Getting Searched before Everton game?

Just found this on Evertons website

Everton officials are requesting supporters travelling to Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon to arrive earlier than usual due to searching procedures that will be undertaken on entry to the stadium.

St James' Park is a venue for next summer's Olympics and there is a requirement from LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games) to carry out a number of test events to trial their search capability prior to the start of the games.

It means all of the visiting Everton supporters will be searched at each of the six away turnstiles (numbers 89-94), to the standard required for the Olympic football events at St James' Park in 2012.

This will include a meet and greet away from the turnstiles where supporters will be required to empty their possessions into a A4 sized plastic bag prior to a full search at the turnstiles.

Bag searches will ushered to one side to prevent any backlog and travelling female Evertonians will be channelled into a separate lane.

There will be crowd control barriers under the crowd corridor to direct supporters to the search area and additional signage will be in place.

There will be two search stewards for each turnstile in addition to the stewards at the meet and greet area explaining the search procedure prior to fans entering the stadium.

Amnesty bins for alcohol will be provided away from the turnstiles to allow supporters to dispose of any cans or bottles. Persons found with prohibited articles (drugs, weapons, fireworks etc) will be liable to arrest.

Please note some home supporters are also being subjected to search.

 

I think it's just because they're scousers

 

Fair enough I say. I don't mind being searched, I've got nothing to hide.

 

That's going to cause crowd congestion, could be worse with the early kick off.

 

I've been searched before a game in Germany and it's no hassle tbh. If youre worried about being held up just go a bit earlier, most people have nothing to hide and it wont take long.

 

I have not been asked to empty my pockets or anything like that, but I've often had my bag searched. I sometimes shop or go to the match after work and may have a large bag, it's to be expected I guess.

 

Search them when they come out to see what they've knicked.

 

I've been signed up as an emergency steward to help with the strip searches. Which gate is it you use for entrance?

 

Stoke and Blackburn do a quick pat down to most away fans...well that's what happened to me this and last season...

 

It's only a random search procedure and I think it may be isolated within the North stand, I think the club are being assessed to see if they're ready for the increased security during the Olympics.

 

Should be searching them on the way out.

 

Got stopped at both Stoke and Chelsea and had to ditch a plastic bottle of Lucozade each time. Lucozade, I ask you?

 

Its so you have to buy once you are in the ground! Money making scheme again.

 

Don't care what you say you can't go to a game like this

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Bit dim to announce it!!!!!!!!!!

 

I used to steward @ SJp in the away section and couple of my old colleagues were telling me about this last week. It's basically an inspection by Olympic officials to see if NUFC have the correct stewarding procedures in place and are capable of providing tight security, since the Olympic Games in normally strict as **** when it comes to security due to risk of terrorism etc. The Everton game was picked beacuse the club identified it as one of the harder games to steward with regards to away fans. Although personally I never thought it was, Man Utd, Stoke and Cardiff were probably the worst games from my experience.

 

I don't think it is. Atleast now there can be no excuses and they know what is happening, otherwise they may be a bit of an uproar.

 

As long as AH doesnt become a steward in the next 2 days you going to the game are fine

 

Just says you can't take glass bottles and cans into the ground, doesn't say anything about a foam top.