Crowd trouble at the Everton match, October 18th

[Ian]

I am not an Arsenal fan. I have registered with Online Gooner in order to register a complaint about the quality of the stewarding at one section of the Emirates on October 18th, and to warn of potential problems in future.
I supported Everton as a boy but have lived in London for more than 30 years. On the 18th I went to the Emirates with my 11-year-old son, and we sat among the visiting fans in Row 19, almost behind the goal (about five seats from the barrier between the two sets of fans) and, critically, just below the second tier.
Shortly after Arsenal's equaliser, we started being spat upon. Someone spat on the top of my head; my son had spittle running down the side of his face; people on either side of me, in front of me and behind me all complained to the stewards that we were being spat upon. In all, scores of people were being spat upon, maybe more. Why an equaliser should prompt that sort of behaviour, I don't understand, but it did.
The stewards, as far as I can tell, did nothing: certainly no effective action could have been taken, because the spitting continued, on and off, for around 20 minutes. A man sitting to my right - a barrister - complained to the stewards and was told that he should calm down. To my left were sitting a middle-aged Frenchman and his wife, who was visibly distressed. A few people left - perhaps I should have done too but, having spent £68, I wanted to stay and enjoy the game, and at each moment I assumed that the stewards were about to put a stop to it.
The small number of yobs who were spitting from above realised that no action was going to be taken to stop them, and so they began hanging over the tier, spitting and then grinning at their victims - so it would have been a simple matter for the stewards to identify the perpetrators.
Inevitably, I and and everyone around me became quite enraged. There are few experiences more repugnant than being spat upon, and to be denied any effective protection was very frustrating. Some pushing and shoving developed between Everton fans and stewards, that became a scrap, and suddenly my son and I were in the middle of the sort of situation that I have not witnessed in a British ground for around 20 years.
I should emphasis that the real problem was not the spitting - if you get 60,000 people together there will always be some who will behave like animals - but the response of the stewards: they did nothing about the spitters, and then regarded the complainants as creating a problem. I have attended football matches in Kabul and Harare where the stewarding was of a higher quality.
There are two points I want to make.
The first is to point out that if this sort of behaviour is allowed to continue, then serious crowd problem will surely follow. Either Arsenal gets a grip on this sort of conduct now, or someone will get seriously hurt, and at that point the police and the game's authorities may start to wonder whether the Emirates has a serious design fault.
The second is more personal. I have always told my son that Arsenal is a great club with an illustrious history, and that its owners are (largely) respectable people. I have also told him that it currently has a very smart manager with fantastic young players playing wonderful football. We live south of the river, but I would have been quite happy for him to announce himself to be a Gooner.
Yesterday he was confused and very frightened. He has been to 20-odd premiership matches, and never endured anything like that. On the way home, I asked whether he wanted to go to a football match again. He said that he would. He added that he never wanted to go to the Emirates again.

[Wayno]

Ian, I am very sorry to hear of your experience and in no way condone that type of behaviour from fellow fans. I am embarrassed to think that a small minority have behaved in this way, but please believe me that it is the minority. Why the stewards failed to act is certainly a question that needs answering, perhaps our resident aptly named "Silly steward" could throw some light as to the thinking behind taking no action?

[BournemouthRED]

sorry to hear you didnt have a good experience there man, im shocked actually!
where these guys spitting from club level or tha actuall upper tier?

with so many touts selling tickets its hard to say if they were even arsenal fans!!!

and with regards to the stewards, im surprised they didnt act on the complaints! havent said that they always let the away fans get away with murder so maybe they're just told to not interact with them!

sad state of affairs

[g88ner]

Thanks for posting this Ian, as it's nice to have an Evertonian view on the fracas; especially one who was, unfortunately, in the thick of it.

Spitting is digusting, and the Club Level cowards found guilty of spitting onto the away fans below should have their membership with Arsenal cancelled... and with every perpetrator undoubtedly being caught on CCTV, there is no excuse for the club not to act.

The stewards need a good slapping too. I wonder how they would have reacted if the spittle had found it's way into their faces? you can bet your life they would have acted then!

I'm sorry your day was ruined Ian, and I urge you to write to both Everton and Arsenal and complain. The more of you who do this, then the better chance some action will be taken.

[Eboue-Why?]

I trust that you have forwarded a copy of this letter directly to the club? I think most decent Arsenal fans would regret what happened. Banter is one thing but spitting? Well we all know how offensive that is. It is difficult to understand how Club Level fans could get involved in this sort of behaviour, After all to put it bluntly they are the more wealthy of Arsenal fans and you'd think would know better.
Over the years I've had my run-ins with Everton fans but this is out of order.
Sorry Ian and particularly apologies to your boy who may now be wary of footie grounds for a while.

[This Is The Daybreak]

Yeah, am sorry you had a bad experience I was near the barrier and for the last 10 minutes or so I barely watched the game.

There are always some idiots ruining things however. Arsenal fans in the lower tier were pelted with coins from Everton fans with one woman having to get first aid treatment, I think the stewarding was awful and agree with you totally.

Some of the behaviour from Everton fans were appauling as well with what started as soom good natured banter during the first half it just turned ugly and nasty in the second half with people in the lower tier getting accused when they'd done nothing but celebrate a goal when our team scored.

It seems like it was some idiots in the upper tier/club level that initiated what went on and it is embarassing from an Arsenals fans point of view with the standard of stewerding and the behaviour of a few fans and that can't be excused.

[GoonerN5]

The stewards at Arsenal are wankers as most people are aware, but to say that Ashburton Grove has design faults is a bit strong, many other grounds have either away fans sat above or below home fans, so that problem will occur not just at Arsenal. Whilst I agree that spitting on people is probably the most disgusting act that there is, and If it had happened to my son I too would rightfully be fuming, but also bear in mind that after the game Everton fans were seen attacking innocent people, children included, and I can guarantee that when Everton play Man U next weekend there will be trouble

[TeeCee]

so it seems at the Emirates we either have the over zealous stewards who want to play every rule by the letter...........sit down....don't swear etc etc to some that don't actually bother doing anything!

Not sure the comment about design faults is necessary, it's nothing whatsoever to do with the stadium anymore than it is in any other premier league stadium where two sets of fans share a stand (most of them). But I understand your frustration.
Make sure you write to the club - they can take action, we can only offer our thoughts.

[Chippy]

Sorry mate absolutely no excuses. I have always thought it is asking for trouble having opposing fans above each other in a position to throw or spit. the stewards could have stopped it in minutes.

Ihave taken my lad to Highbury and the Emirates since he was 5. Hope yours sticks with it cos it is one of my son's biggest pleasures.

Also most of us older gooners are proud of our reputation as the aristos (tbf alongside everton), and don't want to lose that because of scum spitting.

Once again apologies.

[gus ceasar is a legend]

I am not an Arsenal fan. I have registered with Online Gooner in order to register a complaint about the quality of the stewarding at one section of the Emirates on October 18th, and to warn of potential problems in future.
I supported Everton as a boy but have lived in London for more than 30 years. On the 18th I went to the Emirates with my 11-year-old son, and we sat among the visiting fans in Row 19, almost behind the goal (about five seats from the barrier between the two sets of fans) and, critically, just below the second tier.
Shortly after Arsenal's equaliser, we started being spat upon. Someone spat on the top of my head; my son had spittle running down the side of his face; people on either side of me, in front of me and behind me all complained to the stewards that we were being spat upon. In all, scores of people were being spat upon, maybe more. Why an equaliser should prompt that sort of behaviour, I don't understand, but it did.
The stewards, as far as I can tell, did nothing: certainly no effective action could have been taken, because the spitting continued, on and off, for around 20 minutes. A man sitting to my right - a barrister - complained to the stewards and was told that he should calm down. To my left were sitting a middle-aged Frenchman and his wife, who was visibly distressed. A few people left - perhaps I should have done too but, having spent £68, I wanted to stay and enjoy the game, and at each moment I assumed that the stewards were about to put a stop to it.
The small number of yobs who were spitting from above realised that no action was going to be taken to stop them, and so they began hanging over the tier, spitting and then grinning at their victims - so it would have been a simple matter for the stewards to identify the perpetrators.
Inevitably, I and and everyone around me became quite enraged. There are few experiences more repugnant than being spat upon, and to be denied any effective protection was very frustrating. Some pushing and shoving developed between Everton fans and stewards, that became a scrap, and suddenly my son and I were in the middle of the sort of situation that I have not witnessed in a British ground for around 20 years.
I should emphasis that the real problem was not the spitting - if you get 60,000 people together there will always be some who will behave like animals - but the response of the stewards: they did nothing about the spitters, and then regarded the complainants as creating a problem. I have attended football matches in Kabul and Harare where the stewarding was of a higher quality.
There are two points I want to make.
The first is to point out that if this sort of behaviour is allowed to continue, then serious crowd problem will surely follow. Either Arsenal gets a grip on this sort of conduct now, or someone will get seriously hurt, and at that point the police and the game's authorities may start to wonder whether the Emirates has a serious design fault.
The second is more personal. I have always told my son that Arsenal is a great club with an illustrious history, and that its owners are (largely) respectable people. I have also told him that it currently has a very smart manager with fantastic young players playing wonderful football. We live south of the river, but I would have been quite happy for him to announce himself to be a Gooner.
Yesterday he was confused and very frightened. He has been to 20-odd premiership matches, and never endured anything like that. On the way home, I asked whether he wanted to go to a football match again. He said that he would. He added that he never wanted to go to the Emirates again.

Frankly, fuck off with your whinges!

You caused shit on the trains down and there was grief last night again at Euston with your mugging *word censored* the ring leaders!

I have not even read your post as before you moan about others you need to look closer to home!

[SillySteward]

The stewards at Arsenal are wankers

Eloquent

Ian mate, sorry you had such a poor experience yesterday. I wasn't stewarding in that section, but I heard there were some issues.

From what you've said, that's a really poor show from the stewards there, they certainly should have attempted to help you folks out.

I can only suggest that you write to the club to inform them of what happened. As well as (hopefully) getting some form of official apology, I would hope that the club would take it up with the supervisors in that section of the ground. That way the stewards there will come under more scrutiny and hopefully do a much better job if that ever happens again.

Once again mate, sorry that some knobs in club level ruined your day

[SWLGooner]

I understand your fury at the spitting but I was waiting at the bar in Club Level (nowhere near the away fans - blue quad) and it ran both ways. I was verbally abused by an Everton fan andphsically shoved around a bit (and I'm just a kid on his own!) because I refused to buy him a drink IN AN ARSENAL SECTION! Also, I saw someone attacked for the crime of wearing an Arsenal shirt on a train as soon as most gooners had dispersed. So, while I can understand and agree with you that spitting is unacceptable, you can also be embarrassed about the Everton fans.

So, on the whole, I'm with Gus. And I have sat in Club Level for 3 seasons (1 above the away fans..) and I have seen someone spit once (that man having been racially abused by Tottenscum fans).

Alright?

[wlchuccc]

Sorry mate...

Anyway any violent or misconduct should be banned inside And outside the stadium

[REB]

not sure what too say, spitting is disgusting but a part of me is glad that the grove is starting to wake up and getting at the away fans instead of just sitting there like muppets

[SWLGooner]

Same here Reb, I was in CL and singing shouting abusing away fans (I'm in the blue quad so just singing stuff) and standing THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SECOND HALF IN CLUB LEVEL!! Gerat atmosphere the second half..