The West Stand Gate

[lord bunberry]

Why do they insist on closing the gate outside the West Stand at the away end. It’s a ****ing joke. I came out and there was no away fans to be seen, they were still inside celebrating with their team. I had to walk round to the other gate and by the time I got round the St Johnstone fans were all streaming out. The hibs fans from the south were also coming round and mixing with the St Johnstone fans, but that gate was still locked. If you’re leaving any of the other stands or the other end of the West you’re fine to walk round that way.
I’m getting really ****ing fed up of being held back while a couple of hundred away fans and everyone from the other stands stream past.
No wonder people leave early when that **** is going on. Is there any other stadium where this happens.

[Saturday Boy]

I think it was just Police Scotland and G4S being seen to do something after they did f-all on Wednesday.

[lord bunberry]

I think it was just Police Scotland and G4S being seen to do something after they did f-all on Wednesday.

If that’s what it was then it was a stupid idea considering that the hibs fans in the south were mixing with the St Johnstone fans after the game. As well as the fans from all the other stands.

[wookie70]

I asked a senior officer if it was a Police decision and he said it was the clubs. If it was then that is poor. You could walk up round the ticket office and walk through even more St Johnstone fans that you would have walking out the gate. Whoever is in charge of crowd control and Policing at football is doing a terrible job and adding to anger and issues rather than solving them

[lord bunberry]

I asked a senior officer if it was a Police decision and he said it was the clubs. If it was then that is poor. You could walk up round the ticket office and walk through even more St Johnstone fans that you would have walking out the gate. Whoever is in charge of crowd control and Policing at football is doing a terrible job and adding to anger and issues rather than solving them

That’s exactly what I did. As I was walking past the gate at the West it was still closed. By that time there was loads of hibs fans and St Johnstone fans mixing. I can understand it when it’s a category A game, but not for these games.

[JXM73]

It should be the away fans inconvenienced, not tge home fans....

[lord bunberry]

It should be the away fans inconvenienced, not tge home fans....

Exactly, especially when there’s two men and a dug in the away end.

[LustForLeith]

I was told to wait until they opened the gate. In all fairness there wasn’t many St Johnstone fans so I waited. About two minutes later they opened the gate and I continued on my way. I thought lot by the reaction of some of the others next to me that because we we’re getting held back that the world had ended. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that it hadn’t.

[lord bunberry]

I was told to wait until they opened the gate. In all fairness there wasn’t many St Johnstone fans so I waited. About two minutes later they opened the gate and I continued on my way. I thought lot by the reaction of some of the others next to me that because we we’re getting held back that the world had ended. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that it hadn’t.

It was certainly more than two minutes. If it’s not that big a deal why don’t we make the away fans wait? I waited for around five minutes before walking round to the other gate and by the time I’d walked round the gate was still closed. I don’t really see the point of your post to be honest.

[Saturday Boy]

I was told to wait until they opened the gate. In all fairness there wasn’t many St Johnstone fans so I waited. About two minutes later they opened the gate and I continued on my way. I thought lot by the reaction of some of the others next to me that because we we’re getting held back that the world had ended. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that it hadn’t.

There was a tannoy announcement telling the fans at the gate that they would be locked for at least a further 5 minutes and we should exit via the car park and turn left into Albion Place. Which meant we were walking on the other side of the locked gates. Pointless to a new level.

[wookie70]

There was a tannoy announcement telling the fans at the gate that they would be locked for at least a further 5 minutes and we should exit via the car park and turn left into Albion Place. Which meant we were walking on the other side of the locked gates. Pointless to a new level.

It is like that for the Cat A games too. You can walk out at the ticket office and the Police at the barrier in the road don't stop you so you end up walking through twice as many away fans and then past the gate they stopped you coming out of. Whoever comes up with these decisions is brain dead. I would also include allowing traffic to move along past the ground as the crown exits is crazy.

[LustForLeith]

It was certainly more than two minutes. If it’s not that big a deal why don’t we make the away fans wait? I waited for around five minutes before walking round to the other gate and by the time I’d walked round the gate was still closed. I don’t really see the point of your post to be honest.

First world problems mate.

[matty_f]

It was certainly more than two minutes. If it’s not that big a deal why don’t we make the away fans wait? I waited for around five minutes before walking round to the other gate and by the time I’d walked round the gate was still closed. I don’t really see the point of your post to be honest.

It was open by the time I'd got down to it from my seat in the West upper.

I agree that most of the time it's a nonsense that it's shut.

[wookie70]

First world problems mate.

1st world problems that do not need to exist. It probably added 15-20 minutes on to my journey home and made my wife late as I was due to give her a lift. I have no issue with safety measure that make sense but this is just peeing off fans for the sake of it as far as I can see and I will be very disappointed if it was the club that decided on this. If it was The Police I will not be surprised in the slightest as they seem completely incapable of making positive contributions at football.

[familyman]

There was a tannoy announcement telling the fans at the gate that they would be locked for at least a further 5 minutes and we should exit via the car park and turn left into Albion Place. Which meant we were walking on the other side of the locked gates. Pointless to a new level.
Well it was annoying to wait for 10 minutes and a nonsense when we could see through the gate Hibs and St J fans mixing anyway..THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE END OF THE GAME TO TELL SUPPORTERS....but mainly some common sense as on this particular day all it did was raise raise tempers and inflame the situation which is exactly what we should be avoiding!!!:agree:

[LustForLeith]

1st world problems that do not need to exist. It probably added 15-20 minutes on to my journey home and made my wife late as I was due to give her a lift. I have no issue with safety measure that make sense but this is just peeing off fans for the sake of it as far as I can see and I will be very disappointed if it was the club that decided on this. If it was The Police I will not be surprised in the slightest as they seem completely incapable of making positive contributions at football.

Judging by the guy who kept going on at the policeman over and over and over again to open the door it wasn’t a police decisive or if it was the policeman who was telling him he couldn’t open the door was only acting on orders of his supervisors.

I’ve seen that gate closed a few times now and agree it’s poitnless and apologies that your wife was late but in the grand scheme of things it’s still a first world problem.

[Eyrie]

It was certainly more than two minutes and was completely pointless when Hibs and St Johnstone fans were walking along Albion Road. together.

[wookie70]

:wink:
Judging by the guy who kept going on at the policeman over and over and over again to open the door it wasn’t a police decisive or if it was the policeman who was telling him he couldn’t open the door was only acting on orders of his supervisors.

I’ve seen that gate closed a few times now and agree it’s poitnless and apologies that your wife was late but in the grand scheme of things it’s still a first world problem.

Not disagreeing it is a 1st World problem. That guy wasn't me I asked the steward who ignored me and then a Policeman who said it was the club. It can still get on my .... though and add to that a poor game and late goal to defeat us. Cut me some slack and let me vent a bit:wink:

[LustForLeith]

:wink:

Not disagreeing it is a 1st World problem. That guy wasn't me I asked the steward who ignored me and then a Policeman who said it was the club. It can still get on my .... though and add to that a poor game and late goal to defeat us. Cut me some slack and let me vent a bit:wink:

Apologies mate, no offence meant. It is poitnless but I don’t think the result helped!

[wookie70]

Apologies mate, no offence meant. It is poitnless but I don’t think the result helped! No need to apologise, and you are spot on about the result!

[dp00]

There are some madness decisions ... I walked out the ground just past door then remembered I was walking up town and it would be a good idea to go to toilet and the steward who had watched me walk out wouldn’t let me back in because of security [emoji1745]*[emoji3603]


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[stoneyburn hibs]

Why do they insist on closing the gate outside the West Stand at the away end. It’s a ****ing joke. I came out and there was no away fans to be seen, they were still inside celebrating with their team. I had to walk round to the other gate and by the time I got round the St Johnstone fans were all streaming out. The hibs fans from the south were also coming round and mixing with the St Johnstone fans, but that gate was still locked. If you’re leaving any of the other stands or the other end of the West you’re fine to walk round that way.
I’m getting really ****ing fed up of being held back while a couple of hundred away fans and everyone from the other stands stream past.
No wonder people leave early when that **** is going on. Is there any other stadium where this happens.

Why no just walk round then?
It's been that way for a long time now.

[hibbysam]

Curious, but is it maybe more to do with traffic not using the gate until crowds disperse? Obviously some folks park in the car park and if the gates open may attempt to rush on through. Just another slant on it, however.

[Rocky]

Why no just walk round then?
It's been that way for a long time now.

No it hasn't, that gate is very rarely closed except for Cat A games

[Phil MaGlass]

How aboot a wee email to the club?

[LustForLeith]

I think that the logic is that the away fans head over the bridge after the game (away supporters are clearly unaware of parking at Sainsbury’s. Shhhhhhhh) and to reduce the risk of Hibs fans joining awaybfans as quickly at the bridge they lock the gate. But as many people say you can walk round in a few minutes to get to the bridge: it’s not ideal if you’re a member of the Sainsbury’s Meadowbank Carpark Posse.

I noticed yesterday that a couple of St Johnstone fans were having a wee dig at Hibs fans from the other side of the gate. This wouldn’t have happened if there wasn’t a gate.

Maybe some clarification from the club on the decision would help matter?

[LustForLeith]

How aboot a wee email to the club?

Apologies, I just posted a reply as if I was Oscar Wilde and you’ve oeetty much summed up what I was meaning

[Brightside]

Wait 10 mins and it’s opened. Non issue

[Danderhall Hibs]

Wait 10 mins and it’s opened. Non issue

Why close it in the first place? Would still be a non issue.

[Eyrie]

If the gates are closed then the stewards/police need to be pro-active in advising us how long we will be stuck for and what other options are available. No-one wants to have to trail through Lochend Park or down St Clair Street if their car is at Sainsburys. A police officer yesterday actually denied that the gates are normally open, which didn't help the situation.

Category A games are a different matter, although surely the same logic that sees our fans kept back at Ibrox or Parkhead should be applied to the away support.

[Scouse Hibee]

Wait 10 mins and it’s opened. Non issue

It took less than two minutes to reach the bridge leaving by the ticket office gate so why wait 10 minutes?

[Cardinal G]

I was on train yesterday so wasn't a problem however as I park at Sainsburys when driving I can understand frustrations being vented.
Fine for cat a games but yesterday what made it pointless was south stand fans mixing with away, defeated the object really.
Perhaps something for fans reps to look into.

[wookie70]

I was on train yesterday so wasn't a problem however as I park at Sainsburys when driving I can understand frustrations being vented.
Fine for cat a games but yesterday what made it pointless was south stand fans mixing with away, defeated the object really.
Perhaps something for fans reps to look into.

If it was the club's idea then maybe the reps have already looked into it.

I might have missed it but an announcement at the game or better still something on the website with an explanation would have at least let you know it was going to happen and why. My biggest problem with these thing isn't so much supporter's time being wasted but the fact it adds to fan's anger, is completely pointless and makes those in charge of our game look like idiots who don't have a clue about football fans behaviour.

I also loathe that we are the ones forced to wait at away grounds and Easter Road against teams like The Rangers and now we even have to wait for 400 odd St J fans. The authorities could just make it easier and say away fans give way to home fans unless there are specific issues.

[Scouse Hibee]

If it was the club's idea then maybe the reps have already looked into it.

I might have missed it but an announcement at the game or better still something on the website with an explanation would have at least let you know it was going to happen and why. My biggest problem with these thing isn't so much supporter's time being wasted but the fact it adds to fan's anger, is completely pointless and makes those in charge of our game look like idiots who don't have a clue about football fans behaviour.

I also loathe that we are the ones forced to wait at away grounds and Easter Road against teams like The Rangers and now we even have to wait for 400 odd St J fans. The authorities could just make it easier and say away fans give way to home fans unless there are specific issues.

It took literally less than two minutes to walk around, there really isn’t an issue here.

[Nakedmanoncrack]

It took literally less than two minutes to walk around, there really isn’t an issue here.

Fairly sure that if we'd won - nobody would be getting worked up about something so minor.

[Danderhall Hibs]

Fairly sure that if we'd won - nobody would be getting worked up about something so minor.

They would - there was a similar thread after the Killie game last season (5-3 game) when they locked the gates for no apparent reason.

[LustForLeith]

Get the gate out of the West Stand car park and put it in the Hibs defence

Sorted

[Eyrie]

It took literally less than two minutes to walk around, there really isn’t an issue here.

That makes the closure of the gates even more ridiculous, as we could have all left by the ticket office gate and then headed back up Albion Road to get to Sainsburys.

[PatHead]

It took literally less than two minutes to walk around, there really isn’t an issue here.

You must be a very quick walker.

[Jones28]

Well this really puts the result into perspective. I thought we had issues on the pitch but jeesh

[Scouse Hibee]

You must be a very quick walker.

Really? How long do you expect it to take to walk the length of the car park,out the gate by the ticket office and turn left to the bridge.

[Scouse Hibee]

That makes the closure of the gates even more ridiculous, as we could have all left by the ticket office gate and then headed back up Albion Road to get to Sainsburys.

Not sure why you didn’t.

[Danderhall Hibs]

Not sure why you didn’t.

Last time they done this they also closed off that way so I waited this time.

[Eyrie]

Not sure why you didn’t.

Same reason as Danderhall Hibs. Will try that next time this farce happens.

[BILLYHIBS]

Came out the West walked along Albion Road walked right into the St Johnstone casuals singing their songs “Oh the Hibees are *****!”

There were at least ten of them

I heard them say they were having a great day out and were going down to Robbies.

The segregation did not work and their songs upset me! :greengrin

[Rocky]

Everyone else seems to be under the impression that this gate is closed regularly but that's not my experience until Saturday's match. However I'm usually out quick as my seat is close to a vomitorium (!). My laddie went for a pee on Saturday though so I was later out, so the gate was closed.

This makes me think that closing the gate isn't so much about segregation as it is about reducing overcrowding at the bridge - I've noticed it does get really busy there if I'm delayed by even a few minutes.

If so, at least that makes some sense - it's always a bit of a mare at the bridge but I can imagine it could get a bit dangerous if the number of people queuing / shoving through got beyond a certain level

[PatHead]

Really? How long do you expect it to take to walk the length of the car park,out the gate by the ticket office and turn left to the bridge.

I don’t go over the bridge. I turn left and go to the Sainsburys path. It means that I have to walk through away fans for the whole length of the street rather than 30 yards. Makes no sense.

[wookie70]

Everyone else seems to be under the impression that this gate is closed regularly but that's not my experience until Saturday's match. However I'm usually out quick as my seat is close to a vomitorium (!). My laddie went for a pee on Saturday though so I was later out, so the gate was closed.

This makes me think that closing the gate isn't so much about segregation as it is about reducing overcrowding at the bridge - I've noticed it does get really busy there if I'm delayed by even a few minutes.

If so, at least that makes some sense - it's always a bit of a mare at the bridge but I can imagine it could get a bit dangerous if the number of people queuing / shoving through got beyond a certain level

Have a barrier at the bridge

[Scouse Hibee]

Have a barrier at the bridge

It doesn’t help that the gates at the bridge are locked closed on one side creating a chicane for the crowds to move through.

[Rocky]

It doesn’t help that the gates at the bridge are locked closed on one side creating a chicane for the crowds to move through.

I think that's intentional too to reduce the number of people on the bridge at one time