Supporters Rights in Tatters

So my question is, when did the law change so that bookies can act like the police and at what point did the bookies become more important than the legal rights of football supporters?


My son and I (Hull City supporters for god knows how many years between us – I started in 1964 and my son is in his thirties and been going since he was six) were sat happily in the East Stand watching the West Brom. game.


Half way into the second half, a group of stewards started congregating just below us – never thought much about it because there certainly wasn’t any bother near us.

Next thing we know my son is hoiked from the stand and taken onto the concourse.

There he is surrounded by 5 stewards and someone who introduced himself as “working for a company engaged by the EFL”

The problem it turned out that, as always, my son was listening to Five Live on a Radio and keeping up with all the football news. The conversation then turned not to any EFL related topics but to the practice of Courtsiding” – betting fraud.

We had been watched on camera since the start of the game and it was decided that a pair of ear plugs was enough proof to take action against us.

My son pointed out that he was listening to a radio, produced the radio to show that is wasn’t a communication device then politely told the official that he was not amused and, that said official, unless he was prepared to take some sort of action could basically go **** himself.

All of this time – some 10 minutes we were surrounded by stewards and it was plain that we were not going to be allowed to return to our seats or indeed anywhere else until this guy was satisfied.

I don’t have a problem with the bookies protecting themselves against fraud but I do object to:

1. Officials taking control of people in a way that the police would be cautious of doing – there was no proof of any offence and anyway this would be a civil matter until the police or courts became involved

2. There are no rules forbidding the use of headphones or radios within the stadium

3. The use of stewards to detain people on behalf of the bookies

4. The lack of an apology for pulling people away from the game without proper cause.


This all leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth. I don’t want to support a club that allows its stewards to be used as bully boys for bookies and as far as I know its still against the law to hold innocent people without due cause.

 

Football is ****ed and football fans are fair game for most things that Extinction Rebellion don’t have to put up with.

All down to £££

 

I hate it when people think that they can do as they like - if the bookies have a problem with fraud they need to sort it - it doesn't give them the right to take this kind of action. It needs to stop right now! Let them get away with stuff like this and it will just get worse over time

 

A very well written and carefully considered response to a situation that, if it had happened to me would, at best, have resulted in my ejection from the ground for using foul and abusive language and, at worst, my arrest for assault.

This way of treating paying customers is simply not acceptable.

 

Didn't they learn from the first time they did this and got it wrong ?

 

Appreciate that. I just wonder where this ends if private companies get to take the law into their own hands. I don't get this at North Ferriby - they appreciate supporters there

 

Forgot to mention that they kept asking him if he was called Euan and if he had anyone else with him. He produced I.D.(I wouldn't have) and I pointed out that one of the chief stewards in the "detention crew" was his uncle! Guess who is off the christmas card list.

 

Let us know what the club say about this when you complain to them

 

Didn't this get brought up at the recent fans meeting? It should have been.

 

will do

 

Go to the Hull Daily Mail about it (And basically anybody else who listens) - It's a disgrace to be treated like that !

 

This happened AGAIN. ****ing hell.

Learn from your mistakes, you thundercunts.

 

If it was me, I'd get legal advice with the intention of making a formal complaint to the police

 

It is happening again ...

https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampprojec...https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49312316

 

The club let the ****ers in and help them

they are culpable too

 

Totally agree but the club are abetting it by using stewards - probably says something because if it was serious they would have used the police (who I guess are far too savvy to get caught up in this)

 

We are doing just that but would appreciate any help you can give in getting stuff out on social media etc. So far Hull Daily Mail, David Burns and complaint to the club

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I can’t believe this has happened again. Absolute idiots!