For the first time I've seen there were barriers at the river end of the Hammersmith End stopping fans from the Hammersmith End exiting onto the Thames path. This meant the entire stand had to exit onto Stevenage Road. What was the rationale for this? Was this a trial run for what will happen at future games?
It happened at the Eintracht Frankfurt pre-season friendly. Don't know about the man utd game.
Quote from: Ludlow Richard on September 13, 2025, 09:32:33 PMFor the first time I've seen there were barriers at the river end of the Hammersmith End stopping fans from the Hammersmith End exiting onto the Thames path. This meant the entire stand had to exit onto Stevenage Road. What was the rationale for this? Was this a trial run for what will happen at future games?
Really? My daughter and I (plus hundreds of others) walked out the river exit and along the towpath as usual no problem. Didn't see any barriers there.
Quote from: Kimbleman on September 14, 2025, 12:04:10 AMQuote from: Ludlow Richard on September 13, 2025, 09:32:33 PMFor the first time I've seen there were barriers at the river end of the Hammersmith End stopping fans from the Hammersmith End exiting onto the Thames path. This meant the entire stand had to exit onto Stevenage Road. What was the rationale for this? Was this a trial run for what will happen at future games?
Really? My daughter and I (plus hundreds of others) walked out the river exit and along the towpath as usual no problem. Didn't see any barriers there.
I think he means if you were sitting in the Hammersmith end and once you immediately leave your seats you couldn't go left to use the "riverside exit" you had to go right. If you were coming from the Riverside stand you were fine.
My only thought as to why is to keep reverse traffic from Hammersmith End fans who want to go to the Riverside after the game.
They really buggered up the commission and design of the new stand. For all its benefits and modern design, it's simply not designed properly as a football stand. Not enough gates, means packed terraces, people not moving freely enough at half and full time. Poor facilities too. Yes, it looks great, but boy is it inadequate for what it's meant to be for.
Perhaps SK should have moved us to another part of the country where there is plenty of land to build a high spec stadium that would have suited everyone's wishes.
Quote from: General on September 14, 2025, 01:15:03 AMThey really buggered up the commission and design of the new stand. For all its benefits and modern design, it's simply not designed properly as a football stand. Not enough gates, means packed terraces, people not moving freely enough at half and full time. Poor facilities too. Yes, it looks great, but boy is it inadequate for what it's meant to be for.
Quote from: cookieg on September 14, 2025, 07:47:35 AMPerhaps SK should have moved us to another part of the country where there is plenty of land to build a high spec stadium that would have suited everyone's wishes.
Or maybe move the river.
Quote from: FFCAli on September 14, 2025, 08:29:28 AMQuote from: General on September 14, 2025, 01:15:03 AMThey really buggered up the commission and design of the new stand. For all its benefits and modern design, it's simply not designed properly as a football stand. Not enough gates, means packed terraces, people not moving freely enough at half and full time. Poor facilities too. Yes, it looks great, but boy is it inadequate for what it's meant to be for.
Quote from: cookieg on September 14, 2025, 07:47:35 AMPerhaps SK should have moved us to another part of the country where there is plenty of land to build a high spec stadium that would have suited everyone's wishes.
Or maybe move the river.
Of course, that's exactly what SK should have done.
Quote from: Kimbleman on September 14, 2025, 12:04:10 AMQuote from: Ludlow Richard on September 13, 2025, 09:32:33 PMFor the first time I've seen there were barriers at the river end of the Hammersmith End stopping fans from the Hammersmith End exiting onto the Thames path. This meant the entire stand had to exit onto Stevenage Road. What was the rationale for this? Was this a trial run for what will happen at future games?
Really? My daughter and I (plus hundreds of others) walked out the river exit and along the towpath as usual no problem. Didn't see any barriers there.
I guess you were sitting in the Riverside Stand. People in the Hammersmith End were blocked off from accessing the Thames Path and we all had to go out via the Stevenage Road exit. A bit chaotic.....
Perhaps request a statement from the club. I was not at the game and live miles away, better coming from a local, regular in attendance.
Quote from: Ludlow Richard on September 14, 2025, 08:57:38 AMQuote from: Kimbleman on September 14, 2025, 12:04:10 AMQuote from: Ludlow Richard on September 13, 2025, 09:32:33 PMFor the first time I've seen there were barriers at the river end of the Hammersmith End stopping fans from the Hammersmith End exiting onto the Thames path. This meant the entire stand had to exit onto Stevenage Road. What was the rationale for this? Was this a trial run for what will happen at future games?
Really? My daughter and I (plus hundreds of others) walked out the river exit and along the towpath as usual no problem. Didn't see any barriers there.
I guess you were sitting in the Riverside Stand. People in the Hammersmith End were blocked off from accessing the Thames Path and we all had to go out via the Stevenage Road exit. A bit chaotic.....
I have never seen it before and it caused a fair bit of chaos. The only reason I can think of was to help the Riversiders get out quicker (to the detriment of the Hammy Enders). It seems ridiculous that they have been encouraging fans to use the Riverside facilities after the game and then blocked them off from entering. Typical Fulham.
I actually went to the loo and by that time a doorway had opened in the ground barrier (although I think fans may have opened it unofficially) and I went through that. I was then able to walk through behind the Riverstand to exit through the park. For me that is better than the congestion in Stevenage Road.
Although I would recommend the Riverside bar facilities- I went after the United game and it was actually really good.
I suspect it's about the initial exit of the larger crowd from the Riverside Stand now the stand is full.
But like everything else, the Riverside safety gets preference over other stands, like no safe standing, the slope down the Hammersmith gates in winter, small concourse, poor Toilet and Food Outlets, etc, until there is a crush or some bad accidents the club will probably ignore those problems.
It didn't help that the District line was totally buggered for the afternoon and evening.
That said, most of the underground was buggered for the weekend. Absolute mare to get back from Putney Bridge.
Quote from: Ludlow Richard on September 13, 2025, 09:32:33 PMFor the first time I've seen there were barriers at the river end of the Hammersmith End stopping fans from the Hammersmith End exiting onto the Thames path. This meant the entire stand had to exit onto Stevenage Road. What was the rationale for this? Was this a trial run for what will happen at future games?
Sorry but you are incorrect, we exited straight after the match from H6 via Riverside without any issue whatsoeve
Quote from: KJS on September 14, 2025, 11:04:51 PMQuote from: Ludlow Richard on September 13, 2025, 09:32:33 PMFor the first time I've seen there were barriers at the river end of the Hammersmith End stopping fans from the Hammersmith End exiting onto the Thames path. This meant the entire stand had to exit onto Stevenage Road. What was the rationale for this? Was this a trial run for what will happen at future games?
Sorry but you are incorrect, we exited straight after the match from H6 via Riverside without any issue whatsoeve
Well that's weird. I left immediately at the final whistle from H6. Walked down the steps from H6 onto the concourse. There was a barrier on both the upper and lower concourse which meant that those exiting had to leave the ground via the Stevenage Rd exit. I didn't imagine it. Stewards were saying we could not leave the ground via the Riverside/Thames Path exit.
Quote from: Ludlow Richard on September 14, 2025, 08:57:38 AMQuote from: Kimbleman on September 14, 2025, 12:04:10 AMQuote from: Ludlow Richard on September 13, 2025, 09:32:33 PMFor the first time I've seen there were barriers at the river end of the Hammersmith End stopping fans from the Hammersmith End exiting onto the Thames path. This meant the entire stand had to exit onto Stevenage Road. What was the rationale for this? Was this a trial run for what will happen at future games?
Really? My daughter and I (plus hundreds of others) walked out the river exit and along the towpath as usual no problem. Didn't see any barriers there.
I guess you were sitting in the Riverside Stand. People in the Hammersmith End were blocked off from accessing the Thames Path and we all had to go out via the Stevenage Road exit. A bit chaotic.....
But how can it be chaotic. It's what we've had to do, forever?
Quote from: Pie n Mash on September 15, 2025, 05:50:08 AMQuote from: Ludlow Richard on September 14, 2025, 08:57:38 AMQuote from: Kimbleman on September 14, 2025, 12:04:10 AMQuote from: Ludlow Richard on September 13, 2025, 09:32:33 PMFor the first time I've seen there were barriers at the river end of the Hammersmith End stopping fans from the Hammersmith End exiting onto the Thames path. This meant the entire stand had to exit onto Stevenage Road. What was the rationale for this? Was this a trial run for what will happen at future games?
Really? My daughter and I (plus hundreds of others) walked out the river exit and along the towpath as usual no problem. Didn't see any barriers there.
I guess you were sitting in the Riverside Stand. People in the Hammersmith End were blocked off from accessing the Thames Path and we all had to go out via the Stevenage Road exit. A bit chaotic.....
But how can it be chaotic. It's what we've had to do, forever?
Strongly disagree. We have always been able to exit down the steps closest to the river and out onto the river walk.
That was not open immediately after game resulting in more crowds on the upper concourse.
They opened the lower level gate after a short while so we got through in the end. I wonder if some important person (Ali Mac?) was leaving, so our exit was delayed while they swanned by.
Quote from: Ludlow Richard on September 15, 2025, 12:16:38 AMQuote from: KJS on September 14, 2025, 11:04:51 PMQuote from: Ludlow Richard on September 13, 2025, 09:32:33 PMFor the first time I've seen there were barriers at the river end of the Hammersmith End stopping fans from the Hammersmith End exiting onto the Thames path. This meant the entire stand had to exit onto Stevenage Road. What was the rationale for this? Was this a trial run for what will happen at future games?
Sorry but you are incorrect, we exited straight after the match from H6 via Riverside without any issue whatsoeve
Well that's weird. I left immediately at the final whistle from H6. Walked down the steps from H6 onto the concourse. There was a barrier on both the upper and lower concourse which meant that those exiting had to leave the ground via the Stevenage Rd exit. I didn't imagine it. Stewards were saying we could not leave the ground via the Riverside/Thames Path exit.
We stayed for 5 minutes to clap team of then left in the corner of Hammy /Riverside and walked straight through so perhaps they had a few minutes before allowed access but as I said we had no issue whatsoever
I left the back of the JH straight after the final whistle and was faced with the high black wall across the Riverside path exit. Two stewards were manning a small door and they weren't letting anyone through but I insisted that I needed to get to Hammersmith and slid past them and they thankfully decided not to forcibly stop me.
I hope the club are not planning to make this a permanent arrangement, as it will be very annoying to have to fight my wayback to Stevenage and then back along the pathway every time!
It sounds as if the gate/barrier was removed soon after I passed through, so hopefully a misunderstanding somewhere. Can anyone clarify?
Sounds like a bit of a fire hazard to me, surely all exits should be open in case of emergencies.
Quote from: EN1 FFC on September 14, 2025, 11:00:11 AMI suspect it's about the initial exit of the larger crowd from the Riverside Stand now the stand is full.
But like everything else, the Riverside safety gets preference over other stands, like no safe standing, the slope down the Hammersmith gates in winter, small concourse, poor Toilet and Food Outlets, etc, until there is a crush or some bad accidents the club will probably ignore those problems.
This is one of the primary reasons I am considering giving up my season ticket (or moving stands). The Hammersmith End is starting to feel like a bad accident just waiting to happen.
Quote from: General on September 14, 2025, 01:15:03 AMThey really buggered up the commission and design of the new stand. For all its benefits and modern design, it's simply not designed properly as a football stand. Not enough gates, means packed terraces, people not moving freely enough at half and full time. Poor facilities too. Yes, it looks great, but boy is it inadequate for what it's meant to be for.
That surprises me as personally I think it's up there with best in the country, as do most that join me from time to time. Frustrating that some sections are a bit elitist but I guess its the way with many things these days.
Quote from: Southcoastffc on September 13, 2025, 09:44:08 PMIt happened at the Eintracht Frankfurt pre-season friendly. Don't know about the man utd game.
Was deffo opened for Man U, several friends from the Hammersmith end joined for beers after the game....
The lower level was opened ten minutes after the game possibly because of the build up of people trying to leave the Hammy. We went down and walked back along to the river side where we had a beer and a burger and watched Anthony Robinson being interviewed. It could have been an experiment that failed and may not be repeated
I believe initially they stated you could enter the Riverside stand from the other stands at 17.15 when it was a 15.00 kick off.We had a drink after the Leeds game in the Riverside and walked straight in.My Cousin's over from Ireland were well impressed. Quite a few of us are going in after the match for a few drinks before we go off somewhere else.