Perth Glory taking on Sydney FC in next Sunday’s grand final is the blockbuster the A-League needed, but something must be done about policing at games.
This should have been a celebratory column.
If there was any doubt that Sydney FC could match it with the best team in the competition, they dispelled it with a brutal 6-1 annihilation of Melbourne Victory in Kogarah last night.
But events in the stands – where the New South Wales Police evicted long-time Sydney FC supporter Rory Carroll after he attempted to take his daughter, who has special needs, to use the disabled toilets – has put a damper on proceedings.
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I should preface this by stating that I wasn’t at the game, nor have I had the chance to speak to Rory about what happened.
I fully acknowledge that my understanding of the events is taken from the same social media footage everyone else saw.
But I’ll tell you why this is a subject that needs to be discussed and offer some personal insights while I’m at it.
It’s because I can’t remember the last time I attended an A-League game as a fan and wasn’t hassled by a member of stadium security or police for my troubles.
I often buy tickets to A-League games and regularly attend with my wife and our friends.
To suggest it’s a markedly different experience to attending other sporting events is an understatement.
I know this because I scored a couple of free tickets to the NRL’s Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday and my wife and I were two of the 37,521 fans who filed through the gates on the day.
The difference in attitudes between stadium staff and the police was stark.
It started when my wife was magically waved through without anyone checking the contents of her handbag. That has never happened at an A-League game.
I was even more astonished when we walked through to the concourse and saw thousands of fans milling around behind the goals.
Yet when I tried to have a chat on the concourse with a member of Brisbane Roar supporters group The Den a few months ago, we were told to move on no less than three times within the course of a five-minute conversation.
When I asked the stadium staff member why, we were told the concourse had to remain clear of “fire hazards”.
Didn’t seem to be a problem for Magic Round, though.
Why is that? Probably because there’s one rule for A-League fans and a different rule for every other sport.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
And the only time I can remember the police being a help and not a hindrance at an A-League game was the 2015 grand final at AAMI Park.
I happened to be enjoying a quiet drink in the pub with some away fans long before kick-off when a senior constable from Victoria Police took a few of his staff members in and introduced them to the visiting supporters.
It was a smart piece of proactive policing that ensured both sides of the thin blue line had to at least think about putting a face to a name.
But as someone who regularly attends A-League games as an away supporter, more often than not I’ve seen police seemingly looking for any excuse to get amongst it.
And much as I’d prefer not to over-exaggerate things, it’s my honest opinion that some police and security personnel believe that working at an A-League game gives them a licence to harass ticket-holders.
What is Football Federation Australia doing about this?
They’ve been told time and time again that fans are unhappy with the match-going experience.
But surely we’ve reached a new low when a bloke can’t even take his young daughter to use the bathroom?
The A-League has a serious problem with policing.
It’s high time they did something about it.
EDITOR’S NOTE: NSW Police have rejected the man’s claims, with Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton telling 2GB that the information he received is that the father tried to access the grandstand on his own and pushed past security.
paul
Guest
Years ago, 2005, just after Australia had returned the Ashes for the first time in 18 years, I attended a ODI between Australia and the World XI at Docklands. Not far from where I was sitting with a number of relatives (the youngest being 5, the oldest being in his 60s) was an English bloke, beer in hand, who started to sing, "Who won the Ashes?" He was dancing around, having a good time, not really threatening anyone. We all thought it was funny. A bunch of young yobbos took umbrage at this and came over to give this man grief. They looked visibly intoxicated as they surrounded him. 5 v 1. Then the police showed up. We all thought they were there to disperse the group of young people. Instead, the lone Englishman was asked to leave and escorted out. The yobbos looked so proud of themselves, laughing at this poor bloke as he was being marched away. One gets the impression that the police pick their battles. It was noticeable how quickly so many officers descended upon Rory Carroll, yet at the Carlton-Collingwood game at the MCG some reports stated that it took two whole minutes for security to arrive at the scene of a grandstand brawl.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
can't speak for nrl, rugby or afl, but certainly whenever I've attended cricket at the Gabba there have been bag searches. They're done under the auspices of security but they are as much about checking food & drink, to protect stadium vendors.
Evan Askew
Guest
I have no respect for Hadley. Ray, not the great ser richard, he is a man I truly despise
Punter
Roar Rookie
Chris, yes Ray Hadley, enough said, 2GB, obvious bias.
chris
Guest
Its only an offence at a sokkah match where police can treat people like crims.
chris
Guest
Well said Punter. No doubt taxi driver Ray Hadley and ninkonpoop Ben Fordham on right wing 2GB made that point also? But I'm guessing they were too busy demonising sokkah fans and the sport in general.
Ad-O
Guest
Why is that an offence that requires a paying patron to be removed from the premises? Especially since the guy went back to his seat.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Try some facts here, neither you or I were there so it's all he said & she said. However facts: 10 police officers & 4 security guards required to move 1 man & 3 kids (including 1 who was disabled). Bit excessive don't you think. Check the guy out on twitter, does lots of volunteer work for children with cancer & children with disability, yeah not exactly the pits of society that the Police are trying to make him out to be.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Hopefully he’ll do a Scholes and reconsider
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Thank goodness for this ‘incident’ - it would be so dull to spend the week talking about last weekend’s semis or next weekend’s final.
Blue
Guest
Yeah bur he didn't *take* his daughter to the disabled toilet. He tried to enter an area of the stadium that was off-limits to his tier of ticket. The media's lack of resources and need for quick takes has been exploited Ince again. The previous stadium ban wasn't a great look either.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Really!!!!!!! Ahahaha
chris
Guest
Hadley was a very good taxi driver though.
Fadida
Roar Rookie
Agree, Brosque could easily play another year
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Yep and Ray Hadley doesn't have much of an agenda. No disrespect meant but he has picked up where Rebecca Wilson left of. I don't think you can count Mr Hadley as A. An advocate for football and B. A cerebral giant
Evan Askew
Guest
You hug each other after the game? Sounds like Sarcastaball off South Park.
Evan Askew
Guest
Apparently Ray Hadley has got hold of the story. He has accused the father of being banned from SFS Stadium I think. He has also promoted the police narative that he went into a part of the stadium that he wasn't authorised to go into.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Griffo Brilliant articulated. I really do believe that on step toward stemming this false perception is more media, more promotion. Football.....the family game!!! Football where support is safe and fun. If it's not the club itself but maybe the club can work with the squadron e.g an appearance at Garden City shopping centre do that Mums and Dads can talk to the squadron, an opportunity to promote active support and dispel the myths of the past. And just to keep it up-vibe and interesting, invite the police along as well.
Evan Askew
Guest
The contents of your post which had absolutely nothing to do with the contents of the article suggest that as an elf you are more of the ilk of Celegorm, Curufin or Feanor as opposed to Elrond or Cirdan.
Nemesis
Guest
Are you serious about the security tag incident? You should've taken a photo/video of him. Victoria Police attend all sporting events, would've been better to go directly to them. I'm sure they would've acted straight away.