Growing the pie

[The Beast]

How we meant to achieve growth with the club and the fanbase when there seems to be a purge on young fans. Walked past the South stand today, they're IDing young fans. Sat towards the North end of the West Stand today there's 5 lads sat behind me, no bother at all, steward comes up, asks them if they'd been running around (they'd not moved) and if they're here on their own.
Just leave them to watch the game and stop trying to antagonise them, we need to be encouraging youngsters to come, not putting them off!

[Padge_DRFC]

Crowds are awful as it is without this. Assume it will be because of the 1% of idiots this season?

[silent majority]

Season ticket sales are well up in that age group, so something's working.

[TheFunk]

A group of lads were turned away from the ticket office before kick off as they didn't have any ID to prove they were over 14. If I was them I wouldn't be back.

[The Beast]

A group of lads were turned away from the ticket office before kick off as they didn't have any ID to prove they were over 14. If I was them I wouldn't be back.

My youth was basically playing football and going the Rovers with my mates, no adults from about 12. I think it's great when I see groups of lads/lasses going to the Rovers, watching our team, not scummy Leeds or Liverpool, our beloved team!
Makes my blood boil when I see them being treat like shit!

[Mark Lyall]

Even with season tickets they are still being turned away if can't prove their age. My lad as a season ticket but as twice been asked for ID or a adult to vouch for him.

[les@donr]

A group of lads were turned away from the ticket office before kick off as they didn't have any ID to prove they were over 14. If I was them I wouldn't be back.

Commonsense is needed, if the lads look over 14, they're probably are. Should be given the benefit of the doubt 

[TheFunk]

The lady behind the counter was very apologetic and admitted it's stupid. In her words it's the 16 and 17 year olds causing all the bother not under 14s.

[ditch_drfc]

One week people are moaning about "the kids in South stand", the next week people are moaning they're not being let in... Make your minds up

[Silkscarf]

There are, rightly, issues about safeguarding of young people these days. It’s different to when I started going to Rovers.

In those far off days I played out with my mates until late and my mum regularly had to organise search parties to find me and my mates. This doesn’t happen with my kids. Things are different now.

Jimmy Saville got a knighthood for sucking up to Thatcher, Anderton and all the rest in years past.

Bad things are still happening to kids and young people in S Yorks and elsewhere. We (as a club and society in general) need to do better. Football clubs aren’t really equipped to do this but they’re doing their best. My family and I sat in the East stand today because of idiots on the West side the last time we went.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I started watching rovers without parents as a 13-14 year old.  Had I not done then I probably never would have gotten in to it.  I don't see the value in this. Punish the guilty ones not the rest.

[The Beast]

One week people are moaning about "the kids in South stand", the next week people are moaning they're not being let in... Make your minds up

My minds always been made up. Ban those who misbehave, don't persecute the majority.

[bpoolrover]

is it not something sm can look into because of a small minority normal fans are being punished, drfc are basically acting like the police do with normal fans

[andysly]

I take my Grandson (14) and his two mates, both 14, they go into the ground earlier than me as I have a pint.  They've been asked for ID these past 2 games, one lad even fetched his passport today

[Upton Rover]

Stewards are trained to think that all fans are idiots, I as a 40 year old got a little excited when Billy scored a quick fire double when we beat Leicester 3-2 all I sit was put my Head over the barrier when the dick head grabbed me me and put me in a headlock, never let me go till my friends all started on him, to my surprise this idiot refused to meet me 1 on 1 outside

[DearneValleyRover]

I thought there were cameras everywhere that can be used to ID any trouble causing or discriminatory behaviour? Surely the trouble causes can be easily identified and then treated accordingly without the need to alienate the rest of the fan base.

[DonnyOsmond]

Stewards are trained to think that all fans are idiots, I as a 40 year old got a little excited when Billy scored a quick fire double when we beat Leicester 3-2 all I sit was put my Head over the barrier when the dick head grabbed me me and put me in a headlock, never let me go till my friends all started on him, to my surprise this idiot refused to meet me 1 on 1 outside

He shouldn't have been a t**t and grabbed you but how is the solution to have two grown men fight in a car park?

[glosterred]

From the DRFC ticket website, 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult for safeguarding reasons. From that I take it that anyone who looks to be 13 or younger will be asked to prove their age to allow entry into the ground. I really don’t have a problem with this and being asked your age and proof of age by stewards to enter the ground is surely trying to implement the safeguarding arrangements in place.

https://tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk/en-GB/categories/rovershome


COYR

[Dagenham Rover]

From the DRFC ticket website, 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult for safeguarding reasons. From that I take it that anyone who looks to be 13 or younger will be asked to prove their age to allow entry into the ground. I really don’t have a problem with this and being asked your age and proof of age by stewards to enter the ground is surely trying to implement the safeguarding arrangements in place.

https://tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk/en-GB/categories/rovershome


COYR

Bit like the "Challenge 25" in supermarkets although you can buy alcohol at 18  a minor inconvenience and in truth nowadays its better to be on the safeside  I'm just glad cctv wasnt around in my teens n 20s

[bpoolrover]

From the DRFC ticket website, 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult for safeguarding reasons. From that I take it that anyone who looks to be 13 or younger will be asked to prove their age to allow entry into the ground. I really don’t have a problem with this and being asked your age and proof of age by stewards to enter the ground is surely trying to implement the safeguarding arrangements in place.

https://tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk/en-GB/categories/rovershome


COYR

but there is talk of being allowed to drink in the stands, surley if it's safe guarding you should not be allowing people getting pissed next to a child, think there just making it hard work to be honest

[ditch_drfc]

From the DRFC ticket website, 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult for safeguarding reasons. From that I take it that anyone who looks to be 13 or younger will be asked to prove their age to allow entry into the ground. I really don’t have a problem with this and being asked your age and proof of age by stewards to enter the ground is surely trying to implement the safeguarding arrangements in place.

https://tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk/en-GB/categories/rovershome


COYR

but there is talk of being allowed to drink in the stands, surley if it's safe guarding you should not be allowing people getting pissed next to a child, think there just making it hard work to be honest

Not really a great point that you've raised. If that's the case then you'd only be able to drink in sections of the concourse reserved for over 18s. Not sure why people have anything against drinking in the stands. I've not seen a single sensible argument against it yet.

[bpoolrover]

From the DRFC ticket website, 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult for safeguarding reasons. From that I take it that anyone who looks to be 13 or younger will be asked to prove their age to allow entry into the ground. I really don’t have a problem with this and being asked your age and proof of age by stewards to enter the ground is surely trying to implement the safeguarding arrangements in place.

https://tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk/en-GB/categories/rovershome


COYR

but there is talk of being allowed to drink in the stands, surley if it's safe guarding you should not be allowing people getting pissed next to a child, think there just making it hard work to be honest

Not really a great point that you've raised. If that's the case then you'd only be able to drink in sections of the concourse reserved for over 18s. Not sure why people have anything against drinking in the stands. I've not seen a single sensible argument against it yet.

probably not the best way of putting it i agree

[phil old leake]

Beast did you stick up for them and tell the stewards

[scawsby steve]

From the DRFC ticket website, 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult for safeguarding reasons. From that I take it that anyone who looks to be 13 or younger will be asked to prove their age to allow entry into the ground. I really don’t have a problem with this and being asked your age and proof of age by stewards to enter the ground is surely trying to implement the safeguarding arrangements in place.

https://tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk/en-GB/categories/rovershome


COYR

but there is talk of being allowed to drink in the stands, surley if it's safe guarding you should not be allowing people getting pissed next to a child, think there just making it hard work to be honest

Not really a great point that you've raised. If that's the case then you'd only be able to drink in sections of the concourse reserved for over 18s. Not sure why people have anything against drinking in the stands. I've not seen a single sensible argument against it yet.

Not sure about the other stands, Ditch, but in the South Stand we all go crazy when Rovers score. We'd end up getting soaked.

[ditch_drfc]

From the DRFC ticket website, 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult for safeguarding reasons. From that I take it that anyone who looks to be 13 or younger will be asked to prove their age to allow entry into the ground. I really don’t have a problem with this and being asked your age and proof of age by stewards to enter the ground is surely trying to implement the safeguarding arrangements in place.

https://tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk/en-GB/categories/rovershome


COYR

but there is talk of being allowed to drink in the stands, surley if it's safe guarding you should not be allowing people getting pissed next to a child, think there just making it hard work to be honest

Not really a great point that you've raised. If that's the case then you'd only be able to drink in sections of the concourse reserved for over 18s. Not sure why people have anything against drinking in the stands. I've not seen a single sensible argument against it yet.

Not sure about the other stands, Ditch, but in the South Stand we all go crazy when Rovers score. We'd end up getting soaked.

Haha yeah I'm a South stander too. I think that would only be an issue in the central block behind the goal. But to be fair, would it be that different if we consider that plenty of people have a drink to hand anyway?

[ravenrover]

From the DRFC ticket website, 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult for safeguarding reasons. From that I take it that anyone who looks to be 13 or younger will be asked to prove their age to allow entry into the ground. I really don’t have a problem with this and being asked your age and proof of age by stewards to enter the ground is surely trying to implement the safeguarding arrangements in place.

https://tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk/en-GB/categories/rovershome


COYR

but there is talk of being allowed to drink in the stands, surley if it's safe guarding you should not be allowing people getting pissed next to a child, think there just making it hard work to be honest

Not really a great point that you've raised. If that's the case then you'd only be able to drink in sections of the concourse reserved for over 18s. Not sure why people have anything against drinking in the stands. I've not seen a single sensible argument against it yet.

Not sure about the other stands, Ditch, but in the South Stand we all go crazy when Rovers score. We'd end up getting soaked.

I don't know why SS but for sone strange reason I couldn't see you throwing beer about at that price :-]]

[The Beast]

Beast did you stick up for them and tell the stewards

I spoke to the lads at halftime then spoke to the steward in the concourse.

[graingrover]

As far as growing the fan base is concerned I believe the best way is for regular fans to bring along friends as regularly as possible. The club might be able to issue special deal books of five match tickets to this end .
Copps in the latest interview restates the long-term aim to return to the Championship but underlines the fact that we must build in a sustainable way which he does not define but clearly excludes big money investments . Personally, I am encouraged by the way the club is now going about this, under the direction of GB, JC, and DS. All three have fundamental roles and are the right people to build for such a future.

[roversdude]

The youth/juniors of today are fans of tomorrow. We need to make sure that they enjoy coming and want to come again.
More work in schools and junior teams to get them interested.
If we have a good product on the pitch people will come to games