Joke police

[Rach]

What Rovers have done in the past is increase the away allocation by giving them a section of terracing that is usually reserved for segregation

If Torquay were anticipating a large away following then wouldn't of it been sensible to allocate a block of The Bench or whatever for Gasheads?

we gave you two blocks and let you have the segregation too.

To be honest I am really saddened by some of the comments from Torquay fans above. I sat in Bristows Bench (and I am NOT "elderly" thank you Mav), and I am telling you that many Torquay fans sitting around me were extremely unhappy about the fact that they were being taunted by chants and behaviour from some of the Gasheads who were sat in "home fans" seats. I was sat there, I heard the comments from home fans and saw/heard the gasheads being extremely provocative in a part of the ground that is supposed to be "home" and I DON'T want to be told:

- It didn't happen (by people who weren't sat there).
- It was all a fuss over nothing.
- It was our fault because all the fans in Bristows Bench are "elderly" and too sensitive,
- It was our fault because the Torquay fans don't sing or create a good atmosphere (this comment in particular is a pile of cr*p because the Torquay fans gave the team good support for the most part yesterday, including singing from the "elderly" fans in Bristows Bench).

For goodness' sake give the benefit of the doubt to your own fans. If they say they were offended then THEY WERE OFFENDED. If I said that players with pony tails shouldn't be offended by chants of "where's your caravan", then some people would jump on me, so just take it that that it should not have happened.

At the end of the day it is water under the bridge now. We stayed up, and that is what matters. But please don't go knocking your own fans, they turn up to support the team regularly (it was REGULARS that were upset, not folk who had just come for one game).

I would hate for there to be any continuing issues with us and Rovers. Most gasheads are great, passionate fans with a good sense of humour. I have watched them many times (and not just against Torquay), and it is usually a good laugh (except one infamous game that I went to against Millwall at Eastville). I just hope that the club learn lessons, which might include giving away fans an extra section for particular games. We welcome fans from every club (except Millwall, Leeds and Cardiff) and it is great that Rovers fans spend their money at the Club and in the town to boost the local economy. Just don't take the p*ss.!!

well thank goodness for that. Someone who agrees with me. I second these points, and I as for classing the bench as full of elderly people, I'm 20 and I sit in there and happen to see a lot of younger people around me, and at least 60% are not elderly.

I thought the Policing was some of the best I have witnessed in many years of following the Gas, from in and around the Wetherspoons pubs, Devon Arms and the Union pub, near the ground, which were all absolutely rammed with Rovers supporters. It was visible Policing, not aggressive or over the top, and to me they just wanted to let the supporters get on and have a good time. There were probably 400 plus still in Torquay until very late night, and I saw not one incident where the Police had to come to a pub to deal with anything.

Just to point out, I saw a Rovers fan being removed from a nightclub in Torquay last night and was trying his best to resist. Your supporters are not all angels, and ours are not all angels.

That said when it comes to goading, please lets not play the victims, I hate that, Hereford away remember it, last game of last season they were relegated, and what did some of our fans do ? Huh chant 'going down' whats good for the goose, is good for the gander.

I was at that game and did not hear anything of the sort from us.

[Southampton Gull]

I was at that game and did not hear anything of the sort from us.

I was there also and DID hear it.

[gullintwoplaces]

I was there also and DID hear it.

I was there, heard it too, but from Gulls fans standing in the AWAY terrace (the one where you can only see two thirds of the ground). I didn't hear it from Gulls fans in the HOME terraces, which is part of the point of this thread. But I guess that is "pompous".

[Frankie Prince]

Time to get over it now. Chill out.

[DevonYellow]

Time to get over it now. Chill out.

Hear hear! The club have responded we've all made our points, let's get back to the footie....

[friendlygas]

Great idea to get back to the footie. A great exciting game that did both clubs proud. No trying to hold out for a 0-0 draw which would have been good enough for you and on our part no making it easy for you by just turning up as our season was already well over which would have been totally unfair on the other teams involved although I am sure all the players and Management as well as our supporters would prefer Torquay in the League than any of the other six teams and second Plymouth.
By choice myself it would have been Goodbye York!!!! (Purely on the distance to travel). This season was the first time in my 49 years of following Rovers that I have been to every game Home and Away but nothing to shout about as my mate who generally drives hasn't missed a Home or away game for 25 years!!

[Plymouth Gull]

Hope you stick around to post on here Friendly, despite some of the comments on this thread!

Glad you had a good day and enjoyed the game! Fancy you boys for a real push at the top 3 next year, and I'm hoping we'll be back up at that end of the table next year!

[tktufc91]

Seems this thread has made onto the Rovers fans forum, I have an account on there, but they put me in moderation during Bucklegate and stopped me from posting, otherwise I would have gone over for some banter, see we welcome our vistors to this forum.

Tom, they are going to set an anti stern stare police for you..
http://www.brfcforum.co.uk/index.php?/t ... rds/page-3

Haha!! I remember when we beat buckles boys I went around wearing a "Buckles next signing" shirt. The stares I got from some of the Rovers fans were enough to put me off going to Bristol for some time!!!!

It just pisses me off that these bigger clubs in the division think that just because we are little Torquay they can do what they want and take tickets for the home ends. If roles were reversed, Rovers would have non of it. Lessons need to be learned in my opinion. It ruined a bit of the match day experience for her. Imagine if she was a first time fan. Being told to shut up and sit down when we score by visiting fans in the same block. Would she return? I know I would have had second thoughts.


Still it's all over now and we can look forward to league 2 footy next season. Just hope the club will be better prepared next time.

[friendlygas]

Thanks Nickgull,
For discussing Football I actually prefer this forum to our own and I've got rhino skin so don't take the comments to heart. I actually felt for your fans on Saturday as I know how I would have felt in your position even though it would have taken a lot of results to go tits up for you to go down.
I think its going to be an interesting summer for both our clubs. If I was being honest I think you, similar to us, probably need three or four signings to change our fortunes. Nicholson seems to have lost his legs but still has a sweet left foot. Not sure about Saah in the middle and your midfield lacks the edge it had last season and what you have to consider is that Saturday our midfield very much lacked a leader/defensive player in it. On the chances created and taken your strike force looked impressive and with Rene Howe in there could be good but again not sure if it was good striking or poor defending as I am sure you would agree you have not been scoring many goals.
So looking at your team from the opposition view point you need a central defender, competition for left back, central midfielder and possibly a winger to create more chances.
I feel our problems are totally across the midfield and we need two central midfielders and 2 wingers however all will depend on whether we manage to sign Mildenhall, McCrystal and OToole. O Toole was the keyman in our midfield and since he went back we have fallen away a bit.
I always say that a League Table at the end of the season never lies. We will all look back and think we should have beaten so and so and we should have been a lot higher up but in truth it all evens out over a season and we were where we were. Summer signings can completely change a team and this is what makes following a local football side so interesting. How boring it must be to be a Manchester United supporter!!!!

[Gullscorer]

There's no excuse for boorish behaviour and if it develops into real threats or actual disturbance then obviously the louts concerned should be evicted. Otherwise, it's usually effective to ease the tension with a thumbs up and a friendly smile.

But many people in today's society do seem to be too easily offended. It's probably a sign of the politically correct times we live in that somebody can be held responsible for another person's subjective perceptions resulting in that person feeling hurt, offended or threatened. And to try to legislate in such grey areas always results in bad law.

We're talking about football matches, not Sunday school outings!

Anyway, I wish Friendlygas and Bristol Rovers all the best next season. It would be great to see United, Rovers and Argyle all automatically promoted, and Excretia in the play-offs! :~D

[SteveDeckchair]

I was in block G of the bench with my 5 year old daughter (it was her first ever league game and she loved it!) and although there were a fair few Rovers fans in the block next to us, I didn't feel threatened at any time.

Yes, they were a bit rowdy at times and it was a bit tense because people were thinking they shouldn't really have been there, but it was fine really.

[Gullscorer]

Steve, that daughter of yours is going to be a real firebrand... =D

[SteveDeckchair]

Just like her mother! He he.

Thing is, for a first game you want a biggie so it sticks in the memory. I was a bit apprehensive before that it might be too rowdy, but I thought that the bench would be fine.

If I honestly felt threatened though, I would have left and gone in the gulls nest or something. It just wasn't that bad. I certainly didn't see or hear any personal threats or goading, just the usual footy stuff.

[MF68]

Firstly, great game, great atmosphere and great end result. BUT.......................and I apologise if im late on parade about this subject.

1. My issue is more with the stewards than the Police. Granted they are not there to go and intervene if major trouble starts, but this was a big game, a local derby and with greatest respect : why are girls/women and young fellas stewarding at potentially volatile fixtures.
2. The supervisor wearing a number 11 on his orange jacket by the family stand corner cafe didnt have a clue what was going on. he spent the whole game on his radio moaning that he couldnt borrow two stewards from here to put there. He wouldnt act when Rovers fans were chanting in the corner during the game. How bizzarre the same guy wanted me and a couple of mates to get off of a yellow line at a game earlier in the year when there was about 2000 there and about 20 away fans.
3. I feel that the stewards and the Police but more importantly the Club itself, got away lightly on Saturday. OK the Rovers fans were in our end and stands and it wasnt pleasant but can you imagine it being a Millwall, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Leeds etc?
4. The Club has to address this situation immediately. If I was cynical I would say that the Board thought "get as many in as possible any way possible". Money is tight I think !!!!!!!!

[Behind-the-Gulls]

Me and my mates,son and quite a few in the same row and in front did get quite fired up by the Gasheads in Bristows and we were several blocks away-given what was at stake it could well have kicked off at some point and only luck really that it didn't.As for the stewards not ejecting those who had deliberately ignored the advice given to Rovers fans without tickets before the match-the stewards did eject several Crawley fans from the Family stand in the FA Cup game,after they stood up and cheered when they scored-they did so promptly and efficiently and consequently diffused the potential for trouble.

We have moved on hugely though from the days when I stood in the Mini-Stand in the late 60's and early 70's though-then there was little or no segregation and you didn't know how many way fans were in your home end until you actually took your place in the stand.It kicked off on many a occasion- I remember trouble in matches against Portsmouth,the Gargs,Villa,Newport,Bournemouth and quite a few others.Remember getting crushed against a barrier once when fighting broke out; but the biggest upset was when an Asian Villa fan ripped the buttons off my new Ben Sherman shirt-now that was a provocative action;though he did get kicked out!No stewards in those days and often very few police either!