The Fan and the Steward at Solihull

[WickfordShrimper]

Its reported in the Echo now

Investigation launched into alleged incident involving Blues fan and steward

Southend United's dedicated football officer is investigating "all the issues that occured" at the Blues' match at Solihull Moors…

www.echo-news.co.uk

 

[RHB]

Body of the Echo text here:

AN INVESTIGATION has been launched after video widely shared across social media reportedly shows a Southend United fan being restrained by a steward during a match.

PC Keith Baker, dedicated football officer (DFO) at Southend United, says he is working with his counterparts at West Midlands Police in relation to an alleged incident during yesterday's match between Solihull Moors and the Blues.

A video posted on on Twitter allegedly shows a Solihull Moors steward restraining a Southend United fan.

Echo sports reporter Chris Phillips, who was at the match, says a fan ran onto the pitch after a second half equaliser from Blues forward Chris Wreh.

It is unclear if this was linked to the alleged incident.

PC Baker tweeted on the SUFC Police account: "Spoken to a number of fans and seen the video posted.

"I am liaising with my counterpart at WMP in relation to investigating all the issues that occurred."

 

[LeedsSUFC]

What is really worrying is the amount of fans saying 'You get what you deserve', when the security were very dangerous.

The lack of pressure/support for upholding policing/security standards among fans (on here and on social media) is worrying.

Especially when asked for their credentials (post match), the stewards refused to show them, and when directed to the police to ask on the legal opinion on refusing to share their ID, the officer from WMP reply was, 'Lots of the stewards aren't qualified and don't have badges', to which I said, 'No, he has a badge, but purposely the wrong way around... Does he have to show it?' The next response was 'We are not sure, email the club and they'll get back to you.'

As paying fans, we should all expect to be safe.

We should expect people who break the rules deserve to be handled in a proper manner that is safe.

We should expect accountability, integrity and respect by those in charge of our safety when inside a stadium.

 

[RHB]

What is really worrying is the amount of fans saying 'You get what you deserve', when the security were very dangerous.

The lack of pressure/support for upholding policing/security standards among fans (on here and on social media) is worrying.

Especially when asked for their credentials (post match), the stewards refused to show them, and when directed to the police to ask on the legal opinion on refusing to share their ID, the officer from WMP reply was, 'Lots of the stewards aren't qualified and don't have badges', to which I said, 'No, he has a badge, but purposely the wrong way around... Does he have to show it?' The next response was 'We are not sure, email the club and they'll get back to you.'

As paying fans, we should all expect to be safe.

We should expect people who break the rules deserve to be handled in a proper manner that is safe.

We should expect accountability, integrity and respect by those in charge of our safety when inside a stadium.

Well hopefully now Southend Police are looking into the incident we will all be able to see what the outcome is.

 

[gpd]

When they scored, their player came running up to our fans right in front of us and fist pumped the air.
That action got a response from our fans, who were not overly happy.
Some of the SUFC supporters then complained to the steward who was also standing in front us that their players were goading the away supporters and possibly un intentionally inciting trouble, he just smiled and walked away.

If ever our players score at the North Bank end they often make their way and and celebrate in front of the away supporters. Visiting team to the Hall are hardly going to run up to the North Bank end if they score at the South? It happens. The response from the idiot to go onto the pitch is unjustifiable and indefensible.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Especially when asked for their credentials (post match), the stewards refused to show them, and when directed to the police to ask on the legal opinion on refusing to share their ID, the officer from WMP reply was, 'Lots of the stewards aren't qualified and don't have badges', to which I said, 'No, he has a badge, but purposely the wrong way around... Does he have to show it?' The next response was 'We are not sure, email the club and they'll get back to you.'

it is a condition of your licensed status that you wear the licence where the front can be seen at all times when engaging in designated licensable activity unless you have reported it lost or stolen, or it is in our possession.

 

[Richard Hearn]

If ever our players score at the North Bank end they often make their way and and celebrate in front of the away supporters. Visiting team to the Hall are hardly going to run up to the North Bank end if they score at the South? It happens.

Quite frankly I would prefer it if a few more players took their lead from the MAF style of "goal celebration". Much more sophisticated.

 

[RHB]

Quite frankly I would prefer it if a few more players took their lead from the MAF style of "goal celebration". Much more sophisticated.

The old man with a walking stick one?

 

[Chrisb]

The old man with a walking stick one?

How we could do with MAF right now.

 

[gpd]

Well hopefully now Southend Police are looking into the incident we will all be able to see what the outcome is.

Why would Southend Police look into it? Offence(s) happened on West Midlands Police patch. If they decide to take further action Essex Police will cooperate. I doubt if any police down here will question the outcome of any West Midlands investigation. They will cooperate if an arrest is required....which maybe the case if entering the field of play and assaulting their keeper are the initial issues to be dealt with.

"It is understood all options will be looked at. The EFL said: “Supporters are reminded that it is against the law to enter the pitch at any time and could result in a club ban and criminal record. More importantly it puts the safety of players, coaches, managers and match officials at risk. It is vital that those playing the game can do so safe in the knowledge that they will not be subjected to violent, threatening or antisocial behaviour.” May 2022

 

[JAL]

Why would Southend Police look into it? Offence(s) happened on West Midlands Police patch. If they decide to take further action Essex Police will cooperate.

If you read it, he's liaising with West Midlands Police on what happened.

 

[gpd]

If you read it, he's liaising with West Midlands Police on what happened.

Liaising can simply mean "If they call, I'll take the call. If they want the idiot arrested, we'll go and get him for them." Nothing more can be presumed. Their policing - their responsibility. Their clubs stewards - their clubs responsibility. Buck stop in Solihull. It's not like the police weren't on hand. It looked like he was advising the steward. What we don't see on video is if there was a further assault on the stewards before the video footage? But certainly an assault on the keeper. Any contact will be deemed to be an assault. The first offence was the idiot going onto the pitch, a second offence by pushing the keeper....then any resistance to removal could have led to a third offence.

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

This pitch invasion trend needs to stop but the treatment from the steward is clearly not proportionate, and from what I've read it's not the first time Solihull's stewards have acted this way. Imagine the outrage if a Metropolitan Police offer was filmed doing that to a young black man. Just saying...

 

[Lavender Blue]

It is very simple to me, don’t go on the field of play, if passion gets the better of you and you find yourself on the pitch, when the steward comes to get you off, just hold your hands up and say fair cop, then leave the ground, if this idiot had done that then none of what followed would have happened, why do they have to fight and protest innocence when they are very clearly in the wrong. Fed up with people trying to protect him. What he did was wrong

 

[Oakley1]

the answer to the investigation will be

lift up the carpet and sweep it under and move on nothing to see here

 

[Special Blue]

Not sure the steward will be doing Birmingham v West Brom!
Tbf not sure his up to it! Non league is easy money!

 

[RHB]

Why would Southend Police look into it? Offence(s) happened on West Midlands Police patch. If they decide to take further action Essex Police will cooperate. I doubt if any police down here will question the outcome of any West Midlands investigation. They will cooperate if an arrest is required....which maybe the case if entering the field of play and assaulting their keeper are the initial issues to be dealt with.

"It is understood all options will be looked at. The EFL said: “Supporters are reminded that it is against the law to enter the pitch at any time and could result in a club ban and criminal record. More importantly it puts the safety of players, coaches, managers and match officials at risk. It is vital that those playing the game can do so safe in the knowledge that they will not be subjected to violent, threatening or antisocial behaviour.” May 2022

I'm only posting what I read from the Police twitter post.

 

[LeedsSUFC]

It is very simple to me, don’t go on the field of play, if passion gets the better of you and you find yourself on the pitch, when the steward comes to get you off, just hold your hands up and say fair cop, then leave the ground, if this idiot had done that then none of what followed would have happened, why do they have to fight and protest innocence when they are very clearly in the wrong. Fed up with people trying to protect him. What he did was wrong

I don’t think anyone (or 99% anyway) are protecting the lads actions on here. But regardless of what he did, there are much better ways to act.

The stewards were looking at video footage for a good 10 minutes before going into the crowd to find him.

If you know who you’re looking for, you don’t need to act in the moment, in the middle of TBV behind the goal (not blaming TBV, just the group in front of the drum). What reaction were they expecting?

The method they should have followed is locating the culprit during the match, keeping eyes on him to prevent a repeat offense, and then post match. There was only one exit for away fans, and a long walk through the car park, identify him and hand him to the police. This way you don’t escalate behavior in the crowd and you isolate the incident.

A worthy note to Powell as well. Another moron was on the pitch at full time, 3 stewards coming for him, Powell runs across and says ‘He’s taking a photo with me’, the stewards leave, and the whole situation de-escalates fast.

There are morons at football, that’s not a surprising fact that’s new to anyone. The security have to be trained properly on de-escalating the situation correctly, regardless of the issue. Not react like the stewards did at Solihull.

 

[bazzashrimper]

What is really worrying is the amount of fans saying 'You get what you deserve', when the security were very dangerous.

The lack of pressure/support for upholding policing/security standards among fans (on here and on social media) is worrying.

Especially when asked for their credentials (post match), the stewards refused to show them, and when directed to the police to ask on the legal opinion on refusing to share their ID, the officer from WMP reply was, 'Lots of the stewards aren't qualified and don't have badges', to which I said, 'No, he has a badge, but purposely the wrong way around... Does he have to show it?' The next response was 'We are not sure, email the club and they'll get back to you.'

As paying fans, we should all expect to be safe.

We should expect people who break the rules deserve to be handled in a proper manner that is safe.

We should expect accountability, integrity and respect by those in charge of our safety when inside a stadium.

I agree that people should be safe, break the rules or not. But not everyone follows that rule either.

 

[lreed567]

There's 100% ways to deal with this, yes the fan should not of run on the pitch and who knows how the situation got to where it did with the steward, but agree wit some that the steward may of been a bit over the top, I remember woking away when cardwell scored and a few by me got in the pitch, the steward was great to be fair, his words were "come on now you've had your fun" and everyone moved back, there was no arguments or kick offs and everyone went back to there place and the game carried on. Maybe there stewards were on it from what happened there last season and anything that happened they would be on it