Standing up for our rights
13/09/01 | by Alex Walker

Well folks, I’ve discovered the real reason behind Forest’s crippling financial trouble; every time there is a cup game scoundrels like myself blag our way into the game as kids, despite being well over-age, thus depriving the club of half its deserved revenue. It doesn’t help when the Stockport fans all arrive in the same taxi, but it is obvious to all that the roguish behaviour of fans are coning the club out of cash due to the ignorance of the turnstile operators who it hardly takes cunning of a machiavellian nature to give the slip.

My knavery might not endear me to the club’s officials, but I feel justified in having only paid half-price as, thanks to the interference of the ever-popular safety staff at the City Ground, I only saw half the game.

Standing at games is a subject I have written many long and painful articles about. But the time for talking has gone and the time for action is nigh. The following is a letter I will be sending to Eric Barnes himself, in the vain hope that something will be changed for the better.

Dear Mr Barnes,

I am writing to you because I have faith in you and the way you and your fellow board members have run this club over the past 2 years has impressed me a great deal. I also feel that you will be keen to help out a fellow Forest fan in need of assistance.

Last night I attended Forest’s dramatic, if slightly nerve-jangling cup win over Stockport. However, what should have been an enjoyable night out with friends was ruined by the actions of the ground’s safety staff.

Our party of four included myself and Mark Ingram, both 18 years old and season ticket holders for the past 4 seasons, Natalie Smith, a 17-year-old who also follows Forest and attends games when she can, and Mark’s cousin Simon who is 14.

Mark and I have both sat in the Trent End for the last 2 seasons (Mark has transferred to the Main Stand for this season) and are well-known faces among our fellow fans and the staff alike. We are also passionate and vocal in our support of the team and will always get behind the lads through good and bad times. However, this appears to work against us as the safety stewards seem to concentrate their efforts during the games at us alone.

During last season were constantly warned against standing during the match (despite the fact that our seats are on the back row and we do not obstruct anyone’s view). Yesterday when we arrived at the ground we were immediately pulled aside by the safety supervisor who warned us that if we stood up during this game we ran the risk of being ejected from the ground.

Because of this we kept our standing up to a moderate level during the first-half. In the second, however, a safety steward was sent up to sit in the empty seat next to our group. Not only did this over-zealous presence stifle our enjoyment of the game during its most exciting period, but it also became clear that we were the only group being targeted and while we were warned every time we stood up (even to cheer on the side for a corner of free-kick), other’s around us continued to stand throughout and never even received a warning.

This amounts to little more than harassment, and harassment of exactly the kind of fan the club have been trying to encourage to the games - loyal and vocal supporters - not to mention a 14-year-old who poses no danger to anyone. If this was in any doubt, we moved to different seats in order to separate ourselves from the other supporters who were standing up, only to be followed and again have a steward placed directly next to us, leaving other supporters in our previous location free to stand again. This not only ruined my evening, but that of Simon who doesn’t get the chance to see Forest play at the City Ground often and may be put off coming in future.

I refer you to the Customer Charter recently issued by the club.

The Club’s ten commitments to you are:

1. We will be fair to all ticket buyers at home and away
2. We will develop incentives to reward your support
3. We will listen to your views and keep you informed
4. We will recognise our responsibilities to the community
5. We will not exploit buyers of our merchandise
6. We will make The City Ground a welcoming place for everyone
7. We will expect our staff to be courteous, helpful and well-informed
8. We will respond to your enquiries and comments without delay
9. We will take any complaint seriously
10. We will constantly review our Customer Charter and aim to reflect what you want from the Club

It is my view that the actions of the Nottingham Forest safety staff go against points 6 and 7, and our objections to the treatment we were receiving were ignored and treated with contempt, contradicting points 8 and 9.

It is my hope that in response to this letter, you can help restore my faith in the above charter and address this problem.

I am aware of the rules and regulations concerning standing at football and have researched the matter to great length. I understand fully that you are powerless to change them for our benefit, but all I ask is that a bit of common-sense and consistency is shown.

Firstly, while standing up is something the club have to address in the name of safety, I am sure you will agree that the City Ground’s atmosphere is in need of a revival. I am also sure that you will appreciate the difficulty in creating such an atmosphere whilst sitting down. Surely it would be beneficial to the club and team if safety stewards showed a bit of leniency and allowed the supporters to stand while singing and chanting as long as they were seated at other times? Such an approach has been successful in the Main Stand ‘A’ Block so why not employ it in the Trent End?

Secondly, why should myself and my friends be victimised while others are able to watch the game in peace? There are no notices in the ground informing people that they must sit down during the games, and sometimes it feels like we are merely being made examples of because our seats are in easy access of the aisles making us an easy target, as opposed to those sitting in the centre of the block who are left to stand unapproached.

If you could find a way of addressing my problems, or passing this letter onto someone who can, then I would appreciate it very much. I do not want to lose my season ticket, but I also do not want to lose my right to watch football in a way that I can enjoy it and that includes not being harassed by those who are employed by the money I spend to attend games to maintain my safety.

I also feel that my views reflect the general opinion of Forest fans who sit in the Trent End and wish to spend the games getting behind the team with their best efforts. Many fans I have spoken to have expressed their low opinion of the quality service provided by the club’s safety staff and change would be very welcome.

Again, I will be very grateful to you if you can be of any assistance and wish you and everyone else at the club the best for the future and keep up the good work. We fans appreciate your efforts.

Yours sincerely,
Alex Walker

I am not totally confident of the effects this letter will have, but having had a whole evening ruined by power-mad stewards I felt I had to do something. If I receive any response to the letter, I will publish it on this site and up-date you on any developments.



PS. In light of this week’s tragic events in America, some may think my writing of this article is out of turn and disrespectful. However, if they have taught us anything then it is that life is precious and we should do our best to do the things we enjoy before it is snatched away from us. Unfortunately, the thing I enjoy doing has been ruined for me on one too many occasions.