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
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.
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- Explore:
- Brisbane Roar, football, Suncorp Stadium, Sydney FC
February 2nd 2010 @ 8:56am
whiskeymac said | February 2nd 2010 @ 8:56am | Report comment
this had me thinking, albeit not for very long (It’s all well and good for the FFA to produce advertisements featuring bikini models telling us to “give it a whirl,” )
as a solution how about introducing bikini clad coppers could kill two stones with one bird. fits in nicely with FFA marketing and humanises the brutality on display by the thin blue (g-)line.
February 2nd 2010 @ 9:04am
Australian Football said | February 2nd 2010 @ 9:04am | Report comment
I have to say the security people at Skilled Stadium Robina, although they’ve been over stated in numbers have been very helpful as far as I have experienced. I have had no problems with them at all.. I hope it continues to stay that way.
~~~~~~
AF
February 2nd 2010 @ 9:18am
Stormin Red said | February 2nd 2010 @ 9:18am | Report comment
This is not just a problem for away fans at Suncorp Stadium. I am among the now numerous supporters who no longer attend Roar games and the security is one of the main reasons. If you are not in bay 333 you are treated like you are in a library. Our group was joining in with the usual chanting from The Den and we were promptly told by security to keep quiet as it would annoy the other spectators. If you wanted to watch the game in peace and quiet you would not be at the stadium.
February 3rd 2010 @ 12:30am
Cpaaa 18 said | February 3rd 2010 @ 12:30am | Report comment
You reading this FFA. Suncorp tells us to remain quite please shhhh, FFA say create atmosphere.
Judging by crowd numbers we choose to stay at home were we are not harrassed.
Simple solution…behind the goals noisy. Across the park, not so noisy.
Now please implement it!!!!!
February 2nd 2010 @ 9:27am
The Bush said | February 2nd 2010 @ 9:27am | Report comment
I went to games at Suncorp last year, but I won’t go anymore. Standing up is frowned upon, yelling or putting your feet up (when no ones in front), all result in secruity appearing. Sitting anywhere but your designated seat is not allowed, even if only 5 000 of us have turned up – and I’m not talking about in ‘good’ seats, I’m talking about five or six seats to the left or right, or heaven forbid, on the other side of the corridor/stairs.
The same problem occurs at Red’s games, except at least at Roar games every fan seems to be on your side, at Reds games even the crowd gives you death stares.
The secret is to go to Bronco’s games and hide up the top, up there you can smoke and swig whiskey and somehow get away with it… maybe because being one amongst 40 000 makes the hiding all the easier (as has been alluded to here, secruity are to numerous and bored at Roar games)?
February 2nd 2010 @ 10:19am
Art Sapphire said | February 2nd 2010 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Orwell just got the year wrong. It shoud have read Brisbane 2010.
All you need know is Old Premier Joh to come back as Big Brother and ban people assembling in public areas like in the past.
Gee, I hope the FFA is reading this Mike. People not turning up to games at Suncorp because of over zealous security.
It must be a world first. How embarassing!
Unfortunately, we Australians do have a way of applying the nanny state philosophy with some fanatacism.
How are people supposed to learn how to behave and respect each other when its already amply provided to you by authority. No wonder this country is developing a genration of spoilt yobs who have no respect for their fellow citizens.
February 2nd 2010 @ 10:23am
Roar Fan said | February 2nd 2010 @ 10:23am | Report comment
Good point Mike, Im hardly a rowdy fan, I enjoy having a few quite pints and watching the football. I have seen numerous things by the security staff that seem to annoy fans and stop either drums, banners and general atmosphere. They treat the crowd with distain and basic animals.
I have witness guys being harassed by security for sitting in the wrong area only to move to the right area 20m away or 2 ailses over . They struggle with numbers anyway. I usually buy a ticket behind the goal and sit where ever I want but have been told to sit in my allocated seat while I could pick any number say 300 around me.
I got asked to move when I sat at the away goal in for the CCM semi final ( we sat there because we could get 4 tickets together behind the goal) not because we were rowdy or that any of the CCM fans were giving us grief in fact the CCM fans were great. But when the Roar goal went in all 4 of us stood up and cheered we were quickly asked to move out of the area.Granted it might have been for out own safety but come on its not Arsenal v Tottenham.
It not the only reason for poor crowds but it doesnt help much.
February 2nd 2010 @ 11:32am
nf_001 said | February 2nd 2010 @ 11:32am | Report comment
Reading this article i can not comment on QLD ‘crowd safety’ personnel first hand but the view taken doesn’t suprise me. My biggest gripe with FFA matchdays wetther at bluetongue or anywhere else is the lack of replays shown on the big screen. Anything as controversial as a throw in given to the wrong team is treated with a large promotional symbol on screen in case of inciting a riot. It is much more enjoyable to watch a foxsports telecast with plentiful replays. I’ve let FFA know my point of viewe a few times. But what makes this policy even worse is the hypocritical way it is applied, an onside player could score but flagged offside and the goal cancelled, this would not be shown on the big screen, whilst if a player scored a hand of god goal and it is awarded they show it on the big screen as the have to replay the ‘goals’.
February 3rd 2010 @ 12:47am
Cpaaa 18 said | February 3rd 2010 @ 12:47am | Report comment
Good point nf_001, Australain crowds i believe are one of the best behaved in the world, yet they are really treated like potential hooligans.
Instead of innocent till proven guilty Australian football supporters are guilty before anything happens. Or is it that just BNE Suncorp suffers from ,i got the power and you dont, syndrone!
February 2nd 2010 @ 11:39am
Ben of Phnom Penh said | February 2nd 2010 @ 11:39am | Report comment
I wonder if the established relationship that the fan base has with the security personnel at Hindmarsh is another contributing factor to the consistent good crowds gathered there.
February 2nd 2010 @ 12:38pm
keeper11 said | February 2nd 2010 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
I would guess these neanderthals security gurads at suncorp would most likely be broncos supporters..?
thus their somewhat more tolerant and accepting attitude at those games ??
Says it all…
their only knowledge of this foreign ‘sockah’ would be grainy images from 70′s they once saw of riot torn English matches or Heysel..
wouldn’t have the faintest concept of 99% of modern match conditons of current top flight EPL & European icons like Old Trafford, Etihad stadium , Nou camp etc..
but ..thats where theirs and Suncorp officadom’s attitudes are stuck….in the 70′s….
February 2nd 2010 @ 12:44pm
True Tah said | February 2nd 2010 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
bit over the top there Keeper11.
Im sure if the Roar ever got crowds like the Broncos there wouldn’t be the complaints about heavy handed security.
And from what Ive been told, if you ever want to see neaderthrals you should see futbol crowds in former yugoslav countries, especially when the opposing side has players of a darker hue.
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:22pm
Dogz R Barkn said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:22pm | Report comment
Good call True Tah.
How is it possible that this thread went from complaining about heavy handed security (a reasonable enough complaint and discussion), to having a go at League supporters?
It’s a bit of a leap isn’t it? And a completely unnecessary one.
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:27pm
keeper11 said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
..crowd problems at ex war toen Yugoslav matches..
..umm what does that have to do with the middle class family and teeange oriented 9K crowds of ‘Roar’ ??
February 2nd 2010 @ 1:46pm
Towser said | February 2nd 2010 @ 1:46pm | Report comment
And that Keeper11 is another part of the security problem jigsaw. The lack of groups of young men as seen at overseas football. Sure we dont need the behaviour of the English football hooligans. But we aint going to get them. Having grown up in that world(of English football hooligan types) & lived the other part of my life here the social conditions that produce the English working class football culture dont exist in Australia. This age group are the ones who create the most colourful atmosphere like it or not.
A 10 year old shouting “Go Brisbane” aint going to cut the mustard & create a football atmosphere. Coincidentally the largest group they could come from the lads who play football in the BPL & downwards through the leagues are put off by the over the top security of Suncorp.