Queues outside M1 turnstiles and over the top security

[blue44]

It's the inconsistency and randomness of it all. I could go to 18 home games and be wanded, and then on the 19th home game and be told to unzip my coat and my fleece by one over zealous steward, not to mention asking me to take off my beanie hat. What am I going to hide under a beanie hat?

Apart from being insane and brainwashed, obviously they don't think they are, there isn't anything that can perfectly describe what a suicide bomber looks like.

But I'm white. 56 years old. I'm a FOC. I've had a season ticket for as long as I can remember. I've got a Mancunian accent. I've got my phone ready to scan at the turnstile. I've got no criminal record. I've been using the same entrance for years since moving to SSL1, block 115, etc. I'm sure the stewards must recognize me by now, unless they are rotated every home match, which I doubt. What exactly am I going to conceal under my coat that would warrant a steward to ask me to open it? Drink? Food? The funny thing is, I've never been asked to empty my coat pockets once, where I could have drugs, a knife, or something else, like a metal camera(see below), that has never been picked up by a wand.

Just to add. When I get wanded I do it 2nd nature by now. Arms out, face forward, turn around, go. I don't ever kick up a fuss.

and dont forget,kids !

my lad has been going since he was 3 and is now 16 just,he is small.and for years when we go in at N1, they have not searched him,even on saturday they asked him " how old are you, 16 ? ".he' s honest and said 16 so they wanded him.

I reckon i could of smuggled anything in ( via my son ) within reason going back to when all the searches started a few years ago.

 

[jrb]

I wish people would stop comparing airport security to match day security. It's totally different. At the airport you have to take off your coat , jacket, belt, etc, and put your items in trays, otherwise you don't get through security, risk arrest, and risk missing your £2000 family holiday. At a match you don't have to take you coat off. You get wanded and go into the ground. If you refuse to take you coat off, and you are told unless you do you won't get into the ground, you can walk away on principle, albeit you will miss the match.

 

[dennishasdoneit]

I don't mind all the extra security at all if it means I am safe and will go home after a game but what does annoy me is that a few years ago ( 4 to be honest ) Mrs. Biggie treated me for my 60th birthday and got tickets for the Tunnel Club ( Southampton ).
We turned up and were just waved through after showing our tickets, no security checks at all.
Maybe if you have money you are not a threat.

Was just thinking about the security at tunnel club etc the other night
I imagined it would be nothing like the accounts detailed on here by some Blues at other parts of the ground. That can't be right..

I was talking to another teams supporter a couple of weeks back and his story revolted me. He said his missus was basically sexually assaulted,by a male steward,using pat down .. on the way into a premiership ground. He went ballistic ...but when drawing attention to the issue was immediately blamed by the club for unfairly singling out a steward who ,by his own words could not speak a word of English...thereby placing him in an extremely difficult position after a problem not of his own making ....

Bully boy stewards issues have already made their way onto these boards by man handling City fanzine sellers recently...this issue seems to be one that is growing... it won't go away .

And it's a real problem.

 

[One Fan Clapping]

It's the inconsistency and randomness of it all. I could go to 18 home games and be wanded, and then on the 19th home game be told to unzip my coat and my fleece by one over zealous steward, not to mention asking me to take off my beanie hat. What am I going to hide under a beanie hat?

Apart from being insane and brainwashed, obviously they don't think they are, there isn't anything that can perfectly describe what a suicide bomber looks like.

But I'm white. 56 years old. I'm a FOC. I've had a season ticket for as long as I can remember. I've got a Mancunian accent. I've got my phone ready to scan at the turnstile. I've got no criminal record. I've been using the same entrance for years since moving to SSL1, block 115, etc. I'm sure the stewards must recognize me by now, unless they are rotated every home match, which I doubt. What exactly am I going to conceal under my coat that would warrant a steward to ask me to open it? Drink? Food? The funny thing is, I've never been asked to empty my coat pockets once where I could have drugs, a knife, or something else, like a metal camera, that has never been picked up by a wand.

Just to add. When I get wanded I do it 2nd nature. Arms out, face forward, turn around, go. I don't ever kick up a fuss.

You’re younger than me and I’m still a mere youngster!!

Perhaps they are told to only ask a percentage to speed up the queues? Sometimes it’s the perception that a terrorist could be intercepted that may put them off? It’s not perfect but the world isn’t.

The thing with the queues is that when I get through security there’s still a queue for the turnstile so we’re not really being delayed.

One thing I don’t like, and I don’t mean you, is the demeaning ‘minimum wage’ comments. Whether they are working this because it’s all they can get or because they are earning some beer money to go to a student bar at night nobody deserves to be degraded like that.

And as for the ‘hope one gets filled in comment’ words fail me.

 

[invisibleandalone]

At Wembley a few years back. I was getting patted down and thought, oh shit. I had 2 pockets full of miniature whisky bottles rattling as she searched me. Couldn't believe my luck as she said your ok.

 

[MillsyTheMosher]

Is it me or are the queues at the M1 turnstiles (for South Stand top tier) getting worse?

It’s always been bad here as the huge number of fans on the top tier have to be funnelled through a handful of turnstiles but it seems to have got even worse recently. Partly I think this is down to over officious stewarding - the showsec goons now seem to want to pat everyone down and I’ve been asked to show if I’ve got anything under my hat, anything hidden under my coat etc. It’s ridiculous and is becoming like going through airport security. Even when the games already kicked off and there’s still a huge number of fans waiting there seems to be no urgency.

Now of course, you could say why not get at the ground earlier? We’ll apart from the fact that with kids in tow, finishing work etc - that’s not always possible. But equally, there’s very little incentive to get there earlier. The concourse and facilities can’t cope with the number of fans and it can take 30+ minutes to get a brew or a pint even when you get there in good time.

So what’s the answer? I don’t know. But surely more turnstiles, more staff and more pragmatic security would be a good start.

Get there earlier. Really not that difficult.

 

[Stiff Little Wingers]

Get there earlier. Really not that difficult.

That's hard for many people at a night game. again, this is an issue that ghe club needs to sort out

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

Get there earlier. Really not that difficult.

So fuck all to do with how the club chooses to organise (I use the word loosely) how huge numbers of supporters are processed through probably the most overloaded entrance in the stadium then?

If we are talking about security then many hundreds are stuck in the maze of barriers in a very confined area which clearly would be the prime target too.

 

[cleavers]

It's the inconsistency and randomness of it all. I could go to 18 home games and be wanded, and then on the 19th home game be told to unzip my coat and my fleece by one over zealous steward, not to mention asking me to take off my beanie hat. What am I going to hide under a beanie hat?

You shouldn't be wearing a beanie hat in May (hopefully).

 

[cleavers]

Get there earlier. Really not that difficult.

Where do you live, Ancoats ?

If so no excuses I agree, but I live 170 miles away, so road/train delays can have a serious effect on arrival time, and are completely out of my control.

On Saturday I was nearer than I normal am (Lincoln), but even so I had a terrible journey (nearly 3 hours), and ended up in the late queue, so missed kick off.