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tomogull wrote: Thanks for details about the funding. Are we being naive or something, but as a Gulls fan, have you seen any incidents at Plainmoor during the last couple of seasons that warrant the threat of extra police presence? I stand on the halfway line on the Pop side and haven't seen anything at all to cause concern. As I posted above, the stewards are perfectly able to handle any over exuberance. I hadn't realised that a section of the crowd were being filmed yesterday. Who made that decision? To my mind, that simply provokes unrest.

I was near that section being filmed. They are just young lads showing passion, it doesn't help when the barrow goalscorer for the equaliser gloats to them. But smith, Angus being amongst them in the first half made for a good atmosphere and a women police officer was very professional throughout. Was there trouble, no there wasn't . These local lads then embraced breed at the end. They are just fans

Unfortunately I haven't made it down for a home game all season so I cant comment on the crowd behavior. Any decision to police a game will take into account the intelligence picture from both teams, previous history, time of game etc and the club are always involved in the negotiations as to the whether a game has a police attendance and if so what grading the match will be. This is usually agreed for all games as the season fixtures are released and then subject of review depending on the intelligence picture as it develops.
Of course the presence of the police may prevent any disorder. The disorder could indeed be not directly in the stands. Whist some may find it just some youff being boisterous - other spectators may be extremely upset/distressed/ frightened.
As someone who was involved very closely with three clubs from Championship to National League I can assure you it is not a golden wheelbarrow of money for the police who rarely recover the full cost to the taxpayer, involves a great deal of additional planning and disruption for staff. Ultimately any decision can and has been challenged through the courts by the clubs.

Lucy mentions the young fans being passionate. I remember going to plainmoor in the 70s and 80s when showing any kind of passion was excuse enough for the plods to evict you. I expect they would reintroduce their heavy handed methods if let back in. As for anyone feeling threatened by such fan behaviour, what are they doing at a football match if they hack it.

tomogull, I notice that you stand on the half-way line at the popside. Do you mean at the back with the old codgers? If that is the case we may well have met, for all my time at Plainmoor, and especially since the 'new' pop. side was built I have stood on the half-way line in the pop. side at the back with Cliff Screech and co.

wivelgull wrote:tomogull, I notice that you stand on the half-way line at the popside. Do you mean at the back with the old codgers? If that is the case we may well have met, for all my time at Plainmoor, and especially since the 'new' pop. side was built I have stood on the half-way line in the pop. side at the back with Cliff Screech and co.

No - I stand at the front of the Pop Side Stand (my eyesight probably isn't good enough to see from the back of the Stand !). I am a fairly recent convert to the Pop Side having spent most of my youth in the much loved Cow Shed. I then sat in the Family Stand when the kids were young and after I'd got rid of them, I sat in the old Grandstand. Then back to the Family Stand whilst Bristow's Bench was being constructed but I didn't really like it there. Then at one evening match, there was some sort of mix up about issuing tickets for the Family Stand so I thought 'sod it - I'll go to the Pop Side' and that's where I've stood ever since ....... and there are lots of old codgers around me !