What horror stories?? The worst thing that happened last year was the Milwall fans ripping up seats and tossing them at each other. A few made it over the barrier, but nothing extreme. There has been more violence at Luton matches!! The problem the club has is if they put the regular fans in the VR end, they are likely to get riots at games like that because our fans Will react whereas the fans there now wont. All that needs to change is the stewards need to do their job properly and there needs to be a police presence at these matches.
Have the people in the VR end had an email to tell them they'll have to move? i have friends who sit there and i don't know if they know about it so could let them know if they won't know from the club...
Letters have been sent i belive. Thats what dad said when he let me know and asked where i would choose to sit.
We have to remember that the QPR game was a bizarre occurance, in that a local rival of ours had the possibility of being promoted during our game. How often does this happen? Not very. As a result, I don't expect a flood of West Ham fans to be turning up at the Vic, I dont remember seeing too many West Ham fans in the home end when we played them in the League Cup not long ago. Giving them the Vic Road end was a sensible solution in terms of finances and safety, but I can't see it happening too often over the next few seasons. Though season ticket holders should not have to pay more to move, hopefully they won't have to.
Elixir making up things again! yes a couple of sections could be ocupied for little cost IF you paid for the structual work for the whole stand as acess is required to get the safety certificate
Roo - you're wrong. The A+B sections of the East Stand were seperate and self contained from C to E sections of the old stand. The turnstiles were still there when I last looked, so access and exits are all sorted. The only thing which would need to be covered are toilets and refreshments as I believe these have now been removed. So in summary, there is a permanent solution there should the club want it. There is a minimal cost, but the flexibility this would give the club would be well worth it. I have been arguing this point for a couple of years, so I know what I'm talking about!
I got the impression that all of the East Stand is now condemned due to safety. It was one side to start with, but then had to close all of it. Surely the amount to get it up to standard would be far too much for just a couple of games (or even just one), where that money could be spent elsewhere. It really isn't that inconvenient to relocate for one game, having a months notice! It can give people an opportunity to try out another area of the ground, which I expect will be for free! Sorry to say Elixir, this does just seem an excuse for you to have another go at Bas, without suggesting realistic alternatives!
Kev, yes I can see your point, but I am trying to address a problem which arose a couple of years ago and my solution was valid then! "Have a go at Mr Bassini" ........ I read someone congratulating him on allowing Sean Dyche to build a team!!!!! I haven't seen one good thing he has done yet, but understand a number of questionable things (I have had some "off post" conversations about this) have happened and I don't see him as a good custodian of the club. My view on the Family Area is it should be a comfortable and safe place for our youngsters to learn about the beauty of the game. Siting it as the "buffer zone" bang next to the away fans is just not the correct place. I know people who have been in there (I dont want to go there), and they have mixed views from "oh well, not to worry" to "I was in fear for my children" and my view is this should not happen. Simple.
Yes, in an ideal world, we would have a family enclosure in a brand-spanking new East Stand. Unfortunately, the previous custodians decided to buy a pie-eater than a stand! Until this is done, we are going to have this problem, but the hope is that in 2 seasons this new stand will be available - I'm guessing it will take the best part of next season to build?! What I would say is, we are fortunate that problems at matches are very rare so this solution will be an exception, not the norm. Hopefully the moving will be smooth and at no big inconvenience to fans other than a phone call, and a decision of what stand they would like to sit in. As for Bas himself. he still has a lot to prove, but I do think he is 'getting there', but certainly needs to come through on his promises before winning over a lot of fans... so only time will tell. He is giving resources to SD to build a squad, and as much as we can argue the talent at what he is buying in, we have to assume these players are SD's choices. We were never going to buy big, but sensible... They have idenitified where needs strengthening, and other than the dreaded LB position, have done so! Personally, I can't see what off-field stuff he could have really prevented!
Hi Elixir 69 From a comment you made previously concerning the condemed stand - I don't think Baz has said that the stand will be complete in the summer of 2012, he just said he hoped to start it then I'm afraid. As for the plan to move people for specific games, this is following the advice from the enquiry and the Police and will probably happen 3 times this season in the League but possibly a cup match as well. It seems very proffessional & safe. It will ensure not just the safety of those that were in the Family enclosure but also those that were subjected to away fans in the Rous which will now not happen or if there is an issolated incident they have somewhere to move them out to before trouble starts. It is obviously inconvenient to ST Holders & I'm sure everyone has sympathy but they have all got priority to choose where to move to and given exclusive time to do so.
Elixir, what questionable things have happened?? So what he has not invested billions into the club, but he has increased the playing budget and allowed SD to buy in 5 players so far and we can expect 2 more as promised. He is reducing the debt we owe which has to be the main priority or else we will have the fear of administration hanging over us again!! He has also said he has paid for a new pitch to be replaced at the end of the season and to help minimise the damage this season he has invested in full time ground staff and equipment. He has said he is going to replace the PA system and has replaced the seats in the Rookery. He has promised to finish the SW corner of the stand asap and start on the East stand in 2012!! What else can the guy do?? Does he have to magic it all over night to please you? I agree you might question were the money is coming from, but atm we are getting the players we need in order to survive in the championship and be able to become a sustainable business model and team. What are these "horror stories" you have heard?? Why are people in fear for their children?? I have been in the VR end for 4 seasons and havent had any hassle, and another person in our group has 4yr old twins and he is fine too. The worst we have had was the Milwall game when chairs were being tossed around and a few drunk twits got verbal and shock their fists. The stewards did their job for once and moved them on and nothing came of it.
Not having a go Elixir, merely defending the club , in my eyes ,its the only option for the "big" games! They trouble at the QPR game held their enquiry ,took on board what the police recommended , Hence they have acted! if they hadnt of acted they would have been negligent! There will still be hammers fans all over the place but hopefully in a smaller amount of numbers ,if hornets fans dont sell their tickets!!!
When we played West Ham the season they got promoted, think it was our last home game, they were all in the home end. Giving them the entire Vicarage Road End is just sensible More police at these games is a must... considering the amount gained through ticket sales the costs arent astronomical and their presence alone prevents trouble. For example leeds away last season... the club knows that their own fans can be aggressive and alot of them are abusive so they increase security at the game and crack down on trouble.... although their ground staff were ***t you get the point And this criticising of Bas is a little bit ridiculous and based entirely on hear say not facts. He did not promise to build the East Stand he just said he hopes its possible to start in a years time. With this issue it seems the club may have learned from its mistakes and if the owner follows this trend then there is absolutely nothing wrong with him.
Actually hon, i know people who sit in the VR end, and their kids aren't tiny, and they've had moments when they've been very scared...not every game by any stretch, but one is one too many...
But what were those moments?? Thats my question. I understand that, but it has also been said that people felt unsafe because the away fans got gobby. I am just confused by what "horror stories" have been told.
Its the old debate of where the family stand should go. In my opinion it is ridiculous that they are next to the away fans. I can understand the clubs view that they would hope this would calm the away fans, but I just don't think it is safe enough some of the time, especially when big London teams like Millwall or West Ham, or clubs with notorious followings like Leeds or Birmingham come down. I think the family area should be in the Lower Rous, where there are a lot of families anyway. Moving the likes of the Yellow Order into the Vicarage Road End would create a better atmosphere, but also might increase security costs. Either way the club will lose out somehow, so it has to make the best of a bad situation.
not so much 'horror', just getting pelted by coins, and general aggression. It's not what you want when you're standing so close to it with your kids. I'd rather my kids heard friendly banter with the occasional swear word in the rookery than the agressive behaviour of away fans.
