Blues match police crowd management

[AV5nobs]

I like the edge in and around the ground when we play them home and away, it's one of the elements which makes our derby one of the most fierce in the country and one neutrals want to watch. Make it a bubble fixture and you'll lose a lot of that and it becomes about as intimidating as Fulham v Chelsea or Liverpool v Everton.

I'd guess that most people wouldn't see a football match being "intimidating" as a positive thing.

I think an intimidating atmosphere can in some respects make a game more interesting to the neutrals watching on the tv, and even those on the stadium whom are always going to be safe.

[robbo1874]

An interesting debate, I've given it some thought and decided that a sparing portion of baked beans on a breakfast should be allowable.

quite frankly, I think you should be locked up and the key thrown away.

[dave.woodhall]

I like the edge in and around the ground when we play them home and away, it's one of the elements which makes our derby one of the most fierce in the country and one neutrals want to watch. Make it a bubble fixture and you'll lose a lot of that and it becomes about as intimidating as Fulham v Chelsea or Liverpool v Everton.

I'd guess that most people wouldn't see a football match being "intimidating" as a positive thing.

I think an intimidating atmosphere can in some respects make a game more interesting to the neutrals watching on the tv, and even those on the stadium whom are always going to be safe.

I've seen enough missiles thrown to know that there's no such thing as definitely safe.  Besides that, it can be a frightening experience for some people just to be close to the sort of idiocy that this game attracts.

[robbo1874]

Why shouldn't they be happy? Why does this have to be as difficult as possible for them? Why is it necessary to waste a whole load of criminal justice resources (not just in the police but right through the prosecution system) and club resources, on trouble that can be prevented.

If just a few times this match could go off in a way that left the authorities thinking all this fuss wasn't necessary, then maybe we'd get bigger allocations, and more relaxed policing, but unfortunately, this fixture hasn't accumulated that history yet.

In answer to your question - I have no idea whether they influenced the decision on allocations, but we are told that this was not a police decision. However - yes, they are pleased, as has been mentioned, smaller allocations mean that the tickets go to regular away fans, who generally know how to travel, or if they don't, will be well known.

It's useful to remember that all of this is happening in a country on high terror alert, on St Georges day. All of that has to be taken into account both in general terms, and actually also for this match, but carry on jumping up and down about them making it easy for themselves by all means.

in the current climate, I'd probably be more concerned about some Jihadi looper getting the keys to a truck and steaming down Aston Hall Rd, than the visit of 2,000 of the unwashed.

[amfy]

Well they have given considerable thought to that too, and some of the measures actually serve both purposes, but they aren't publicising their counter terrorism measures as that would just help terrorists to plan round them.

[robbo1874]

You'd hope that the planning for that would have been done at a higher level than the normal match day Op unit.

[Holte L2]

An interesting debate, I've given it some thought and decided that a sparing portion of baked beans on a breakfast should be allowable.

I'm a huge fan of baked beans on a breakfast.  What else would you use your bread to mop up with?

[robbo1874]

The slammer for you also L2

[exigo]

I like the edge in and around the ground when we play them home and away, it's one of the elements which makes our derby one of the most fierce in the country and one neutrals want to watch. Make it a bubble fixture and you'll lose a lot of that and it becomes about as intimidating as Fulham v Chelsea or Liverpool v Everton.

I love the atmosphere in the ground. But, as someone who got caught in amongst Albion fans trying to get into Witton station after the Cup quarter final, with them chucking rocks and our lot chucking glass bottles back, I'm quite happy to walk to Aston station instead.

I'm forty two years old. I don't need some pissed twat putting my life in danger for a game of footy cheers.

[dave.woodhall]

Let's keep this one on topic.  There's enough chance to talk about other stuff elsewhere.

[AV5nobs]

I like the edge in and around the ground when we play them home and away, it's one of the elements which makes our derby one of the most fierce in the country and one neutrals want to watch. Make it a bubble fixture and you'll lose a lot of that and it becomes about as intimidating as Fulham v Chelsea or Liverpool v Everton.

I'd guess that most people wouldn't see a football match being "intimidating" as a positive thing.

I think an intimidating atmosphere can in some respects make a game more interesting to the neutrals watching on the tv, and even those on the stadium whom are always going to be safe.

I've seen enough missiles thrown to know that there's no such thing as definitely safe.  Besides that, it can be a frightening experience for some people just to be close to the sort of idiocy that this game attracts.

Dave I've been to Enough of them myself, my
Point was simply that a certain level of intimidation can add to certain people's adrenalin, just like those who like jumping out of a plane, doesn't have to mean we are all hooligans.

I enjoy the atmosphere of derbys however hostile they become. And you're as safe as you allow yourself to be.

[Tayls_7]

The slammer for you also L2

You must be some kind of oddball Europhile. It'll be muesli next. Baked beans are an integral part of a full English. Makes me proud. Finally when we win our country back we can regain control of our arteries.

[dave.woodhall]

Dave I've been to Enough of them myself, my
Point was simply that a certain level of intimidation can add to certain people's adrenalin, just like those who like jumping out of a plane, doesn't have to mean we are all hooligans.

I enjoy the atmosphere of derbys however hostile they become. And you're as safe as you allow yourself to be.

Maybe, but there is, sadly, no such thing as being 100% safe in certain areas around the ground on that day.

[amfy]

It's the random throwing of bricks and bottles that makes everyone unsafe. The quicker they are simply funnelled in and out, the better for everyone really.

[in exile]

amfy - Thanks for reporting it back, much appreciated