Over many decades of watching City away, the rule everywhere seems to be police stewards and local folk all unite to make you feel unwelcome, an outsider and not a level playing field. It's what you expect, it happens everywhere and it's what clubs do. Except at the KCOM.
We've had several away fans in the home end for virtually every game this season - including away fans wearing their colours. It appears that this is now completely tolerated at Hull City - or at least the stewards turn a blind eye to it - which amounts to the same thing. I have heard it suggested that a number of tickets in the home end are sold to agencies who sell them on to away fans who may otherwise struggle to get tickets in the away end. The stewards also turn a blind eye to away fans drinking beers in their seats.
I couldn't see anyone celebrating when WHU scored yesterday, and often 'away fans wearing colours' turn out to be half and halfers where only the opposition colours are evident. In the event of away fans in the home section, I would advocate dobbing them in or accidentally pouring scalding hot beverages on their heads.
To be fair the ones around us sat on their hands and even took the piss a bit by doing dopey applause stuff when we scored. They were well behaved - trouble is they could have equally been a bunch of headcases and the stewarding should pick this stuff up. In a crowded area with loads of kids and older people if trouble kicks off they have no way of getting out of the way - that's the whole point of segregation.
I don't mind the odd (not literal) kid wearing an oppositions shirt in the home end, but the bloke in N1/2 was always going to spark a problem.
Just so you guys know, the stewards on matchdays are from 3 different companies, SMC, Triple S and 24-7. The stewards in the away corner are Triple S. I work for 24-7 and I just doint want to get lumped with the mess that are Triple S
Any reason why the steward throwing the city fan out was trying to break his arm? Ok he's ran in the pitch but you just walk him out don't ya?
Some of those stewards fancy themselves as tough guy bouncer types , I agree it was way over the top for what he did