Walking Down The Halbeath Road

[Stellaboz]

Another reason to let the authorities do their thing instead of mob justice. Being wrongly identified for something would be a horrendous thing to deal with, especially now with all the brain dead moron on social media.

[anonionanawnoo]

First and hopefully last post on P and B but wanted to add a little more detail to hopefully improve things for future matches.

My wife, neice and myself had arranged to be picked up after the match down from the hospital so walked along the cycle path which runs parallel to Halbeath Road leading to QM Station.

Other fans walking this way could corroborate but we were quickly aware of a large gathering of youth (easily over 50 teenagers) walking the same way.

As they approached, we could hear them discussing  plans of attacking away fans as they made their way to the station.

Towards the end of the lane the front of the group passed us and we were shocked to see a handful had iron bars and wooden sticks in their possesion.

I'll let you decide whether you think they were part of the NW Ultras section but if they were it was almost certainly planned and it wqsn't a small renegade bunch either.

A quick check on the Raith Rovers socials and sure enough dozens of Raith Rovers fans had to arrange lifts home from Dunfermline as it wasn't safe to use public transport.

Finally, if both clubs are serious about the safety of their fans they will sit down with police before the next derby match and ensure there is safe passage home for everyone (there is enough extra money coming through the turnstiles at these matches to pay for extra policing).

Edited January 4 by anonionanawnoo
grammar

[da_no_1]

What happened on Tuesday was sickening but not really that surprising to me. It's been brewing over the last couple of seasons & at some point an incident like this was going to happen.

I have to say I'm a bit concerned how this all pans out at the next home game. I take my dad to the games, he's 77 & uses a rollator (zimmer with wheels) & we park behind the NW stand (many away fans might not be aware but that is where the disabled car park is) At the first game of the season v Airdrie, I was walking (slowly) with my dad from his car to the disabled access doors at the back of the Norrie. At the same time, a group of away "fans", well into their 50s, ran up to that gate to confront the folks queuing to get into the NW but also passing by to gain access to the Norrie. It all got a bit ugly & I have to say not very pleasant to be caught up in the middle of it. There were 2 stewards there, who looked absolutely terrified. 2 policemen eventually turned up by that time it had all calmed down & the folks looking to cause bother had disappeared. 

A week on Saturday isn't too far away & the club/police better be well prepared for what might come, especially at that corner of the ground. 

[The Toun Clock]

57 minutes ago, anonionanawnoo said:

First and hopefully last post on P and B but wanted to add a little more detail to hopefully improve things for future matches.

My wife, neice and myself had arranged to be picked up after the match down from the hospital so walked along the cycle path which runs parallel to Halbeath Road leading to QM Station.

Other fans walking this way could corroborate but we were quickly aware of a large gathering of youth (easily over 50 teenagers) walking the same way.

As they approached, we could hear them discussing  plans of attacking away fans as they made their way to the station.

Towards the end of the lane the front of the group passed us and we were shocked to see a handful had iron bars and wooden sticks in their possesion.

I'll let you decide whether you think they were part of the NW Ultras section but if they were it was almost certainly planned and it wqsn't a small renegade bunch either.

A quick check on the Raith Rovers socials and sure enough dozens of Raith Rovers fans had to arrange lifts home from Dunfermline as it wasn't safe to use public transport.

Finally, if both clubs are serious about the safety of their fans they will sit down with police before the next derby match and ensure there is safe passage home for everyone (there is enough extra money coming through the turnstiles at these matches to pay for extra policing).

To be fair, the Raith Vs Dunfermline games tend to have a very heavy police presence, especially at Starks. Whether that's Police at the stations at both Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy, Police on the train, Police in between the pubs and the ground, it's usually swarming. And after the game too. I'm sure it'll be even bigger in March when the teams meet at Starks.

I walked back to my car parked in Garvock after the game and passed the away end on Halbeath Road just as the away support was exiting. Very vocal, and rightly so after a derby win. However, a group of say 15 young men, well in their 20's surrounded and started battering the windows of a service bus that was stuck in the traffic. Was busy with old people, women, children etc. I don't buy that there was people not using public transport at ether if the train stations due to safety. Short walk with a couple of hundred other people, to a station that is policed.

[Highlandmagar]

Unfortunately every club has its thugs, but this attack is utterly repugnant. Utter scumbags.

[Wacky]

44 minutes ago, da_no_1 said:

A week on Saturday isn't too far away & the club/police better be well prepared for what might come, especially at that corner of the ground. 

Valid point, but I really think that the older, more sensible element of the NW fan base will put a stop to any shenanigans from now on. The ST fans there will know that if the section isn’t closed before the Airdrie game, it will only take one item flung onto the park to force the BOD’s hand in closing it down. 

[anonionanawnoo]

27 minutes ago, The Toun Clock said:

To be fair, the Raith Vs Dunfermline games tend to have a very heavy police presence, especially at Starks. Whether that's Police at the stations at both Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy, Police on the train, Police in between the pubs and the ground, it's usually swarming. And after the game too. I'm sure it'll be even bigger in March when the teams meet at Starks.

I walked back to my car parked in Garvock after the game and passed the away end on Halbeath Road just as the away support was exiting. Very vocal, and rightly so after a derby win. However, a group of say 15 young men, well in their 20's surrounded and started battering the windows of a service bus that was stuck in the traffic. Was busy with old people, women, children etc. I don't buy that there was people not using public transport at ether if the train stations due to safety. Short walk with a couple of hundred other people, to a station that is policed.

Thanks for the reply, I agree with you but don't want to go down the two wrongs make a right road, just relaying what we witnessed on the evening.

Apologies for not making it clearer, the large group of youths were using the cycle path instead of Halbeath Road to avoid police detection. There were no police in the area what so ever.

We didnt go as far as QM station so I can't say for sure about police numbers there but I'm led to believe the filmed attack occured between Kwikfit and the station so would have been within earshot at least (apologies if I have been misled here). It didn't look like there were any police at the station but I am sure there would have been on the actual trains as you say.

Hopefully, we'll get this sorted before the next match, must be terrifying for the parents of teenagers from both sides at present.

[DA Baracus]

2 hours ago, The Toun Clock said:

I have Twitter notifications on for the club. A new one came through at 9am and I was gobsmacked it wasn't a bigger statement. Instead some sticker/card collection game

What do you expect them to say? There's an ongoing policy investigation so there's not really to added at this point.

[The Toun Clock]

3 minutes ago, DA Baracus said:

What do you expect them to say? There's an ongoing policy investigation so there's not really to added at this point.

I think more aimed at Section North West mate. Things being thrown, flares, pyros whatever. I wondered if the club would eventually address this, however after what has happened I think they might now. Again, I'm not connecting SNW to the incident, but unfortunately a lot of non Pars fans are.

I don't think the club will do another statement on the attack until the Police have concluded there investigations. Then they'll know who was involved and who's getting banned.

[DA Baracus]

Just now, The Toun Clock said:

I think more aimed at Section North West mate. Things being thrown, flares, pyros whatever. I wondered if the club would eventually address this, however after what has happened I think they might now. Again, I'm not connecting SNW to the incident, but unfortunately a lot of non Pars fans are.

I don't think the club will do another statement on the attack until the Police have concluded there investigations. Then they'll know who was involved and who's getting banned.

Aye I'm sure there will be some statement about chucking things at some point. Maybe they're waiting for the police investigation to finish first?

[Stellaboz]

27 minutes ago, Wacky said:

Valid point, but I really think that the older, more sensible element of the NW fan base will put a stop to any shenanigans from now on. The ST fans there will know that if the section isn’t closed before the Airdrie game, it will only take one item flung onto the park to force the BOD’s hand in closing it down. 

And how will they do that? And quite honestly, why not already? 

[The Toun Clock]

Just now, DA Baracus said:

Aye I'm sure there will be some statement about chucking things at some point. Maybe they're waiting for the police investigation to finish first?

Possibly, and that would make more sense. However, when the notification pinged at 9am I did think... here we go!  

[Wacky]

47 minutes ago, Stellaboz said:

And how will they do that? And quite honestly, why not already? 

I posted before that I seen an adult try but sadly fail to stop pre/young teen boys from throwing a smoke bomb during our last game in Alloa last season. I was moving towards said lads to back the guy up in trying to talk to the lads, but they lit and flung the bomb and bolted before I got there. I really believe that the more mature among the NW will start to call these guys out at EEP. I have no idea why it hasn’t happened yet, but I certainly would, wouldn’t you? 

[The Toun Clock]

McPake interview with the Courier... 

Fisher has multiple fractures to the nose, required seven/eight stitches below the eye. Breen will be out, Bene refused surgery to continue playing but I think that was before the Ayr injury. Matty Todd will see a specialist today about a hamstring issue. McCann won't make tomorrow.

[HoBNob]

20 minutes ago, The Toun Clock said:

McPake interview with the Courier... 

Fisher has multiple fractures to the nose, required seven/eight stitches below the eye. Breen will be out, Bene refused surgery to continue playing but I think that was before the Ayr injury. Matty Todd will see a specialist today about a hamstring issue. McCann won't make tomorrow.

It was Hamilton who refused surgery wasn't it? 

[par-adise]

On the official site too - it was Hamilton that has refused surgery to play. Don't expect to see Todd or Bene anytime soon. Sounds really horrific about Fisher. Hope he's OK (sounds like he is, but  again don't think he'll be playing for a few weeks). Allan, McCann and MOH should all be available. 

So team will likely be:

Mehmet

Comrie Hamilton Otoo 

MOH Allan Chalmers Edwards

Summers

Wighton Jakubiak

Leaving McCann and Moffat on the bench plus the usual gang of teenagers. 

[HoBNob]

44 minutes ago, par-adise said:

On the official site too - it was Hamilton that has refused surgery to play. Don't expect to see Todd or Bene anytime soon. Sounds really horrific about Fisher. Hope he's OK (sounds like he is, but  again don't think he'll be playing for a few weeks). Allan, McCann and MOH should all be available. 

So team will likely be:

Mehmet

Comrie Hamilton Otoo 

MOH Allan Chalmers Edwards

Summers

Wighton Jakubiak

Leaving McCann and Moffat on the bench plus the usual gang of teenagers. 

Looks like McCann won't be available tomorrow tbf. 

I reckon you're correct with the lineup though, barring McCann. 

Edited January 4 by HoBNob

[par-adise]

1 minute ago, HoBNob said:

Looks like McCann won't be available tomorrow tbf. 

Right enough, misread that because the subheading of the article is "players back for Friday" then most of the paragraph is about not wanting to rush him back.... 

[Cardle is Magic]

Pretty much as expected from the update - no good news at all really and McPake even mentions issues with a couple of unnamed players that he didn’t want to expand upon.

It’s not only the injured players that are the problem though; guys like Edwards, Comrie and Chalmers are needing to play every single game regardless of condition/form etc as we don’t have anyone else to choose from.

Recruitments are essential this month or we’ll need to start giving some of the younger lads a chance, even if just to give the others a rest.

[HoBNob]

12 minutes ago, Cardle is Magic said:

Pretty much as expected from the update - no good news at all really and McPake even mentions issues with a couple of unnamed players that he didn’t want to expand upon.

It’s not only the injured players that are the problem though; guys like Edwards, Comrie and Chalmers are needing to play every single game regardless of condition/form etc as we don’t have anyone else to choose from.

Recruitments are essential this month or we’ll need to start giving some of the younger lads a chance, even if just to give the others a rest.

If I was to guess I'd say Summers and Wighton, both looked like they were struggling against Raith.