badgerx16]

  On 03/03/2022 at 13:29, nta786 said:

Is there anything stopping these invaders going to another football game though? 

Or, could they not set up another account with a new customer number, buy a game through general sale and then go in again?

Are all stewards at the turnstiles trained to know who to look out for? Is there someone watching cameras for every turnstile entry?

I just wonder how it works and maybe that's why we are seeing it somewhat regularly again.

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Tney have a big "P" branded on their foreheads.

[stevegrant]

  On 03/03/2022 at 13:29, nta786 said:

Is there anything stopping these invaders going to another football game though? 

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Assuming they are dealt with by the police, then they would be up in front of a magistrate at some point in the not-too-distant future - it is covered by Section 4 of the Football (Offences) Act 1991. The police would almost certainly make a request for a Football Banning Order to be imposed as part of the punishment should the magistrate determine the offender was guilty of the charged offence.

The FBO prevents the offender from attending football matches in the top 5 tiers of English football (and usually requires the offender to surrender their passport to their local police station whenever England or their club team play overseas), and while the order itself is a civil order, breaching it is an automatic criminal offence.

[tunit]

  On 03/03/2022 at 12:37, Nordic Saint said:

To be fair, the lengthy interruption came at exactly the right time to help us win that game. After we'd just regained the lead,  it gave our players a breather and stopped the threat of an immediate equaliser. I must admit thinking at the time, the longer they stay out there, the better. West Ham's players and fans never regained momentum after that.

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I sort of felt the opposite. I know the more stoppages there are during the game the more injury time there will be at the end. Just thankful Broja sealed it before West Ham could get an equaliser!

[OldNick]

I can understand if you are a Pompey fan, that you run on the pitch to be banned for 3 years but why Saints when there is much more to look forward too

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Absolute wankers in my view. I was in the Itchen on the corner of the Chapel,so think at least two of them came in from that direction. Grown blokes going on the pitch is just pathetic. No sympathy with them if they do get banned. 

[Tom & Gerry]

I wondered if it was an organised thing?

They were all about the same age and dressed similarly, some wearing caps. They seemed to come from different directions though , not all sat together.

[Turkish]

It seems strange to me that a few drunk blokes running on a football pitch are are punished much more severely that shoplifters for example. Yes it’s a silly thing to do but ultimately no harm was done, no one was hurt, nothing broken. For 3 years they won’t be able to go near a football ground whilst a match is on and also have to hand their passport in every time England play, regardless of if they’ve even been abroad for an England game or not. It’s all a bit OTT really but still gets the arrest and banning order numbers up. 

[Toadhall Saint]

  On 03/03/2022 at 16:34, Turkish said:

It seems strange to me that a few drunk blokes running on a football pitch are are punished much more severely that shoplifters for example. Yes it’s a silly thing to do but ultimately no harm was done, no one was hurt, nothing broken. For 3 years they won’t be able to go near a football ground whilst a match is on and also have to hand their passport in every time England play, regardless of if they’ve even been abroad for an England game or not. It’s all a bit OTT really but still gets the arrest and banning order numbers up. 

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Why was it originally brought in? Was it not part of Maggies war against the football hooligan? BTW I’m with you but then I was brought up in the 70’s & 80’s when pitch invasions were a lot more frequent and could result in more disorder.

[whelk]

They should install water cannon in the hoardings and then stewards have to aim at any invader. Would be hilarious seeing them try and evade and then roar as get sparked out by the cannon.

[whelk]

  On 03/03/2022 at 16:34, Turkish said:

It seems strange to me that a few drunk blokes running on a football pitch are are punished much more severely that shoplifters for example. Yes it’s a silly thing to do but ultimately no harm was done, no one was hurt, nothing broken. For 3 years they won’t be able to go near a football ground whilst a match is on and also have to hand their passport in every time England play, regardless of if they’ve even been abroad for an England game or not. It’s all a bit OTT really but still gets the arrest and banning order numbers up. 

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Have you ever thought that one could have been concealing an AK47 and shot all our players?

[Turkish]

  On 03/03/2022 at 16:50, Toadhall Saint said:

Why was it originally brought in? Was it not part of Maggies war against the football hooligan? BTW I’m with you but then I was brought up in the 70’s & 80’s when pitch invasions were a lot more frequent and could result in more disorder.

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Not sure when it came in, but they definitely ramped up in the 2000s with fans being able to be given a banning order for pretty much anything. 

[Turkish]

  On 03/03/2022 at 18:44, whelk said:

Have you ever thought that one could have been concealing an AK47 and shot all our players?

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They could also have been mixed race LBGTs vegans wanting to throw brocolli in the colours of the Ukraine flag onto the pitch.

[whelk]

  On 03/03/2022 at 18:52, Turkish said:

They could also have been mixed race LBGTs vegans wanting to throw brocolli in the colours of the Ukraine flag onto the pitch.

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Vegans don’t go to football

[Whitey Grandad]

  On 03/03/2022 at 18:43, whelk said:

They should install water cannon in the hoardings and then stewards have to aim at any invader. Would be hilarious seeing them try and evade and then roar as get sparked out by the cannon.

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It certainly beats lions versus Christians.

[Turkish]

  On 03/03/2022 at 19:01, whelk said:

Vegans don’t go to football

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Maybe this would have helped encourage them. We need to do more to attract them 

[John Boy Saint]

  On 03/03/2022 at 19:16, Turkish said:

Maybe this would have helped encourage them. We need to do more to attract them 

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They do have a vegan Balti pie on the concourse……..guess that’s a start.

 

🤪

[Manuel]

Only been on the pitch once when we got one of our promotions, can't remember which one.  Bit of an odd feeling really.  Much excitement getting to the pitch, you get there and aren't sure what to do next.  Shame one of us didn't bring a ball. 

Edited 3 March, 2022 by Manuel

[Turkish]

  On 03/03/2022 at 19:28, John Boy Saint said:

They do have a vegan Balti pie on the concourse……..guess that’s a start.

 

🤪

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Don’t start….

[The Left Back]

  On 03/03/2022 at 15:31, Tom & Gerry said:

I wondered if it was an organised thing?

They were all about the same age and dressed similarly, some wearing caps. They seemed to come from different directions though , not all sat together.

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They didn't seem very organised to me.  Just a random bunch of totally off their face blokes (20s-30s).  Once they got on the pitch they were a bit at a loss what to do.  One with a back pack on did a slow-motion mazy run from Northam to Chapel, stopping occasionally to allow the tiny overweight steward chasing him to catch up.  The only other one I saw was the one who was grappled to the ground in the centre circle.  Escorted past the Kingsland, he was singing along (sort of) to OWTS and seemed genuinely surprised that he was receiving wanker signs and not applause.  Several bumped fists with our players, who were unsure how to respond

  On 03/03/2022 at 16:34, Turkish said:

It seems strange to me that a few drunk blokes running on a football pitch are are punished much more severely that shoplifters for example. Yes it’s a silly thing to do but ultimately no harm was done, no one was hurt, nothing broken. For 3 years they won’t be able to go near a football ground whilst a match is on and also have to hand their passport in every time England play, regardless of if they’ve even been abroad for an England game or not. It’s all a bit OTT really but still gets the arrest and banning order numbers up. 

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Personally, I've never been bothered about it.  Obviously not the Millwall charge sort of stuff.  But there's comic entertainment to be had from heckling the odd lost comic lunatic as he seeks to evade the inevitable rugby tackling steward.  I think we take it way too seriously, the righteous indignation seems a step too far. 

Edited 3 March, 2022 by The Left Back

[Stud mark of doom]

  On 03/03/2022 at 12:50, Turkish said:

I'm pretty sure it carries an automatic 3 year ban. 

i dont read too much into fans reaction, this is the same fan base that sang "on the pitch" after we beat Walsall to win promotion from league 1 then when a few got on the pitch chanted "wankers" at them 😕

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When we next get promoted perhaps we should sing “on the pitch (but not before the game has ended, in case the game isn’t completed and we don’t get promoted)” to help the more intellectually challenged members of our fan base. 

[hackedoff]

If it was a few tasty birds with their kit off,people would be raving about it.

[BallBoy]

Cretins. Good riddance.

[wild-saint]

  On 03/03/2022 at 18:44, whelk said:

Have you ever thought that one could have been concealing an AK47 and shot all our players?

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to be fair if they had an AK47 they wouldnt need to encroach onto the pitch to shoot a player, just wait for a corner and do it from the comfort of their seat

[1576]

  On 03/03/2022 at 13:47, stevegrant said:

Assuming they are dealt with by the police, then they would be up in front of a magistrate at some point in the not-too-distant future - it is covered by Section 4 of the Football (Offences) Act 1991. The police would almost certainly make a request for a Football Banning Order to be imposed as part of the punishment should the magistrate determine the offender was guilty of the charged offence.

The FBO prevents the offender from attending football matches in the top 5 tiers of English football (and usually requires the offender to surrender their passport to their local police station whenever England or their club team play overseas), and while the order itself is a civil order, breaching it is an automatic criminal offence.

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Not quite true. An FBO should not be used as a punishment (that would be dealt with by a fine/prison sentence).

The court must make a football banning order where an offender has been convicted of a relevant offence and it is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe that making a banning order would help to prevent violence or disorder (Football Spectators Act 1989, s.14A)

The FBO should only be issued if there is a real threat of future disorder. Unfortunately magistrates do not usually follow this guidance and of course plod want as many handed out as possible. Keeps them in their cushy little number I guess.

Pitch encroachment as a one off offence with no other history of football related issues and no trouble with the club really shouldn’t equal a banning order but to get that outcome you really need to have proper representation in court. There are a few specialised football lawyers out there who know the correct rules and how to defend them. A bog standard solicitor from London Road probably won’t lead to the correct outcome.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/jun/17/football-hooliganism-laws this is an old but good read about what can go on and still does to this day.

[The Cat]

What I found funny was that people in the crowd were getting really annoyed about it. 

One guy near us was absolutely raging at them as they walked them past us up to the Northam/Kingsland corner. He was more passionate about that than any of the other action on the pitch.

Why get so upset about it? They'll get dealt with. It didn't impact the game because it's already stopped.

[Turkish]

  On 03/03/2022 at 21:06, The Cat said:

What I found funny was that people in the crowd were getting really annoyed about it. 

One guy near us was absolutely raging at them as they walked them past us up to the Northam/Kingsland corner. He was more passionate about that than any of the other action on the pitch.

Why get so upset about it? They'll get dealt with. It didn't impact the game because it's already stopped.

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People these days are odd and love an opportunity to show their outrage or how much they care. It’s weird 

[Saint Garrett]

  On 03/03/2022 at 20:07, hackedoff said:

If it was a few tasty birds with their kit off,people would be raving about it.

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Gone are those days !!! 

[saint1977]

  On 03/03/2022 at 20:07, hackedoff said:

If it was a few tasty birds with their kit off,people would be raving about it.

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A couple of female streakers - or at least topless - at the opening match at SMS v Espanyol in 2001. Can’t recall any since then.

[Secret Site Agent]

 

  On 03/03/2022 at 12:41, badgerx16 said:

As long as Keith Hackett doesn't think this is the latest variant of our famous 60 minute breather ploy.

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  On 03/03/2022 at 12:37, Nordic Saint said:

To be fair, the lengthy interruption came at exactly the right time to help us win that game. After we'd just regained the lead,  it gave our players a breather and stopped the threat of an immediate equaliser. I must admit thinking at the time, the longer they stay out there, the better. West Ham's players and fans never regained momentum after that.

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I thought exactly the same thing.

[beatlesaint]

I suppose the club get fined by the FA for these twats running on the pitch do they ?

Failure to control crowd etc etc 

[Turkish]

 

The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die (Official Video) - YouTube

[stevegrant]

  On 03/03/2022 at 20:50, 1576 said:

Not quite true. An FBO should not be used as a punishment (that would be dealt with by a fine/prison sentence).

The court must make a football banning order where an offender has been convicted of a relevant offence and it is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe that making a banning order would help to prevent violence or disorder (Football Spectators Act 1989, s.14A)

The FBO should only be issued if there is a real threat of future disorder. Unfortunately magistrates do not usually follow this guidance and of course plod want as many handed out as possible. Keeps them in their cushy little number I guess.

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Yeah, it seems as though the football units at various police forces maintain (or extend) their funding based on the number of convictions and FBOs handed out. My point was more that the police will automatically apply for a FBO if the magistrate is satisfied that the defendant is guilty of the offence charged - clearly they were not designed as a punishment but in reality that's what they're used for. It's quite hard to predict somebody is going to cause disorder in advance, especially someone not known to the authorities.

[Badger]

  On 04/03/2022 at 08:36, saint1977 said:

A couple of female streakers - or at least topless - at the opening match at SMS v Espanyol in 2001. Can’t recall any since then.

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I also thought of that match on reading hackedoff's post. One of them was quite well upholstered as I recall !

Being of a certain generation though you can't read about female streakers without the name Erica Roe coming to mind. Had to Google her to make sure that I'd remembered it correctly and found this on Wikipedia:

She worked at that time in a bookstore in Petersfield, Hampshire, .......

Now was there more than one bookshop in Petersfield in 1982 ? Can't imagine the 'posh-totty' Twickenham types consorting with TCWAB.

[Badger]

 

  On 03/03/2022 at 12:37, Nordic Saint said:

To be fair, the lengthy interruption came at exactly the right time to help us win that game. After we'd just regained the lead,  it gave our players a breather and stopped the threat of an immediate equaliser. I must admit thinking at the time, the longer they stay out there, the better. West Ham's players and fans never regained momentum after that.

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  On 04/03/2022 at 09:05, Secret Site Agent said:

 

 

I thought exactly the same thing.

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Bloke next to me was having a fit that it would have the opposite affect and enable West Ham to regroup, and we'd lose our momentum.

My main concern with it was the likely added time as we know how Saints in the past have folded in injury time, and coming on top of the injury to a couple of players I could see 10 minutes being added. For entirely selfish reasons I wasn't keen on ET and penalties with a two hour drive home as well.

[Badger]

  On 03/03/2022 at 19:01, whelk said:

Vegans don’t go to football

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Apart from Dale Vince and Forst Green Rovers of course...