Watford Fan Critical

[tiltontrev]

A Watford football fan is in a critical condition after being attacked by a gang in Wolverhampton on Saturday.

The 44-year-old was with a group of friends making his way to the railway station to return to Hemel Hempstead after a match at Molineux stadium.

They were attacked in Littles Lane at about 17:00 GMT, West Midlands Police said.

Det Sgt Adam Keen said the group was "completely outnumbered" and the man was left with a severe head injury.

He is currently in hospital with what the force described as "life-threatening injuries".

"His family have been informed and we are in the process of taking statements from witnesses and locating any CCTV which might have captured those responsible for the attack," Det Sgt Keen said.

He appealed for anyone with information on the attack to come forward.

The Championship match between Wolves and Watford finished in a 2-2 draw.

Wolves Chief Executive Jez Moxey said the club were "deeply saddened" to hear about the attack and their thoughts were with the supporter and his family.

"As a club we deplore any violence in or around football matches, and we will work closely with the relevant authorities to help bring the perpetrator, or perpetrators, to justice," he said.

Sounds pretty nasty, definitely seems to be an increase in hooliganism the past couple of seasons, even going to traditionally 'safe' clubs there seems to be regular flashpoints

 

[markwwfc1992]

Just posted that on our matchday thread. Poor guy has a wife and 2 kids too. I'm ashamed to support the same team as some of these lowlife cowardly scumbags. Hope he makes a full recovery.

 

[Modernist]

Cowards.

 

[tiltontrev]

I have to say the policing at Molineux always amazes me, it's an incident waiting to happen every year.

This year was World War 3 after the Blues game, police stood and watched more interested in filming the culprits. Then when you get to the top of the hill - nothing - you're on your own to the station.

I say every time I go it's mayhem waiting to happen.

 

[markwwfc1992]

I agree, the policing is awful, especially for visiting fans. Personally as an away fan I would hate going to Molineux, cramming people into the Steve Bull Stand whilst home fans literally pour piss on you from the upper tier ... All this when the fucking useless police and stewards do nothing but watch it unfold! It's something from the dark ages, and no wonder why our fan base gets labeled 'Neanderthals' because of these morons.

Then you get some of these wannabe hooligans. Yes every club has their idiots, but sadly Wolves seem to have incidents like this all too often...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...tts-County-coaches-leaving-woman-injured.html

... It gives our fan base a horrible reputation, which is upsetting to the majority of our fans base who are great supporters, and just like every other fan up and down the country wanting to support their team. There is a way to go about making Molineux an intimidating place for the opposition, but by trying to do it with cowardly acts of violence like this is just embarrassing.

 

[Dave-Vale]

Disgraceful.

Feel sorry for the normal Wolves fans who will get lumped in with these clowns.

 

[You Orns]

It seemed there where no police yesterday at all, I saw 2 between the ground and the station, I get that there was a big game at Villa park and that we are a traditionally safe club but surely when you have over 2,000 away fans going to the game, the majority getting the train you need more than that.

Desperately hoping he pulls through, fair play to the wolves fan that set up a donation page, has raised over £1500 since it opened about 1 hour ago.

 

[TomPNE94]

It was crazy when we went to Molineux last season. All kicked off in the town centre because our dick heads decided it would be a good idea to cause trouble in a home pub.

Very intimidating after the game with Wolves fans on either side of you screaming abuse too.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

There is a paradox with all grounds, with all the effort Police and stewards put into organising supporters inside the ground and immediately outside it, yet nothing done to keep an eye on thousands of both supporters mixing together just minutes away going to train stations and such like. And that's no situation specific to Wolves, applies all over.

For my own Wolves experience, whilst I saw no massive trouble beyond a couple of small fisticuffs in a car park (there were Police nearby, who didn't seem fussed), I found coming away from Molineux to the station to feel pretty hairy. A sense of unpleasantness in the air likely due to the circumstances of the game. Obviously a majority of people are normal, just takes a few idiots on each side to have had a few beers too many and it can spark off something serious.

 

[HertsWolf]

It's an awful awful thing. Ashamed to support the same club. Littles Lane is on my route to the station and I have often walked and chatted to away fans as we walk back to the station. Can't believe that this has happened.

 

[Super_horns]

Very sad and puts things into perspective.

Hope the guy can pull through.

 

[markwwfc1992]

There has been a donation page set up for him to help cover anything for medical costs to support for his family, raised over 7k in 24 hours which is a nice touch.

http://www.gofundme.com/o8itrk

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

Horrible news. Hope the guy pulls through.

 

[You Orns]

Up to 12k raised now

 

[Walkley_Owl]

Brilliant effort by people.

 

[Super_horns]

Horrible news. Hope the guy pulls through.

There is a message from his brother on Facebook which suggests while Nick is clearly still seriously ill there hasn't been any worsening in his condition which was keeping them "positive"

Also thanked everyone for their support.

 

[tiltontrev]

Saw this post elsewhere...

"Known the fella who is in a coma for 20 years, never even heard him raise his voice let alone throw a punch. Massive sports fan goes to Watford home and away and a big boxing fan goes to a lot of the smaller venues as well as the big fights, a fan not a boxer or a fighter himself. As for the clothes he was wearing Saturday, a photo is doing the rounds taken at halftime Saturday with the others who got ambushed and one of ours, Robin knows him, who lives in Stoke now and came to the game to see everyone, Moo was wearing a Burgundy Cardigan, no goggles, no SI patches, he's 44 and nearly totally grey don't look like youth bowling around looking for it. Of the three ambushed one managed to get away, they knocked two unconscious and jumped on their heads, Moo is in a coma, the other fella has a perfect bruise that is an imprint of a trainer on his face. Shit happens but which ever way you look at it, 20 plus blokes beat 3 fellas who weren't looking for it and got no warning to a pulp.
Moo is slightly worse than yesterday, the pressure on his brain keeps going up and down, twice its got so high they have prepared him for emergency brain surgery. If he survives, they don't know what quality of life he'll have, Makes it worse he has two kids a 4 year old and his baby was born last Summer. Difficult sitting here, when someone you know is fighting for there life over a game of football, to justify or make sense of it. I'll fight anyone but can honestly say I have never put it on anyone who wasn't fair game and I've stopped others from doing so in the past, never been able to abide bullying.
One of my kids went Saturday with a pal, just two of them walked back to the station and were about 2 mins in front of Moo, he rang me as he left the ground and basically said something like that was going to happen. bad enough someone you know but doesn't bare thinking about if it was one of your own kids."

 

[markwwfc1992]

Makes me sick knowing that people can do things like this to another human being over what football club a guy supports. There is no justification for it at all. Just some little f*cking cowards probably trying to show off infront of their mates. I doubt they were even football fans, just some little shits looking for a fight. I think it's a massive problem with society that people even consider targeting a harmless family man like this, let alone doing anything.

Sorry but a jail term would be too soft on the scum who did this.

 

[You Orns]

It's attempted murder plain and simple, if they just get done for assault it will be an absolute disgrace.

 

[Bobbin']

It's attempted murder plain and simple, if they just get done for assault it will be an absolute disgrace.

No-way it'll just be assault, GBH with intent at the very least. The culprits will be lucky to receive anything less then about 4 years.

 

[big mean bunny]

I object to these people being described as fans, maybe it's my non league upbringing but I just don't get wanting to beat someone up over football. I have regularly been involved in brawls, incidents, hand bags etc whilst playing, and in all but one incident it has been forgotten as soon as the game finished, tempers raised in the competitiveness of the match etc and personally have always felt embarrassed afterwards due to reacting in that way.

At games I am all for banter between fans, abuse shouted, songs that seem in bad taste or whatever I don't have a problem with, as long as you remember that once the game ends the majority of that ends too. I don't get this at all though, you wouldn't go to a gig, and then beat up anyone there who preferred the support or warm up band to the main act. To me, being a football fan, is at it's heart a very geeky thing to do, like it is being a big fan of anything. Wearing the colours of your club, badges, programmes and other bits of paper that are important to you because of your club badge being on it is geeky. Knowing about the players, past games, counting the grounds you have been to is geeky, driving or travelling around the country to watch your team and then spend all week talking, thinking, reading about that is geeky. Tt shows a level of devotedness and urge to belong, you shouldn't be killed, maimed or hurt because of that, there is no justification I am willing to hear otherwise.

Not something I often talk about, but my mum was in a coma for about 6 months after suffering an extremely serious brain hemorrhage, that was an extremely difficult and challenging time for me, despite being 23/24 and her being there through no fault of anyones. I can't imagine how much worse that would have felt knowing someone has caused your loved one to be in that condition.

 

[TomPNE94]

I object to these people being described as fans, maybe it's my non league upbringing but I just don't get wanting to beat someone up over football. I have regularly been involved in brawls, incidents, hand bags etc whilst playing, and in all but one incident it has been forgotten as soon as the game finished, tempers raised in the competitiveness of the match etc and personally have always felt embarrassed afterwards due to reacting in that way.

At games I am all for banter between fans, abuse shouted, songs that seem in bad taste or whatever I don't have a problem with, as long as you remember that once the game ends the majority of that ends too. I don't get this at all though, you wouldn't go to a gig, and then beat up anyone there who preferred the support or warm up band to the main act. To me, being a football fan, is at it's heart a very geeky thing to do, like it is being a big fan of anything. Wearing the colours of your club, badges, programmes and other bits of paper that are important to you because of your club badge being on it is geeky. Knowing about the players, past games, counting the grounds you have been to is geeky, driving or travelling around the country to watch your team and then spend all week talking, thinking, reading about that is geeky. Tt shows a level of devotedness and urge to belong, you shouldn't be killed, maimed or hurt because of that, there is no justification I am willing to hear otherwise.

Not something I often talk about, but my mum was in a coma for about 6 months after suffering an extremely serious brain hemorrhage, that was an extremely difficult and challenging time for me, despite being 23/24 and her being there through no fault of anyones. I can't imagine how much worse that would have felt knowing someone has caused your loved one to be in that condition.

Great post mate.

Sorry to hear about your mum.

 

[You Orns]

Nearly 19k now, it shows how much this goes beyond football though, when the 3rd most popular type do donator after Watford and Wolves fans are Luton fans.

Somethings go behind rivalry and I'm amazed by the generosity of the footballing Comunity,

Several players have donated large amounts aswell.

 

[Destruction]

Have they caught the lads that did it?

 

[Super_horns]

Have they caught the lads that did it?

Nothing really been said on what happened as such and who did it since the original statement.

 

[HertsWolf]

I'm not happy with the way Wolves deals with troublemakers. The last two seasons we have seen the violent actions of a number of our thugs....whenever there is a pitch invasion (and there have been a few at Molineux in recent reasons), you hear about one or two (if any) being banned or prosecuted. Against Burnley and against Rotherham for example. These weren't one or two people invading the pitch. In both cases, more than 500 scum were on the pitch. The club and police have done little to sort out the thugs.
How many CCTV cameras are there in and around the ground? Is anyone seriously suggesting it isn't possible to identify every single serious trouble-maker? Why is it that so many clubs only talk about zero tolerance after serious events?

And I hear the club and the West Midlands Police bleating that it was a low-risk game so there wasn't any need for a police presence.. The hierarchy might recall that in September 2010, a coach carrying Notts County supporters had a brick put through its window after a Carling Cup match at Molineux. A Carling Cup match. Against Notts County. This must surely prove to the club and the geniuses at West Midlands Police that there is no such thing as 'low risk' for Wolves games until we weed out and ban the feral low-lifes that infest our club's support.

Nothing in football - nothing - is more important than the principle that anyone who goes to a game of football should return home safe to their families afterwards.

The local paper in Wolverhampton has offered £1,000 as a reward for information that leads to a conviction in this case. Why only £1,000? Why hasn't the club added £20,000 to that? Why haven't other businesses added to that reward also - pubs, bars, restaurants and others who make shedloads of money out of football supporters in the town? Shameful.

Why is it just the ordinary supporters who are raising funds for the Watford victim and his family? I hope that Wolves are bending over backwards to help the guy's family.....but I don't see any media reports suggesting that they are, merely that they are 'helping with the police investigation'. What the f**k does that mean?????!!!! Of course you are helping with the police investigation. Not doing so would be illegal! Man up, Morgan, Moxey and Wolves management! Get a fucking grip and start doing something that shows you take the unprovoked attack on a visitor seriously. While Wolves are not alone in being facile and completely fucking spineless when it comes to dealing with incidents and major issues like this, for the first time in my life I am embarrassed by the inaction of the club I support.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

I'm not happy with the way Wolves deals with troublemakers. The last two seasons we have seen the violent actions of a number of our thugs....whenever there is a pitch invasion (and there have been a few at Molineux in recent reasons), you hear about one or two (if any) being banned or prosecuted. Against Burnley and against Rotherham for example. These weren't one or two people invading the pitch. In both cases, more than 500 scum were on the pitch. The club and police have done little to sort out the thugs.
How many CCTV cameras are there in and around the ground? Is anyone seriously suggesting it isn't possible to identify every single serious trouble-maker? Why is it that so many clubs only talk about zero tolerance after serious events?

And I hear the club and the West Midlands Police bleating that it was a low-risk game so there wasn't any need for a police presence.. The hierarchy might recall that in September 2010, a coach carrying Notts County supporters had a brick put through its window after a Carling Cup match at Molineux. A Carling Cup match. Against Notts County. This must surely prove to the club and the geniuses at West Midlands Police that there is no such thing as 'low risk' for Wolves games until we weed out and ban the feral low-lifes that infest our club's support.

Nothing in football - nothing - is more important than the principle that anyone who goes to a game of football should return home safe to their families afterwards.

The local paper in Wolverhampton has offered £1,000 as a reward for information that leads to a conviction in this case. Why only £1,000? Why hasn't the club added £20,000 to that? Why haven't other businesses added to that reward also - pubs, bars, restaurants and others who make shedloads of money out of football supporters in the town? Shameful.

Why is it just the ordinary supporters who are raising funds for the Watford victim and his family? I hope that Wolves are bending over backwards to help the guy's family.....but I don't see any media reports suggesting that they are, merely that they are 'helping with the police investigation'. What the f**k does that mean?????!!!! Of course you are helping with the police investigation. Not doing so would be illegal! Man up, Morgan, Moxey and Wolves management! Get a fucking grip and start doing something that shows you take the unprovoked attack on a visitor seriously. While Wolves are not alone in being facile and completely fucking spineless when it comes to dealing with incidents and major issues like this, for the first time in my life I am embarrassed by the inaction of the club I support.

I was going to like this post but it didn't seem appropriate.
Instead I would just like to say that you have probably just expressed the feelings and emotions of every proper football fan perfectly.

 

[markwwfc1992]

It saddens me that the only news around Wolverhampton at the moment is about appealing Bakary Sako's ban. There is hardly anything coming from the media or club regarding the attack on the Watford fan.

I agree with HertsWolf... who gives a shit about a football ban for a few games when a man is fighting for his life in hospital because he went to support his football team. The club and the media should be doing a hell of a lot more to highlight this issue and help the authorities find those who were responsable to bring them to justice.

As a side note, fair play to the people who have donated, over 20k is a great achievement

 

[tiltontrev]

@WMPolice: LATEST: An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of wounding a #Watford football fan in #Wolverhampton on Saturday. More to follow..

Piece about the attack plus more grainy CCTV on the local paper's website

http://www.expressandstar.com/pictu...tford-fan-nick-cruwys-was-kicked-unnconcious/

 

[Super_horns]

13 year old arrested - shocking to think somebody that young could take part in a thing like this but maybe not surprising sadly?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-31851233