As a policeman could you tell me if it's an offence for a police officer to spread malicious, unfounded rumours and untruths about an innocent group of fans?

It is a condition of entry and that decision is one for the stewards. The police assist the stewards to prevent a breach of the peace. Basically, to stop people kicking off with the stewards!

It's supposed to be a deterrent to stop others doing it. Clearly it didn't work. It does semm OTT but I understand the reasons for it. There have been times when bricks and bottles are put in the roll and hit other fans.

Did they have the lids on?

big red - thanks for your honest reply and I accept your answer.

Can I ask that you pass onto your colleagues that we feel the stewarding and policing was over-zealous and to keep order at such events in future it may be better to take a more pragmatic approach.

The went for the smallest, youngest lad they could find. 15 years old. Threw him out without his jacket which had his money and train ticket home in it.
I believe his Grandad had to leave the stadium as well to make sure he was OK

The bobbie with the stick was hilarious. Not a standard looking Police truncheon, more a kind of polished baseball bat, the kind they probably get after 50 years service or something. Stood there slapping it into the palm of his hand mouthing "you're next" to 14 year old kids

Also, stewards were thieving stuff from the fans they searched. Seeing as they are from a firm of bouncers I'm reluctant to leave a name & address with FIOS or the Police.

Already done it mate. I commented on it at the end of the game. There were hardly any stewards around the rest of the ground but loads in front of us. That inspector will be attending a full debrief on Tuesday and he will present the feedback to the club. There was a big presence as it was the first full house and some twitchy bums! I think it'll calm down as they get used to bigger crowds.

Well I hope that inspector takes responsibility for his actions and apologises to the lad and his grandad. Your post sounds as if the police are sloping shoulders on this and blaming the stewards.

I'm not defending anybody but the police only deal with criminal matters. Ground regulations are the stewards responsibility.

As much as I love this forum, I'm gonna end my involvement in this thread as I have said my bit. You chaps crack on with your debate.

The important part is 28-10 FIOS

Good night!

This has been my experience at football matches over the years and is generally a bit of a cop out (no pun intended) and is used by stewards to carry out their legalised thuggery and general mis treatment of "scum fans" and used by the Police to turn a blind eye to it until "scum fan" retalliates.

We don't do ourselves any favours when we get be**ends doing this. You go to enough away games and you get covered in beer at some point lobbed by someone who thinks it funny. It's not bright and ain't funny and if you're reading this then catch on a bit.

We're the best away fans in SL and everything that the Brigantes have done have enhanced the pleasure of watching Wigan. Shame to have our reputation spoilt by a mindless few

I wasn't at the match but if you ever go around St. Helens at night you sometimes see a copper with a bloody big stick. The police shouldn't really be allowed to carry them around in their hands as it gives the impression that they are looking/expecting to use the weapon which could be rather intimidating to members of the public. I understand that police do have truncheons/batons but these are usually carried in a holster to be used just in case.

I did also notice the police where being really strict before the match at the raven and another pub because of people drinking their pint at the front door whilst having a smoke etc, Pouring a few peoples pints down the gutter. I know those are probably "the rules" but it was hardly like people where walking around the streets with pint glasses.

I loved how they did their UPMOST best to look at the floor - not at any fans - when we where celebrating at the end in an attempt to not look impressed.

Think the way we won & celebrated wound them up that little bit more

I was told some saints fans were ejected for using children's season tickets

Seems like typical scouse police attitude to Wiganers. I remember watching Latics at Everton in the FA cup in the early 80's when fans were still penned in behind fences. The younger Wigan fans had to climb on the surrounding wall and hold on to the fence to get a decent view of the match. The scouse coppers went along the fence rapping the kids knuckles with their truncheons. Complete D*******S!

A few of my mates - some students U21, some not & above - got in on concession tickets.
We win?



Ps. I legitimately used a correct ticket!

Pubs have an on/off licence. There should be nothing wrong with taking beer outside of a pub.

My point being... loads of people threw bog roll. Many did much worse. They picked on a young lad to try and make an example of him.

I can confirm through speaking to the head steward on entrance to the stadium about why our group was searched....

He told me they received a tip off from our own club that people might take spray paint into the ground and every single person would get searched. I told him there was some spray painting at a pre-season game from some randoms and that our group does not accept anything like this. I asked if anyone in our group was found with any of the said items, he told me they wern't and was shocked by our good behaviour (he was rather patronising). I shook his hand and assured him there would be no trouble. This turned out to be true, great day.

i disagree........many long years ago when i first started going round town , bobbies carried truncheons (sticks), and if u p!ssed about they hit you, and you didnt do it again.
now we have people whining about bobbies being heavy handed..why do you think theres so much disrespect ?

i digress.

rules are rules, whether or not you agree with them........but from reading 1 pages, i reckon the stewarding is way OTT

The stewarding and policing [uwas[/u over the top. I've been going to rugby matches for over 20 years and, in most instances, you don't need ANY police, so why the need for so many at this match? It's not as if there's never been a Saints/Wigan derby before! I got patted down before entering the ground and I said to the steward "do I look like a criminal or something?". I was certainly made to feel like one! Just to make matters worse my neice had her bag searched, not once but twice! The strange thing is, the 2nd steward actually watched the 1st one search the bag before stepping in to have a go himself afterwards!! Totally bizarre behaviour and not befitting a rugby match. Whoever the St Helens club are currently hiring needs to be replaced or the club and ground will get a reputation I'm sure it doesn't want.

Well done. But bragging about it on a public forum may well mean that the concessions won't be there for a future sell out game.

Bag searches are conducted by the stewards at the DW. However being patted down was a new experience for me, to the point I asked them if I was at the right stadium and whether we were there to see a rugby match or a football match.....I got no response.

a lot of men and women use kids season tks at wigan . it amazes me how they never get challanged

Surely the club is paying for them and should direct them how to steward