Must A-League fans be treated like criminals?

Columnist

By Mike Tuckerman, 2 Feb 2010 Mike Tuckerman is a Roar Expert

Tagged:: Brisbane Roar, football, Suncorp Stadium, Sydney FC

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Brisbane's Sergio van Dijk (left) and Sydney's Simon Colosimo in action during the round 25 A-League match between Brisbane Roar and Sydney F.C. AAP Image/Dave Hunt

I attended the A-League clash between Brisbane Roar and Sydney FC last weekend, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience. It wasn’t the result that bothered me, but rather the heavy-handed antics of the Suncorp Stadium security personnel.

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have to deal with security staff up in “prawn sandwich land,” but after deciding to drag my long-suffering wife along to the game, we pitched up in the away stand with the rest of the Sydney FC fans.

Here we were treated to the sight of a crack squad of ‘operations staff’ who spent the entire game harassing away supporters.

From the opening whistle to the minute referee Michael Hester blew for full-time, there was not a single moment when Sydney FC fans were not being pestered by a constant procession of overly obnoxious security personnel.

And before anyone highlights my obvious Sky Blue bias, I’ll point out that I’m well aware of the reputation that precedes Suncorp Stadium staff.

My Brisbane-supporting friend Andrew hasn’t missed a Roar home game for years, and he was quick to warn me about watching games at Suncorp Stadium.

For their loyalty to a club losing fans quicker than Alex Brosque goes down in the box, Andrew and his mates have been told to keep quiet, forced to switch bays and informed that if they carry on like bona fide football fans, they’ll be permanently shown the door.

Things have at least been better ever since the club’s Marketing and Commercial Manager met to thrash things out with them – but it’s still a hard slog for away fans.

At one point during the Sydney game, four members of the local constabulary took up a position near the top of the aisle to join the three operations staff in overseeing just 70 away fans.

One officer stood directly in front of my line of view – despite his job appearing to consist of shuffling along anyone who was hindering another patron’s enjoyment – but do you think he appreciated it when I asked him to move?

My first two requests were summarily ignored, so much so that I assumed my officer friend was suffering from hearing loss.

But my third request – delivered less politely than the first two – was met with sheer contempt, as the officer snarled that he “was moving” before delivering a glare that could curdle milk.

Now, I appreciate the good work police do – they’re one of those services that everyone’s thankful for when you really need them – but the sight of four officers bored witless and seemingly itching to wade in amongst fans was a tad disconcerting.

For comparison’s sake, I celebrated my birthday at the Gabba as Australia cruised to victory over Pakistan in the first of the one day cricket internationals.

Played just four days before Australia Day, the atmosphere was a veritable tinderbox of alcohol-soaked nationalism – or quasi-racism, depending on your stance – fuelled by a hot summer sun.

The police worked overtime in the outer, evicting drunken fans, breaking up feuds and generally keeping the peace in what can occasionally descend into a brutally hostile atmosphere.

Their actions at the cricket were appropriate, but their presence at Suncorp Stadium was over-zealous and largely unnecessary.

It’s all well and good for the FFA to produce advertisements featuring bikini models telling us to “give it a whirl,” but some of us live in the real world, and it contains fans who like to stand and sing boisterously at football games without the aid of multi-coloured beach towels.

Yet the fans lauded on TV for producing an atmosphere are the very same consistently targeted by security personnel for doing so.

As much as it’s frustrating to focus on the negative aspects of the A-League, the treatment of away fans across the country is a clear blight on the game.

Either the FFA should liaise with security personnel in a manner which makes it clear that away fans are a necessary feature, or they can look forward to ever-dwindling crowds as a vital demographic turns its back on the game.

Follow Mike on twitter @Mike_Tuckerman

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The Crowd Says (52) | Page 1 of Comments

Cpaaa 2018 said | February 2nd 2010 @ 3:19am | Report comment

Great article. BNE has one of the best rectangular stadiams for football, yet the management would rather they have theatre goers in the seats followed by a golf clap at the end of play.
The Orange Army was once gaining a fair bit of support around bay 333. Sadly, i saw one Roar supporter just one seat across, bay 332, told by security he could not bang his drum unless he was in bay 333. Refusing the first request he was then told once more with Police escort. Hooliganism at its finest, is it not.
Once again Mike a point worthy of discussion, its takes one to be there to realise who is actually breaking the atmosphere at suncorp and turning real fans away.

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- Marcel said | February 2nd 2010 @ 8:20am | Report comment
  
  Youd be amazed to hear that police have been just as rude and confrontational at a number of Sydney Festival events in recent years. They seem to have systematic, cultural problems.
  
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- Al said | February 19th 2010 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
  
  Face it, the cops don’t like ethnics and will do anything to try and brutalise them.
  
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chris said | February 2nd 2010 @ 4:50am | Report comment

It’s not just away fans that have problems with the rent-a-cops/security personnel.It’s something i find that has creeped into professional sport in the last 8 years or so.It’s like you can not shout or not stand up before going to the toliet without out some ornage coat prat telling you to sit down and it’s happend when i would go and watch the Newcastle Falcons in Rugby Union and also the Gateshead Thunder in Rugby League.
It reminds me of some NWO order shit in controlling people ?.
I don’t go to games now as i rather sit at home and watch them on the telly.

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Matt said | February 2nd 2010 @ 6:33am | Report comment

Welcome to sporting events in contemporary Australia. I personally think the WC should be in the UK for two reasons. One, I live here now. Two, they allow you to drink full strength beer at sporting events. Outrageous.

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albe said | February 2nd 2010 @ 7:13am | Report comment

well said Ben… security personnel clearly read news limited papers… they are subbed to be understood by your average 9-year old don’t u know

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Savvas Tzionis said | February 2nd 2010 @ 7:18am | Report comment

I blame it on the NSL and the bad name they gave soccer.

Or is it because Real Australians still run this country and although they acknowledge that Soccer is a bit more popular than they thought, they will allow it but only on their terms. And since they know what soccer crowds are like, you will behave….OR ELSE!!!

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- Redb said | February 2nd 2010 @ 7:51am | Report comment
  
  Savvas,
  
  I think your first sentence is correct. From my limited expereince at Melb Victory games there was not a hint of trouble.
  
  Redb
  
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  - Savvas Tzionis said | February 2nd 2010 @ 8:30am | Report comment
    
    Of course you do.
    
    Who was the English politician who once said about Indians and other nationalties?
    
    “Thanks for coming here and introducing us to your cuisine, but now that we have the recipe’s, can you please go back to your country?”
    
    Reply
    - David V. said | February 2nd 2010 @ 10:46am | Report comment
      
      And Greece is hardly a sterling example- military coup, a politically volatile population, corruption, the 2008 riots, etc. People who live in glass houses…
      
      Reply
      - John P. said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
        
        So he makes a crack about relationship between AFL and futbol supporters and you respond with a pot shot against a foreign country. You amaze me with your incredible intelligence.
        
        Reply
        
        David V. said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:05pm | Report comment
        
        Well when people take constant pot-shots against anything British/Anglo it’s not hard to get defensive.
  - Redb said | February 2nd 2010 @ 12:48pm | Report comment
    
    yes it’s a giant conspiracy of course.
    
    Reply
jimbo said | February 2nd 2010 @ 7:25am | Report comment

Great article, and it seems that you too are not the only one who has had very similar experiences at suncorp. It’s getting a reputation.

Thankfully other stadium security where there are larger and biosterous crowds such as at sydney, have learnt that an element of self policing goes a long way, and it allows for the great atmosphere those crowds create. It’s no fluke that that the secuirty and the strong vocal crowd at sydney enjoy a good relationship and it works well. In other words, the circumstances are well managed.

Sadly, I think if the day came where an angry crowd really did turn on agitated security at an away game, a finger could at least be partly pointed towards what is essentially, old style, underskilled security that do not know how to manage football crowds.
I just think of some of the games I’ve been to in europe, and if the style of secuirty employed at some a-league games were undertaken at these games, it would end up in a complete mess.

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Mike Tuckerman said | February 2nd 2010 @ 7:38am | Report comment

A grainy Twitpic of the view we were subjected to for much of the evening. http://twitpic.com/10uxze

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- Michael C said | February 2nd 2010 @ 8:46am | Report comment
  
  ….but, you seemed to have plenty of seats to choose between??
  
  Actually half seriously, anytime you go to a big cricket game at the MCG – that Bay 13 area is just ringed by a permanent force of 20 or more police and security, and from 3 pm onwards the constant flow of ejections occurs – - it really does seem like a ‘game’ of it’s own with regular combatants.
  
  but, after the pitch invasion in Perth on Sunday night – we might even see security dudes become even more intrusive – - at least for a period of time.
  
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  - Ben of Phnom Penh said | February 3rd 2010 @ 1:53pm | Report comment
    
    sadly, it only takes one idiot
    
    Reply
AndyRoo said | February 2nd 2010 @ 8:34am | Report comment

It’s just a real nanny style of security, when regular harmless punters get pulled up and rated like a kid you know it’s gone to far.

I saw a bloke sit down with a beer in the un licensed area about 10m from where he should have been. He was surrounded by empty seats and wasn’t making a sound….was forced to move quick start. As was another bunch of people that for whatever reason were sitting in the corner seat, for some reason the staff wanted to keep these seats empty and they were forced to move 20 metres to the left….

This was at agame with about 44k spare seats.

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Bay35Pablo said | February 2nd 2010 @ 8:41am | Report comment

This applies to all sports, not just football, and all stadiums. You see this in varying degrees everywhere now in Australia. The reaction now is to regulate everything to within an inch of its life.

Watch the overreaction at the WACA moron, and the call for no booze at games. The wowsers come out. It is far easier to ban something because of a one off and be seen to do something, than properly understand and manage an issue.

With security we are talking about blokes who are essentially bouncers. You’re not dealing with the smartest blokes in the world. And the cops have never been one to ignore an excuse to smack someone. Remember that baton drive on some peaceful protesters in Victoria a few years ago. Have to give the Epsilons a job I suppose.

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Towser said | February 2nd 2010 @ 8:51am | Report comment

Mike

You dont exagerrate. The whole security business at Suncorp is an over the top farce.
Saw the incident first hand of the moving of Andrew & mates. Having grown up on the aggressive male crowds of English football it is bemusing to see them even harass kids. Dare if you are man women or child to loiter around the perimeter for more than 10 seconds & you are moved on by security staff.
Personally I feel it is a case of half a dozen of one thing & half a dozen of the other.
The first half is that the small crowds in a large stadium provide no real threat,the second half is that the security staff are bored becauseb of this & nit pick. Looking for incidents that dont exist.
When the Celtic game was on with 32000 & real drunken yobs on show,they had their work cut out keeping control(much like the cricket example).
The bottom line is then that in relation to the demographics of the crowd at Roar matches & its size, is security over the top?
Undeniably yes.
Will it change. Not while matches are at Suncorp(but nowhere else to go in reality. Ballymore presently is inadequate.)
Therein lies the problem for the Roar. Make no mistake it is a major problem. I notice that not just Andrew & his mates are a dwindling group but also the “Orange Army” end is about half of what it was a couple of years ago.
Now at my age I wont be singing chanting or jumping ,but i would like to go to a match & see younger generations doing so to create atmosphere. It doesnt matter for me long term I’m a dyed in the wool fan at the mature end of life. However I look at the young kids in the ground & think what sort of grounding does it give them as future fans to experience football.

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