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Post by medyel on Sept 4, 2018 21:37:23 GMT
....I hope the CCTV at Maidstone catches you, and you get a lifetime ban from football attendance. You’re clearly not man enough to light it and hold it, so chucking it at someone is about the limit of your courage. Had I suffered from asthma, breathing difficulties etc I would likely be in hospital now rather than at home with a sore leg stinking like a firework factory. You’re an idiotic coward bringing the club into disrepute. Hope you’re banned; if not, clear off.
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Post by SuttonUnitedFCtv on Sept 4, 2018 22:59:34 GMT
We will have a look on the video from tonight, we do have the smoke, not sure if we have the incident itself.
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markf
Top Performer
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Post by markf on Sept 4, 2018 23:05:03 GMT
Hope all is ok Medway. One of our number does have asthma and had to cover his face to ensure he didn't have an attack.
Once again one of our younger fans has let the club down. Bad enough to light it but to then throw it is madness.
How cowardly to then vanish. Hope they get the culprit and is identified and gets the criminal record the action deserves.
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Post by sallycat on Sept 4, 2018 23:33:41 GMT
Christ, they threw it at you?!
There was me thinking it was stupid, childish, irresponsible and downright embarrassing behaviour but this is utterly despicable. I did overhear stewards on my way out telling a group of fans that they knew the flare came from their group, that they were on CCTV and if the perpetrator didn't come forward they would take IDs from all of them. I would never wish for any of our fans to get in trouble normally but I really hope they are caught and dealt with accordingly because we absolutely cannot have this sort of behaviour.
I was young once and did really stupid stuff at matches sometimes so most of the time I totally understand when younger fans get up to hijinks. But people have to understand this not only crosses the line but goes way beyond what's acceptable behaviour. It's not just a bit of fun, it's seriously dangerous and if you're not old enough to understand that then you're not old enough to go to away matches without a grown up holding your hand.
I'm absolutely not having a go at young fans or lumping them all together. They're mostly super lads whose support is a credit to the club. But with youth comes exuberant behaviour and we are all responsible for ensuring our behaviour does not endanger others.
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Post by VCLXI on Sept 5, 2018 0:47:09 GMT
You may have been young once and so was I but apart from the banter and a laugh did you ever throw a flare or something that would or could potentially injure someone? I think not. Did this come from the Sutton fans?
After being at the hideous stage that resembled Aldershot where our fans suffered terrible conditions not a whisper, or indeed flare, was spoken.
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Post by davef on Sept 5, 2018 7:55:36 GMT
Can I take this opportunity to again remind all spectators that even to be in possession of any pyro device (the courts do not distinguish between fireworks, flares and smoke-bombs) en-route to a football match (so it doesn't even have to be used) is a criminal offence and frequently carries a custodial sentence and a 3-year football banning order that will also see passports confiscated.
Minors aren't exempt, and it is also an offence for anyone under 18 to be in possession of a firework in any public place. Naturally, any supporters found to have broken any of these laws will also be banned from our stadium.
We are in close contact with our good friends at Maidstone United to try to identify the culprit.
See this article from the Football Supporters' Trust for more information. |
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Post by john james on Sept 5, 2018 9:42:55 GMT
Dave, just to be clear,further to Medyel's post above, it may appear semantics but the flare was not 'thrown' at him. THS, Frakey and myself were on the same terrace step where the flare rolled down next to us. It was the actions of the steward who probably with the best intentions decided manically to jump up and down on the canister causing the top to pop off and then hit the leg of the gentleman (Medyel) standing on the other side of the flare.
Having worked for 42 year's in the fire service it was evident to me that the steward had had no training in how to deal with this situation, and whilst not excusing the actions of the people involved who instigated this stupid prank, the steward made the situation worse.
I am happy to give a statement if it helps your inquiry.
John
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tonyd
1st team Player
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Post by tonyd on Sept 5, 2018 12:42:41 GMT
Dave, just to be clear,further to Medyel's post above, it may appear semantics but the flare was not 'thrown' at him. THS, Frakey and myself were on the same terrace step where the flare rolled down next to us. It was the actions of the steward who probably with the best intentions decided manically to jump up and down on the canister causing the top to pop off and then hit the leg of the gentleman (Medyel) standing on the other side of the flare. Having worked for 42 year's in the fire service it was evident to me that the steward had had no training in how to deal with this situation, and whilst not excusing the actions of the people involved who instigated this stupid prank, the steward made the situation worse. I am happy to give a statement if it helps your inquiry. John None of which should deflect from the utter stupidity of igniting it. 😡 |
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pg
Newbie
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Post by pg on Sept 5, 2018 13:47:28 GMT
Hi,
I was also witness to the incident. “Thrown” isn’t quite correct, I believe one of the younger group dropped the smoke bomb and it rolled down to the terrace below. Wasn’t intentionally targeting anybody in my opinion and I doubt they knew the dangers associated with their actions, although of course it is wrong.
I have to say the atmosphere the younger group brought to the terrace was great, I’d much prefer that than much else I’ve been to. If we could educate and nurture them as responsible fans, rather than hanging them out to dry, I’d be happy.
No doubt this opinion won’t go down well but I’m an optimist!
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Post by sallycat on Sept 5, 2018 13:54:36 GMT
I'd agree if it were the first time this had happened. But it's not. The only person we want to hang out to dry is the person who actually did such a stupid thing, not the whole group. If they don't face consequences then who's to say they won't do it again?
I'm not sure what we'll achieve by quibbling over whether the device was thrown or dropped. As davef pointed out, merely possessing it was a criminal offence and a shockingly dangerous act. That makes us look really bad as a fan base and as a club.
I agree about the atmosphere but it's irrelevant to this discussion. Weeding out one or two individuals who are a danger to others won't kill the atmosphere.
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pg
Newbie
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Post by pg on Sept 5, 2018 14:26:00 GMT
That’s fair, I didn’t know it wasn’t the first incident. And you’re totally right about it being an offence and the perception of the club.
I just remember being an adolescent who got into much worse trouble and making some terrible decisions. Sometimes these kids need guidance rather than being ostracised, maybe I’m too soft but football stirs emotions that the youth may not be mature enough to control. All for affirmative action but I’d like to know the perpetrator got an olive branch for the future.
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tommo
Spectator
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Post by tommo on Sept 5, 2018 17:53:39 GMT
We had similar at Maidstone a while back. Several temporary bans with the promise of no police action and the chance of returning in the future did the trick. Still get tensions from time to time, but they do help the atmosphere.
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Post by sallycat on Sept 5, 2018 17:57:23 GMT
Actually I completely agree with most of that, pg. I don't think anyone should just get away with this, because we need to stop it happening again (Maidstone were searching bags/people reasonably thoroughly so I don't think they could have done much more on that score). But yeah, we all do stupid things especially when we're young and of course the perpetrator might grow into a more mature individual who wouldn't do such a thing. And you make a good point about supporting our younger fans in general. A balance should be struck (like the action tommo describes) but this WAS a very serious incident where a crime was committed and someone was hurt, so I guess it's a matter of perspective.
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Post by Andy K on Sept 5, 2018 21:06:18 GMT
It's pretty easy to point the finger at the youth, but the vast majority of them are great. The one or two who could be responsible shouldn't be "ahhh they're only young" it's more "they're idiots". Being an idiot has nothing to do with age. They KNOW what they are doing is wrong but carry on doing it.
I saw an incident at a game about 10 years ago where an idiot lit a flare and it went wrong. He lost 3 fingers which I saw flying off in different directions and the scream that followed from the victim wouldn't have been out of place in any horror movie.
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Post by sallycat on Sept 5, 2018 21:38:47 GMT
Wow, that's grim. Where was that? (You've probably told me before but I can't remember)
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