Stewarding and general crowd management at the Bus Shelter

[LewysGot2]

Today was Keystone cops stuff prior to kick off with the stewards only starting to create barrier lines at 5 to 2, ploughing through a large group of fans who'd arrived punctually as always requested by the clubs. At 2pm folk at the front misunderstood what was going on as direction was rank rotten and the steward supervisor was losing his rag at the hired hands over getting the barriers up. Folk just began filtering past towards the turnstiles and then he went full Corporal Jones shouting for folks to stop. Really shambolic stuff. Then, inside the ground, we'll after 2pm they wouldn't let Folk inside the actual arena. Stewards standing at the entry tunnels for each section telling Folk to stay in the concourse.

So, you either need to be actually ready well ahead of the 2pm alleged opening time or chaos will continue to ensue time and time ago.

Absolute amateurs

[7Hero]

Send your compalint to ha ha hartz..

[Hibs90]

Overheard a police officer say to a fan it was cos of Hearts turnstiles.

Treated like cattle.

[givescotlandfreedom]

meanwhile the fat Hertz 'Safety manager' was pishing his breeks.

Foulkes?

[Cod Boy]

The amount of folk vaping in there seats every minute blowing all the guff around into folks faces they don’t care about anyone

[Carheenlea]

Arrived after 2.30 or so, got in quickly, stewards politely asked for tickets and a quick search of bag. In no bother.

No complaints from our group today.

[Pretty Boy]

I thought it was better today with the crowd further round the corner and letting folk through in smaller groups. Once you got through the horses and police line there was no queue of note at either the search point or turnstiles. Most of the bother seemed to be caused by people being impatient and trying to barge through their fellow fans.

I was there sharp but stood at the bridge to meet people and we joined the main group about 2.15. We were through and in the ground by 2.30.

[Skol]

The queue before you even turned the corner was a joke and risked some of the bampots kicking off. Then the whole cordon seemed to be dropped and it was just back to the usual melee

[hibbymick]

Today was Keystone cops stuff prior to kick off with the stewards only starting to create barrier lines at 5 to 2, ploughing through a large group of fans who'd arrived punctually as always requested by the clubs. At 2pm folk at the front misunderstood what was going on as direction was rank rotten and the steward supervisor was losing his rag at the hired hands over getting the barriers up. Folk just began filtering past towards the turnstiles and then he went full Corporal Jones shouting for folks to stop. Really shambolic stuff. Then, inside the ground, we'll after 2pm they wouldn't let Folk inside the actual arena. Stewards standing at the entry tunnels for each section telling Folk to stay in the concourse.

So, you either need to be actually ready well ahead of the 2pm alleged opening time or chaos will continue to ensue time and time ago.

Absolute amateurs

I'm surprised none of they hired hands never decked him for the way he spoke to them. An absolute clown of a man.

[LaMotta]

Whose arriving an hour before KO? Turned up at 2.55 straight in and straight to seat. Some wee fuds in our seats got swiftly told to fk off though�� Really strange just not sitting in your own seat.

[Logie Green]

I agree it was a bit shambolic when they first opened the turnstiles due to not being prepared.

However what was worse was the dozens, if not hundreds, of Hibs ‘fans’ standing in the walkway throughout the game meaning that folk behind them couldn’t see the goals/six yard box. The stewards tried their best; a policeman told me it’s not their responsibility.

[LewysGot2]

I'm surprised none of they hired hands never decked him for the way he spoke to them. An absolute clown of a man.

He was awful to them.

[Hedlund12]

Overheard a police officer say to a fan it was cos of Hearts turnstiles.

A load of ****. Treated like animals and meanwhile the fat Hertz 'Safety manager' was pishing his breeks.

I spoke to a police officer to try and find out why they used the approach they did today. He said something to the effect that it was because at the previous Hibs game it had been chaos nearer the turnstiles with crowd control!

He said once you get through this part there shouldn't be much queues.

I said to him I thought the approach today was a disaster waiting to happen - he was a decent enough guy - he actually agreed and encouraged me to complain to Police Scotland.

I met my friend at the Roseburn bar at 14:00. We headed straight to the game. We got into the ground at 14:40.

Containing a few thousand people in a situation like today with no structure or organisation was IMO downright stupidity, there was unrest in the crowd - had there been a surge forward... there would have been some fans injured today. For me... it wasn't the best laid plan!

Using lines of barriers to create separate lines/queues is a much better approach.
This is done as you approach the gates to the turnstiles.. make these lines longer... use more barriers, it can't be difficult to apply a bit more common sense.

I also heard a fan telling a policeman in the stadium "that someone was going to get seriously hurt outside!"

I hope someone from Hibs takes note and also feeds back from a fans safety perspective.

I was a **** and dangerous set up today.

[matty_f]

I spoke to a police officer to try and find out why they used the approach they did today. He said something to the effect that it was because at the previous Hibs game it had been chaos nearer the turnstiles with crowd control!

He said once you get through this part there shouldn't be much queues.

I said to him I thought the approach today was a disaster waiting to happen - he was a decent enough guy - he actually agreed and encouraged me to complain to Police Scotland.

I met my friend at the Roseburn bar at 14:00. We headed straight to the game. We got into the ground at 14:40.

Containing a few thousand people in a situation like today with no structure or organisation was IMO downright stupidity, there was unrest in the crowd - had there been a surge forward... there would have been some fans injured today. For me... it wasn't the best laid plan!

Using lines of barriers to create separate lines/queues is a much better approach.
This is done as you approach the gates to the turnstiles.. make these lines longer... use more barriers, it can't be difficult to apply a bit more common sense.

I also heard a fan telling a policeman in the stadium "that someone was going to get seriously hurt outside!"

I hope someone from Hibs takes note and also feeds back from a fans safety perspective.

I was a **** and dangerous set up today.

The biggest issue with cattling us all in to one big mob is that when they start letting folk through, there are big surges as folk try to push through before they stop folk coming through again.


Once through that bit, it was easy getting in, though i would say that there is absolutely no point in doing searches when the folk doing the searching are basically pretending they’re doing something. If you’re going to search, search, i really don’t need someone patting me down to pretend they’re doing a search.

[happiehibbie]

The amount of folk vaping in there seats every minute blowing all the guff around into folks faces they don’t care about anyone


I agree Its getting worse everywhere we had it on the plane the other week

[B.H.F.C]

Was absolutely fine for us getting in there for a change. Couple of ticket checks but that was it, pretty much straight in. Would probably have been about 20 minutes before KO.

[Hiber-nation]

I'm surprised none of they hired hands never decked him for the way he spoke to them. An absolute clown of a man.

Couple of guys behind me were giving him a few choice words and rightly so. I wonder if they did actually report him. Bullying your staff and seemingly enjoying it with an audience present. An utter welt of a man.

[BoomtownHibees]

Coming in from the Gorgie Road end helped as we were straight in to to the ticket check bit, avoiding the queuing round the corner

[wookie70]

I got there around 2.10. I usually try to be in front of the march but they might have been earlier than usual. Not a huge amount of fans when I got to the end of the queue but probably took 25 minutes to get in the ground. The police and stewarding seem designed to get fans annoyed imo.

Between the mess under the bridge, watching youngsters hammer on cars(probably disabled fans cars) as they waited, police cones being thrown over walls, a fan completely smashed fighting with a steward and then being carted away, the ridiculous blocking of the concourse, the drinking in the bogs, p***ing in sinks it does make me wonder why I bother with Tiny. Reaching my seats hoping they aren't where the Block 7 and hangers on have decided to sit is the last bit of a truly miserable experience and as soon as you are in the seats and have avoided the tanked up youngsters then you can relax and enjoy the spectacle.

I've plenty experience of badly behave fitba fans but this generation are the worst I have seen in terms of making matches less enjoyable for those supporting the same team. Very much like the Uglies in the way they behave. In fairness to the Police they probably think that the levels of policing on entry are consistent with the behaviour and potential issues that this significant group of our support pose. Looks like the next time I'll have to leave even earlier.

[Baldy Foghorn]

Watching the youngsters swaggering in after coming up the stairs to concourse was like a super strength appeared in them. Maybe excited to be in the game, or maybe I'm getting old

[Itsnoteasy]

Got to feel sorry for those in ♿️🦼🦽 at Tynie. Fans allowed to stand on walkway between lower & upper tier blocking their view. Yesterday was as bad as I've seen it.

[LewysGot2]

Got to feel sorry for those in ♿️🦼🦽 at Tynie. Fans allowed to stand on walkway between lower & upper tier blocking the view. Yesterday was as bad as I've seen it.

They tried to clear it with limited success. At HT they started checking tickets of folk trying to return to lower section of the pretendy 2 tier stand resulting in several being refused entry - so more ended up on the walkway.

The issues?

As always, folk not going to their own seats. Folk congregating in areas at the expense of others. Poor signage in the Bus Shelter. Its not that difficult but for pissed fans used to a stadium where each seat in any row has a unique number trying to navigate one where numbers repeat every block seems a challenge.

Poor stewarding and policing.

Ticket sales experience where so many folk only able to get single seats exacerbate issue 1.

[Carheenlea]

They tried to clear it with limited success. At HT they started checking tickets of folk trying to return to lower section of the pretendy 2 tier stand resulting in several being refused entry - so more ended up on the walkway.

The issues?

As always, folk not going to their own seats. Folk congregating in areas at the expense of others. Poor signage in the Bus Shelter. Its not that difficult but for pissed fans used to a stadium where each seat in any row has a unique number trying to navigate one where numbers repeat every block seems a challenge.

Poor stewarding and policing.

Ticket sales experience where so many folk only able to get single seats exacerbate issue 1.

What’s the thinking behind this as to why it is deemed better than the traditional way of numbering rows and seats in the straightforward manner?

[Billy Whizz]

What’s the thinking behind this as to why it is deemed better than the traditional way of numbering rows and seats in the straightforward manner?

And only H&J show on the ticket

[LewysGot2]

What’s the thinking behind this as to why it is deemed better than the traditional way of numbering rows and seats in the straightforward manner?

They're not the only club within- Livingston have it, too.

It definitely causes confusion for some.

Only benefit would be less seat numbers to pay for - and that's just me trying to find any benefit to them. Double digits less to pay for than triple digits, bulk buying of a number more likely...

I mean, I can't think of anything else that makes sense?

[BoomtownHibees]

They're not the only club within- Livingston have it, too.

It definitely causes confusion for some.

Only benefit would be less seat numbers to pay for - and that's just me trying to find any benefit to them. Double digits less to pay for than triple digits, bulk buying of a number more likely...

I mean, I can't think of anything else that makes sense?

The seats are also numbered right to left as well I’m sure. Makes no sense at all

[wookie70]

The seats are also numbered right to left as well I’m sure. Makes no sense at all

It might make little sense but it isn't exactly hard to work out. Good signage in the concourse, giant letters at the top saying what the sections are and most of the seats seem clearly numbered. You have to be pretty hard of thinking if it takes longer than a couple of seconds to work it out

[LewysGot2]

The seats are also numbered right to left as well I’m sure. Makes no sense at all

Indeed they are! Letters for sections left to right, numbers in sections ordered right to left

[Blaster]

Last 2 games there we’ve left it as late as possible to walk up to the ground. Got there about 2.50 and straight up and in. Actually joking with the police as they were still there in huge numbers as 7 of us headed in.

[Silversand]

Spoke to an orange capped polis, said he was Glasgow based & agreed that the policing/ stewarding was a shambles.

Sent from my SM-S911B using Tapatalk

[Hibby70]

Indeed they are! Letters for sections left to right, numbers in sections ordered right to left

And the set of seats can be in 2 sections, with the signage almost invisible if folk are standing in front of it.

It's a horrible design and makes no sense.

[franck sauzee]

I thought it was better today with the crowd further round the corner and letting folk through in smaller groups. Once you got through the horses and police line there was no queue of note at either the search point or turnstiles. Most of the bother seemed to be caused by people being impatient and trying to barge through their fellow fans.

I was there sharp but stood at the bridge to meet people and we joined the main group about 2.15. We were through and in the ground by 2.30.

Agreed but the police could have explained what was going on. Everyone started getting really impatient because they thought they had a massive wait to get in

[PHeffernan]

I got there around 2.10. I usually try to be in front of the march but they might have been earlier than usual. Not a huge amount of fans when I got to the end of the queue but probably took 25 minutes to get in the ground. The police and stewarding seem designed to get fans annoyed imo.

Between the mess under the bridge, watching youngsters hammer on cars(probably disabled fans cars) as they waited, police cones being thrown over walls, a fan completely smashed fighting with a steward and then being carted away, the ridiculous blocking of the concourse, the drinking in the bogs, p***ing in sinks it does make me wonder why I bother with Tiny. Reaching my seats hoping they aren't where the Block 7 and hangers on have decided to sit is the last bit of a truly miserable experience and as soon as you are in the seats and have avoided the tanked up youngsters then you can relax and enjoy the spectacle.

I've plenty experience of badly behave fitba fans but this generation are the worst I have seen in terms of making matches less enjoyable for those supporting the same team. Very much like the Uglies in the way they behave. In fairness to the Police they probably think that the levels of policing on entry are consistent with the behaviour and potential issues that this significant group of our support pose. Looks like the next time I'll have to leave even earlier.

You missed out the halfwit(s) who physically broke a sink in the toilets and the one who threw a smoke bomb onto the expensive playing surface.
Another two bills for Hibs to pay to go along with all the busted seats at Motherwell and the UEFA fine for throwing a smoke bomb onto the pitch against Inter ... our own new expensive pitch!
Braindeid fuds are persistantly costing our club money that could be better spent elsewhere. The kicker is yesterdays sink breaker and smoke bomb thrower are Hibs season ticket holders i.e. folk that are supposed to care about our club.

[LewysGot2]

You missed out the halfwit(s) who physically broke a sink in the toilets and the one who threw a smoke bomb onto the expensive playing surface.
Another two bills for Hibs to pay to go along with all the busted seats at Motherwell and the UEFA fine for throwing a smoke bomb onto our pitch against Inter whilst burning our own new expensive pitch.
Braindeid fuds are persistantly costing our club money that could be better spent elsewhere. The kicker is yesterdays sink breaker and smoke bomb thrower are Hibs season ticket holders i.e. folk that are supposed to care about our club.

They probably are but not definitely so. There were non-STHs there yesterday, as always. Bumped into 2 guys I went to school with who are not STHs. There was even a guy who was a Dundee Utd fan along to see an Edinburgh Derby- ticket courtesy of someone working for Hibs.

[xyz23jc]

It's a horrible design and makes no sense.[/QUOTE]

WE have a winner on the definition of The self-appointed Gorgie Galacticos...! Nobel Prize an several levels, incoming ....! :top marks:greengrin

[the_ginger_hibee]

Easily the worst away game we have now for experience. Used to be Ibrox. Annoyingly a lot of it is thanks to our own fans as well.

Watching a melted 40 year old boot a seat into pieces at half time into a kid in front then run into 3 different rows to do the same at the equaliser. Bizarre behaviour.

The nonsense trying to walk through the tunnel, the setup at the turnstiles, the hassle of getting to a seat etc. etc. Making it unallocated is a start. A bit of maturity from some would help even more.

[PHeffernan]

They probably are but not definitely so. There were non-STHs there yesterday, as always. Bumped into 2 guys I went to school with who are not STHs. There was even a guy who was a Dundee Utd fan along to see an Edinburgh Derby- ticket courtesy of someone working for Hibs.

I can't see a STH or person at the club chancing their ST/reputation by giving tickets to a sink or seat assaulter type given it would be directly traceable back to them.

[CropleyWasGod]

I can't see a STH or person at the club chancing their ST/reputation by giving tickets to a sink or seat assaulter given it would be directly traceable back to them.

The trick would be to assault someone else's seat, no?

(although that does assume that said seat-assaulter would have the brains to do that.)

[LewysGot2]

I can't see a STH or person at the club chancing their ST/reputation by giving tickets to a sink or seat assaulter type given it would be directly traceable back to them.

Except a) folk often don't sit where they should and b) you'd find anyone getting involved in it would doubtless quickly have "lost" their ticket and won't be saying how they got their ticket...

Not sure every STH worries about their reputation either going by the kind of things we've seen some supporters in court for over the years. Certainly not when intoxicated.

[DH1875]

Know for a fact non season ticket holders had tickets for the game. Weird as they (the same people) had tickets in our end for Villa away as well.

[PHeffernan]

The trick would be to assault someone else's seat, no?

(although that does assume that said seat-assaulter would have the brains to do that.)

Nah, generally CCTV is used after the fact to identify those breaking seats, throwing stuff on the pitch etc etc.
Probably why the idiot broke a sink in the toilet yesterday. Brave as ****. No inanimate object is safe from pavement dancers.

[GreenCastle]

Know for a fact non season ticket holders had tickets for the game. Weird as they (the same people) had tickets in our end for Villa away as well.

This is why loyalty points still wouldn’t stop non ST holders getting in.

If you want to know who is going it needs collection and an ID check. Which I doubt anyone wants.

[PHeffernan]

Except a) folk often don't sit where they should and b) you'd find anyone getting involved in it would doubtless quickly have "lost" their ticket and won't be saying how they got their ticket...

Not sure every STH worries about their reputation either going by the kind of things we've seen some supporters in court for over the years. Certainly not when intoxicated.

Re a) CCTV will take care of identifying the culprit and after Police involvement the club will confirm if the culprit is a STH or an account holder, if they are none I presume the club can still add the name to their banned list. CCTV image quality at Easter Road is top notch and coverage is total and searchable. Don't know how good it is at other clubs.

Re reputation, I meant employees. You said someone at the club provided a Dundee Utd fan with a ticket. An employee would have to be pretty sure of the person they were supplying a ticket to.

[PHeffernan]

Know for a fact non season ticket holders had tickets for the game. Weird as they (the same people) had tickets in our end for Villa away as well.

The numbers will be small but sponsors and employees will have access to tickets but I suspect they are not the folk making a chorus and verse of themselves.

[LewysGot2]

Re a) CCTV will take care of identifying the culprit and after Police involvement the club will confirm if the culprit is a STH or an account holder, if they are none I presume the club can still add the name to their banned list. CCTV image quality at Easter Road is top notch and coverage is total and searchable. Don't know how good it is at other clubs.

Re reputation, I meant employees. You said someone at the club provided a Dundee Utd fan with a ticket. An employee would have to be pretty sure of the person they were supplying a ticket to.

There's a reason so many of our younger cohort wear all black/hats/caps/face coverings...and why they are so keen to move about. Its avoiding detection. Fairly widespread patten across supports where there's an "ultras" type movement.

The reality is folk continue to attempt to circumvent rules in order the behave the way they obviously get their kicks. They neither seem to care about our club or the other fans.

The employee was with the Utd fan. It's a shame the ticket wasn't available to a Hibs fan desperately wanting to go

[PHeffernan]

There's a reason so many of our younger cohort wear all black/hats/caps/face coverings...and why they are so keen to move about. Its avoiding detection. Fairly widespread patten across supports where there's an "ultras" type movement.

The reality is folk continue to attempt to circumvent rules in order the behave the way they obviously get their kicks. They neither seem to care about our club or the other fans.

The employee was with the Utd fan. It's a shame the ticket wasn't available to a Hibs fan desperately wanting to go

Agreed, the clubs should add no face coverings to their ground rules for away supporters and employ mask puller offerers :wink: to ensure compliance.

[Scouse Hibee]

Know for a fact non season ticket holders had tickets for the game. Weird as they (the same people) had tickets in our end for Villa away as well.

Not weird at all, if you think only ST holders attend these games you’re very much mistaken. Always “spares” being sold.

[Brooster]

I seen folk at Villa and tynie who will hardly be at another home or away game all season, annoying when good Hibbys are missing out. I'd like to know how many tynie tickets Hibs keep aside as comps, must be hundreds when you consider part time youth coaches, office staff, kitchen staff and whoever else can easily get tickets for mates. Time to stop that nonsense.

[Carheenlea]

I seen folk at Villa and tynie who will hardly be at another home or away game all season, annoying when good Hibbys are missing out. I'd like to know how many tynie tickets Hibs keep aside as comps, must be hundreds when you consider part time youth coaches, office staff, kitchen staff and whoever else can easily get tickets for mates. Time to stop that nonsense.

I’d like Hibs to tell us exactly how many tickets are available for any particular sale, especially when demand will be high.

We all know what the allocation is as such, but why wouldn’t they tell us in advance of how many tickets will be put on sale for games such as Tynecastle last week? Not what the stand holds, but the actual number available to buy. The main reason being for me would be to give supporters more sense of how realistic their chances are going to be in securing a ticket. The chances are there are not as many tickets being put on sale than we think.

Block 7 were lucky to secure tickets directly behind the goal down their favourite front of stand location again.

[matty_f]

I’d like Hibs to tell us exactly how many tickets are available for any particular sale, especially when demand will be high.

We all know what the allocation is as such, but why wouldn’t they tell us in advance of how many tickets will be put on sale for games such as Tynecastle last week? Not what the stand holds, but the actual number available to buy. The main reason being for me would be to give supporters more sense of how realistic their chances are going to be in securing a ticket. The chances are there are not as many tickets being put on sale than we think.

Block 7 were lucky to secure tickets directly behind the goal down their favourite front of stand location again.

Did they all get tickets there though, there are plenty rumours of folk just sitting where they wanted?

If it isn’t that, then you’d have to say that there’s no way they’ve been lucky enough to all have got on, got tickets and got them in exactly the same area, unless they’re all in Hibs First?

[Pretty Boy]

I’d like Hibs to tell us exactly how many tickets are available for any particular sale, especially when demand will be high.

We all know what the allocation is as such, but why wouldn’t they tell us in advance of how many tickets will be put on sale for games such as Tynecastle last week? Not what the stand holds, but the actual number available to buy. The main reason being for me would be to give supporters more sense of how realistic their chances are going to be in securing a ticket. The chances are there are not as many tickets being put on sale than we think.

Block 7 were lucky to secure tickets directly behind the goal down their favourite front of stand location again.

I think the issue there would be that if Hibs did tell us people just wouldn't believe them if it didn't suit their viewpoint.

There was a direct answer given from Kieran that Block7 weren't given priority for tickets after people felt the previous answer was vague. Here we are a few weeks later and the insinuation they are given priority has reared it's head again.

I know for the Villa game the women's team players weren't given any tickets (I'm not arguing they should have been, just stating they weren't) but if the belief is that under 12 coaches, cleaners and chefs are getting tickets then I daresay someone would dispute what I have just said. I'm not saying I don't believe there are a lot of tickets ending up in the hands of employees and inevitably being passed on but it's near guaranteed that if Hibs said it was 300, someone would be along to say they knew it was actually 500.

[marinello59]

Did they all get tickets there though, there are plenty rumours of folk just sitting where they wanted?

If it isn’t that, then you’d have to say that there’s no way they’ve been lucky enough to all have got on, got tickets and got them in exactly the same area, unless they’re all in Hibs First?

The guys themselves were letting it be known that was their allocated area.

[superfurryhibby]

The guys themselves were letting it be known that was their allocated area.

A euphemism which actually means we do what we want.