Club Fine

[AFC197273]

Do we know the ages of those issued with banning orders?
It would be interesting to know. If they are young,I would suggest education is the best way to deal with this.Kids sometimes don’t always understand the background and meaning of what they are singing or saying. We should ask why are they singing it and do you understand what has happened to lead you to this point of view. However, if those banned are 40,50,60 year olds then they should be old enough understand what they are singing and its consequences.Someone mentioned spotters in the EastBank really -how sad.

[MidlandsShot]

as a group of supporters we should be much better at self-policing this

Suggestions?

Calling out those around you who chant these things, helping stewards identify those throwing flares would be a start. Would much rather be "a grass" than allow kids to get hit with flares

[MidlandsShot]

Delighted that we've finally been punished for the disgusting behaviour of some of our supporters. People getting upset that it unfairly impacts the club, you're missing the more important issue here, and in any case, as a group of supporters we should be much better at self-policing this.

Haven't kids been hit/nearly hit by flares at some of our games? Genuinely cannot understand how people think this is acceptable or justify bringing flares into football matches.

Anyone defending the chanting really needs to give their head a wobble. Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable watching a football game just because of who they are. Any racist/sexist/sectarian/homophobic etc. chanting should be eradicated.

Will be curious to see what punishments we get if the offenses are repeated again.

I’m of the opposite, I am mighty pissed off that the club has been hit with a fine because of a few doughnuts that think they’re smart. Also, I don’t think any of us are missing the point, this problem has been discussed at length on this message board & rightly condemned.

No doubt the club has done as much as it could to root out the halfwits, which now appears not good enough. My opinion, but I don’t think this chant has been sung from the East Bank as much this season, compared to last season, so maybe our opinions may have been getting through to their brains.

Aiming criticism at all fans & club is wrong, the only solution I can see is to have more robust searching on ground entry, something that would annoy the majority of supporters who just come to support the team & watch a game of football. Another solution would be to spend £££ on the East Bank to have more thorough searches at that point of entry. All of which would put supporters off from coming & an expense they cannot afford & a massive drop in income.

Not an easy thing to solve is it..What’s your solution to it ?

Hi Graham, thanks for the response. No easy solutions I'm afraid and maybe I was too strong in my criticism of club and fans, but I would say that flares have happened on too many occasions to suggest enough people are challenging those bringing them into games and/or throwing them. I do agree that the Sectarian chanting seems much reduced which suggests the internal challenge from supporters and the club is working.

Not sure what the club could do, more thorough searches for big games might have to be the answer. Failing that, if these fines and banning orders aren't enough to change behaviour then more serious action might have to be taken by the FA/league. Appreciate we're not the only support base guilty of this, but perhaps could be part of a wider clamp down on supporter behaviour

[MidlandsShot]

Serious question, Midlands Shot, are you actively going into the East bank and self policing these issues?

Whilst I understand your sentiment, it's easy to sit behind a keyboard and tell people what to do, but a lot harder to actually confront this behaviour face to face in person.

Why should it be up to fans to self police repeated issues and risk not only their own enjoyment but their safety too? Surely there needs to be more thorough searches and or better stewarding.
Quite often I see the stewards tackling minor issues like a 9 year old being told off for standing an inch on the yellow paint on the step.

Hi Rob, I do agree with you that it is difficult to challenge/confront people in these cases. But perhaps supporting stewards to help identify culprits could be a start. I just get embarrassed that this behaviour comes from our club.

Personally having a respiratory condition and attending with somebody autistic for whom the loud bangs cause physical pain, the East Bank is no longer a safe place for us to watch football. So I can't put my money where my mouth is unfortunately.

[Alex]

as a group of supporters we should be much better at self-policing this

Suggestions?

Calling out those around you who chant these things, helping stewards identify those throwing flares would be a start. Would much rather be "a grass" than allow kids to get hit with flares

It’s not as simple as that though.

[Aldershot_Rob]

Hi Rob, I do agree with you that it is difficult to challenge/confront people in these cases. But perhaps supporting stewards to help identify culprits could be a start. I just get embarrassed that this behaviour comes from our club.

Personally having a respiratory condition and attending with somebody autistic for whom the loud bangs cause physical pain, the East Bank is no longer a safe place for us to watch football. So I can't put my money where my mouth is unfortunately.

Hi Midlandshot, sorry to hear that the East Bank is no longer a viable option for you and your fellow attendant. Luckily there are 2 other great options for you (3 if you include the slab and don't mind getting wet). I must admit when I take my son we usually go North Stand East, seating. That's his preferred spot, not necessarily mine, although i feel better with him having a designated seat and he still enjoys the atmosphere generated from the East Bank.
From there I struggle to hear what the chant in question actually is, which might not be the worst thing given the reaction from most on here.

I also can't imagine it'll be easiest thing to pin point perpetrators as people move around a lot easier than a designated seat.

Not sure what the answer is, but the club needs to find a way before it is dealt more fines.

[NTR_12]

As an ex-serviceman who served near 3 years in Londonderry with the UDR, these imbeciles need a history lesson. Sick to the back teeth, not that I have many, with my season ticket money being spent on these fines.

They’re singing AGAINST the IRA - what’s wrong with that?

It's the line about the Pope that's the issue. I don't know why this is so hard for people to understand.

[Roger D]

The FA Committee findings are available on the FA site. The reference to the IRA was not relevant to the charge. The charge relates solely to the stuff about the Pope.

It's worth a read. Section 4 in particular is not great reading. Whilst the focus is publicly on a financial penalty, there's more to it than that. See point 77 in the judgement for example.

[Ian Rust]

How about an Elon Musk’s moobs chant.

[Fuggletim]

The FA Committee findings are available on the FA site. The reference to the IRA was not relevant to the charge. The charge relates solely to the stuff about the Pope.

It's worth a read. Section 4 in particular is not great reading. Whilst the focus is publicly on a financial penalty, there's more to it than that. See point 77 in the judgement for example.

Is there a link? It is difficult to try and pin down on the FA website.,

[RC-Moderator]

https://www.thefa.com/-/media/files/the ... -2025.ashx

[hepcat]

https://www.thefa.com/-/media/files/the ... -2025.ashx

I don't get "ATFC claims they have issued warning/told of consequences through SM/etc........But no evidence of this" I've got the Shots v Maidenhead programme for 31st August 2024 where Deane Wood gives a lengthy warning about fans behaviours/how the club will be fined and how it has prevented giving more room for home supporters on the East Bank by lessening the no mans land between supporters. Either the Club has been extremely lazy in providing concrete evidence such as in the 31/8/24 programme,or the FA has been extremely lazy and cant be bothered to view the evidence.

[chimpster99]

For those not wanting to read 23 pages of the judgement:

There was a lack of risk assessments for this match (and potentially any matches) and the club's response to the problem was considered to be weak. There was a noted lack of evidence / detail presented to defend the club against the charge (which backs up Hepcat's thoughts above]. The FA has set out an Action Plan, basically spoon feeding the club what's needed for an appropriate response to the problem.

This is pretty scathing, and seems symptomatic of the way the club is being run. If there is any mitigation, this was the period when we had no permanent Club Secretary and Bob Green had kindly stepped out of retriement to help out.

[Fuggletim]

https://www.thefa.com/-/media/files/the ... -2025.ashx

Thanks RC.

[Fuggletim]

https://www.thefa.com/-/media/files/the ... -2025.ashx

I don't get "ATFC claims they have issued warning/told of consequences through SM/etc........But no evidence of this" I've got the Shots v Maidenhead programme for 31st August 2024 where Deane Wood gives a lengthy warning about fans behaviours/how the club will be fined and how it has prevented giving more room for home supporters on the East Bank by lessening the no mans land between supporters. Either the Club has been extremely lazy in providing concrete evidence such as in the 31/8/24 programme,or the FA has been extremely lazy and cant be bothered to view the evidence.

Can’t recall which game it was but there were a number of appeals (albeit which weren’t of the highest quality in audibility) about sectarian chanting, but if anything this seemed to fuel the response. However, I thought this was in the Second Half of a game and not quite early in the First Half as mentioned in the report?