Fan celebrations that could hurt others or include vandalism?

[_Putney_]

I've been in plenty of proper celebrations over the years and never seen anyone falling over until a couple of years ago. It's all deliberate, all to impress other embarrassments on social media.

This, all for snapchat and tik tok and instagram. Hugely embarrassing.

[flyingfish]

I'm glad to see more and more discussions like this and from this viewpoint across social media, as it seems that apparently, this behaviour is quite alright if you're young and just want to have fun...and if you don't like it, you must be old and boring🙄😡. There seems to be this real feral element in society who just think they can do whatever they want and have no respect for authority.

There has been a real problem at the back of the Hammersmith End between blocks H5 and H6, dating back to the 2019/20 season. Fans who presumably don't have tickets for that area gather on the stairs towards the back between the two blocks, making it very cramped for those of us sat (stood) in the seats.  Then we score a goal and those on the stairs bundle forward or pile into each other and invariably barge into people in the seats. I've even seen one particular character pile down a few rows from within. Not surprisingly, innocent fans who want no part of this get caught up in it and knocked over.

I raised this with the club and was assured that it had been passed on to the chief safety steward, but then covid came along and naturally it didn't move on.  However, I felt the need to raise it back in October and this time raised it with the FST as well. Subsequent meeting notes addressed the issue and stated that ticket checks on the stairs from the concourse would be in place together with monitoring the situation. At the Derby match it worked perfectly, stewards were there checking tickets all match, and a steward was placed on the stairs at the back.

Unfortunately, the Bournemouth and Bristol City games saw a reversion back to type.  Token ticket checks against Bournemouth and no checks yesterday. You can all guess the result. In the meantime, these youngsters having fun have gone almost viral with their "goal celebrations", so of course, when we scored yesterday, off it went after each goal. And it's not just jumping around and people going over, it's is literally pushing people down the stairs. And guess what happened? A lad with crutches sat in an aisle seat got bundled into, breaking the seat in front of him in the process.

It's now a ridiculous situation whereby I am almost afraid of us scoring a goal, or at the very least, wary of what's going on to my left, instead of being able to celebrate freely.

I shall unfortunately be having to be having to email an update to the club and FST this evening, but as there is a long time until their next meeting with the club and we've a match in 2 days, I fear that nothing can be done before then.

This is so well put. And glad to see it's not just me and that things have got worse and I'm not imagining. I just saw a staggering post on Twitter in which someone called out the stewarding while Bristol fans were flinging seats and coins at the Putney end where there were children and someone condescendingly and in all seriousness asked 'was it your first game?'

Like if I don't want violence and people acting unsafely towards me or others then I need to 'get out of the club'!!! What the actual fcuk

And as for the bloke near me who nearly killed himself with rage at the sight of a Bristol fan in a Hammersmith end suite, he needs to get some medical help before he literally gives himself a stroke. People may say it's football and if I want my child there sit in the family block but even in the Hammersmith end I shouldn't have to listen to c word every 5 seconds. 

[Ruislip White]

Completely unacceptable behaviour by a minority of away fans in particular, and sadly becoming increasingly noticeable.  This season there were groups of our fans behaving like tools on the train back from Blackpool in front of families with kids, with the train staff pleading for them to calm down.
Embarrassing, regardless of whether anyone is at football or in high spirits.
Other fans do similar stuff or even worse, but that's no defence for disrespecting others and damaging property.

[SP]

I'm sure I read somewhere there has been a notable increase in this sort of behaviour since the lockdowns right across the game.

My daughter's friend arranged a charity match at Maidstone FC the other day, following a heavy challenge, a player head butted a member of the opposition.  What a sight for the other players children to witness.

[Plodder]

I was in the Putney End one year with some over enthusiastic Sunderland fans sitting behind us, who celebrated their second and third goals with a celebration of the "falling on top of the next row" type.  It was a disconcerting experience, and could easily have injured them or us or others.

I support all the attempts to eradicate this and all the other examples of bad behaviour listed, and I don't care how many people sneer at me, call me a moaning old g*t, killjoy or worse.

[fulhamphil]

There are some right little twats who follow Fulham away. They seem to revel in behaviour I thought we'd left behind. Fulham supporters or not if my young daughter got hurt but one of these bellends jumping in her is throttle them

This is a more serious topic than many appreciate. The club are very much aware they do have a problem but are hoping once the muppets get back into the Hammersmith End and responsible fans fill up the posh seats again the problem will go away. Presently an unpleasant number of idiots now attach themselves to away fixtures. Alcohol and cocaine are the stimulants of choice. Behaviour at Peterborough was particularly unpleasant. Leaping across seats or roundly abusing fellow fans while adopting an aggressive "I will sit or stand where I want to," I have witnessed it all in the past few months.

The club are actively gathering video evidence and look to track down undesirables through their seat numbers. Shame on anyone who thinks smashing seats and overturning city centre bins is acceptable behaviour.

[Twig]

Incredibly 5 respondents think "it's no big deal" and another 4 "don't care, whatever".  I notice that none have the courage to come on here and cogently defend their opinions.

[Worcesterwhite]

The club definitely needs to get a grip on it, the problem with this type of issue is you normally get a reaction when it's too late and unfortunately in this case it could end up with someone seriously getting injured.

[Mr K.Dilkington]

The only point I would make is that I don't want the excuse of vandalism/hooliganism to infringe on the uptake of more European football fan culture in England. It really is the future and has the ability to attract new fans to smaller clubs if done right.

[Mince n Tatties]

Incredibly 5 respondents think "it's no big deal" and another 4 "don't care, whatever".  I notice that none have the courage to come on here and cogently defend their opinions.

At least they celebrate and roar the side on.
Where I sit in Hammersmith and,there are 3 middle aged guys sit in front of me,pessimistic bums..When we were in Premier and playing one of the big boys they'd  start before a ball was kicked,"Oh I hope we keep the score down to 2 or 3 and dont get thrashed,Jesus I said to one once why do you people come to games,get behind the team and stop thinking we're  going to get thrashed...Fulham fans lol.

By the way Twig I'm getting my old Doc Martin's polished and setting up the over 60's "Fulham Inter City Mob" where we can go to away games and get into some scraps...Want to join,I can lend you my Pea Shooter or Catapult.....Coyw.😅😅😅

[Mr K.Dilkington]

Incredibly 5 respondents think "it's no big deal" and another 4 "don't care, whatever".  I notice that none have the courage to come on here and cogently defend their opinions.

At least they celebrate and roar the side on.
Where I sit in Hammersmith and,there are 3 middle aged guys sit in front of me,pessimistic bums..When we were in Premier and playing one of the big boys they'd  start before a ball was kicked,"Oh I hope we keep the score down to 2 or 3 and dont get thrashed,Jesus I said to one once why do you people come to games,get behind the team and stop thinking we're  going to get thrashed...Fulham fans lol.

By the way Twig I'm getting my old Doc Martin's polished and setting up the over 60's "Fulham Inter City Mob" where we can go to away games and get into some scraps...Want to join,I can lend you my Pea Shooter or Catapult.....Coyw.😅😅😅

Lol some fulham fans are a bizarre bunch. They turn up with a mentality of defeat almost like they're doing community service by attending. Weirdo sponge cake enthusiasts some of us FFC fans are one can't but think.👍

[Ruislip White]

Incredibly 5 respondents think "it's no big deal" and another 4 "don't care, whatever".  I notice that none have the courage to come on here and cogently defend their opinions.

At least they celebrate and roar the side on.
Where I sit in Hammersmith and,there are 3 middle aged guys sit in front of me,pessimistic bums..When we were in Premier and playing one of the big boys they'd  start before a ball was kicked,"Oh I hope we keep the score down to 2 or 3 and dont get thrashed,Jesus I said to one once why do you people come to games,get behind the team and stop thinking we're  going to get thrashed...Fulham fans lol.

By the way Twig I'm getting my old Doc Martin's polished and setting up the over 60's "Fulham Inter City Mob" where we can go to away games and get into some scraps...Want to join,I can lend you my Pea Shooter or Catapult.....Coyw.😅😅😅

Strange defence.  I'd much rather sit with my kids, next to three middle aged pessimistic bums than behind fans that that falling over seats and rushing towards other fans and families, because they are 'celebrating and roaring the side on'.  When the teams own families are in the crowd, I'm fairly sure they feel the same way.

[Twig]

I must be unusual but I find I'm able to roar my team on without either standing up and obstructing people's views or falling all over them.

[_Putney_]

Standing is fun for some and should be allowed in certain areas.  I quite like that the club had provided sitting down seats for away fans, ruined by people not respecting them.  The majority of the back of the Hammersmith End that stands is aboslutely fine as are the majority of our away frollowing.  It's a minority who ruin it; younger types that do it for the limbs on social media and a couple of older 'lads' wishing they were back in the eighties decked out in Lyle and Scott with a Burberry scarf.

[Ashington White]

They're fine at the back of the Hammy provided that a) they're not stood on the stairs, b) should actually be there and c) as you say, are not being bundling idiots when we score

[Twig]

Standing is fun for some and should be allowed in certain areas.  I quite like that the club had provided sitting down seats for away fans, ruined by people not respecting them.  The majority of the back of the Hammersmith End that stands is aboslutely fine as are the majority of our away frollowing.  It's a minority who ruin it; younger types that do it for the limbs on social media and a couple of older 'lads' wishing they were back in the eighties decked out in Lyle and Scott with a Burberry scarf.

Totally agree that standing is fine but I've argued for ages that it needs to be in designated safe standing areas. That would help cut out the idiotic falling celebrations, it would mean that those who want to sit can do so without having their view obstructed, those who enjoy standing could legitimately do so with like minded supporters. It's a no brainer to me.

Oh yes and my wife might just come back. As someone who is short she just can't see when everyone gets up and stands in front of her. She gets up too but can see very little. She used to miss so much of the action when we attacked the Hammy End that she stopped coming to the Cottage.

[Ashington White]

Good points.

[Woolly Mammoth]

I wouldn't stand for it and i wouldn't take it sitting down either. 

[Ashington White]

Boom boom.  Better last night, no-one really gathered on the stairway, and no obviuos bundles when we scored.  Might be due to a couple of stewards being stood there, though not for the whole match.  Had people drinking beer in their seats this time though, so all fun and games.

[Humbug]

I think throwing yourself about is pretty much the same as the terraces most of us were on in the 80s and 90s. This behaviour is not in the same class as the mindless vandalism.