3G damn pitches and smoking in grounds

[Murphy]

That's true, although only personally had problems with smoking once at an away game, when a couple of jobsworth stewards decided to get suspicious about what was in our roll ups and evicted us from the ground. Idiots.

Common sense should be part of security companies/stewarding training. Usually when it's volunteer fans doing it there are no issues, it's the outsourced ones that are the problem.

I can only think that the contracted ones view every potential supporter as a criminal/someone suspicious. I know it's practically impossible, but really you need to make sure the stewards are people who understand how football works. Having said that, it's really not hard just to use a bit of common sense with matters, is it

 

[appletablepenny]

At Alty, you can't smoke in the main stand (probs because of all the wood) or the family stand (fairly obvious) but everywhere else appears fair game.

 

[Jemfy]

You've got to be a jobsworth tosser to do the job though. Your lot were the worst and threatened to kick people out for smoking in a wide open terrace that was bothering nobody

We had feedback as fans when the club was owned by the R&DFC supporters trust (IIRC). With reference to smoking and making people sit in standing areas - if people are breaking the rules they have to be seen trying to enforce them or insurance would be declared invalid if any incident occured. It's more that the insurance is issued on the premise that all the fire safety related regulations - as stated on the policy - are enacted/enforced.

Unfortunately they are right to be doing it if that's the policy of the club. It doesn't take "a jobsworth tosser" to do it, but I obviously can't speak to the manner in which they handled the issue.

 

[Greenacres]

That's true, although only personally had problems with smoking once at an away game, when a couple of jobsworth stewards decided to get suspicious about what was in our roll ups and evicted us from the ground. Idiots.

To be fair, some of the football we played under Hockaday and Pennock, you would have needed something a bit stronger than weed to make it watchable.
(NB: I do not use drugs, have never used drugs and am totally against the use of any illegal substances)

 

[LeWhites]

To be fair, some of the football we played under Hockaday and Pennock, you would have needed something a bit stronger than weed to make it watchable.
(NB: I do not use drugs, have never used drugs and am totally against the use of any illegal substances)

Sounds a bit like this fella...

The Mayor added that he was “dead against” drug taking and did not know what the substance was, saying: “It could have been sherbet for all I know."

 

[Gladders]

People can't go a couple of hours without a smoke?

 

[The_Boss]

Fake pitches and smoking should both be banned.

 

[HG Yellow&Black]

Our club's position on it, below. Sutton and Tamworth being interesting examples of not needing a ban.

Perhaps if we backed the banning of anything that does not impact us directly the world would be a particularly intolerant and drab place.....something football is experiencing in itself at present on a few fronts.

Following recent updates to our ground regulations, we remind all supporters, visitors and employees that smoking is strictly prohibited anywhere inside The CNG Stadium.

However, following a period of consultation we have concluded that supporters may be permitted to leave the stadium to smoke outside the ground. Any person wishing to smoke must leave the ground via the designated pass-out gate at the south gate turnstile. Upon exit, smokers will be given a stamp which will allow them re-entry to the ground via the pass-out gate. This policy will be in place from this Saturday (3rd September) as we take on Curzon Ashton at The CNG Stadium.

The decision to adopt a No Smoking Policy anywhere in the stadium was based on consultation with our insurers, discussions with other football clubs and in particular, a recent fire safety inspection undertaken by the local authority. The club also investigated the possibility of segregating an area within the ground for people wishing to smoke, with the proximity to food outlets, the protection of the playing surface and ultimately the health and safety of guests our main considerations.

We also conducted research into how our policy compares to other football clubs in the National League, and can conclude that almost 50% of clubs have a complete smoking ban within their stadium. In addition, all English Football League stadia are smoke-free and smoking is not permitted inside any ground, this includes vaping/electronic cigarettes.

Therefore, we believe our policy, which will be reviewed after 6 home games, guarantees that all supporters, visitors and employees can enjoy conditions free of tobacco smoke. The policy will be reiterated via signage within the stadium and will be strictly enforced by ground safety stewards.

The pass-out gate will not be in operation for certain high-profile fixtures, including (but not limited to) FCUM, Salford City, Darlington 1883, FC Halifax Town, Kidderminster Harriers, AFC Fylde, Stockport County and Bradford Park Avenue. We will also be taking advice from North Yorkshire Police on a match by match basis, and as such, retain the right to close the pass-out gate at any point.

 

[DontBringBertie]

People can't go a couple of hours without a smoke?

I used to smoke around 20 a day - a couple of hours is a very long time when you're addicted...

 

[Monkey]

At Vale Park its non smoking inside the ground but the stewards turn a blind eye at half time if you have a cigarette as long as your not actually in the stand.

 

[Paddy]

Cigarettes banned at Kingsmeadow... was part of AFC Wimbledon's insurance policy. Coz, you know, them concrete stands just go up in flames with the slightest ember.

 

[Greenacres]

Cigarettes banned at Kingsmeadow... was part of AFC Wimbledon's insurance policy. Coz, you know, them concrete stands just go up in flames with the slightest ember.

...yeah, but all those Womble costumes, if they are made from synthetic fibres...one stray spark and woof, gone in seconds!

 

[HG Yellow&Black]

Cos the insurance told us - the new get out. Not that I have been provided of any proof of why this has suddenly changed this year - especially given that it is not a legal requirement!
Or as you can see from ours......they just chuck a plethora of BS at it to hope that it sticks.....

The decision to adopt a No Smoking Policy anywhere in the stadium was based on consultation with our insurers (still to see anything on this and goes against what Tamworth and Sutton and the whole of Holland), discussions with other football clubs (Apart from seemingly 95% of the clubs in our division) and in particular, a recent fire safety inspection undertaken by the local authority (cos like the Wombles we have wooden stands and concrete that goes up like a drop of a hat). The club also investigated the possibility of segregating an area within the ground for people wishing to smoke, with the proximity to food outlets (we don't even have a food outlet in the bottom half of the ground next to our KOP!), the protection of the playing surface (so people stood 20 metres away in the corner of the ground just love to flick their butts on the pitch and if it melts the fecking thing shouldn't be played on anyway!) and ultimately the health and safety of guests our main considerations (We are next to the busiest road in and out of Harrogate, or does Carbon Manoxide and the total fallacy of the passive smoking outside tens of metres from folk not smoking).

Its like an anti smoking BS bingo......and judging by the reaction of both the stewards and a decent proportion of its paying customers the small little man involved in this decision looks like making an even bigger gimp of himself.

 

[LordLucan]

Smoke kills in seconds, fire kills in minutes.....

 

[Paddy]

Cos the insurance told us - the new get out. Not that I have been provided of any proof of why this has suddenly changed this year - especially given that it is not a legal requirement!

Ours (well, Wombles) has been in place for at least 2 or 3 seasons now.