Stewarding at game v S.Moors

[NORFOLKAND LYNN]

  It was great back in the north Terrace singing for Lynn, great for Burrows to get the goal, it was clear the team played for the crowd. me and my  sons really enjoyed the game.

However the evening was spoiled by the marshalling by stewards at half time, who put tape all over the place with no explanation, it seemed they seemed on intent of inciting us to cause trouble and then at the end they strung out on the pitch in a line facing us on the terrace, what on earth is that all about, I've been standing on the terrace with my sons for about 20 years and never seen any trouble, even when we had 4000 v York, the north terrace are where the die hard Lynn supporters are, who make the biggest sound and have great banter, and where there is n ever growing away support from and then they switch on all the lights on 5 mins before the game ends !! Do they want us to come back ? Put a daft old bloke in High vis jacket and they become idiots.

[MARCUS ROSE]

It was great back in the north Terrace singing for Lynn, great for Burrows to get the goal, it was clear the team played for the crowd. me and my  sons really enjoyed the game.

However the evening was spoiled by the marshalling by stewards at half time, who put tape all over the place with no explanation, it seemed they seemed on intent of inciting us to cause trouble and then at the end they strung out on the pitch in a line facing us on the terrace, what on earth is that all about, I've been standing on the terrace with my sons for about 20 years and never seen any trouble, even when we had 4000 v York, the north terrace are where the die hard Lynn supporters are, who make the biggest sound and have great banter, and where there is n ever growing away support from and then they switch on all the lights on 5 mins before the game ends !! Do they want us to come back ? Put a daft old bloke in High vis jacket and they become idiots.

It must seem ironic to Mr Cleeve that it is his die hard supporters, who have earned him a cut in ground capacity.  Are die hard supporters exempt from social distancing rules?

[NORFOLKAND LYNN]

You where clearly not at the game, we arrived all spaced out mask wearing on the North Terrace, only for hi vis steward who was in charge even admitted to me that he had never been to the Walks before, herded us all together by his intimation behaviour by putting tape randomly all over the place.

What happened to the local steward Noddy ?  The PA on the North terrace has not worked for years, no one can hear anything unless it is almost silence.

There is no excuse for pitting on the lights while the game is still on.

[fenlander]

I was at the game and in that stand, and it was perfectly clear to me that a large number of those in the stand were not adhering to the Covid guidance for a safe return to football for supporters. I can also confirm, they were asked to move apart into smaller groups to comply with the guidance as I witnessed it. Unfortunately, those requests were not only ignored, the unpaid volunteers stewarding the game were also abused for their trouble. I was also at the York match mentioned, in that stand and can state quite clearly, most of the trouble at the match, and there was plenty, was caused by the Lynn fans. There was even a glass bottle thrown by our own fans that could have injured a steward. Let's talk about the Chester game shall we? A few bans after that one. In conclusion, I can tell you now, from conversations i had and overheard, there will be many volunteers from Tuesday night, that will now be ex volunteers. What does that tell you when they were stewarding a game, with only 600 people and no away fans.

[NORFOLKAND LYNN]

The steward I spoke to at half time was not a volunteer he was a sub contractor from an events company.

[KES80]

With Lynn having gone up through the leagues, it necessitates increased awareness everywhere as the club are in the spotlight now. It is encumbant on everyone, including the fans to up their game...

[westlynnmike]

There appears to be Stewards and Security.

Stewards are Volunteers who man the Gates, checking Tickets, marshalling fans and reminding fans of any restrictions and rules and attempting to enforce said restrictions/rules.

Security are Paid personnel who arrived late on Tuesday Evening, resulting in the Stewards at the Gates not being able to open up on time (1845), wave "Magic Wands" over fans and stand looking important. They are also there to protect players, officials etc. and keep the peace between Home and Away fans (when Away fans are permitted).

The fact that many fans cannot understand simple instructions or purposely infringe those restrictions (standing too close, not wearing masks etc.) is a concern. However, if anyone has a problem with these COVIDIOTS then move away and explain to Stewards/Security why, if they ask.

IMHO I believe you cannot do harm to a willing person (idiot) who catches COVID from someone (another idiot) they were standing too close to who was not adhering to official restrictions.  If this applies to you, the reader, I make no apology.

[Westlandallstar]

Coming in here to again defend the volunteer stewards. Some of the comments iv seem have been shocking and a lot of them have been quite frankly lies.

All stewards have at least a nvq level 2 in stewarding some have higher than that. All stewards are trained customer service, so if they got arsey with some fans then they probably had enough. Working for free for a club they love and get nothing but abuse from a section of fans. Please do mind my language but amongst the things said were kno*head, your just a d**khead etc etc. From minute one from entering the ground there were a select few that didn't care about the rules having known the rules (they were announced enough). They were all told politely by our own stewards. However having an outside events company working besides them who were a little heavy handed I can understand a little about the attitude of a couple of them.


At the end of the day, the rules are set by the authorities and have to be implemented by the club. Enough things of the Internet by the club, in programmes and signage was up so the excuse of we didn't know isn't really going to wash.

What happens if they don't abide by the rules today who knows but I'm sure we will find out.

[Blue_and_Gold]

Westlandstar

As a (or have been) Steward,  do you feel the Clubs management gives enough support to the Stewards or take appropriate action when such things occur?

[KES80]

I think the club has reached a point where enough is enough. It really can't afford to continue to be saddled with a minority who always seem to think they are above the law.
The club have flirted with taking firm action in the past, but the club has taken on a huge loan and been given some very generous one off donations to help keep it going....it can ill afford fines or reduction in match day income due to poor behaviour. Time for someone at the helm to get a grip.

[dillydilly]

At every “big” fixture over the years, there has always been the danger, and concern for sensible supporters, that a minority are likely to cause trouble in one way or another, therefore putting the club back another couple of rungs down the ladder we are trying to climb to reach the essential level of professionalism required.  In the league we are now in, and higher if we continue the improvement seen in the Stephen Cleeve years, every game is a “big” fixture, and will become even bigger as our competitiveness improves.  We have to ensure that idiotic behaviour and people are not tolerated, as failure to get to grips with it will certainly spoil the entertainment on offer, and the progress we are making.

[Mallard]

With the Black lives matter campaign, it’s not so long back a supporter (?) was banned for racial abuse.  His punishment ?  3 game ban.   What sort of message does this send out ?

[dillydilly]

Yes - good point, Mallard....

[Westlandallstar]

B&G I would say not enough support is given to the stewarding team from those higher up. For example like mentioned above the person who was banned for 3 games for racism isn't enough and will never be enough. In my view because the people who cause the issues are paying to watch the team home and away those higher up will be a lot more lenient on them. Which isn't right. Everyone no matter their worth should all come under the same umbrella of punishment when inside the ground. Ultimately they will cost the club money in Fines.


I know a few stewards have left previously because they didn't agree with the way certain things were done and corners that were cut.