The New Raith Rovers Thread

[HIT THE CHANNEL]

Hi folks, I am following up on the idea to write to local representatives to try and prevent the ban on artificial pitches in Scottish Premiership. This idea has the support of the club.

If you read the Consultation paper, it is crystal clear that the ban is unfair and regressive - the recommendations for ensuring quality artificial pitches are sound.

Numbers and momentum is everything, so please, please do email (if you have 5 minutes for reading nonsense on P&B you have 2 mins to send two emails!). I recommend sending two emails, one to your MSP and one to your councillor/council lead.

I have created a draft email to copy and paste. I have also included instructions for who to email if in Kirkcaldy and how to find who to email if not. Thanks folks.

 

EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: RE: Potential ban of artificial surfaces in the Scottish Premiership

 

Dear NAME OF MSP/COUNCILLOR,

 

Purpose of writing

I am writing to raise concerns about the potential ban of artificial surfaces in the Scottish Premiership. There is a proposed vote taking place in the coming weeks. This vote will only be open to current Premiership clubs with the vote being for a blanket ban of artificial surfaces from season 2026/27.

 

Facts of the case

I would like to draw your attention to this joint statement provided by several clubs who presently have artificial surfaces (Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Queen of the South and Hamilton Academical), and especially to the detailed position paper which sets out a series of arguments and recommendations to allow artificial surfaces to continue to be used. The joint statement is here: https://www.raithrovers.net/artificial-pitch-statement; the consultation paper is here (created by the four aforementioned clubs alongside Airdrieonians and Cove Rangers): https://online.publuu.com/516411/1157872

 

Key points: Artificial surfaces are permitted at the very pinnacle of the game, being used in Champions League fixtures. There is therefore no good argument for banning them with regards to quality. Banning artificial surfaces would have a deleterious effect on sporting integrity and, most importantly, have a devastating impact on various clubs’ capacity to act as a sustainable community hub, providing a basis for boys, girls and women’s football to thrive.

 

Request

I would like to request:

a) Public support of the consultation paper and to advocate that a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

b) That this issue is raised with appropriate senior ministers with the request to support the consultation paper and to advocate that a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

c) Raising the issue directly with the SPFL, the Scottish football governing body, to advocate that the consultation paper’s recommendations be accepted and a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

 

Yours Sincerely,

YOUR FULL NAME:

YOUR HOME ADDRESS:

 

 

Find your MSP here: https://www.parliament.scot/msps; find your local councillor here: https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-councillors

For Rovers fans in Kirkcaldy I recommend contacting a) David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy here: David.Torrance.msp@parliament.scot and b) Cllr. David Ross, who is leader of Fife Council and represents Kirkcaldy North, here: cllr.david.ross@fife.gov.uk For Rovers fans, here is the link to Fife councillors:  https://www.fife.gov.uk/kb/docs/articles/about-your-council2/politicians-and-committees/your-local-councillors/councillor;

 

Edited May 28 by HIT THE CHANNEL

[stevoraith]

It’s been a couple of days and I’m still not over the disappointment of Sunday, but it’s not at the result or the performance of the players, it’s at a section of our own support. 

I’ve seen a couple of mentions earlier in the thread about the young team and I feel the need to have a bit of a moan about the problems they cause with selfishness. 

My first Rovers game was in the mid 80s and I started going regularly in the early 90s. Travelled home and away through my late teens and early twenties until pals moved away and work and family came along. 

My daughter is now in her early teens and I’ve been taking her to the odd game for 5 or 6 years. This year she’s really bought into the feeling around the club and we ended up buying half season tickets and we’ve been to more away games this year than we managed home games the last couple of years. 

She is quite an anxious person so I always plan where we sit carefully. We have to be close to the end of a row so she can get out to the toilet easily and find her way back etc. 

I bought tickets for Sunday second row from the back on the end of a row for that exact reason. 

Unfortunately that was the exact area that the young team decided they were going to stand in, regardless of the fact they didn’t have tickets there. 

By the time we got through the massive queue for security and stood in a long queue to get a pie we didn’t head to our seats until about ten minutes before kick off. 

By that time the stair well was completely full of young lads who had decided to stand on the stairs to watch the game. 

I made the mistake of thinking I might be able to still get to my seat so pushed through them. 

When I got to the top all of the rows had about twice as many people as seats.  In the row I should have been in they were standing on the seats with some folk standing on the ground in front of the seat. 

I then got told “just go and sit somewhere else” by a 14 year old. 

How the suffering f*ck are you supposed to find two seats together in a sold out stand with ten minutes to go before kick-off? And why should I have to when I’ve deliberately picked good seats?

I went down the front, found a couple of empty seats, only for the owners to rock up about 30s later so we were on the hunt again. 

I squeezed in another row, next to another couple of guys who had been displaced from their seats up the back but as we were only 4 or 5 rows from the front, right in the corner and everyone was standing I could see very little and my daughter could see absolutely sod all. 

I was raging and she was in tears. 

As the half wore on I could see there were plenty free seats in the north east section (probably where a lot of the fannies up the back were supposed to be sitting) so at half time we moved over there which was better but the view was still shit and not what I’d chosen and by then the mood had been dampened. 

I know I wasn’t the only one that had to move because of them, I saw another guy with two daughters a lot younger than mine having to also go right down the front where they wouldn’t have been able to see. 

 

I’d really like to know if I’m alone in my thoughts that they cause almost as many negatives as positives at away games in particular. 

It’s made us think twice about travelling to more away games- I’ve seen them cause bother by standing in the wrong place at other grounds (Tannadice springs to mind) but we were lucky that it didn’t affect us. 

 

Can anyone think of what clubs can do to just make them sit in their allocated seat?

Are there any of them on here who can understand what problems they cause for others? Any parents who can have a word?

Does anyone else agree with me that they are a pain in the hoop?

 

I didn’t expect us to win the tie on Sunday, I just wanted to go up and show my appreciation to the team and have a good day out and I feel I had that ruined by selfish laddies. 

[CountryBumpkin]

8 minutes ago, stevoraith said:

It’s been a couple of days and I’m still not over the disappointment of Sunday, but it’s not at the result or the performance of the players, it’s at a section of our own support. 

I’ve seen a couple of mentions earlier in the thread about the young team and I feel the need to have a bit of a moan about the problems they cause with selfishness. 

My first Rovers game was in the mid 80s and I started going regularly in the early 90s. Travelled home and away through my late teens and early twenties until pals moved away and work and family came along. 

My daughter is now in her early teens and I’ve been taking her to the odd game for 5 or 6 years. This year she’s really bought into the feeling around the club and we ended up buying half season tickets and we’ve been to more away games this year than we managed home games the last couple of years. 

She is quite an anxious person so I always plan where we sit carefully. We have to be close to the end of a row so she can get out to the toilet easily and find her way back etc. 

I bought tickets for Sunday second row from the back on the end of a row for that exact reason. 

Unfortunately that was the exact area that the young team decided they were going to stand in, regardless of the fact they didn’t have tickets there. 

By the time we got through the massive queue for security and stood in a long queue to get a pie we didn’t head to our seats until about ten minutes before kick off. 

By that time the stair well was completely full of young lads who had decided to stand on the stairs to watch the game. 

I made the mistake of thinking I might be able to still get to my seat so pushed through them. 

When I got to the top all of the rows had about twice as many people as seats.  In the row I should have been in they were standing on the seats with some folk standing on the ground in front of the seat. 

I then got told “just go and sit somewhere else” by a 14 year old. 

How the suffering f*ck are you supposed to find two seats together in a sold out stand with ten minutes to go before kick-off? And why should I have to when I’ve deliberately picked good seats?

I went down the front, found a couple of empty seats, only for the owners to rock up about 30s later so we were on the hunt again. 

I squeezed in another row, next to another couple of guys who had been displaced from their seats up the back but as we were only 4 or 5 rows from the front, right in the corner and everyone was standing I could see very little and my daughter could see absolutely sod all. 

I was raging and she was in tears. 

As the half wore on I could see there were plenty free seats in the north east section (probably where a lot of the fannies up the back were supposed to be sitting) so at half time we moved over there which was better but the view was still shit and not what I’d chosen and by then the mood had been dampened. 

I know I wasn’t the only one that had to move because of them, I saw another guy with two daughters a lot younger than mine having to also go right down the front where they wouldn’t have been able to see. 

 

I’d really like to know if I’m alone in my thoughts that they cause almost as many negatives as positives at away games in particular. 

It’s made us think twice about travelling to more away games- I’ve seen them cause bother by standing in the wrong place at other grounds (Tannadice springs to mind) but we were lucky that it didn’t affect us. 

 

Can anyone think of what clubs can do to just make them sit in their allocated seat?

Are there any of them on here who can understand what problems they cause for others? Any parents who can have a word?

Does anyone else agree with me that they are a pain in the hoop?

 

I didn’t expect us to win the tie on Sunday, I just wanted to go up and show my appreciation to the team and have a good day out and I feel I had that ruined by selfish laddies. 

Really sorry you and your daughter had to put up with that. There was similar at the other end of the stand where kids just thought it would be fine to sit anywhere just to be closer to their mates. They were promptly told to move by the ticket holders and thankfully did without fuss. 

There is always going to be some level of this when it is allocated seating because most of the time these guys will book tickets separately and never manage to coordinate to ensure they're all seated together, more so with high demand. They also know that there are little to no consequences to their actions because who's going to be that guy? 

I'm not sure what the answer is, but I hope it doesn't make you give up on following this team away from home. 

[Reggie Perrin]

4 hours ago, Beastie Russell said:

That’s me away to fire the mortgage on Falkirk winning the league 

Good investment.

Like the user name, a Dunipace legend from my youth.

[Reggie Perrin]

15 hours ago, Kooz92 said:

 

Tears of joy.

[RRFC_Liam]

So the league cup begins 13th/14th of July and tbh with us being in the playoffs and players needing to have holidays etc doesn’t really give them much of a break before pre season begins and we like to do a bulk of our transfer business early on before pre season gonna be quite difficult this season. 
 

in my opinion we need at least 3 fullbacks, 2 CHs, a midfielder, someone who can play on the left wing and possibly another striker that’s not including any contract extensions 

[Brashy's Boots]

9 minutes ago, RRFC_Liam said:

So the league cup begins 13th/14th of July and tbh with us being in the playoffs and players needing to have holidays etc doesn’t really give them much of a break before pre season begins and we like to do a bulk of our transfer business early on before pre season gonna be quite difficult this season. 
 

in my opinion we need at least 3 fullbacks, 2 CHs, a midfielder, someone who can play on the left wing and possibly another striker that’s not including any contract extensions 

At least 3 fullbacks? 4? 7?

[Nightmare]

1 hour ago, stevoraith said:

It’s been a couple of days and I’m still not over the disappointment of Sunday, but it’s not at the result or the performance of the players, it’s at a section of our own support. 

I’ve seen a couple of mentions earlier in the thread about the young team and I feel the need to have a bit of a moan about the problems they cause with selfishness. 

My first Rovers game was in the mid 80s and I started going regularly in the early 90s. Travelled home and away through my late teens and early twenties until pals moved away and work and family came along. 

My daughter is now in her early teens and I’ve been taking her to the odd game for 5 or 6 years. This year she’s really bought into the feeling around the club and we ended up buying half season tickets and we’ve been to more away games this year than we managed home games the last couple of years. 

She is quite an anxious person so I always plan where we sit carefully. We have to be close to the end of a row so she can get out to the toilet easily and find her way back etc. 

I bought tickets for Sunday second row from the back on the end of a row for that exact reason. 

Unfortunately that was the exact area that the young team decided they were going to stand in, regardless of the fact they didn’t have tickets there. 

By the time we got through the massive queue for security and stood in a long queue to get a pie we didn’t head to our seats until about ten minutes before kick off. 

By that time the stair well was completely full of young lads who had decided to stand on the stairs to watch the game. 

I made the mistake of thinking I might be able to still get to my seat so pushed through them. 

When I got to the top all of the rows had about twice as many people as seats.  In the row I should have been in they were standing on the seats with some folk standing on the ground in front of the seat. 

I then got told “just go and sit somewhere else” by a 14 year old. 

How the suffering f*ck are you supposed to find two seats together in a sold out stand with ten minutes to go before kick-off? And why should I have to when I’ve deliberately picked good seats?

I went down the front, found a couple of empty seats, only for the owners to rock up about 30s later so we were on the hunt again. 

I squeezed in another row, next to another couple of guys who had been displaced from their seats up the back but as we were only 4 or 5 rows from the front, right in the corner and everyone was standing I could see very little and my daughter could see absolutely sod all. 

I was raging and she was in tears. 

As the half wore on I could see there were plenty free seats in the north east section (probably where a lot of the fannies up the back were supposed to be sitting) so at half time we moved over there which was better but the view was still shit and not what I’d chosen and by then the mood had been dampened. 

I know I wasn’t the only one that had to move because of them, I saw another guy with two daughters a lot younger than mine having to also go right down the front where they wouldn’t have been able to see. 

 

I’d really like to know if I’m alone in my thoughts that they cause almost as many negatives as positives at away games in particular. 

It’s made us think twice about travelling to more away games- I’ve seen them cause bother by standing in the wrong place at other grounds (Tannadice springs to mind) but we were lucky that it didn’t affect us. 

 

Can anyone think of what clubs can do to just make them sit in their allocated seat?

Are there any of them on here who can understand what problems they cause for others? Any parents who can have a word?

Does anyone else agree with me that they are a pain in the hoop?

 

I didn’t expect us to win the tie on Sunday, I just wanted to go up and show my appreciation to the team and have a good day out and I feel I had that ruined by selfish laddies. 

It's not an ideal situation, but unfortunately it's just not really enforceable to make everyone sit in their own seats at our level of football. There are too many folk (especially in these new ultras sections) who will just do what they want, and there's not enough staff/resources or fan-power to do anything about it; and 90%+ of the time it's not an issue because most grounds in the second tier of Scottish football have plenty of extra space to give you a decent alternative option. I'd guess the main crux of the matter is that people are used to just doing what they want most weeks at games because the space is available for them to do so, which leads to the scenario you faced when our teams sell out an away section and suddenly you're expecting a bunch of kids to break a habit of just going wherever they please. I'm not excusing the behaviour and it's shite that it happened to you, but not sure what the clubs, their staff or fellow fans can really do about it.

It was the exact same situation with Jags fans in Dingwall last year, where it felt like everyone was just standing wherever they wanted. I was certainly nowhere near my allocated seat, and that wasn't through choice. It didn't particularly bother me but I can appreciate in circumstances such as your own that it's a pain in the arse. Really no idea what the answer to this problem is, though.

Edited May 28 by Nightmare

[CountryBumpkin]

9 minutes ago, RRFC_Liam said:

So the league cup begins 13th/14th of July and tbh with us being in the playoffs and players needing to have holidays etc doesn’t really give them much of a break before pre season begins and we like to do a bulk of our transfer business early on before pre season gonna be quite difficult this season. 
 

in my opinion we need at least 3 fullbacks, 2 CHs, a midfielder, someone who can play on the left wing and possibly another striker that’s not including any contract extensions 

That early start in July with the cup is the main reason a friendly in Spain wasn't a massive possibility I think. Would be good to get up against some teams that we've not played in a while, but i'd equally be happy with Livi, Kelty, East Fife and East Kilbride.

[The Toun Clock]

1 hour ago, stevoraith said:

It’s been a couple of days and I’m still not over the disappointment of Sunday, but it’s not at the result or the performance of the players, it’s at a section of our own support. 

I’ve seen a couple of mentions earlier in the thread about the young team and I feel the need to have a bit of a moan about the problems they cause with selfishness. 

My first Rovers game was in the mid 80s and I started going regularly in the early 90s. Travelled home and away through my late teens and early twenties until pals moved away and work and family came along. 

My daughter is now in her early teens and I’ve been taking her to the odd game for 5 or 6 years. This year she’s really bought into the feeling around the club and we ended up buying half season tickets and we’ve been to more away games this year than we managed home games the last couple of years. 

She is quite an anxious person so I always plan where we sit carefully. We have to be close to the end of a row so she can get out to the toilet easily and find her way back etc. 

I bought tickets for Sunday second row from the back on the end of a row for that exact reason. 

Unfortunately that was the exact area that the young team decided they were going to stand in, regardless of the fact they didn’t have tickets there. 

By the time we got through the massive queue for security and stood in a long queue to get a pie we didn’t head to our seats until about ten minutes before kick off. 

By that time the stair well was completely full of young lads who had decided to stand on the stairs to watch the game. 

I made the mistake of thinking I might be able to still get to my seat so pushed through them. 

When I got to the top all of the rows had about twice as many people as seats.  In the row I should have been in they were standing on the seats with some folk standing on the ground in front of the seat. 

I then got told “just go and sit somewhere else” by a 14 year old. 

How the suffering f*ck are you supposed to find two seats together in a sold out stand with ten minutes to go before kick-off? And why should I have to when I’ve deliberately picked good seats?

I went down the front, found a couple of empty seats, only for the owners to rock up about 30s later so we were on the hunt again. 

I squeezed in another row, next to another couple of guys who had been displaced from their seats up the back but as we were only 4 or 5 rows from the front, right in the corner and everyone was standing I could see very little and my daughter could see absolutely sod all. 

I was raging and she was in tears. 

As the half wore on I could see there were plenty free seats in the north east section (probably where a lot of the fannies up the back were supposed to be sitting) so at half time we moved over there which was better but the view was still shit and not what I’d chosen and by then the mood had been dampened. 

I know I wasn’t the only one that had to move because of them, I saw another guy with two daughters a lot younger than mine having to also go right down the front where they wouldn’t have been able to see. 

 

I’d really like to know if I’m alone in my thoughts that they cause almost as many negatives as positives at away games in particular. 

It’s made us think twice about travelling to more away games- I’ve seen them cause bother by standing in the wrong place at other grounds (Tannadice springs to mind) but we were lucky that it didn’t affect us. 

 

Can anyone think of what clubs can do to just make them sit in their allocated seat?

Are there any of them on here who can understand what problems they cause for others? Any parents who can have a word?

Does anyone else agree with me that they are a pain in the hoop?

 

I didn’t expect us to win the tie on Sunday, I just wanted to go up and show my appreciation to the team and have a good day out and I feel I had that ruined by selfish laddies. 

That sucks and although this occasion wasn't an enjoyable experience I hope it doesn't put you and your daughter off attending matches in the future.

It happens at our away games too and the simple answer should be betting policing by the police and stewards, however I think they just don't seem that arsed now unless someone is doing something outrageous. The stewards are simply picking up a wage and doing the basic parts of the job, making sure no ones sitting with a bag of cans at their feet, smoking and running on the pitch.

Years ago when the Pars were in the top flight, you'd see the Old Firm, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen all come to town with massive supports and they'd stand for the full 90, fans on the stairwell etc and not a thing was done. Yet me and my mates standing in the back row of the North Stand were told to sit down. When we tried to argue that thousands of people were standing in the opposite stand the stewards and police didn't want to know, because they couldn't police that amount of people. I think stewards are even less likely to step in now. Going to challenge a group of say 50 teenagers.young adults who're filled to the brim with Buckfast can be quite intimidating I'm sure.

I know for bigger games like at Starks or Grangemouth the Section North West guys post on their social media saying where they intend to sit. Maybe clubs could work with their singing section to secure the seats at away games so that they're up in the corner somewhere and all have a seat, all easier said than done of course.

[Jilted John]

1 hour ago, HIT THE CHANNEL said:

Hi folks, I am following up on the idea to write to local representatives to try and prevent the ban on artificial pitches in Scottish Premiership. This idea has the support of the club.

If you read the Consultation paper, it is crystal clear that the ban is unfair and regressive - the recommendations for ensuring quality artificial pitches are sound.

Numbers and momentum is everything, so please, please do email (if you have 5 minutes for reading nonsense on P&B you have 2 mins to send two emails!). I recommend sending two emails, one to your MSP and one to your councillor/council lead.

I have created a draft email to copy and paste. I have also included instructions for who to email if in Kirkcaldy and how to find who to email if not. Thanks folks.

 

EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: RE: Potential ban of artificial surfaces in the Scottish Premiership

 

Dear NAME OF MSP/COUNCILLOR,

 

Purpose of writing

I am writing to raise concerns about the potential ban of artificial surfaces in the Scottish Premiership. There is a proposed vote taking place in the coming weeks. This vote will only be open to current Premiership clubs with the vote being for a blanket ban of artificial surfaces from season 2026/27.

 

Facts of the case

I would like to draw your attention to this joint statement provided by several clubs who presently have artificial surfaces (Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Queen of the South and Hamilton Academical), and especially to the detailed position paper which sets out a series of arguments and recommendations to allow artificial surfaces to continue to be used. The joint statement is here: https://www.raithrovers.net/artificial-pitch-statement; the consultation paper is here (created by the four aforementioned clubs alongside Airdrieonians and Cove Rangers): https://online.publuu.com/516411/1157872

 

Key points: Artificial surfaces are permitted at the very pinnacle of the game, being used in Champions League fixtures. There is therefore no good argument for banning them with regards to quality. Banning artificial surfaces would have a deleterious effect on sporting integrity and, most importantly, have a devastating impact on various clubs’ capacity to act as a sustainable community hub, providing a basis for boys, girls and women’s football to thrive.

 

Request

I would like to request:

a) Public support of the consultation paper and to advocate that a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

b) That this issue is raised with appropriate senior ministers with the request to support the consultation paper and to advocate that a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

c) Raising the issue directly with the SPFL, the Scottish football governing body, to advocate that the consultation paper’s recommendations be accepted and a ban on artificial pitches should not be permitted.

 

Yours Sincerely,

YOUR FULL NAME:

YOUR HOME ADDRESS:

 

 

Find your MSP here: https://www.parliament.scot/msps; find your local councillor here: https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-councillors

For Rovers fans in Kirkcaldy I recommend contacting a) David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy here: David.Torrance.msp@parliament.scot and b) Cllr. David Ross, who is leader of Fife Council and represents Kirkcaldy North, here: cllr.david.ross@fife.gov.uk For Rovers fans, here is the link to Fife councillors:  https://www.fife.gov.uk/kb/docs/articles/about-your-council2/politicians-and-committees/your-local-councillors/councillor;

 

You’re wasting your time mate. It’s a members organisation and they can vote in/out whatever they want, regardless of the fairness of it all. If the vote goes they way it’s expected, we will just need to take our medicine.

[Raithie]

1 minute ago, The Toun Clock said:

That sucks and although this occasion wasn't an enjoyable experience I hope it doesn't put you and your daughter off attending matches in the future.

It happens at our away games too and the simple answer should be betting policing by the police and stewards, however I think they just don't seem that arsed now unless someone is doing something outrageous. The stewards are simply picking up a wage and doing the basic parts of the job, making sure no ones sitting with a bag of cans at their feet, smoking and running on the pitch.

Years ago when the Pars were in the top flight, you'd see the Old Firm, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen all come to town with massive supports and they'd stand for the full 90, fans on the stairwell etc and not a thing was done. Yet me and my mates standing in the back row of the North Stand were told to sit down. When we tried to argue that thousands of people were standing in the opposite stand the stewards and police didn't want to know, because they couldn't police that amount of people. I think stewards are even less likely to step in now. Going to challenge a group of say 50 teenagers.young adults who're filled to the brim with Buckfast can be quite intimidating I'm sure.

I know for bigger games like at Starks or Grangemouth the Section North West guys post on their social media saying where they intend to sit. Maybe clubs could work with their singing section to secure the seats at away games so that they're up in the corner somewhere and all have a seat, all easier said than done of course.

The general stewarding has been quite laxed the last wee while I've seen. I think they just don't want the hassle. Christ on Sunday a young boy managed to get onto the pitch, run towards the County stand on the right hand side, pick up a flare, slip on his arse, stand back up, launch it into the stand then goad folk for a scrap before the police intervened. Stewards just stood there as he jumped the wall. But aye good luck getting a steward to move on someone in your seat at an away game when there's upwards of 50 or more folk bunched together singing and tanked up. 

[Jilted John]

1 hour ago, stevoraith said:

It’s been a couple of days and I’m still not over the disappointment of Sunday, but it’s not at the result or the performance of the players, it’s at a section of our own support. 

I’ve seen a couple of mentions earlier in the thread about the young team and I feel the need to have a bit of a moan about the problems they cause with selfishness. 

My first Rovers game was in the mid 80s and I started going regularly in the early 90s. Travelled home and away through my late teens and early twenties until pals moved away and work and family came along. 

My daughter is now in her early teens and I’ve been taking her to the odd game for 5 or 6 years. This year she’s really bought into the feeling around the club and we ended up buying half season tickets and we’ve been to more away games this year than we managed home games the last couple of years. 

She is quite an anxious person so I always plan where we sit carefully. We have to be close to the end of a row so she can get out to the toilet easily and find her way back etc. 

I bought tickets for Sunday second row from the back on the end of a row for that exact reason. 

Unfortunately that was the exact area that the young team decided they were going to stand in, regardless of the fact they didn’t have tickets there. 

By the time we got through the massive queue for security and stood in a long queue to get a pie we didn’t head to our seats until about ten minutes before kick off. 

By that time the stair well was completely full of young lads who had decided to stand on the stairs to watch the game. 

I made the mistake of thinking I might be able to still get to my seat so pushed through them. 

When I got to the top all of the rows had about twice as many people as seats.  In the row I should have been in they were standing on the seats with some folk standing on the ground in front of the seat. 

I then got told “just go and sit somewhere else” by a 14 year old. 

How the suffering f*ck are you supposed to find two seats together in a sold out stand with ten minutes to go before kick-off? And why should I have to when I’ve deliberately picked good seats?

I went down the front, found a couple of empty seats, only for the owners to rock up about 30s later so we were on the hunt again. 

I squeezed in another row, next to another couple of guys who had been displaced from their seats up the back but as we were only 4 or 5 rows from the front, right in the corner and everyone was standing I could see very little and my daughter could see absolutely sod all. 

I was raging and she was in tears. 

As the half wore on I could see there were plenty free seats in the north east section (probably where a lot of the fannies up the back were supposed to be sitting) so at half time we moved over there which was better but the view was still shit and not what I’d chosen and by then the mood had been dampened. 

I know I wasn’t the only one that had to move because of them, I saw another guy with two daughters a lot younger than mine having to also go right down the front where they wouldn’t have been able to see. 

 

I’d really like to know if I’m alone in my thoughts that they cause almost as many negatives as positives at away games in particular. 

It’s made us think twice about travelling to more away games- I’ve seen them cause bother by standing in the wrong place at other grounds (Tannadice springs to mind) but we were lucky that it didn’t affect us. 

 

Can anyone think of what clubs can do to just make them sit in their allocated seat?

Are there any of them on here who can understand what problems they cause for others? Any parents who can have a word?

Does anyone else agree with me that they are a pain in the hoop?

 

I didn’t expect us to win the tie on Sunday, I just wanted to go up and show my appreciation to the team and have a good day out and I feel I had that ruined by selfish laddies. 

This is a really good post and an issue that’s becoming increasingly more common in these ‘bigger games’ where we take a large support. I was in two minds about taking my kids along and I’m glad I didn’t as everyone in front of me were standing up and they wouldn’t have been able to see or be able to stand for 90mins! You could have turned up early and secured your seat (I was in the ground for 10:45) but that is difficult if you’re taking kids!

[Broken Algorithms]

A straightforward solution would be for clubs to allow for away teams to handle ticket sales. That way, a singing section can get allocated and allow for the whole situation to be avoided. 

There's very little to be gained for stewards on the front of asking people to move - they're likely to get abuse from it and things kick off with the chance it might get physical. It's not what people will want to hear, it isn't fair or right, but it's likely true. 

[Enigma]

35 minutes ago, Jilted John said:

You’re wasting your time mate. It’s a members organisation and they can vote in/out whatever they want, regardless of the fairness of it all. If the vote goes they way it’s expected, we will just need to take our medicine.

That’s a bit of a shite attitude, ok that probably will be the scenario, but we should put as much pressure and shine as bright a spotlight as we can on this.

Edited May 28 by Enigma

[Heid_The_Baw]

20 hours ago, SirJimmyofNic said:

Corr, Dick, Millen, Watson, Byrne, Easton, Mathews, McGill, Arnott, Masson, Ross. Are the only ones out of contract. 

Byrne, Easton, Mathews would be a loss but hardly irreplaceable 

From that list I would keep Corr and Dick as backup defence.  Byrne and Matthews as holding midfielders.  The rest not too fussed either way.

We need to basically overhaul the back line and get in guys who are also tall to counter the likes of what Ross County threw at us.  

The biggest thing we need though is Murray to stop playing the squad rotation game!  Get our best 11 on the park, and play in set formations depending upon the score at the time.  If the squad players don't like it, then tough. Too many changes and trying to please everyone.

[Brashy's Boots]

15 minutes ago, Heid_The_Baw said:

From that list I would keep Corr and Dick as backup defence.  Byrne and Matthews as holding midfielders.  The rest not too fussed either way.

We need to basically overhaul the back line and get in guys who are also tall to counter the likes of what Ross County threw at us.  

The biggest thing we need though is Murray to stop playing the squad rotation game!  Get our best 11 on the park, and play in set formations depending upon the score at the time.  If the squad players don't like it, then tough. Too many changes and trying to please everyone.

Stick to the day job.

You can't manage people, particularly those who are partly rewarded with bonuses, by saying "If you don't like it, tough." Do you think he was trying to please Corr for example by not playing him until we were out of options?

[Michael W]

11 minutes ago, Heid_The_Baw said:

From that list I would keep Corr and Dick as backup defence.  

We need to basically overhaul the back line and get in guys who are also tall to counter the likes of what Ross County threw at us.  
 

These two statements almost contradict each other. Although, I am board with keeping Dick (potentially Corr also). However it would mean keeping much of the defence from last season, even if not all of it was first choice. 

For me, only Euan Murray would be first pick from last season. Keith Watson has been very good for us, but he hasn't been fit anywhere near often enough and therefore cannot be relied upon unfortunately. Therefore, we replace him. A new RB is top of the list as well for obvious reasons. 

So new RB, LB and CB needed at least. If we kept Corr and Dick then that would give a defensive pool of six once Euan Murray is added. 

We'd then have the following options in terms of coverage: 

LB - new guy, Dick

RB - new guy

CB - Murray, new guy, Dick, Corr

Scott Brown can also cover in defence if need be, but this should be viewed as emergency cover only. Whilst Ross Matthews has also done so recently at RB, I would much prefer he goes back into midfield because he is again emergency cover in this position. Obviously that assumes Corr & Dick are retained. 

[anonionanawnoo]

2 hours ago, stevoraith said:

It’s been a couple of days and I’m still not over the disappointment of Sunday, but it’s not at the result or the performance of the players, it’s at a section of our own support. 

I’ve seen a couple of mentions earlier in the thread about the young team and I feel the need to have a bit of a moan about the problems they cause with selfishness. 

My first Rovers game was in the mid 80s and I started going regularly in the early 90s. Travelled home and away through my late teens and early twenties until pals moved away and work and family came along. 

My daughter is now in her early teens and I’ve been taking her to the odd game for 5 or 6 years. This year she’s really bought into the feeling around the club and we ended up buying half season tickets and we’ve been to more away games this year than we managed home games the last couple of years. 

Just as others have said, similar thing happened to us at Tannadice in December and we ended up sitting behind a pillar. Wasn't best pleased but Dylan's goal made it a lot easier to put up with.

I think the message you have posted and the sensible suggestion of clubs handling their own away ticket allocation could be sent to the new supporter liaison officers, it's what they are there for I reckon.

SLO@raithrovers.net

Have attended most of the away games this season and the behaviour of the young team in general is a bit concerning tbh. Maybe I'm just getting auld.

 

 

[CountryBumpkin]

29 minutes ago, Heid_The_Baw said:

From that list I would keep Corr and Dick as backup defence.  Byrne and Matthews as holding midfielders.  The rest not too fussed either way.

We need to basically overhaul the back line and get in guys who are also tall to counter the likes of what Ross County threw at us.  

The biggest thing we need though is Murray to stop playing the squad rotation game!  Get our best 11 on the park, and play in set formations depending upon the score at the time.  If the squad players don't like it, then tough. Too many changes and trying to please everyone.

This notion of "keep X around as a backup" is just not feasible at this level of football with the resources available. If they're a senior player who has played a lot of games, they're not going to be willing to do that. Dick won't want to stay around to sit on the bench and watch another player take his position, especially if you're also advocating to not rotate the side. 

The concept of a best 11 is also not really feasible either. For me you play the best players for the game you're about to play. If its a team that sits in with a low block, you play Easton as he'll find some space and ideally create chances infront of the defence. If its a team sitting high, Smith would be better used to get in behind and stretch the play.