wildshot,
I've never had any training in how to be a steward. However I guess the problem is difficult to tackle there and then. A bunch of 10-15 people (or maybe more) are difficult to be told "don't say that or I'll eject you". In the heat of the moment approaching such a group could lead to a much more significant disagreement.

and this is why segregation is a must.... also it's easier to eject individuals with pop bottles

If it is, that's only because certain individuals have created the myth - and the club has been naively paternal in its responses; as Vastman has suggested, playing the angry Dad routine and making idle threats via press releases is an admission of guilt before any formal process has been carried out - and that's not how to handle complaints at an organisational level. It feeds into the perception that Wakefield as a club has a 'problem' with supporters - which it doesn't, any more than any other club does.

For example - every single time Leeds are on telly, the much lauded South Stand will sing a chorus about what a merchant banker the referee is; it's clearly audible on Sky microphones and yet is never mentioned by the commentators and there's never a public apology from the club. If there were any complaints about it, I can absolutely guarantee you that Hetherington would *not* issue a press release condemning the chanters and promising to ban them for life - partly because it's an admission before the facts and partly because he knows it's a) part and parcel of the modern world and b) impossible to enforce.

The modern phenomenon of social media is a perfect vehicle for the creation of faux hysteria and faceless outrage at the actions of others who we perceive to have offended us - I agree that there are lines which should not be crossed, but being offended is not fatal, nor are we protected from it under law; so if Mr Carter wants to make BV an offense-free zone, then he needs to bite the bullet and despatch a large number of properly trained and empowered stewards to police the crowd and remove anyone who is perceived to be misbehaving - good luck with that though - it's literally impossible to achieve.

I can't wait for my next trip to Odsal - I will take a notepad, write down everything that offends me, and demand a meeting with their Chairman to lodge all of my grievances - let's see if he responds in the same way that we have.

Regarding Hull,all I can assume is that you look a bad 'un!

Well in typical style MC has managed to crush a huge positive on Saturday with an overblown negative as far as I can see.

On the plus side that means another positive is on the way.

I'm beginning to wonder that if this is the methodology that runs through the club it's no surprise the teams attitude was so defeatist.

I'm certain that methodology and attitude has affected the players directly Vasty.
I don't think carter gets that at all.

Agreed.

The number of fans who are responsible for these events is probably less than the number of Wakefield fans who have recently contributed to Aardvarks charity run and the Danny Jones Fund. Haven't noticed the club statement regarding those!

It doesn't help when people post on the Bradford forum, apologising for the big bad Wakefield fans, but praising the wonderful Bradford travelling support - that just feeds the myth that Bradford were blameless and it's all the fault of the big bad Wakefield hooligans.

I heard plenty of effing and jeffing from many Bradford fans on Saturday, and a good few subjectively 'offensive' songs; I also encountered a number of affable Bradford fans who were disappointed with their teams performance, but remained sensible about it. I'm not daft enough to believe that either group represents Bradford fans in totality - because there's no such entity; just as there's no such entity that represents all Wakefield fans. A crowd of people is impossible to characterise, and it's a logical fallacy to attempt to do so.

The shame is it started off so well with an impeccable minutes silence.
I guess some just get carried away but I didn't see or hear and problem from either set.

My mates weren't there on Saturday but thank you for caring

Just heard the RFL are now investigating on local news.

Some of the chanting started off as a banter but it definitely overstepped what I would consider as 'banter'. As I've previously posted, I don't expect not to hear a few expletives from the crowd in the heat of the moment and I'm as guilty as anyone for that. And I can't tell you why the drummer group insist on signing the 'you're all one family' I'm certainly not condoning it and I wish they'd just concentrate on getting behind the team.

But there is a very clear line that has been crossed when the chants become racial and whilst I didn't personally notice the song about the Bradford fire that is also very clearly beyond 'banter'. I don't think you can label the above as 'fans just being daft'.

I totally agree with you although like you, I didn't hear any racial chants or anything about the Bradford fire, so we will have to leave that for someone else to look at.

Funny that the first group complaining never mentioned Bradford Fire songs.
If true that is awful but I imagine it's exaggerated for effect.

I was stood in the north stand on Saturday with the bulls fans and have never heard chanting like it, bringing race into a rugby match is appalling and I was one of the bulls fans 'getting in the ear' of your much esteemed stewards who did nothing. I am very pleased to see the rfl and Wakefield are taking this seriously as I for one will not be returning to your stadium unless those responsible are dealt with.

Yes there was 'banter' flying back and forth and some bad language used, which does happen at all grounds and was equally evident from Bradford fans as it was Wakefield. However there is no excuse for racism, and that is what was heard by a small number of your fans, luckily we managed to catch this on film which has been sent to your club to assist in their investigation.

Hopefully this will be sorted quickly by your club meaning this won't be repeated as there really is no place for this in society, let alone at a rugby match.

This was a group of no more than 5 fans - the other Wakefield fans around us vocally distanced themselves from this and agreed that they should be ejected.

Don't think anyone is suggesting this is a problem with wakey fans, more that a few individuals have attempted to ruin the match for others and need to be banned before giving a poor impression of the club and RL as a sport.

You will have also filmed the Bradford fans abusing Wakefield fans then won't you. If Bradford had have been directed to the western terrace like most away fans this season this wouldn't have happened. Think this will see the end of away fans in The north stand to prevent this kind of thing happening.

As I've made clear it's the racism that is the problem, if any Bradford fans did make any comments of that nature I sincerely hope they are caught and banned for life and if I'd heard that I would have got them on camera And reported it to both clubs. It is simply unacceptable for anyone in any context to use such language.

So all abuse towards Wakefield and about Wakefield is allowed then.

And now we start to get to the truth - 4 or 5 people overstepped the mark; very easy to deal with and absolutely no need for a self-flagellating pubic apology, a flurry of faux internet outrage, or a wide-ranging RFL investigation.

The covered area in the north stand needs to be segregated. nearly every game now we get supporters of the away team trying to "take it over", and these are usually not the family supporters but the idiot brigade.

the entire rest of the stadium could still be accessible to all, then anyone who particularly wanted to stand behind the posts could do so on the bottom tier, and any home supporters wishing to use the western terrace could as well.

This is just the latest incident and its only a matter of time before something kicks off in there unless the club actually comes up with a policy and implements it properly.

If I went to an away match into a clubs main end where their more boisterous fans stand and start abusing their club and city I would expect abuse back, that how it is and as always been and people must live very sheltered lives if they think any different.

nWe have never had segregation before prior to this season and I don't remember us being involved in so many RFL investigations as this season. I do not see the correlation between no segregation and the increase in crowd trouble.
I would think by sticking them all together will just increase the problems because it is not the proximity of the away supporters but the fact that there are away supporters. I suppose to ensure no further problems ban away supporters and you will find the trouble will go away. I would remind people that this is all hyperthefticall because we don't know the structure of the ground for next season.

There has been no problems at Belle Vue this season and if Bradford fans hadn't been in the north stand abusing Wakefield fans nothing would have allegedly occurred on Saturday.

The club should take the allegation seriously and fully investigate the matter and then take appropriate action against individuals subject to the findings of the investigation.

As a Wakey fan living in Beverley I go to Rovers v Wakefield with Rovers fans. I sit in the RW stand. wouldn't dream of wandering over to the opposite side. It's common sense.