Stevenage v Swindon pre match chat and matchday thread

[Exiled Bob]

Away from the fans element, my main talking point after watching ifollow was how can Stevenage place a camera in a position that doesn't cover the whole pitch. Had to guess in anticipation when the ball was about to be floated into the box on corners/crosses etc. Surely quite a basic thing on installation!

Hated everything about my only visit to stevenage in 2004. Lost 2-0
Having a look we had some decent players in the team!

Wes Foderingham
Grant Hall
Raphael Rossi-Branco
Darren P Ward
Nathan Thompson
Yaser Kasim
Massimo Luongo
Ryan Mason
Alex Pritchard
Dany N'Guessan
Nile Ranger

probably the greatest midfield ever to exist in league 1.

As is often the case with Town teams that have a great midfield, the same can't be said for the defence.
Who played left back in that game? I guess Thompson was RB but I can't see any of the other 3 as a LB.

[Peter Venkman]

As is often the case with Town teams that have a great midfield, the same can't be said for the defence.
Who played left back in that game? I guess Thompson was RB but I can't see any of the other 3 as a LB.

Grant Hall.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Away from the fans element, my main talking point after watching ifollow was how can Stevenage place a camera in a position that doesn't cover the whole pitch. Had to guess in anticipation when the ball was about to be floated into the box on corners/crosses etc. Surely quite a basic thing on installation!

Hated everything about my only visit to stevenage in 2004. 2014 Lost 2-0
Having a look we had some decent players in the team!

FIFY 

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Before I read back i'll post my thoughts on Saturday as it was my first game in ages.

Good write up Bob, agree with all of that (I did read it, just didn't see any point in quoting it all)

[Legends-Lounge]

I have seen a post on FB from an elderly gent who was refused entry to the game and accused of being drunk when infact gphe is disabled with Parkinson’s. Had family with him too extended.

[JoeMezz]

I have seen a post on FB from an elderly gent who was refused entry to the game and accused of being drunk when infact gphe is disabled with Parkinson’s. Had family with him too extended.

That is absolutely horrendous. Sums up how bad the stewards were the other day.

[Legends-Lounge]

Here it is copied verbatim.
Nigel Pearce

ijust want people to remember this incident what happened to me yesterday at stevanagei traveled up to watch game and a really aggresive steward  denied me access to game saying I was drunk I have suffered  with  parkinsons diseasefor a number of years . which I informed him but know he stil refused toa let me innother steward advised me to go get a coffee   and sober up  s informed him no amount off coffee can cure parkinsons which had already upset mytwo sons and my 5yearold grandson ilater seen thev same steward ain a alticationwith some supportersi I hope these steward sare given the opertunity to trainhow todeal with crowdrather than intimadate themi am a 67yearold life time supporter and have never been in any trouble nor did ihave any trouble any otherclub awfull stewards very intimadating I shant be going there again

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

A couple of seasons ago Stevenage stewards made female Grimsby fans strip down in public before they would admit them.

‘Female football fans were left “shocked and stunned” when they were made to show their bras during security searches at Stevenage football club, a supporters’ group has said.

At least 10 Grimsby Town supporters had their bras checked by stewards before the League Two sides met on Saturday, according to the Mariners Trust.

A 70-year-old woman was among those left “mortified” by the searches outside Stevenage FC’s Lamex Stadium, the Guardian understands.

The English Football League said on Monday it was looking into the allegations. A spokesman for Stevenage FC said it was conducting an investigation.

In a letter sent by the Mariners Trust to Stevenage FC, the Grimsby Town fan group said female supporters were asked to lift up their tops to show their bras to female stewards in view of other supporters, including men and male stewards.

The group said the “gross invasion of privacy” went further when some female stewards asked to feel supporters’ bras if they confirmed that they were underwired. “This act would effectively constitute a sexual assault and these types of searches are unlawful,” the group said in its letter.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire police, which polices the Lamex Stadium, said it was looking into the allegations.

Paul Savage, the vice-chair of the Mariners Trust, was at the game on Saturday. He said fans were left “shocked and stunned” by the experience.

He said: “The police were actually in view of what happened. They were stood within 15 yards so if they didn’t see it I would be shocked.

“We are aware of at least 10 people who were asked to show their bras and all of them were shocked and stunned. It’s the horror of being asked to do something that bad, they went in and said to their friends and partners: ‘What just happened?’”

Savage said 10 supporters had contacted the Mariners Trust directly to say they were subjected to the searches, but more may have complained directly to Stevenage FC or Hertfordshire police.

He added: “What we can’t understand as football supporters is why Stevenage football club have told their stewards to do this. It’s not a policing issue, it’s a football club issue – they’ve told their stewards to check people’s bras and we can only assume they’ve been given some intelligence to do that. You don’t have it at airports, so why would you have it at a football club?

“Football fans get a bad press. There was no trouble, there were no arrests, nobody was chucked out of the ground. There was just a lot of bewildered and bemused and upset people.

“It wasn’t really until the game had finished and we all left when we thought ‘what on earth has just happened?’ and it all started to sink in.”

The Mariners Trust letter also claims Stevenage FC stewards carried out full-body searches on children as young as five, leaving at least one minor “visibly upset”, and confiscated safe objects including hand sanitiser from fans.

The group also complained that a female steward was posted inside the away fans’ men’s toilets throughout the game, which they said raised “significant safeguarding issues” regarding young children using the facilities.

In a statement, Stevenage FC’s safety officer, Steve Reed, said the stewarding on Saturday was “not typical” because they believed high-risk groups would be attending with the potential for antisocial behaviour.

Reed said the club implemented a “100% compliant” search regime due to a belief that prohibited items may be smuggled into the stadium by women and younger supporters.

He added: “Stewards used for this role in the away section of the stadium were provided by a reputable agency and are qualified to act as such. Searches conducted are recorded on CCTV and on this occasion, were in the presence of deployed police officers.

“No incidents were recorded on the day of any inappropriate behaviour towards female supporters or young spectators. Had such incidents been either reported or flagged up, the issues would have been dealt with immediately.

“The club takes these allegations seriously and will both study the CCTV footage and speak to the relevant parties to ensure that no infringements of accepted procedures took place.”

[Formerly Drummer Boy]

A couple of seasons ago Stevenage stewards made female Grimsby fans strip down in public before they would admit them.

‘Female football fans were left “shocked and stunned” when they were made to show their bras during security searches at Stevenage football club, a supporters’ group has said.

At least 10 Grimsby Town supporters had their bras checked by stewards before the League Two sides met on Saturday, according to the Mariners Trust.

A 70-year-old woman was among those left “mortified” by the searches outside Stevenage FC’s Lamex Stadium, the Guardian understands.

The English Football League said on Monday it was looking into the allegations. A spokesman for Stevenage FC said it was conducting an investigation.

In a letter sent by the Mariners Trust to Stevenage FC, the Grimsby Town fan group said female supporters were asked to lift up their tops to show their bras to female stewards in view of other supporters, including men and male stewards.

The group said the “gross invasion of privacy” went further when some female stewards asked to feel supporters’ bras if they confirmed that they were underwired. “This act would effectively constitute a sexual assault and these types of searches are unlawful,” the group said in its letter.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire police, which polices the Lamex Stadium, said it was looking into the allegations.

Paul Savage, the vice-chair of the Mariners Trust, was at the game on Saturday. He said fans were left “shocked and stunned” by the experience.

He said: “The police were actually in view of what happened. They were stood within 15 yards so if they didn’t see it I would be shocked.

“We are aware of at least 10 people who were asked to show their bras and all of them were shocked and stunned. It’s the horror of being asked to do something that bad, they went in and said to their friends and partners: ‘What just happened?’”

Savage said 10 supporters had contacted the Mariners Trust directly to say they were subjected to the searches, but more may have complained directly to Stevenage FC or Hertfordshire police.

He added: “What we can’t understand as football supporters is why Stevenage football club have told their stewards to do this. It’s not a policing issue, it’s a football club issue – they’ve told their stewards to check people’s bras and we can only assume they’ve been given some intelligence to do that. You don’t have it at airports, so why would you have it at a football club?

“Football fans get a bad press. There was no trouble, there were no arrests, nobody was chucked out of the ground. There was just a lot of bewildered and bemused and upset people.

“It wasn’t really until the game had finished and we all left when we thought ‘what on earth has just happened?’ and it all started to sink in.”

The Mariners Trust letter also claims Stevenage FC stewards carried out full-body searches on children as young as five, leaving at least one minor “visibly upset”, and confiscated safe objects including hand sanitiser from fans.

The group also complained that a female steward was posted inside the away fans’ men’s toilets throughout the game, which they said raised “significant safeguarding issues” regarding young children using the facilities.

In a statement, Stevenage FC’s safety officer, Steve Reed, said the stewarding on Saturday was “not typical” because they believed high-risk groups would be attending with the potential for antisocial behaviour.

Reed said the club implemented a “100% compliant” search regime due to a belief that prohibited items may be smuggled into the stadium by women and younger supporters.

He added: “Stewards used for this role in the away section of the stadium were provided by a reputable agency and are qualified to act as such. Searches conducted are recorded on CCTV and on this occasion, were in the presence of deployed police officers.

“No incidents were recorded on the day of any inappropriate behaviour towards female supporters or young spectators. Had such incidents been either reported or flagged up, the issues would have been dealt with immediately.

“The club takes these allegations seriously and will both study the CCTV footage and speak to the relevant parties to ensure that no infringements of accepted procedures took place.”

Nonsense… It was the fans fault of course!

[Wobbly Bob]

I understand that being in close proximity to other people in a near full away end is inevitable, but everyone there was willing to take the risk however small at the moment.
In a Covid world is it really appropriate or necessary for people to be frisked such that unwanted physical contact is unavoidable?
By all means search any bags but at the end of the day it's just a lower league football match.

[stfcjack]

I understand that being in close proximity to other people in a near full away end is inevitable, but everyone there was willing to take the risk however small at the moment.
In a Covid world is it really appropriate or necessary for people to be frisked such that unwanted physical contact is unavoidable?
By all means search any bags but at the end of the day it's just a lower league football match.

As we were being frisked on the way I did here one chap shout “that’s the most I’ve been touched in years” 😂😂

[Legends-Lounge]

A couple of seasons ago Stevenage stewards made female Grimsby fans strip down in public before they would admit them.

‘Female football fans were left “shocked and stunned” when they were made to show their bras during security searches at Stevenage football club, a supporters’ group has said.

At least 10 Grimsby Town supporters had their bras checked by stewards before the League Two sides met on Saturday, according to the Mariners Trust.

A 70-year-old woman was among those left “mortified” by the searches outside Stevenage FC’s Lamex Stadium, the Guardian understands.

The English Football League said on Monday it was looking into the allegations. A spokesman for Stevenage FC said it was conducting an investigation.

In a letter sent by the Mariners Trust to Stevenage FC, the Grimsby Town fan group said female supporters were asked to lift up their tops to show their bras to female stewards in view of other supporters, including men and male stewards.

The group said the “gross invasion of privacy” went further when some female stewards asked to feel supporters’ bras if they confirmed that they were underwired. “This act would effectively constitute a sexual assault and these types of searches are unlawful,” the group said in its letter.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire police, which polices the Lamex Stadium, said it was looking into the allegations.

Paul Savage, the vice-chair of the Mariners Trust, was at the game on Saturday. He said fans were left “shocked and stunned” by the experience.

He said: “The police were actually in view of what happened. They were stood within 15 yards so if they didn’t see it I would be shocked.

“We are aware of at least 10 people who were asked to show their bras and all of them were shocked and stunned. It’s the horror of being asked to do something that bad, they went in and said to their friends and partners: ‘What just happened?’”

Savage said 10 supporters had contacted the Mariners Trust directly to say they were subjected to the searches, but more may have complained directly to Stevenage FC or Hertfordshire police.

He added: “What we can’t understand as football supporters is why Stevenage football club have told their stewards to do this. It’s not a policing issue, it’s a football club issue – they’ve told their stewards to check people’s bras and we can only assume they’ve been given some intelligence to do that. You don’t have it at airports, so why would you have it at a football club?

“Football fans get a bad press. There was no trouble, there were no arrests, nobody was chucked out of the ground. There was just a lot of bewildered and bemused and upset people.

“It wasn’t really until the game had finished and we all left when we thought ‘what on earth has just happened?’ and it all started to sink in.”

The Mariners Trust letter also claims Stevenage FC stewards carried out full-body searches on children as young as five, leaving at least one minor “visibly upset”, and confiscated safe objects including hand sanitiser from fans.

The group also complained that a female steward was posted inside the away fans’ men’s toilets throughout the game, which they said raised “significant safeguarding issues” regarding young children using the facilities.

In a statement, Stevenage FC’s safety officer, Steve Reed, said the stewarding on Saturday was “not typical” because they believed high-risk groups would be attending with the potential for antisocial behaviour.

Reed said the club implemented a “100% compliant” search regime due to a belief that prohibited items may be smuggled into the stadium by women and younger supporters.

He added: “Stewards used for this role in the away section of the stadium were provided by a reputable agency and are qualified to act as such. Searches conducted are recorded on CCTV and on this occasion, were in the presence of deployed police officers.

“No incidents were recorded on the day of any inappropriate behaviour towards female supporters or young spectators. Had such incidents been either reported or flagged up, the issues would have been dealt with immediately.

“The club takes these allegations seriously and will both study the CCTV footage and speak to the relevant parties to ensure that no infringements of accepted procedures took place.”

In effect what the club are saying is that they can use any excuse they like, valid or otherwise to conduct themselves in any manner they like knowing full well that people have paid in advance and travelled miles to get to the game and are therefore more likely to be compliant. Any conduct or actions that ‘could’ be deemed ‘inappropriate’ or ‘unlawful’ has to be proven and reported to the club who, ah yes, make up the rules. A kangaroo court scenario if you will. I doubt very much anything will ever come of any allegations made by a football supporter towards stewards, club officials or police in any of these situations. Best bet is to boycott clubs like St. Evenage and deprive them of valuable away support income, which on the day for a visitor club like Swindon would be circa £20k.

[Frigby Daser]

The stewards appear to have verbally provoked. I wasn’t there, but I still struggle with that escalating to punches being thrown, bins (really??) and hoardings being thrown around. They need to grow up.

[JoeMezz]

The stewards appear to have verbally provoked. I wasn’t there, but I still struggle with that escalating to punches being thrown, bins (really??) and hoardings being thrown around. They need to grow up.

Completely agree. The stewards provoked and behaviour wouldn't have followed if they hadn't provoked. HOWEVER, the following behaviour was disgraceful and unacceptable

[Flashheart]

Cunts are cunts, regardless of which 'side' they're on. They should all be dealt with accordingly.