Torquay United Fans Forum

Southampton Gull wrote:
You should have come over and said Hello. I was looking around for a little red-headed mumsy kind of woman but if you''re the one I saw to my right you looked too young o:)

The funny thing about the stewards coming to me was that before he said anything I was in a really good happy and pleasant mood, afterwards I was for a while

I was stood just further away from the away end than you so could've been me. I'm only 25 so hope I don't look too mumsy yet! ^.^

HRG wrote:I was stood not far from you SG and saw the steward speaking with you. I couldn't figure out why as I heard no excessive bad language, anything offensive, inciting violence etc. Possibly they were looking to have a word with one of the more vocal fans as a way of preventing others causing problems later on, a pre-emptive strike I suppose, which was unnecessary.

You should have come over and said Hello. I was looking around for a little red-headed mumsy kind of woman but if you''re the one I saw to my right you looked too young o:)

The funny thing about the stewards coming to me was that before he said anything I was in a really good happy and pleasant mood, afterwards I was for a while

Were those the stewards we normally get? I know we used to have the Plymouth lot a few years ago, but I've had no problems with the ones we've had this season. Rumor has it that the club are considering bringing back the stewards from Plymouth. I really hope not. They were always very rude and very short tempered.

Why they picked SG out of the crowd I do not know. The banter between both sets of fans was all good mannered.

I was stood not far from you SG and saw the steward speaking with you. I couldn't figure out why as I heard no excessive bad language, anything offensive, inciting violence etc. Possibly they were looking to have a word with one of the more vocal fans as a way of preventing others causing problems later on, a pre-emptive strike I suppose, which was unnecessary.

To put a little balance on the subject, the stewards made no attempt to stop anybody getting on the pitch. A little announcement over the tannoy 5 minutes before the end could have made the situation quite clear. I saw Walshy run on the pitch, I saw what he did as he ran into the goal, innocent but silly nonetheless, and I saw the steward when he got hold of Walshy. He was a little too rough and unprofessional but I would say that if you don't go on the pitch in the first place then the steward doesn't have to act.

I was stood with Paul before the game started, quite peacefully minding my own business and was approached by a steward who asked me to calm down. When I asked him what he meant as I was just stood there talking to Paul and tufc91 he told me someone from the control room had asked him to have a word with me. I've no idea other than mistaken identity as to why I was pointed out but there was an air of them expecting trouble of some kind, that failed to materialise as the atmosphere and mood inside the ground was very friendly as you'd expect.

No, people shouldn't have gone onto the pitch, but the stewards should know the difference between someone acting in a non-aggressive manner to someone looking for trouble.

The pitch invasion achieved nothing - all that it meant was that fans who didnt invade the pitch, and wanted to give the players a proper send off, couldn't. This is due, in part, to the selfishness of a few mindless lawbreakers who wanted to run onto the pitch, prance around for a few minutes and then run off again. They then moan about the "heavy handed" stewards.
Stewards I might add who are trying to ensure that the club doesn't get fined by allowing fans onto the pitch.

Pitch invasions - utterly pointless, and against the law.

I agree with Nick as well. Why bother going on the pitch when the club expressly asked people not to before the game. The club would be open for a fine and for what? For some yobs to run about expressing their inner selves- who are obviously moronic.

Because it's against the law, was done despite the club you profess to love asking people not to do it and was quite embarrassing.
Also just because something 'always happens' it doesn't necessarily make it a good thing.

Am with Nick on this one. It was pointless. Fair enough getting into the play offs or something but a 0-0 draw? If there done every season they just get a tad boring.

NickGull wrote: Before all the Torquay fans ran away scared? Ah, so it was you who was dragged away by the stewards then? Hardly over the top, you weren't going to follow them if they asked politely. And nobody should have been on the pitch anyway.

I'm all for it if it's win to go up, stay up, but just randomly like that.

Absolutely pathetic.

I'm sorry, but are you missing the point that there were in excess of 300 fans on the pitch? You can't say it wasn't ott, because the situation was ridiculous. It was all in good nature, singing a few songs etc. Some stewards get a bit excited when a load of kids are on the pitch. It always happens and why is it such a bad thing? Get over it.

walshy wrote:I'm not one to big things up, but when we ran on at the end, a number of Torquay fans, myself included went across to the Chesterfield fans singing a few songs. There was no 'trying to pull the nets down', i think you're just someone trying to big things up. I confess i ran into the goal, like an aeroplane and feel a bit of a t**t atm, but it was only light hearted and a bit of a laugh. But I must say the stewards were ridiculous, over the top and heavy-handed.

Before all the Torquay fans ran away scared? Ah, so it was you who was dragged away by the stewards then? Hardly over the top, you weren't going to follow them if they asked politely. And nobody should have been on the pitch anyway.

I'm all for it if it's win to go up, stay up, but just randomly like that.

Absolutely pathetic.

Perhaps if mummy or daddy had been monitoring their sproglets they wouldn't have been p*ssing me off.

This is it Ems, pitch invasions are spontaneous reactions to a momentous event, not a pre-arranged occurrence. I'm not going to go overboard and bang on about it being a criminal offence, because that is wholly unnecessary. Those who ran onto the pitch have, as Walshy has said, paid the price by making total tits of themselves. If you're going to invade the pitch, at least do something. Most of our lot got on the grass then pissed their pants because they couldn't see mummy and daddy, not a clue what to do with themselves.
Hopefully (although I'm sure I'm wrong) there won't be a repeat incidence next year as lessons will have been learned.

Matt.

The pitch invasion was a bit sad really, they should be reserved for surviving relegation on the last day of the season or promotion. All the annoying group of kids behind me could talk about was whether or not they were going on the pitch.

Slightly annoyed by the pitch invasion as it meant we couldn't give the players the applause they deserved for what has been a very good season for us, especially to Stanley who has played a huge role in his few months here to get us to where we are now. Hopefully he will be back in a TUFC shirt next season.

That being said, pitch invasions on the last home game appear to be the norm these days, regardless of where the club ends up in the table.