Stewards

[Spiritater]

Would be interesting to know if there are any children on these videos

I wonder if they have permission from the parents to video their children?

in that case all outside broadcasts would be banned. do parents get asked by t'beeb when little Toby is filmed with his lolly and home made FA cup next fri night

[Sneag]

Would be interesting to know if there are any children on these videos

I wonder if they have permission from the parents to video their children?

in that case all outside broadcasts would be banned. do parents get asked by t'beeb when little Toby is filmed with his lolly and home made FA cup next fri night

There is a big difference in catching people in the background on a passing shot and focussing a camera on an individual & for that video then to be retained to be used against said individual at a later date.

Regarding minors I'm more bothered about the fact that I've seem stewards carry out pat down searches on unaccompanied kids (as worried for the member of staff as the kid TBF). I was also less than impressed with seeing a young Mum with a couple of kids getting her bag searched yesterday. In her shoes, that would have been my last visit to the Mill.

I don't blame the stewards for this, they are obviously following instructions and are not being allowed to apply any common sense to their job.

[I am Spartacus]

The big questions are why are spectators being filmed, who authorised this Orwellian policy and what is the ultimate aim?

The police regularly film inside the grounds and have done for many years knowingly targeting the ‘risk elements’ to prove that they attended the game together, were part of a group and carried out offences. To my knowledge I have never known their footage be used against fans for the offence of ‘Wanting a substitution when the Manager is found wanting technically’.

Hopefully, because if not the club are going down a very dark road, this is a one off with someone over zealously taking their role too seriously and something which is not repeated. If not and it is premeditated then we have big problems the next time all eleven players are defending a corner.

[EdwinstoweStag]

IMO, this falls into the category of shoddy stadium management.

Now, who’s in charge of stadium management? Paul Broughton.

What qualifies Mr Broughton to do this job? He is John Radford’s brother-in-law.

[Teapot]

Following the Salford crackdown we now sit in complete silence, afraid to say a single word fearing eviction from the football stadium. Recently Steve Hymas appealed for supporters to be more vocal after we were out sung by Oldham, but this is now impossible while being so closely monitored by the Storm trooping response team.

I had hoped that once we had meandered our way through the bag searches, the metal detectors, and the sniffer dogs as we passed through the turnstiles to watch a Fourth Division Football Match, that the intimidation would end there. Unfortunately the threatening safety stewards have now started to target supporters as they watch the game.

I too witnessed first hand the recent incident that Chander referred to. A supporter who has attended home games for over fifty years shouted a comment towards the pitch that was not racist, threatening, homophobic or sexist. The comment only described the performance as “poo”. A female steward told the supporter to “tone it down”. I took issue with the steward straight away as I believed that her intervention was not needed or appropriate. I did point out that we were sat in a football stadium and not a library. We sit in a group of fans who we all know well having sat with them for nearly ten years. The banter and atmosphere is always great and entertaining whether we win or lose, but the intervention of the steward in the Salford match killed the atmosphere dead from that point onwards. I understand the Chief Steward was despatched to the scene at halftime in order to diffuse the situation. Unfortunately the only advice he could offer was to again threaten the supporter with eviction from the stadium if they continued to shout inside the ground. An extra steward was then added to the two already staring menacingly from the stairwell towards supporters. The extra steward came equipped with a recording device that he kept trained on the shouting supporter for a long period of the second half of the game. I have since learnt that the device is called a Halo. This device is not a recorder as such but transmits live pictures back to the control room for the staff there to monitor. We challenged the Halo Steward as to his actions too, but he made it clear that he was not the sort of person to accept questions from supporters.


In the past I have only ever witnessed Safety Stewards threatening and abusing children and the elderly. It appears that they have suddenly got a lot braver, and are now prepared to tackle adults too.

Luckily my partner and I will not have to attend any more League home games until December as we had to take the decision not to attend any more cup games at Field Mill following the Stewarding debacle at Morecambe League Cup match earlier this season. At this game we were prevented from sitting in our regular seats with our normal group as our section in WSL had been closed for safety reasons to provide a sterile sitting area between the home and away supporters seated in the North Stand end of WSL, despite just 66 away fans attending. This resulted in many supporters being placed in D block of WSL. Unfortunately half the stewards were telling supporters to sit anywhere while other stewards were insisting supporters sat in the correct seat number and were attempting to move anyone sat in the incorrect seat. This exercise was futile as this could only have been practically achieved by evacuating the stadium and starting again. I could not believe how much chaos could be caused by this alteration of seating arrangements that night in a sub 1900 crowd. For this reason as stated my partner and I will now only attend League matches where we are entitled to sit with our regular crowd. I understand that we would be able to do this for the Chorley game, but sorry, the damage has been done so we will find something else to do next Saturday.

If anyone is evicted from the stadium for reasons that they find unacceptable I will gladly write to the club on their behalf explaining how unpleasant it is to attend following the crackdown. It is a sad state of affairs that the stewards appear to wish attending a football ground so unpleasant. I have visited for over forty two years without incident, but the atmosphere now feels unfriendly, threatening and toxic.

I would encourage anyone targeted by threatening stewards to challenge their behaviour using non violent means. It is so wrong that these Bullies are threatening genuine supporters. As a customer we would not put up with a business treating people this way, we would simply shop elsewhere. Unfortunately we cannot take our custom to another business. Being a Stags fan is a life sentence.

[Jamie]

Jeez jamie. You are a douchě at times.

Ive witnessed someone who has since had an apology fro club and steward get filmed for shouting out... 'this is raspberry'. You seriously telling me thats acceptable? I assume youve never shouted out anything in your entire life

I've shouted plenty over the years. I've never felt the need to get 3 feet from the manager and tell him I hoped he'd die though.

If moron fans are going to over step the line (what you've described wasn't overstepping) then expect to be filmed and them to try and identify the idiots.

I just dont get you lot. Crying about being filmed which doesn't effect you in anyway what so ever unless your being a complete tool... I can only assume you want to be able to abuse people, which is very sad... If you or anyone else is intent on doing that, myself and every other normal fan is glad your being filmed and hopes those that do it are identified and banned.

I'm almost certain a fans wide poll on this would back the club in filming, identifying and banning those who go too far. Calling the game whatever or even singling out players is fine, from the stands... They expect it and can deal with it. Getting up close and personal to call names, make threats tell someone to f off and die is just disgusting.

[Jamie]

Give over. We have idiots who shout disgraceful stuff. The club should be filming and banning those identified. If your down there and not shouting pointless profanities or threats then you've nothing to worry about.

Wondered when you’d pipe up.

Great debate, well done... Can we assume you think the club should turn a blind eye to people saying vile things to its employees?

Thank you for the ‘well done’. I think back to when you used to be ‘Black And White’ and ‘Notts Stag’ and remember the intelligent and articulate debates you used to bring to the table.

Great to see you’ve grown up since then.

I posted a reasonable response and point of view. If your incapable of actually debating something that's on you. Not me.

I'll ask again... are you ok with people shouting vile abuse pretty much directly to someones face? If not, how else do they stop it.

[Random Hero]

Jamie - just read the post above yours. I think you’ll find that it echoes a lot of what others are thinking.

The whole match day experience is now needlessly intimidating, and me and my wife have been wondering if it’s actually worth bothering at all anymore.

People are seemingly treated like criminals from the off, in a ‘guilty until proven innocent’ style attitude from jumped up, overbearing stewards - and we’re paying for the privilege.

I can assure you, if you took a straw poll of innocent fans and asked them if them and their families were happy being filmed on the personal device of an unqualified, glorified security guard for no reason - there would be virtually no support whatsoever.

[I am Spartacus]

Jamie, read the initial post. The filming took place in the Quarry Lane End. A good sixty yards from Dempster. You are justifying a policy of, if it is a policy, unwarranted surveillance based upon an isolated incident which has been widely condemned by all.

[Sneag]

Jeez jamie. You are a douchě at times.

Ive witnessed someone who has since had an apology fro club and steward get filmed for shouting out... 'this is raspberry'. You seriously telling me thats acceptable? I assume youve never shouted out anything in your entire life

I've shouted plenty over the years. I've never felt the need to get 3 feet from the manager and tell him I hoped he'd die though.

If moron fans are going to over step the line (what you've described wasn't overstepping) then expect to be filmed and them to try and identify the idiots.

I just dont get you lot. Crying about being filmed which doesn't effect you in anyway what so ever unless your being a complete tool... I can only assume you want to be able to abuse people, which is very sad... If you or anyone else is intent on doing that, myself and every other normal fan is glad your being filmed and hopes those that do it are identified and banned.

I'm almost certain a fans wide poll on this would back the club in filming, identifying and banning those who go too far. Calling the game whatever or even singling out players is fine, from the stands... They expect it and can deal with it. Getting up close and personal to call names, make threats tell someone to f off and die is just disgusting.

Jamie in 1930s Germany you would have been the kind of dick asking why people were bleating about the Brown Shirts beating people up in the street.

You'd be saying 'I mean come on, if your not a Jew, what have you got to worry about right?'

Just because someone is in a position of authority, it doesn't mean they're right.

[I am Spartacus]

Give over. We have idiots who shout disgraceful stuff. The club should be filming and banning those identified. If your down there and not shouting pointless profanities or threats then you've nothing to worry about.

And what does the club, not you, class as disgraceful to shout? If you are going to use near Stasi methods of control on paying customers on an event that relies on passion as one of its main selling points, most normal people would expect to know in advance the miniature details of what is and what is not acceptable.

[Jamie]

RH... I sit in the QLE, lots is shouted from our section. We've never had any trouble with the stewards. I'm not saying it doesn't happen and the stewards are perfect but most fans wont have had any problem with them.

If the club has asked them to film it then I'm fine with it. We'll have to agree to disagree, most people who go to watch football and don't run to the corner of shame to abuse people wont care or even know they're being filmed. We're all filmed on CCTV all game anyway.

How else can they stop the abuse at the tunnel?

[HitchcocksShins]

Glad I'm not the only one sick of this. One bouncer in particular has made my last few match days really quite uncomfortable in and around the sandy pate bar. I'm 6 foot 4 and have been regularly singled out since I was a teenager...airports, festivals, by police and at football grounds and it gets me low key irate, but over the years I've had to grow thick skin over it because it always happens. But because I disliked him suddenly putting his hand on me, grabbing my arm out of the blue to have a word with me
hes now got it in his head I'm a trouble maker, regularly just watching me, eyeing me up from a distance and yesterday he stopped me to ask me why I was wearing a South Africa top? He's never been pleasant to me and was obviously asking because he assumed the worst of me, and no consideration I was born there, as I was.
I go there every match day with my dad who's almost 70, and tend to have a good laugh. What trouble does he think I'm trying to cause? I'm now considering making a formal complaint because he's not making my match day there pleasant and he's a literal waste of a wage spending his time singling me out.

[Jamie]

Give over sneag. The two are a millions miles apart. What I'm saying is if you behave like a dick expect to filmed and banned. If your behind being a dick you've nothing to worry about.

[EdwinstoweStag]

Glad I'm not the only one sick of this. One bouncer in particular has made my last few match days really quite uncomfortable in and around the sandy pate bar. I'm 6 foot 4 and have been regularly singled out since I was a teenager...airports, festivals, by police and at football grounds and it gets me low key irate, but over the years I've had to grow thick skin over it because it always happens. But because I disliked him suddenly putting his hand on me, grabbing my arm out of the blue to have a word with me
hes now got it in his head I'm a trouble maker, regularly just watching me, eyeing me up from a distance and yesterday he stopped me to ask me why I was wearing a South Africa top? He's never been pleasant to me and was obviously asking because he assumed the worst of me, and no consideration I was born there, as I was.
I go there every match day with my dad who's almost 70, and tend to have a good laugh. What trouble does he think I'm trying to cause? I'm now considering making a formal complaint because he's not making my match day there pleasant and he's a literal waste of a wage spending his time singling me out.

It’s SO unfair - I’m only 5’8”. Seriously, from what you have described, you SHOULD formalise a complaint to the club. Not all stewards behave like this. This character seems to need some “development”

[Jamie]

Give over. We have idiots who shout disgraceful stuff. The club should be filming and banning those identified. If your down there and not shouting pointless profanities or threats then you've nothing to worry about.

And what does the club, not you, class as disgraceful to shout? If you are going to use near Stasi methods of control on paying customers on an event that relies on passion as one of its main selling points, most normal people would expect to know in advance the miniature details of what is and what is not acceptable.

Maybe, given the lack of intelligence some of our fans show, they should set clear guidelines. Being a paying customer doesn't give you a free ticket to do or say what you like.

For me the line is clear. Shout, chant so as you like from the stands but keep it on point. Calling a player for his performance is fine. Calling them a name is simply abuse and unacceptable. Same with the manager. Make it clear you want him out or dont like what hes doing but calling him a two hat or a C or the other stuff people shout just isn't on.

[EdwinstoweStag]

Give over. We have idiots who shout disgraceful stuff. The club should be filming and banning those identified. If your down there and not shouting pointless profanities or threats then you've nothing to worry about.

And what does the club, not you, class as disgraceful to shout? If you are going to use near Stasi methods of control on paying customers on an event that relies on passion as one of its main selling points, most normal people would expect to know in advance the miniature details of what is and what is not acceptable.

Maybe, given the lack of intelligence some of our fans show, they should set clear guidelines. Being a paying customer doesn't give you a free ticket to do or say what you like.

For me the line is clear. Shout, chant so as you like from the stands but keep it on point. Calling a player for his performance is fine. Calling them a name is simply abuse and unacceptable. Same with the manager. Make it clear you want him out or dont like what hes doing but calling him a two hat or a C or the other stuff people shout just isn't on.

Agreed, Jamie

[Jamie]

Glad I'm not the only one sick of this. One bouncer in particular has made my last few match days really quite uncomfortable in and around the sandy pate bar. I'm 6 foot 4 and have been regularly singled out since I was a teenager...airports, festivals, by police and at football grounds and it gets me low key irate, but over the years I've had to grow thick skin over it because it always happens. But because I disliked him suddenly putting his hand on me, grabbing my arm out of the blue to have a word with me
hes now got it in his head I'm a trouble maker, regularly just watching me, eyeing me up from a distance and yesterday he stopped me to ask me why I was wearing a South Africa top? He's never been pleasant to me and was obviously asking because he assumed the worst of me, and no consideration I was born there, as I was.
I go there every match day with my dad who's almost 70, and tend to have a good laugh. What trouble does he think I'm trying to cause? I'm now considering making a formal complaint because he's not making my match day there pleasant and he's a literal waste of a wage spending his time singling me out.

Why did he grab your arm and want a word? And when you say you disliked that, what did you do / how did you react?

[HitchcocksShins]

The whole "if you're doing nothing wrong then being filmed is no problem" attitude always baffles me.
Ok, so let's say a totalitarian government insists by law that they are allowed to put up security cameras IN YOUR HOME to monitor everything you do. They also put them in your bathroom. Your privacy is now zilch but it's ok because you're doing nothing wrong. It's completely missing the point. Good luck in the future when they're doing routine anal cavity inspections as standard but that's ok by you because you know the time only thing up there is your own head.

[Chrisuknottm]

Really pleased to see that a number of people dislike and are uncomfortable with what is happening.

The brigade who trot out the "if you've done nothing wrong reply" are missing the point.

We shouldn't have to put up with this just going to a 4th division match. Who are these people? Are they trained...licenced....or are they just the same pool of employees used on the doors on a Saturday night.

Football is about emotions, involvement, interaction, expression of views.....just because a couple of morons go too far the rest of us should not have to put up with this.

Let's make them uncomfortable and, if they touch you, without due cause let's take it further.

At least it's got us angry about something other than the manager !!!

[Sneag]

Glad I'm not the only one sick of this. One bouncer in particular has made my last few match days really quite uncomfortable in and around the sandy pate bar. I'm 6 foot 4 and have been regularly singled out since I was a teenager...airports, festivals, by police and at football grounds and it gets me low key irate, but over the years I've had to grow thick skin over it because it always happens. But because I disliked him suddenly putting his hand on me, grabbing my arm out of the blue to have a word with me
hes now got it in his head I'm a trouble maker, regularly just watching me, eyeing me up from a distance and yesterday he stopped me to ask me why I was wearing a South Africa top? He's never been pleasant to me and was obviously asking because he assumed the worst of me, and no consideration I was born there, as I was.
I go there every match day with my dad who's almost 70, and tend to have a good laugh. What trouble does he think I'm trying to cause? I'm now considering making a formal complaint because he's not making my match day there pleasant and he's a literal waste of a wage spending his time singling me out.

Why did he grab your arm and want a word? And when you say you disliked that, what did you do / how did you react?

I was training some staff for a Govt Agency last week. In the session one munchkin ran up behind me and grabbed my shoulder to get my attention, just a tap, nothing too aggressive.

His feedback from me 1. You've just assaulted me in front of witnesses, 2. I've now got a free shot to belt you in the gob because I'm now defending myself.

I've spent the last decade dealing with the 'public' in confrontational situations, that have involved getting hands on. Now the knees have gone I'm training the next batch.

If I'd behaved the way some of our stewards behave, I would expected a lot more aggro than I actually ever got.
Luckily for the stewards the people they talk to like crap are just there too watch the football and are cowed into compliance. It's noticable how when there is a big away following they are very tollerant of misbehaviour in the away end.

We do have some very good stewards and they should be given credit for that, but it also needs to be acknowledged by the club that we have some real dickheads, who for whatever reason are encouraged to act like that by someone in authority at the club.

Remember CR thinks of us as customers & not fans, well the front facing customer service staff need retraining.

[Chrisuknottm]

Glad I'm not the only one sick of this. One bouncer in particular has made my last few match days really quite uncomfortable in and around the sandy pate bar. I'm 6 foot 4 and have been regularly singled out since I was a teenager...airports, festivals, by police and at football grounds and it gets me low key irate, but over the years I've had to grow thick skin over it because it always happens. But because I disliked him suddenly putting his hand on me, grabbing my arm out of the blue to have a word with me
hes now got it in his head I'm a trouble maker, regularly just watching me, eyeing me up from a distance and yesterday he stopped me to ask me why I was wearing a South Africa top? He's never been pleasant to me and was obviously asking because he assumed the worst of me, and no consideration I was born there, as I was.
I go there every match day with my dad who's almost 70, and tend to have a good laugh. What trouble does he think I'm trying to cause? I'm now considering making a formal complaint because he's not making my match day there pleasant and he's a literal waste of a wage spending his time singling me out.

Why did he grab your arm and want a word? And when you say you disliked that, what did you do / how did you react?

I was training some staff for a Govt Agency last week. In the session one munchkin ran up behind me and grabbed my shoulder to get my attention, just a tap, nothing too aggressive.

His feedback from me 1. You've just assaulted me in front of witnesses, 2. I've now got a free shot to belt you in the gob because I'm now defending myself.

I've spent the last decade dealing with the 'public' in confrontational situations, that have involved getting hands on. Now the knees have gone I'm training the next batch.

If I'd behaved the way some of our stewards behave, I would expected a lot more aggro than I actually ever got.
Luckily for the stewards the people they talk to like crap are just there too watch the football and are cowed into compliance. It's noticable how when there is a big away following they are very tollerant of misbehaviour in the away end.

We do have some very good stewards and they should be given credit for that, but it also needs to be acknowledged by the club that we have some real dickheads, who for whatever reason are encouraged to act like that by someone in authority at the club.

Remember CR thinks of us as customers & not fans, well the front facing customer service staff need retraining.

Great post Sneag

[gazza1988]

Per the ground regulations, this bit is pertinent to the recording made by staff. Unless its body worn cameras then we have every right to complain.

22 CCTV cameras are in use around and in the Ground. Body worn video cameras recording video and/or audio may also be used as appropriate, for example to record prohibited behaviours as referenced in paragraphs 9 and 10. The Club may itself use or pass to the police or any Football Authority or other clubs, any recordings for use in any proceedings.

A mobile phone is not a body worn recording device.

Here's the full set.
https://www.mansfieldtown.net/club/ground-regulations/


As for abuse

9 The use of threatening behaviour, foul or abusive language is strictly forbidden and will result in arrest and/or ejection from the Ground. The Club may impose a ban for one or more Matches.

[CassellsCap]

The Oldham fans were great and made a great atmosphere but if that had been in a home section the stewards wouldn’t accept it and it would’ve been nullified, hence people including myself get behind the team more on away days . I don’t enjoy home games anymore and it’s becoming a chore in more ways than one.

[BigDave]

If the steward is raising his voice to which you think is threatening to yourself or others then surely that’s classed as common assault? That’s what informed the other week by the lovely old bill..