Todays Pitch Invasion. City v Swansea

[samarasra]

Good post.

100% agree.

 

[Metalartin]

Going further, after the Bradford, Heysel and Hillsborough tragedies, football supporters have a duty of care to keep off the pitch - its part of an unwritten contract for no longer being penned in and having fences blighting the games as they did during the 1980s. The clubs took the fences down on the understanding that we'd remember this, we'd appreciate it, and that for our own safety, its better to have direct access to the pitch.

All that has been tossed in the bin for the sake of taking a pointless liberty.

I've never really thought about that angle before and I doubt the people getting uppity about any criticism of it whatsoever have either, a very valid point you make there.

My reasons against were the club obviously don't like it because of possible sanctions from the FA, it unsettles the players, it could also potentially put the players in danger(not everyone in the home stands is always a blue and in todays climate...) oh and it also fucks the pitch up, did you see the state of the pitch after it?

It was also a bit too attention seeking given it's not like we've had that long a wait. That is normally the reason people do it and why clubs will tolerate the one off pitch invasion because it doesn't happen often, it would be nice if more of us put what's best for the club more than their liberties/entitlement.

 

[jrb]

The club haven't criticized the fans.(Khaldoon, Soreano, etc)

Pep hasn't criticized the fans.

“Football is an emotional game,” he said. “I understand you have to be careful, but when they feel they want to share that they are happy, it is better they stay where they should stay, but I'm not going to tell them don't do that.

“If they are happy I like to be close with the team. They show how happy they are and that is the most beautiful thing, we can live like professionals, a manager and football players. We felt that today. The fans here were so happy.

“Just arriving on the bus, the way people look at us and celebrate in the stadium and jump. I'm sorry that's good. It's time to celebrate it. I'm not going to tell anybody don't enjoy it. I'm not going to tell them.”

The players haven't crticized the fans. Many of them took to social media highlighting the the fans happiness and the pitch invasion.

The FA didn't fine the club. Seeing it as a joyful and peaceful pitch invasion.(compare that to Wigan's pitch invasion and their subsequent fine)

No Swansea player or fan was attacked or goaded by a single City fan.

Even the Stewards were taking part in the end, smiling, talking, taking picture's of City fans on the pitch, etc.

I'm not going to get into a row, but comparing the pitch invasion, or using the Hillsborough and Bradford fire incident as examples in any way, is absolutely ridiculous. Dear God!

Yes, there will be people at the club who won't have been happy for a period. The head of security, certainly the ground staff, erm, erm, but that will be it.

To still go on complaining about a joyful and peaceful pitch invasion from City fans after City won the PL title is just ridiculous.

As many of us have already stated, the players will get their PL winning celebrations next Week. They will be able to stay on the pitch, to lift the PL trophy, to celebrate, and to walk around the pitch with their Families, while receiving deserved applause and adulation from City fans in their seats.

I can't speak for other City fans, but I will not be leaving my seat. I had my moment last Week to celebrate. Next Week it's Pep's and the players turn to celebrate. "Champions!":-)

 

[Academica]

IMHO its considered to be 'fun' because it is associated with taking a 'liberty' (in football hooligan speak)- the thrill of doing something you shouldn't: its nothing to do with saying thanks to the players etc, that's an after-thought, an excuse for doing it.

The people on the pitch can claim that its a good thing etc but no-one else thinks it is. The club don't want it to happen. The players don't want it to happen. The FA & UEFA don't want it to happen.

Going further, after the Bradford, Heysel and Hillsborough tragedies, football supporters have a duty of care to keep off the pitch - its part of an unwritten contract for no longer being penned in and having fences blighting the games as they did during the 1980s. The clubs took the fences down on the understanding that we'd remember this, we'd appreciate it, and that for our own safety, its better to have direct access to the pitch.

All that has been tossed in the bin for the sake of taking a pointless liberty.

I thought they took the fences down because a load of people got crushed.

 

[M18CTID]

I thought they took the fences down because a load of people got crushed.

Absolutely. The idea that there was a “trade-off” when the fences came down in the sense that fans were asked to keep off the pitch is utter bollocks. Those fences were being torn down all over the country immediately after the Hillsborough disaster and the last thing in the world that was being mentioned at the time was pitch invasions by fans, friendly or otherwise. Indeed, just 4 weeks after Hillsborough, City secured promotion at Bradford and thousands of blues invaded the Valley Parade pitch. I don’t recall ever reading of any condemnation of that. Or the ones at Blackburn in 2000 and at home to Wigan 12 months earlier, so I don’t know where this outrage has come from about a purely celebratory pitch invasion all of a sudden.

There really are some right slapped arses on this thread and it’s indicative of how sanitised the game has become. I don’t ever want to see a return to the violence of the 70’s or 80’s but certain traditions in our game ought to remain intact.

 

[blueshortshorts]

I thought they took the fences down because a load of people got crushed.

Yes they did..but that is not the point the OP is making.

You have to remember that post Hillsborough the authorities knew that fences had to go, but were really nervous about the mayhem that might cause. Remember that football fans were viewed as the lowest of the low, and I genuinely believe that the police FA etc felt that there would be carnage, with fans running across the pitch to attack rival fans and players.

So when they did take them down, as the OP says, they were taking a leap of faith that the fans would prove them wrong, and behave. I can remember at the time being pleased the fences were down, but a bit nervous that some idiots would spoil it for all of us..thankfully everyone felt the same, and we find ourselves where we are today.

I must admit I was on the pitch after the West Ham game,( stayed in my seat in shock after QPR!), so i'm not condemning joyful pitch invasions, but I do think we have to keep in mind why we have no fences, and not abuse the trust that is placed in us.

As a side note, I think the demand that all stadiums also become all seater, post Hillsborough,was a step too far, as terracing wasn't the problem at Hillsborough, it was the management of the flow of fans by the police, but that's a whole other story.

 

[jrb]

Absolutely. The idea that there was a “trade-off” when the fences came down in the sense that fans were asked to keep off the pitch is utter bollocks. Those fences were being torn down all over the country immediately after the Hillsborough disaster and the last thing in the world that was being mentioned at the time was pitch invasions by fans, friendly or otherwise. Indeed, just 4 weeks after Hillsborough, City secured promotion at Bradford and thousands of blues invaded the Valley Parade pitch. I don’t recall ever reading of any condemnation of that. Or the ones at Blackburn in 2000 and at home to Wigan 12 months earlier, so I don’t know where this outrage has come from about a purely celebratory pitch invasion all of a sudden.

There really are some right slapped arses on this thread and it’s indicative of how sanitised the game has become. I don’t ever want to see a return to the violence of the 70’s or 80’s but certain traditions in our game ought to remain intact.

Bravo Sir. ;-)

Nail on the f***ing head!

Next, some of the moaners on here will want fences goong back up to stop pitch invasions 'once a season', if City win the PL.

The Bundesliga has safe standing, but still has fences in-front of the safe standing sections. What a compromise.

 

[jrb]

Yes they did..but that is not the point the OP is making.

You have to remember that post Hillsborough the authorities knew that fences had to go, but were really nervous about the mayhem that might cause. Remember that football fans were viewed as the lowest of the low, and I genuinely believe that the police FA etc felt that there would be carnage, with fans running across the pitch to attack rival fans and players.

So when they did take them down, as the OP says, they were taking a leap of faith that the fans would prove them wrong, and behave. I can remember at the time being pleased the fences were down, but a bit nervous that some idiots would spoil it for all of us..thankfully everyone felt the same, and we find ourselves where we are today.

I must admit I was on the pitch after the West Ham game,( stayed in my seat in shock after QPR!), so i'm not condemning joyful pitch invasions, but I do think we have to keep in mind why we have no fences, and not abuse the trust that is placed in us.

As a side note, I think the demand that all stadiums also become all seater, post Hillsborough,was a step too far, as terracing wasn't the problem at Hillsborough, it was the management of the flow of fans by the police, but that's a whole other story.

Do you remember?

The fences were up, they made little difference. Fans still got on to the pitch to fight each other. City, United, Chelsea, Boro, Birmingham, Leeds, Millwall, West Ham, Stoke, etc. That was the era where the 'English Hooligans got their infamous reputation', which still lasts to this day, and always will do.(ask the Russian's, etc)

It didn't matter in those day's. The fans/hooligans ran football then. Hundreds of lads looking for fights. Overwhelming the Police. It was part and parcel of a matchday The norm. Train specials, Police escorts, waiting before and after the match for a fight inside the ground, outside the ground, or in the city centre. Ambushes, etc.

Things only really changed after Millwall at Luton, when Thatcher said enough was enough and new hooilgan laws were brought in. Prison, banning orders, etc. Even those haven't totally iradicated football hooliganisam to this day.

 

[chesterbells]

Bravo Sir. ;-)

Nail on the f***ing head!

Next, some of the moaners on here will want fences goong back up to stop pitch invasions 'once a season', if City win the PL.

The Bundesliga has safe standing, but still has fences in-front of the safe standing sections. What a compromise.

Is this your favourite thread @jrb ? Every time I pop in I see a post from you!

Do they ever have any pitch invasions over there in Germany? I'm assuming the fences at those parts of the ground means No.

Pitch invasions celebratory or otherwise are an uncontrolled environment where players and some supporters are put at risk, and for that reason I'm uncomfortable whenever I see them happening. Yes similar numbers exist, eg in he crowd at a music festival, where there is also a relative lack of control/ potentially unsafe environment, but no one ever has any issues with those type of events. I suppose at those events there isnt the sudden rush of adrenaline / emotion that there is when everyone piles on the pitch, but there is certainly probably the same number of people off their heads if not more so - so compared to those events maybe there isnt actually an issue.
Still feels slightly wrong to me though, and I'm never a fan of seeing the players getting mobbed and man-handled.
Anyway, let's see if it happens twice more this season.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

IMHO its considered to be 'fun' because it is associated with taking a 'liberty' (in football hooligan speak)- the thrill of doing something you shouldn't: its nothing to do with saying thanks to the players etc, that's an after-thought, an excuse for doing it.

The people on the pitch can claim that its a good thing etc but no-one else thinks it is. The club don't want it to happen. The players don't want it to happen. The FA & UEFA don't want it to happen.

Going further, after the Bradford, Heysel and Hillsborough tragedies, football supporters have a duty of care to keep off the pitch - its part of an unwritten contract for no longer being penned in and having fences blighting the games as they did during the 1980s. The clubs took the fences down on the understanding that we'd remember this, we'd appreciate it, and that for our own safety, its better to have direct access to the pitch.

All that has been tossed in the bin for the sake of taking a pointless liberty.

You say the club don’t want it to happen but they’re very happy to show images of our pitch invasions in tubthumping videos about passion and pride and all that. They love it!