Anti Social Behaviour

[TenaciousDee]

Police were outside shortly after half time ended. Following the game traffic was directed towards the Foyle Road by stewards where Derry teens were throwing stones, bottles and a large container of paint at the landies. All fun and games until one of them is injured or the FAI act and order the club to play a match or two behind closed doors.

[KennyMark89]

What’s the story with block J, K & L not singing the same songs? What’s the divide about?

Block K are ultras and want to fight?

Been a few years since I been to the brandy and this was the biggest change so just wondering.

[stevebradley]

What’s the story with block J, K & L not singing the same songs? What’s the divide about?

Block K are ultras and want to fight?

Been a few years since I been to the brandy and this was the biggest change so just wondering.

This has been going on for some time now. I don't know the full story, but it seems that Block K are mostly kids who light the flares, often sing IRA stuff, and are not averse to acting the dickhead etc. The neighbouring block seems to be more the Bradywel Pride group, who are older and would be 'proper' well-behaved fans in my view. There's beef between them for whatever reason. Sometimes the Brandywell Pride group seem to try to drown out the Block K chants.

Block K has been the source of issues for the club for some time now - from flares to fights. I don;t care how much 'atmosphere' they create if they start to be more hassle than they worth. The idea of dispersong those with seats there around the stadium is probably worth thinking about. A good time to do it would be next season when the new Brandywell Road stand is installed, as that would provide extra capacity to use to start shuffling people around.

[stevebradley]

Anyone know what the story was with the fighting at half-time in front of the Rovers end last night? Apparently one or more Derry fan(s) went over to the away end to pick a fight, but there were definitely 3 or so different pockets of people fighting wiht stewards until they were subdued and about 3-4 people evicted.

The problem with evicting peopke - especially if they're away fans - is they just get put out onto the street. Not only is that no punishment, but presumably they're pissed off so there is a danger of them doing damage to cars etc. A wee night in the cells and then having to make their own way home the next day at their own expense would be a much better way to deal with it all, as being dumped outside the stadium isn't a huge deterrent.

I'm a broken record on this, but this is all further evidence of how Brandywell stadium is not the right location for our long term future. The area can't be fully policed, and it's clear that even professional stewards struggle to deal with relatively large groups of fans who want to cause bother.

[brandyball]

Didn't actually see a punch thrown but I saw 3 being ejected from the Rovers Cohort all dressed the same with their faces covered however 1 of the 3 broke free and was able to climb back among the away fans. There only appeared to be 6-8 stewards stationed in front of the away end.

I also saw a young Derry fan being prevented going any further and being told to go back to block K and an older fan remonstrating with the steward stating " what about the Rovers fans slabbering" only to be told that's why he wouldn't let the younger one continue to the back of Block A. The steward asked to see his ticket and he replied he didn't have one.

[davybhoy]

Two Derry fans (pricks) came from down from the back of stand around block c and hopped the barrier on to the pitch. They started to goad the rovers fans as like come on. They then jumped the advertising boards behind the nets and were stopped by stewards and then a rovers fan made a dive for them. Derry have a big problem with these eejits and it needs heavily clamped down on by whatever means necessary.

[Keyser Soze]

The level of scumbaggery seems to have stepped up in the last few games, is it the Dublin clubs coming to visit that's done it?

I know Rovers have a lot of scum in their ranks, but didn't think Pats had a similar reputation?

Didnt happen when Cork, Shels visited.

And as for those apprehended, if it was elsewhere they'd have their season ticket taken off them and a ban issued, but are we even considering this, or just putting them out the gate so they can do the same the following week.

[marcoloco]

Anyone know what the story was with the fighting at half-time in front of the Rovers end last night? Apparently one or more Derry fan(s) went over to the away end to pick a fight, but there were definitely 3 or so different pockets of people fighting wiht stewards until they were subdued and about 3-4 people evicted.

The problem with evicting peopke - especially if they're away fans - is they just get put out onto the street. Not only is that no punishment, but presumably they're pissed off so there is a danger of them doing damage to cars etc. A wee night in the cells and then having to make their own way home the next day at their own expense would be a much better way to deal with it all, as being dumped outside the stadium isn't a huge deterrent.

I'm a broken record on this, but this is all further evidence of how Brandywell stadium is not the right location for our long term future. The area can't be fully policed, and it's clear that even professional stewards struggle to deal with relatively large groups of fans who want to cause bother.

That's a different argument now Steve. We've put the capacity issue to bed. But you can't hop around finding a new stadium every time you attract an unwanted minority that call themselves fans. There's similar anti-social behaviour issues across the peripheral areas in the city - and not a million miles away from Templemore.

[Marty]

What capacity issue has been put to bed?

[marcoloco]

What capacity issue has been put to bed?

Steve's earlier post -

"A good time to do it would be next season when the new Brandywell Road stand is installed, as that would provide extra capacity to use to start shuffling people around".

[stevebradley]

Anyone know what the story was with the fighting at half-time in front of the Rovers end last night? Apparently one or more Derry fan(s) went over to the away end to pick a fight, but there were definitely 3 or so different pockets of people fighting wiht stewards until they were subdued and about 3-4 people evicted.

The problem with evicting peopke - especially if they're away fans - is they just get put out onto the street. Not only is that no punishment, but presumably they're pissed off so there is a danger of them doing damage to cars etc. A wee night in the cells and then having to make their own way home the next day at their own expense would be a much better way to deal with it all, as being dumped outside the stadium isn't a huge deterrent.

I'm a broken record on this, but this is all further evidence of how Brandywell stadium is not the right location for our long term future. The area can't be fully policed, and it's clear that even professional stewards struggle to deal with relatively large groups of fans who want to cause bother.

That's a different argument now Steve. We've put the capacity issue to bed.

The capacity issue has definitely not been put to bed. Tickdts are still hard to come by for pretty much all games. I know people who just don't even try any more to get tickets, as they've not had much luck before. I'd love to bring people to games, but there's no point as you couldn't get them a ticket and they wouldn't be able to sit anywhere near you anyway.

But you can't hop around finding a new stadium every time you attract an unwanted minority that call themselves fans. There's similar anti-social behaviour issues across the peripheral areas in the city - and not a million miles away from Templemore.

There are lots of reasons why Brandywell Stadium is the wrong long-term location for the club's future. It isn't about the odd but of trouble outside the stadium. Althought that is still part of it, and it's not great to see the negative news about the club this creates in various newspapers.

Brandywell is unique in that it is extremely difficult to police, whereas locations like Templemore aren't. You can't pretend that there aren't physical and political issues with Brandywell Stdaium that just wouldn't be faced elsewhere (or certainly not to the same extent).

As an aside - you often hear Derry fans comlain about rhe Irish Legaue being a sectarian place, and how unfriendly the neighbourhoods feel around some clubs there. But the Brandywell is genuinely no better, and in many ways is actually worse. I'm sure a lot of Derry fans have just become used to or blind to a lot of it, but the approach to the ground from the 2 city centre directions (Lecky Road way and Lone Moor Road) both have loads of republican and IRA stuff on display, and there's a republican memorial literally outside the ground. Grounds like Windsor Park, Seaview and The Oval are in loyalist areas but don't have the same extent of paramilitary stuff so close to them. That's obviously a different issues than LOI fans acting the maggot, but I honestly think it's an embarassment for a club that wants to portray itself as politically neutral and cross community to be located in an area that would seem so unwelcoming to a lot of people. And that's before we get onto the Block K dickeheads singing about the Rah at every game. Ironically our whole set up is probably more of a sectarian scenario than the Irish League that we all complain about. Though I digress

[marcoloco]

Anyone know what the story was with the fighting at half-time in front of the Rovers end last night? Apparently one or more Derry fan(s) went over to the away end to pick a fight, but there were definitely 3 or so different pockets of people fighting wiht stewards until they were subdued and about 3-4 people evicted.

The problem with evicting peopke - especially if they're away fans - is they just get put out onto the street. Not only is that no punishment, but presumably they're pissed off so there is a danger of them doing damage to cars etc. A wee night in the cells and then having to make their own way home the next day at their own expense would be a much better way to deal with it all, as being dumped outside the stadium isn't a huge deterrent.

I'm a broken record on this, but this is all further evidence of how Brandywell stadium is not the right location for our long term future. The area can't be fully policed, and it's clear that even professional stewards struggle to deal with relatively large groups of fans who want to cause bother.

That's a different argument now Steve. We've put the capacity issue to bed.

The capacity issue has definitely not been put to bed. Tickdts are still hard to come by for pretty much all games. I know people who just don't eve try any more to get tickets, as they've nt had lmuch luck before. I'd love to bring peope to games, but there's no point as I couldn;t get them a ticket and they wouldn;t be able to sit anywhere near me anyway.

But you can't hop around finding a new stadium every time you attract an unwanted minority that call themselves fans. There's similar anti-social behaviour issues across the peripheral areas in the city - and not a million miles away from Templemore.

There are lots of reasonn why Brandywell Stadium is the wrong long-term location for the club's future. It isn't about the odd but of trouble outside the stadium. Althought that is still part of it, and it's not great to see the negative news about the club this creates in various newspapers.

Brandywell is unique in that it is extremely difficult to police, whereas locations like Templemore aren't. You can't pretend that there aren't physical and political issues with Brandywell Stdaium that just wouldn't be faced elsewhere (or certainly not to the same extent).

As an aside - you often hear Derry fans comlain about rhe Irish Legaue being a sectarian place, and how unfriendly the neighbourhoods feel around some clubs there. But the Brandywell is genuinely no better, and in many ways is actually worse. I'm sure a lot of Derry fans have just become used to or blind to a lot of it, but the approach to the ground from the 2 city centre directions (Lecky Road way and Lone Moor Road) both have loads of republican and IRA stuff on display, and there's a republican memorial literally outside the ground. Grounds like Windsor Park, Seaview and The Oval are in loyalist areas but don't have the same extent of paramilitary stuff so close to them.

That's obviously a different issues than LOI fans acting the maggot, but I honestly think it's an embarassment for a club that wants to portray itself as politically neutral and cross community to be located in an area that would seem so unwelcoming to a lot of people. And that's before we get onto the Block K dickeheads singing about the Rah at every game. Ironically our whole set up is probably more of a sectarian scenario than the Irish League that we all complain about. Though I digress

But you do accept that the capacity will be put to bed soon? No one is saying this season.

I would argue that all inner city Stadiums across the north will reflect those communities and provide a window to the tensions within them. Sport should be used as a means to give hope and inspiration to all, but especially those that most need it. To do this you need something visible. Something tangible. Like a stadium that everyone can be proud of and for young kids to having something to aspire to. If you asset strip these infrastructure from deprived areas as a result of a troubled minority what message does that send out? And as you point out, relocating wont solve the issues with drunken away fans rocking up looking for trouble. More should be done by all clubs to police their own fans. Best nip it in the bud and prevent these fools from travelling to away matches. Beyond that clubs should circulate known trouble makers and try and have them stopped at entry. Eventually they will get fed up and hopefully stop travelling.

[brandyball]

If our poor home continues we may not have a capacity issue for next season.

[marcoloco]

If our poor home continues we may not have a capacity issue for next season.

You're not wrong

[stevebradley]

But you do accept that the capacity will be put to bed soon? No one is saying this season.

Absoliutely not.

Firstly - it won't be soon. We've no idea when Stormont will be up and running again. Then there's a whole process to go through to try to get the funds. And we''ve no idea if the councul will receive anything , nevermind enough to do the job. Even with luck on all of those aspects, no-one would be sittng in an extended Mark Farren Stand until probably 2025 season at the absolute, absolute earliest. And that's probably very ambitioius indeed.

Secondly - even when the Mark Farren and Brandywell Road stands are finished, we'll still have a stadium smaller than what lots of other clubs either have already or plan to have (e.g. Rovers, Cork, Sligo, Bohs, Pats, Harps) . And it'll not be enough moving forward as both ourselves and Irish football continue to grow.

I don't know if you saw the article I wrote on all of this in December : https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/foot ... ll-3941303

I would argue that all inner city Stadiums across the north will reflect those communities and provide a window to the tensions within them. Sport should be used as a means to give hope and inspiration to all, but especially those that most need it. To do this you need something visible. Something tangible. Like a stadium that everyone can be proud of and for young kids to having something to aspire to. If you asset strip these infrastructure from deprived areas as a result of a troubled minority what message does that send out? And as you point out, relocating wont solve the issues with drunken away fans rocking up looking for trouble. More should be done by all clubs to police their own fans. Best nip it in the bud and prevent these fools from travelling to away matches. Beyond that clubs should circulate known trouble makers and try and have them stopped at entry. Eventually they will get fed up and hopefully stop travelling.

Sorry ML - I cam't agree with this either.

It is a statement of the obvious that some locations and some designs are just easier to 'police' than others. The Brandywell is a very enclosed area, with lots of dark alleyways backing onto it etc. Even leaving aside the politics of NI, it would be a tricky place to control anyone who wanted to cause problems. It just isn't the case that every stadium elsewhere would suffer those issues.

As for the communtiy aspect. A football club impacts the community by what it does with and for them, and not merely by just existing there. Because we don't own Brandwyell we are extremely limited in what we can do with the site to help the local community. If we had our own stadium somewhere we could open it up for various activities, events etc etc. Genuinely use the appeal of football to help local people, rather than have them turn up once a fortnight for a game and that's basically it. This is an extremely common 'Football in the Community' model across lots of clubs everywhere. Except we can't do it because we don't control our own ground. Also - the more revenue we can generate frm a stadium i.e. by owning it and expanding both matchday and non-matchday income - then the more we can do to help te community, because we will have greater income to help pay for it all. Brandywell is like a model of how NOT to use a stadium to help a community - as it's only there for those who will pay to run sports things from there, and unless I'm mistaken isn't available for other non-sports uses for the community (and again only if they pay to hire it).

[Marty]

I don't like agreeing with Steve... but

Our stadium is not fit for purpose, and it won't be for the foreseeable future. I don't believe and I've never believed that we'll get the additional funding. Unfortunately, I don't know how easy it would be to get funding for a new stadium? If we can't get funding to finish the current job, I don't know how that would work

[stevebradley]

I don't like agreeing with Steve... but

You'll be getting a slap for that the next time I see you Marty

Our stadium is not fit for purpose, and it won't be for the foreseeable future. I don't believe and I've never believed that we'll get the additional funding. Unfortunately, I don't know how easy it would be to get funding for a new stadium? If we can't get funding to finish the current job, I don't know how that would work

We have a multi-billionaire de-facto owner. He's been bankrolling the team for years, and could probably have built a stadium with the money spent over the last decade alone on fairly average players, which got us just an FAI Cup and a League Cup in return. And he's also paying for an Academy for the club. Its up to POD what he spends his own money on, but for me the best legacy he could leave the club would be a stadium of its own. There's also the question of what happens when his money tap eventually turns off (which it inevitably will at some point), as unless we are set-up to maximise our own revenue then we're going to either be in financial trouble again or go back to being mediocre (or very possibly both those things together).

There are also funding options available elsewhere. From the Storont sub-regional fund that we're trying to get money for the Mark Farren Stand from ; the Levelling Up Fund which Coleraine are trying to tap into (and I suspect will get money from in the next and final round) ; or by teaming up with the council on a site that they're going to have to spend a lot of money on themselves anyway (e.g. Templemore Sports Complex).

The majprity of other clubs in Ireland and elsewhere can manage to have a stadium of their own. I see no reason why we can't. It just needs the will and the desire from our Board and Chairman (and a departure from the 'Brandywlel only show in town' mantra).

[st.louis hoop]

Anyone know what the story was with the fighting at half-time in front of the Rovers end last night? Apparently one or more Derry fan(s) went over to the away end to pick a fight, but there were definitely 3 or so different pockets of people fighting wiht stewards until they were subdued and about 3-4 people evicted.

The problem with evicting peopke - especially if they're away fans - is they just get put out onto the street. Not only is that no punishment, but presumably they're pissed off so there is a danger of them doing damage to cars etc. A wee night in the cells and then having to make their own way home the next day at their own expense would be a much better way to deal with it all, as being dumped outside the stadium isn't a huge deterrent.

I'm a broken record on this, but this is all further evidence of how Brandywell stadium is not the right location for our long term future. The area can't be fully policed, and it's clear that even professional stewards struggle to deal with relatively large groups of fans who want to cause bother.

Were you at the game or is everything you said about what happened a presumption? Either way, you're miles off.

One Derry "fan" went for the Rovers section (was wearing a green jacket and was later kicked out of stadium) and got a few slaps from stewards and a Rovers "fan". Luckily for him, it was half time and half the Rovers crowd were getting a cup of tea. Before this, eggs, bottles and stones were being launched into the away section from the wall.

Theres not a "problem" with evicting away fans. Any away fan evicted is escorted to their bus they travelled on. The major problem is evicting home fans, as was seen post game when all your local toerags were waiting for Rovers fans at the exit. Thank god for the Police driving past for the distraction.

As for the Brandywell not being in the "right location" - you boys know better than me. BUT - there's minimum 10 buses bricked leaving Derry every season so take that for what its worth. This was the first trip in a very long time we got our buses home safe and sound.

[stevebradley]

Were you at the game or is everything you said about what happened a presumption? Either way, you're miles off.

One Derry "fan" went for the Rovers section (was wearing a green jacket and was later kicked out of stadium) and got a few slaps from stewards and a Rovers "fan". Luckily for him, it was half time and half the Rovers crowd were getting a cup of tea. Before this, eggs, bottles and stones were being launched into the away section from the wall.

I was at the game, and looking over at the scrapping from the Mark Fraren Stand so had a fairly clear view of it and of the people being marched out as a result of it.

You've only mentioned 1 person being thrown out. There were definitley 3, and possibly 4, evicted. Plus one Rover fan managed to escape from the stewards and jumped back into the away end again.

Theres not a "problem" with evicting away fans. Any away fan evicted is escorted to their bus they travelled on. The major problem is evicting home fans, as was seen post game when all your local toerags were waiting for Rovers fans at the exit. Thank god for the Police driving past for the distraction.

How come you're an expert on the eviction of away fans at the Brandywell ? The stewards who put the fans out on Monday walked back to the away ground within seconds of the Rovers fans being put out the gate. So given the away buses park on the complete opposite side of the Showgrounds site, who marched them to their bus as you claim ? And what if they weren't on a supporters bus (e.g. drve or got the service bus) ? You're talking out of yer hoop about the throwing of stuff from the wall before the fans were put put. There was only someone up on the wall after they'd bene put outl and it seemed to be a Rovers fan tryign to get back in.

As for the Brandywell not being in the "right location" - you boys know better than me. BUT - there's minimum 10 buses bricked leaving Derry every season so take that for what its worth. This was the first trip in a very long time we got our buses home safe and sound.

So now you're an expert on how many buses allegedly get bricked each and every season in Derry, aye ? You're seriously full of sh!t kid

[st.louis hoop]

Were you at the game or is everything you said about what happened a presumption? Either way, you're miles off.

One Derry "fan" went for the Rovers section (was wearing a green jacket and was later kicked out of stadium) and got a few slaps from stewards and a Rovers "fan". Luckily for him, it was half time and half the Rovers crowd were getting a cup of tea. Before this, eggs, bottles and stones were being launched into the away section from the wall.

I was at the game, and looking over at the scrapping from the Mark Fraren Stand so had a fairly clear view of it and of the people being marched out as a result of it.

You've only mentioned 1 person being thrown out. There were definitley 3, and possibly 4, evicted. Plus one Rover fan managed to escape from the stewards and jumped back into the away end again.

Theres not a "problem" with evicting away fans. Any away fan evicted is escorted to their bus they travelled on. The major problem is evicting home fans, as was seen post game when all your local toerags were waiting for Rovers fans at the exit. Thank god for the Police driving past for the distraction.

How come you're an expert on the eviction of away fans at the Brandywell ? The stewards who put the fans out on Monday walked back to the away ground within seconds of the Rovers fans being put out the gate. So given the away buses park on the complete opposite side of the Showgrounds site, who marched them to their bus as you claim ? And what if they weren't on a supporters bus (e.g. drve or got the service bus) ? You're talking out of yer hoop about the throwing of stuff from the wall before the fans were put put. There was only someone up on the wall after they'd bene put outl and it seemed to be a Rovers fan tryign to get back in.

As for the Brandywell not being in the "right location" - you boys know better than me. BUT - there's minimum 10 buses bricked leaving Derry every season so take that for what its worth. This was the first trip in a very long time we got our buses home safe and sound.

So now you're an expert on how many buses allegedly get bricked each and every season in Derry, aye ? You're seriously full of sh!t kid

There was 1 Rovers fan evicted. There was a few Derry boys too - one was for throwing a firework over the stand onto the pitch which you blamed Rovers for in an earlier post too. Whos talking out their hoop now? The first egg was thrown at Rovers early in the first half. Long before any shananigans youd of seen from the Mark Farren stand.

As for the stewards returning to the away section right after turfing the fans out, have you ever considered there was stewards outside the ground too?

We've had more buses bricked then youd had penalties against us in the last 3 years.