Anti Social Behaviour

[TenaciousDee]

Following on from a series of recent meetings with our security teams, Derry City FC would like to announce the following measures that will be in place from our next home game on 15 May.

From that date, children under the age of 14 will only be admitted to the stadium accompanied by a parent/guardian.

We would ask that those accompanying children to games ensure that they stay with them throughout the evening.

Due to the Health & Safety risk attached, children will not be permitted to bring footballs into the ground.

Those with Terrace tickets are asked to note that these are only valid for the standing area at the side of the Mark Farren stand. They are not for entry to the Southend Park stand.

Because of that, entry points to the stadium are changing from Monday night on.

Those with Terrace tickets, or tickets for Mark Farren stand will enter via the Lone Moor Road gate.

Anyone who is using the Long Tower Youth Club car park can also use the entry point at the top of the greyhound track to get to the Mark Farren side.

Only those with tickets for the Southend Park stand (or media/guests) should use the Ann Street gate or Brandywell Road entrance.

Security and club personnel will be on the various gates and we would ask supporters to work with us on this matter.

Signage will also be in place to direct supporters on entry to the ground.

Finally, the club wishes to ensure our supporters that these steps are being taken to try to enhance the match-night experience for all those attending games.

Your support is invaluable to the club but we have to do everything we can to ensure the safety of everyone.

[Keyser Soze]

Don't see how coming in a certain gate helps with H&S?

[brandyball]

No Flares, No Pyro, No Footballs.

[Neutrino]

Don't see how coming in a certain gate helps with H&S?

It stops kids with or anyone really with terrace tickets for the Mark Farren stand side coming into the Southend Park Stand side.

[TenaciousDee]

The plans are a start but whilst away supporters remain in sections A and B they are still targets for trouble. As I mentioned in the Pat's thread I witnessed the post match fracas and it began with missiles being thrown into that section from outside. Fans at the front minding their own business, untying flags and stewards keeping an eye on the section came under fire from bottles, stones and traffic cones. I know season tickets are sold for sections like C, D and further down at J,K,L,M etc. but away supporters need relocated towards the car park at the track. Makes it easier to walk them in and out and preventing fans from using that walk behind the net post match, cuts them off from scenarios that fans mix.

[Keyser Soze]

Would agree that away fans should be at other end of the Southend Stand, like back in the Setanta Cup days.

Are fans going to be stopped walking from one side of the ground to the other now then?

[stevebradley]

Would agree that away fans should be at other end of the Southend Stand, like back in the Setanta Cup days.

Are fans going to be stopped walking from one side of the ground to the other now then?

I guess the problem with away fans at that end of the ground is that it's the only way to get round to the club shop and also the oute for anyone using the Car Park to get to the MF stand and terracing. So it's inevitable that there will be fans mixing and people with a liegitimate reason for being behind and nearby those blocks. Unless we say you can no longer go from one side of the ground to the other, which just wouldn't work.

This is the result of the poor design of the Brandywell, with no proper segregation and only one end of the ground where it is possible to get round to the other side.

[brandyball]

Would agree that away fans should be at other end of the Southend Stand, like back in the Setanta Cup days.

Are fans going to be stopped walking from one side of the ground to the other now then?

Only if you're an unaccompanied under 14 year old.

[brandyball]

New security arrangements causing delays already?

[stevebradley]

Seemed to be quite a few empty seats all around the stadium tonight. Particularly noticeable in Block K, and they also didn;t have their drum either.

Wonder of that is the new policy re U14s reducing the attendance?

On the plus side, it was probably the first game without any reference to the IRA in chants in some time (which the Blcok K kids have a habit of doing). .

[daniel]

Block K seems to have an issue with Pulse, and claim they are the reason why the atmosphere is so poor. I disagree, the atmosphere was piss poor for long before they came on the scene imo.

People keep talking about fans being penned into block K by Pulse, and by order of the club. There'd be no need, if they heeded warnings and pleas from the club surrounding flares and trouble (granted trouble makers are a small minority imo).

No one wants to see people being penned into any block, but clearly something had to give, the club couldn't keep paying stupid fines.

There's an issue with blocks quite close to each other singing different songs, why can't/won't they sing the same songs?

[brandyball]

Seemed to be quite a few empty seats all around the stadium tonight. Particularly noticeable in Block K, and they also didn;t have their drum either.

Wonder of that is the new policy re U14s reducing the attendance?

On the plus side, it was probably the first game without any reference to the IRA in chants in some time (which the Blcok K kids have a habit of doing). .

Maybe as 'The Ultras" had to be accompanied by an adult.

[TenaciousDee]

I disagree, the atmosphere was piss poor for long before they came on the scene imo.

Football fans love to pat themselves on the back and we are no different. We romanticise the atmosphere created in the ground but if you go back to 2010 0r 2011 when the JSB split from the main stand and stood on the far side in the open air, the atmosphere died. You can’t deny it and if we had archived every post on here from the time you’d be able to read pleas asking them to come back across to the main stand. You had a couple of young lads who wanted to wave their flags, sing their songs and bang their drum away from section J. Once the split happened you had Scaldy banging the big drum in one section with everyone there singing the more traditional chants of the time and the "Ultras" and the Christmas drum set collective (kids who wanted to be mini-Scaldy) on the far side making their noise that travelled into the wind, heard by few. Then there was the move back across to section K and again it became a People's Front of Judea/Judea People's Front scenario when people stood side by side but not together. It seemed egotistic and it killed any atmosphere in the Brandywell outside of big games/occasions.

There appears to be a lot of ego and self-importance regarding how we come across or who is seen to be generating noise. One set of fans are crying about the drum and the fact that it is the same three songs over and over again, yet the other half are also singing their same three songs over and over again. I was sent a number of screenshots over the last while from a Facebook page, as well as a statement from "ultrasderry" on Instagram who believe that in the absence of Flares, seats and the arrival of Pulse has led to the atmosphere dying and the team underperforming. Parts of that is true, the last part definitely isn’t. Team were underperforming because of what was happening on the pitch, not in the stands.

However, it should not be the responsibility of one section or stand to generate an atmosphere. Monday night once it kicked off a hush came across the stadium and the “we bring the atmosphere” boasts of Friday night appeared to be on a silent protest. I made a sarcastic comment to the people next to me asking if I was at a snooker match. These people in J and K sing to get the team going, whilst the rest of the ground only use their voice to shout abuse at the referee, players or, mostly in the MF Stand from what I can hear, their disapproval of our own team's performance. I’ll give you an example, the other night at 1-0 a rendition of "Stand Up for the Candystripes" made it as far as Section I. Everyone else did not engage with the call to support. People pay their money and can do what they want but a bit of positivity and hand clapping wouldn't go a miss.

I find it unfair that a supporter has to feel they are being watched by the headmaster for nearly two hours when they are trying to enjoy themselves. As someone said, the club are going to the extreme to make sure nothing occurs and I understand why they want Pulse present around Section K but some of the actions such as no under 14s allowed entry without an adult are going down like a lead balloon. Assuming that these kids are paying entry per game or with a season ticket, the Club needs to be careful because we have a very elderly fanbase that is sadly dying out and these kids (who are not all bad, just a few) will be fans for the future. A number of people on here started as young lads coming in the gate with their parent, sibling, grandparent, mate etc. and ran around unattended, getting involved in the chants and the atmosphere. I bet some of you were sneaking cans too because I was whilst on the bus to away games and it was part of the rebellious appeal. Granted a section of these kids are taking it to a greater extreme with the violence but the majority are not involved in it. We need to look at a long term solution that will not discourage the youth to continue to come through the gate, look at how matchdays can be a family night out for home and away fans and this may involve a better placement of fans to protect the away crowd, as well as improved search procedures at the gate.

[stevebradley]

I have no sympathy with anyone crying about Pulse security being in Section K (or wherever it is). They're there for a reaosn - because that area was literally costing the club money with flares etc. No other section has the same Pulse presence - because no other section needs it. And the Pulse presence has clearly worked, as there are no flares or smokes at games any more.

My big beef with the kids in that section is that they constantly chant about the IRA in songs. Just a few years after Lyra McKee was murdered by the Dissident rabble in our streets. The kids chanting IRA are Armchair rebels that don't even know or remember the Troubles and need to wise the fcuk up with that shit. It will cause serious damage to the reputation of our club.

[KEVK]

The new terrace that is supposedly getting built behind the Brandywell Road will solve a lot of these problems.

Maybe Block K would consider moving there, under 14s can go there without an adult and have a safe/designated area of the terrace for letting off flares.

I can't wait for the new terrace as I prefer terracing for atmosphere and have always wanted a terrace behind the goals at the Brandywell.

[brandyball]

The new terrace that is supposedly getting built behind the Brandywell Road will solve a lot of these problems.

Maybe Block K would consider moving there, under 14s can go there without an adult and have a safe/designated area of the terrace for letting off flares.

I can't wait for the new terrace as I prefer terracing for atmosphere and have always wanted a terrace behind the goals at the Brandywell.

Flares are Banned and cost the club via fines imposed.

[KEVK]

The new terrace that is supposedly getting built behind the Brandywell Road will solve a lot of these problems.

Maybe Block K would consider moving there, under 14s can go there without an adult and have a safe/designated area of the terrace for letting off flares.

I can't wait for the new terrace as I prefer terracing for atmosphere and have always wanted a terrace behind the goals at the Brandywell.

Flares are Banned and cost the club via fines imposed.

Think there needs to be more open and mature dialogue between supporters, the clubs and the FAI around flares as they should be allowed, but only in designated and approved areas. Supporters then have a choice - if you don't like being near them, then don't stand/sit in the designated areas.

[brandyball]

The new terrace that is supposedly getting built behind the Brandywell Road will solve a lot of these problems.

Maybe Block K would consider moving there, under 14s can go there without an adult and have a safe/designated area of the terrace for letting off flares.

I can't wait for the new terrace as I prefer terracing for atmosphere and have always wanted a terrace behind the goals at the Brandywell.

Flares are Banned and cost the club via fines imposed.

Think there needs to be more open and mature dialogue between supporters, the clubs and the FAI around flares as they should be allowed, but only in designated and approved areas. Supporters then have a choice - if you don't like being near them, then don't stand/sit in the designated areas.

Wonder why they're banned In the first place?

[stevebradley]

Flares are Banned and cost the club via fines imposed.

Think there needs to be more open and mature dialogue between supporters, the clubs and the FAI around flares as they should be allowed, but only in designated and approved areas. Supporters then have a choice - if you don't like being near them, then don't stand/sit in the designated areas.

Wonder why they're banned In the first place?

Presumably for safety reasons. It's not just in Ireland where they're banned.

The FAI is not going to change its appoach over flares just because a few kids want to light them at Derry games.

[kitwe]

KEVK flares are dangerous generating heat and flames. Also, thank god I'm not asthmatic as I have had difficulty breathing and l am quite a distance away.
Yes they are colourful and dramatic but considering the above plus the cost to the club there's no justification for their use.