Banned...

[Macca4lcfc]

jeez i cant think why there is so many empty seats at the leicester matches. after all, the team is playing brilliantly, and everyone knows they can go to the match, stand, sing, be noisy and have a bit of banter with the away fans and win or lose it will be a great day out.

[Jon the Hat]

All sounds very Orwellian, almost fascist. Perhaps Mary Whitehouse has taken control of the stewarding. There's nothing wrong with swearing, it's simply a crude (often succinct) expression of emotion and to be banned from a football ground or even thrown out for calling someone a willy puller is beyond belief. It's akin to throwing someone out of a pub for drinking alcohol.

If we want parents to bring their kids to matches, and develop the next generation of City fans they need to be able to sit in the Family stand without having others swearing and making "obscene" gestures. If 3 matches is the standard ban perhaps the 3 months is because it was in the Family stand.

[Frenzied]

If we want parents to bring their kids to matches, and develop the next generation of City fans they need to be able to sit in the Family stand without having others swearing and making "obscene" gestures. If 3 matches is the standard ban perhaps the 3 months is because it was in the Family stand.

I started going to Filbert Street when I was four; at that time people weren't banned for swearing and funnily enough the actions of fans around me in my childhood years hasn't adversely affected me at all, nor has it the thousands of other kids that have grown up watching Leicester City.

This heavy-handed stewarding seems more like a sympton of the corporate cleaning of football than anything else - an attack on football culture, as part of the misdirected fight against hooliganism.

[Thracian]

Totally out of proportion. As was the whole reaction which was far more likely to cause of Breach of the Peace than anything you say you've done. Can't the Foxes Trust people or someone else with the club's ear put a word in.

Players get a three match ban for a sending off which might involve calling the ref a w....r and, even then, they might have had to have had another booking first.

The players are on public display, have specific responsibilities and their actions might, indeed be widely provocative. And yet, their punishment covers three games (probably no more than 14 days to a month).

How, therefore, does a gesture like yours warrant three month and especially taken in the context of how many others were/are guilty of similar offences.

Something should be done. And something should certainly be done about the way it was handled by the stewards. Common sense should be the watchword for stewards and I was able to see this incident quite clearly from my seat in the West Stand. There didn't look like a lot of common sense to me.

[IDEA OR IKEA]

Deserves all they get - its a family sport these days. I say lets take our gloves out and demand satisfaction

[Ric Flair]

Totally out of proportion. As was the whole reaction which was far more likely to cause of Breach of the Peace than anything you say you've done. Can't the Foxes Trust people or someone else with the club's ear put a word in.

Players get a three match ban for a sending off which might involve calling the ref a w....r and, even then, they might have had to have had another booking first.

The players are on public display, have specific responsibilities and their actions might, indeed be widely provocative. And yet, their punishment covers three games (probably no more than 14 days to a month).

How, therefore, does a gesture like yours warrant three month and especially taken in the context of how many others were/are guilty of similar offences.

Something should be done. And something should certainly be done about the way it was handled by the stewards. Common sense should be the watchword for stewards and I was able to see this incident quite clearly from my seat in the West Stand. There didn't look like a lot of common sense to me.

Spot on my friend

[Jon the Hat]

I started going to Filbert Street when I was four; at that time people weren't banned for swearing and funnily enough the actions of fans around me in my childhood years hasn't adversely affected me at all, nor has it the thousands of other kids that have grown up watching Leicester City.

This heavy-handed stewarding seems more like a sympton of the corporate cleaning of football than anything else - an attack on football culture, as part of the misdirected fight against hooliganism.

Totally agree with the heavy handed stewarding being a problem. And to be fair seeing overreaction and police charging about is probably a lot more scary for kids than seeing a few hand gestures.

Do you think having people swearing around you as a kid has affected your perception of wether swearing is acceptable? I don't know you personally so I can't comment, but I would be inclined to think that it could. Kids aren't so good at understanding context, so while you may swear at the Walkers and not at work, they may take it to school, home etc. Like I said parents should be able to sit in the family stand without having to worry about it. And other fans should be able to swear and gesture in other stands without fear of being jumped on by stewards / police and banned.

[Harpenden Fox]

Part of the reason I didn't renew my, and my son's, season ticket this season is the moronic swearing of the youths sitting next to me in the West stand. OK - I admit the other part was the poor quality of football too, but it all went into the equation. Swearing with humour - no problem - the you're s**t aah stuff at goalkicks is funny, but aimless, moronic swearng at players, officials, our own players etc, I just can't hack it, and neither can my son. We sat five yards from a steward who preffered to ignore it.

OK, perhaps I'm being middle class and all that, but I've supported City regularly home and away since the early 1970s. The ground is safe, which is a plus - I can remember the riot after a game wih Man U in the seventies, and I've been hit and knocked unconscious for my troubles by fans of Notts County and Man City in the past, so things have improved, and I still support City religiously. When we win the whole day/week is a good one. When we lose I have to do my best not to sulk. The point I'm trying to make is I'm not fair weather.... honest!

But sometimes there's an undercurrent of hatred, hostility and venom that I just can't stand. I don't think you're supporting your team by calling the opposition a w****r. Sure, make a noise - (I'll never forget the noise at Wembley when we equalised vs Swindon) get behind the lads with non stop singing like Pomepy do, and if the fella who got kicked out is sorry then goodness knows we all make mistakes, let him back in. But please lets not become apologists for negative behaviour. Make the Walkers into a theatre of passion - best recent example I can think of being the 20 mins before Maybury scored against Wolves in the Spring. It's a cliche I know, but I reckon the fans got that goal.

Turn the negative into positive

[Louise]

Here is what Tim has to say about the Cov game: http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/...~732548,00.html

[Frenzied]

Totally agree with the heavy handed stewarding being a problem. And to be fair seeing overreaction and police charging about is probably a lot more scary for kids than seeing a few hand gestures.

Do you think having people swearing around you as a kid has affected your perception of wether swearing is acceptable? I don't know you personally so I can't comment, but I would be inclined to think that it could. Kids aren't so good at understanding context, so while you may swear at the Walkers and not at work, they may take it to school, home etc. Like I said parents should be able to sit in the family stand without having to worry about it. And other fans should be able to swear and gesture in other stands without fear of being jumped on by stewards / police and banned.

Having family designated areas is a good idea and I don't understand why adults without kids would want to sit there. Although you'll still get swearing in those areas, as well as kids sitting in non-family designated stands.

I don't think hearing swearing at football matches affected me as a kid in any profound way. However, I do believe swearing has become more culturally acceptable but as you mention, it's the context that matters. For example, it's acceptable for a national newspaper to print the word **** on the front page of its main supplement but not OK for a tv news presenter to say the same thing.

Nevertheless football is a context where swearing should be expected and acceptable. Kids are far more likely to follow their parents as role models than football crowds and it's my assumption that bad behaviour in children is far more likely to be picked up from their parents than football spectators.

[Thracian]

Sorry to hear that C-Man, just sums up the Club at the minute and the idiots that run it.

Really what does Tim Davies do to justify his salary? If this isn't overturned then you should sue.

That fat clown knows the issues but he has done the square root of fook all to sort it out. He hides behind the Police and SAG as he doesn't give a hoot about the fans. Anyone who thinks otherwise is deluded.

Time to get rid of the numpty.

It might be interesting to here what Davies has to say cos I've always had the impression he does care about the club and generally I think it's shaping up a damn sight better than it has done in the recent past.

Being a PLC and having the right to have who is wishes on the premises, I cannot imagine sueing would be a good idea (especially with the time and costs involved) although he did appear to be manhandled and he did end up on the concrete steps which I believe fairly indicated just how out of proportion the whole reaction was to whatever happened.

I don't think any of us would have taken kindly to being manhandled and, from the club's point of view, any such action is risky, especially had the fan been injured falling down the concrete steps.

Am I the only one who believes the authorities are being utterly hypocritical and setting an appalling example in the way they react. There is much emphasis nowadays on not being violent, on behaving civilly and with respect to people.

And yet, first excuse they get and there's a scrumful of stewards getting physically involved in dealing with one (maybe two) guys and they get backed up by a squad of police who've come racing round the ground.

For both Police and Stewards, violence or even physical manhandling of people should be discouraged unless there is no alternative.

[Willis]

http://www.teamtalk.com/teamtalk/News/Stor..._786415,00.html

Davies has spoken...

[Babylon]

By the sounds of it all parties involved could do with growing up a little.

[Foxes_Trust]

Today is the worst day of my life. I've been banned from the Walkers Stadium for at least 3 months with a view to make it longer. Why? Because i made one abusive gesture to the Coventry fans. I cannot believe it.

Why did they pick on me when about 500 people do it? Maybe because i was chanting for the half hour i was there today.

So they ban their fans for having a good time now? I'm not saying what i did was right, because i know i was stupid to do it. But surely they should ban everyone else for making gestures then? Or do you have to sit completely still at games now and not make any noise?

C Man

- have you received any written confirmation about the 3 month ban.

- during a conversation with the club over the last 2 days we mentioned the gesture & length of ban & got a surprised reaction - more like 3 games than 3 months so it is worth confirming

[Thracian]

http://www.teamtalk.com/teamtalk/News/Stor..._786415,00.html

Davies has spoken...

Well that's positive and pretty prompt. Would it help if fans put forward a petition argue the "offenders" case for a shorter ban?. Obviously it depends on the full story but nothing I saw suggests the ban should be that draconian because, from what I saw, the stewards seemed to play their part in inflaming the situation.

As well as dealing with what is accepable behaviour on November 17 there should be proper consideration of appropriate punishments. I certainly don't think three months for a gesture would be right but, like I say, there may be more of the story to be told.

[Manwell Pablo]

Well that's positive and pretty prompt. Would it help if fans put forward a petition argue the "offenders" case for a shorter ban?. Obviously it depends on the full story but nothing I saw suggests the ban should be that draconian because, from what I saw, the stewards seemed to play their part in inflaming the situation.

As well as dealing with what is accepable behaviour on November 17 there should be proper consideration of appropriate punishments. I certainly don't think three months for a gesture would be right but, like I say, there may be more of the story to be told.

Indeed

I will be there if possible.

[Babylon]

nothing I saw suggests the ban should be that draconian because, from what I saw, the stewards seemed to play their part in inflaming the situation.

I think you are getting mixed up between the two incidents that happened Thracian.

[Manwell Pablo]

People are saying C-man shouldnt of made the gesture and he should of been removed, but the ban should be shorter.

I go to alot of football matches, the two people i go with most often suppourt Swindon Town and Watford.

Now obviosuly this means i end up watching one or two matches a month that Leicester arnet involved in. I have seen Numerous willy puller signs no one being kicked out. I have seen people rushing to the front of stand behind the goal before a peanlty was taken when Swindon played Colchester lasts season at the county ground and the player taking it got alot more then willy puller signs put it that way. At oakwell I have seen a Barnsley fan pelt the ball at Rory Falons head when throwing it back. I have been to around 7 or 9 football grounds this season, i can safley say i can name one where u would get kicked out for a willy puller sign!!

On the postive side C-man. u r famous ur incident gets mentioned on team talk!!

[Manwell Pablo]

People are saying C-man shouldnt of made the gesture and he should of been removed, but the ban should be shorter.

I go to alot of football matches, the two people i go with most often suppourt Swindon Town and Watford.

Now obviosuly this means i end up watching one or two matches a month that Leicester arnet involved in. I have seen Numerous willy puller signs no one being kicked out. I have seen people rushing to the front of stand behind the goal before a peanlty was taken when Swindon played Colchester lasts season at the county ground and the player taking it got alot more then willy puller signs put it that way. At oakwell I have seen a Barnsley fan pelt the ball at Rory Falons head when throwing it back. I have been to around 7 or 9 football grounds this season, i can safley say i can name one where u would get kicked out for a willy puller sign!!

On the postive side C-man. u r famous ur incident gets mentioned on team talk!!

Should of said none of the incidents above resulted in anyone being removed.

[Sparky]

if people are seriously pissed of with the stewarding then you really should go to the meeting on the 17th and put your point across cause if u dont go then dont moan about it . 1 chance to sort it

c-man i been doing willy puller signs since i was about 13 home and away and all i got was 1 telling off away at blackburn on the last day of the season about 97 ish so i feel for you. must say i dont tend to do it at home anymore due to the amount of women and kids around my seat in the kop

[shep]

I got banned from the Walkers the very first game for 6 months. It was at home against Watford new stadium and got chucked out for smoking and refusing to put out as soon as i was told!

Dont listen to the ban just wear a cap and sit in a quiet section (the whole ground!) not next to the away fans also dont book your ticket in your name

I didnt do this i just went away games, which is where i prefer going now away stewards are normal not no idea monkeys

[shep]

People who said he shouldnt have done the sign are just pathetic, ITS FOOTBALL!! go back to Rugby or watching it on your Sofa cos the pubs to noisy

[Thracian]

I think you are getting mixed up between the two incidents that happened Thracian.

You may be right cos I only saw one incident which seemed to have two and a bit stages. I certainly acknowledge we haven't heard a complete account of what happened.

But from what I DID see I'm still amazed it escalated in the manner that it did and was not resolved with a quiet word and a bit of tactful humour.

Feel free to enlighten me further by all means.

[Babylon]

You may be right cos I only saw one incident which seemed to have two and a bit stages. I certainly acknowledge we haven't heard a complete account of what happened.

But from what I DID see I'm still amazed it escalated in the manner that it did and was not resolved with a quiet word and a bit of tactful humour.

Feel free to enlighten me further by all means.

The person on here has nothing to do with the incident you saw. I think you saw the one that Tim Davies commented on in his statement on the clubs website.

[Thracian]

The person on here has nothing to do with the incident you saw. I think you saw the one that Tim Davies commented on in his statement on the clubs website.

I think you're probably right. Mind you it sounds as if there was so much going on I'd have been better off watching the crowd rather than the game throughout. Which crowd won by the way?