Alcohol at the football

[Waldo Ponce]

The police have too much power in football. They'd fight tooth and nail against any changes on so called safety grounds. It would take a real appetite from chairman to get this through I just can't see it myself unfortunately.

[~~~]

The police have too much power in football. They'd fight tooth and nail against any changes on so called safety grounds. It would take a real appetite from chairman to get this through I just can't see it myself unfortunately.

Or perhaps political support.

The argument against really is just nonsense it's easily dismantled

[~~~]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-31472090

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) has said it will seek the views of fans on whether alcohol should be sold at stadiums during matches.

It said it wanted to "build a case" in favour of lifting the ban

[Les Westander of County]

It's the 21st Century. We should be able to behave in a civilised manner by now. There are a handful of eejits ejected from grounds for bad behaviour every week at the moment, so I don't imagine that would suddenly massively increase. Same people would be the same offenders.

If you were in the house or in the pub watching football you may enjoy it with a beer. Why not at the ground?

[H Wragg]

Discussing this on Radio Scotland just now.

Usual pish being trotted out.

"Can folk no' go 90 mins without a drink". Misguided talk of sitting drinking in your seat watching the game (which won't be happening).

[~~~]

Oh the seethe from people is hilarious at times.

Sadly though, the people who don't attend the game, have a prejudge opinion of football fans are the ones shouting the loudest, and it's them who will ensure the ban isn't relaxed

[SouthEnclosure]

Bring back carry-outs at games, and terraces.

[andrewh]

Oh the seethe from people is hilarious at times.

Sadly though, the people who don't attend the game, have a prejudge opinion of football fans are the ones shouting the loudest, and it's them who will ensure the ban isn't relaxed

I attend home and away and I'd be wholly against it.

Nasty atmosphere at cup match last season v Aberdeen saw quite a few, including the public, intimidated by the Aberdeen fans. Last week a good number of our support were somewhat unpleasant and created some negative tension during and after the match.

Two isolated examples there, but for many, alcohol and football can't be permitted to go together.

The few spoil things for the many.

[Dr Koop]

Have been to a few MLS games. The joy of ordering a beer from your seat from the beer guy, then folk passing the money, change and beer along the row so you don't have to get up and down bothering people. Very civilised

No wait what am I talking about. I'm disgusted at the fact I couldn't go 90 minutes without alcohol. What a fucking hobo I am

That's American sports crowds for you. I suspect any of that here and you'd have to listen to some bugger five seats away moaning about how your beer ruined his game.

Many of the stadia I've been to in the US, including soccer stadia, are built with this kind of commerce in mind. I'm not picking on Morton but can you imagine trying to sell a beer from one of those big carry about fridges at Cappielow?

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

If folk can't go more than a few hours without posting "if folk can't go more than a few hours without a drink, then they have a problem" then they have a problem.

[~~~]

I attend home and away and I'd be wholly against it.

Nasty atmosphere at cup match last season v Aberdeen saw quite a few, including the public, intimidated by the Aberdeen fans. Last week a good number of our support were somewhat unpleasant and created some negative tension during and after the match.

Two isolated examples there, but for many, alcohol and football can't be permitted to go together.

The few spoil things for the many.

I've said it on a different thread, Id be happy to keep the ban for "high risk" games

But a blanket ban covering all 42 league clubs? It's nonsense.

Besides when you factor in the would be cost of a beer and the time limitation you have, I highly doubt anyone is going to use it as an excuse to get drunk.

[williemillersmoustache]

A sensible alcohol policy at games in Scotland will never be allowed because the Old Firm arseholes can't handle their drink. It sucks for the rest of us but it's not changing anytime soon

100% this. We can't get a pint until what's left of Glaswegian football (partick excluded) sorts out its fans. Since it can't do that we'll all have to suffer along with their medieval behaviour, attitudes and prejudices. Shame really.

Oh and Jim Murphy can f**k off too, fooling naebody you voteless reject ye.

[sergie's no1 fan]

I am torn on this issue.

In Paisley before a StMirren game you can go to the boozer for opening time, have a skin full, leave for the game at 2.50 get the train to the stadium and be in the ground for kick off. What is the difference between that and drinking at the stadium? If people are going to do all day sessions with a football match being a part of it then they are going to drink alcohol somewhere else anyway. If anything it gives the clubs a chance to monitor the drunken trouble makers and make it easier to ban them if there is trouble. The Hotel has a bar within 1 minutes walking distance at Rugby Park, you can leave there at 2.59 and be in your seat by 3.01. Should the Hotel be stopped from serving alcohol being served on match days?

On the flip side, I think it would cost some clubs money fitting out bars at the stadium ect and extra security/stewarding ( even when these chancers already get paid money for doing f'ck all ).

Also we have seen trouble at some games over the last couple of years involving a small handful of clubs ( not pointing any elbows but we all know who ) that has went un-reported in the media. I think if alcohol was to be re-introduced the media would start to report all of these incidents, even minor ones because its now a talking point and the reputation of the majority of decent football fans will be tarnished. Lets be honest, even the majority of decent football fans still don't have that much of a reputation. We now have a politician behind it. The rags will thrive on the negativity.

It's a shame because football fans travel all over the country, we aren't just putting money into our clubs, we bring business to towns and villages all over the country. Pubs, clubs,restaurants, hotels, b&bs , bus companies, taxi's ect all benefit from football crowds but when it comes to it we can't be trusted to have a pint at half time incase we all kick f**k out of each other.

Football has moved on from the 80's , the clubs have survived ( well most of us ) without being able to sell alcohol to your average punter and the average punter has still been able to have a few drinks before and after the game. The negatives outway the positives for me, whilst I don't think it would bring total carnage to games I think it would be a disaster waiting to happen, we don't have a good reputation as it is and Rugby type toffs will pounce on any bit of bother, alcohol related or not.

[Dr Koop]

I am torn on this issue.

In Paisley before a StMirren game you can go to the boozer for opening time, have a skin full, leave for the game at 2.50 get the train to the stadium and be in the ground for kick off. What is the difference between that and drinking at the stadium? If people are going to do all day sessions with a football match being a part of it then they are going to drink alcohol somewhere else anyway. If anything it gives the clubs a chance to monitor the drunken trouble makers and make it easier to ban them if there is trouble. The Hotel has a bar within 1 minutes walking distance at Rugby Park, you can leave there at 2.59 and be in your seat by 3.01. Should the Hotel be stopped from serving alcohol being served on match days?

On the flip side, I think it would cost some clubs money fitting out bars at the stadium ect and extra security/stewarding ( even when these chancers already get paid money for doing f'ck all ).

Also we have seen trouble at some games over the last couple of years involving a small handful of clubs ( not pointing any elbows but we all know who ) that has went un-reported in the media. I think if alcohol was to be re-introduced the media would start to report all of these incidents, even minor ones because its now a talking point and the reputation of the majority of decent football fans will be tarnished. Lets be honest, even the majority of decent football fans still don't have that much of a reputation. We now have a politician behind it. The rags will thrive on the negativity.

It's a shame because football fans travel all over the country, we aren't just putting money into our clubs, we bring business to towns and villages all over the country. Pubs, clubs,restaurants, hotels, b&bs , bus companies, taxi's ect all benefit from football crowds but when it comes to it we can't be trusted to have a pint at half time incase we all kick f**k out of each other.

Football has moved on from the 80's , the clubs have survived ( well most of us ) without being able to sell alcohol to your average punter and the average punter has still been able to have a few drinks before and after the game. The negatives outway the positives for me, whilst I don't think it would bring total carnage to games I think it would be a disaster waiting to happen, we don't have a good reputation as it is and Rugby type toffs will pounce on any bit of bother, alcohol related or not.

One difference is that if you show up loaded at a game you may not be allowed in. How about that fan who has had a couple and takes one at the game that's the one too many? The point that a fan will drink on matchday 'anyway' is moot. It's about how alcohol and those who use it are controlled at matches. Which makes the issue so complex.

As to revenues, I suppose selling booze is an easy driver. Unfortunately we're now talking about it when the poor standard of catering and non alcoholic drink at football grounds seems to be blithely ignored by those seeking our vote.

[vikingTON]

The intervention of a failure like Murphy will set back those efforts to change the current restrictions by several years.

[Dee Man]

There's been a couple of times I've been at games and my previous nights shenanigans have caught up with me mid-game. A wee curer would have helped me out big time in these situations so for that reason alone, I'm in.

[kiddy]

Folk can't even be trusted to drink at the Cinema! So there's no chance of it at football.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/three-women-arrested-after-man-5169837

"One woman was in handcuffs and another two women were in tears."

I take it they were upset the Cops wouldn't put them in cuffs too?

[P45]

Yes.

People won't flock back because they are allowed to drink at the football but adults should be able to make a choice to drink at the football if they want.

If they cause trouble because they can't handle their booze then they should be arrested.

[sergie's no1 fan]

One difference is that if you show up loaded at a game you may not be allowed in. How about that fan who has had a couple and takes one at the game that's the one too many? The point that a fan will drink on matchday 'anyway' is moot. It's about how alcohol and those who use it are controlled at matches. Which makes the issue so complex.

As to revenues, I suppose selling booze is an easy driver. Unfortunately we're now talking about it when the poor standard of catering and non alcoholic drink at football grounds seems to be blithely ignored by those seeking our vote.

In my experience the stewards and police at the majority of away games are pretty lenient when it comes to drunk fans getting in at the turnstile. If alcohol was to be sold at stadiums I have no doubt they wouldn't be as lenient.

Yeah that is a risk too, the 1 or 2 extra pints at the games could send some folk over the edge. It should be zero tolerance and down to the discretion of the person selling the alcohol, if they think a fan is too drunk or had enough then their word is final. If the fan kicks off they get banned. Again for your average fan who just wants a pint at half time the chances of that happening are slim but it would only take a minority of folk to ruin it for everyone.

[~~~]

The intervention of a failure like Murphy will set back those efforts to change the current restrictions by several years.

Yup, the most vocal against it are the SNP fanwomen.

The only reasoning they have is if Jim is for it, then we are against it