'Our fan' base.

[Colin C No.3]

I've been supporting Rovers since I was 12 years old, I'm now in my sixties.

I've been to many, many away games. I've had my scarf ripped from my neck at Mansfield in the late 70's whilst walking to the ground with my elder brother, his young daughter & my younger sister, by two spotty teenagers egged on by a beer garden full of Mansfield fans. What do you do? You let it go of course.

I've been on one of the many Leeds buses taking fans from Elland Road back into Leeds after the game, a game SOD's side won 1-0 that day, a day we dominated & Copps took the p**s out of their right back right in front of Dennis Wise's dug out, twisting & turning him in knots, the right back not Dennis Wise (although I suspect both would apply!). Me & my younger brother were going back into Leeds to catch our train back to Keighley, where we both have lived locally for some 40+ years. We sat on the top deck of that bus, full of Leeds fans, our 'colours' carefully hidden & listened to Irish, cockney,Scottish accents as they 'wailed' as one, "how could we lose to that lot?". Well you had & oh how we smiled 'inside'.

But yesterday I witnessed something that was...let's just call it unpalatable for now, then I would welcome anybody's comments.

I love football, no, I mean I really, really love football. Doncaster Rovers are more than just 'my club', they have been The Golden Thread that has run through the tapestry of my life, for so many reasons.

So I have been at many, nay most of the highs & lows that the journey with my club, Doncaster Rovers, have taken me on. As a young man on the 'pop side' at Belle Vue, I have stood chanting & singing until I was hoarse. As we beat Barnsley 3-0 at Belle Vue with Dave Penny's 'team', I have even started a chant of "Brazil, it's just like watching Brazil..." a song 'stolen' from Barnsley as they free fell from the Premiership.

I was 'an angry young man' in the eighties as Maggie crushed the miners into submission. So yeah, I 'got' the chants of "Scab, scab, scab" whenever we played a club from Nottinghamshire. I didn't join in, but I could understand it. Football is 'tribal' & that tribalism manifests itself at football grounds all over the world, I 'understand' that.

And so back to yesterday. First & foremost let me be clear, that penalty was like a dagger. I couldn't speak to my brother sat next to me. I kind of 'went into myself'. It's so painful it's almost physical. Heart, soul & body laid out bare to be 'trampled on'.

But, throughout the game & afterwards walking back to our car, I witnessed what I can only describe as animalistic behaviour from those 'stood' around me.  When I ordered my ticket I was asked "Do you want the quiet section or the noisy section?" "Quiet please". We ended up with tickets on Row P, three rows from the back. The two rows in front of us stood throughout. Directly in front was a bloke in I would say, his late fifties. Dressed in a beige woollen jumper, brown corduroy trousers & shiny brown brogue shoes. He could for all the world have been someone's favourite uncle, that is until he opened his mouth.

He & others around him, many again who must have been at least in their forties, spent 80% of the game chanting & slavering " Paedo's, paedo's...", making hand gestures to the Rotherham supporters who responded likewise. We're not talking about teenagers here, but actual grown men who 'pretended' they wanted to 'get at' the opposing fans. It would have been farcical if it wasn't for the pervasive feeling of hatred, pure hatred towards people who as my brother remarked, could well work in the same factory, would they dream of acting that way in any other forum?

A young boy, who can't have been more than 10 years old, joined his dad in the 'Paedo chant'. I very much doubt he even knew what he was chanting...but his dad did.

It continued as we left the ground with a woman who I would guess was in her thirties, screaming "Paedo's, F*****G PAEDO'S!"

The result & the way it came about was bad enough, but to have to walk through that. Are these representatives of my club? We're they hurting as much as me & my brother?

It was vitriolic, sickening, disgusting, horrible filthy & way unnecessary. Shame on them.

It made me long for 'my' pop side.

[silent majority]

When I was a young lad it had humour attached to it, the popular culture we all enjoyed whilst stood on terraces. It seems to have disappeared.

[wesisback]

So let me get this clear? You as a young un were happy to generalise every single supporter of Mansfield as a 'Scab' but you aren't happy for the current set of Rovers fans to call all Rotherham fans 'Paedo'.

[Campsall rover]

I've been supporting Rovers since I was 12 years old, I'm now in my sixties.

I've been to many, many away games. I've had my scarf ripped from my neck at Mansfield in the late 70's whilst walking to the ground with my elder brother, his young daughter & my younger sister, by two spotty teenagers egged on by a beer garden full of Mansfield fans. What do you do? You let it go of course.

I've been on one of the many Leeds buses taking fans from Elland Road back into Leeds after the game, a game SOD's side won 1-0 that day, a day we dominated & Copps took the p**s out of their right back right in front of Dennis Wise's dug out, twisting & turning him in knots, the right back not Dennis Wise (although I suspect both would apply!). Me & my younger brother were going back into Leeds to catch our train back to Keighley, where we both have lived locally for some 40+ years. We sat on the top deck of that bus, full of Leeds fans, our 'colours' carefully hidden & listened to Irish, cockney,Scottish accents as they 'wailed' as one, "how could we lose to that lot?". Well you had & oh how we smiled 'inside'.

But yesterday I witnessed something that was...let's just call it unpalatable for now, then I would welcome anybody's comments.

I love football, no, I mean I really, really love football. Doncaster Rovers are more than just 'my club', they have been The Golden Thread that has run through the tapestry of my life, for so many reasons.

So I have been at many, nay most of the highs & lows that the journey with my club, Doncaster Rovers, have taken me on. As a young man on the 'pop side' at Belle Vue, I have stood chanting & singing until I was hoarse. As we beat Barnsley 3-0 at Belle Vue with Dave Penny's 'team', I have even started a chant of "Brazil, it's just like watching Brazil..." a song 'stolen' from Barnsley as they free fell from the Premiership.

I was 'an angry young man' in the eighties as Maggie crushed the miners into submission. So yeah, I 'got' the chants of "Scab, scab, scab" whenever we played a club from Nottinghamshire. I didn't join in, but I could understand it. Football is 'tribal' & that tribalism manifests itself at football grounds all over the world, I 'understand' that.

And so back to yesterday. First & foremost let me be clear, that penalty was like a dagger. I couldn't speak to my brother sat next to me. I kind of 'went into myself'. It's so painful it's almost physical. Heart, soul & body laid out bare to be 'trampled on'.

But, throughout the game & afterwards walking back to our car, I witnessed what I can only describe as animalistic behaviour from those 'stood' around me.  When I ordered my ticket I was asked "Do you want the quiet section or the noisy section?" "Quiet please". We ended up with tickets on Row P, three rows from the back. The two rows in front of us stood throughout. Directly in front was a bloke in I would say, his late fifties. Dressed in a beige woollen jumper, brown corduroy trousers & shiny brown brogue shoes. He could for all the world have been someone's favourite uncle, that is until he opened his mouth.

He & others around him, many again who must have been at least in their forties, spent 80% of the game chanting & slavering " Paedo's, paedo's...", making hand gestures to the Rotherham supporters who responded likewise. We're not talking about teenagers here, but actual grown men who 'pretended' they wanted to 'get at' the opposing fans. It would have been farcical if it wasn't for the pervasive feeling of hatred, pure hatred towards people who as my brother remarked, could well work in the same factory, would they dream of acting that way in any other forum?

A young boy, who can't have been more than 10 years old, joined his dad in the 'Paedo chant'. I very much doubt he even knew what he was chanting...but his dad did.

It continued as we left the ground with a woman who I would guess was in her thirties, screaming "Paedo's, F*****G PAEDO'S!"

The result & the way it came about was bad enough, but to have to walk through that. Are these representatives of my club? We're they hurting as much as me & my brother?

It was vitriolic, sickening, disgusting, horrible filthy & way unnecessary. Shame on them.

It made me long for 'my' pop side.

Colin, that’s a great post and my feelings reciprocated. Do these morons love the club we follow through thick and thin as much as we do. I don’t think so. In fact I know they don’t. One bloke behind me didn’t even know the name of some of our players. They are a disgrace to the club and to football in general. It wouldn’t surprise me if a couple of hundred at the match yesterday nave not been to a home match this season and some never.
The were only at Rotherham for trouble. A sad indightment of society. We have to a smaller degree i’m afraid back to the 70’s and 80’s

[johnny rovers]

I've been supporting Rovers since I was 12 years old, I'm now in my sixties.

I've been to many, many away games. I've had my scarf ripped from my neck at Mansfield in the late 70's whilst walking to the ground with my elder brother, his young daughter & my younger sister, by two spotty teenagers egged on by a beer garden full of Mansfield fans. What do you do? You let it go of course.

I've been on one of the many Leeds buses taking fans from Elland Road back into Leeds after the game, a game SOD's side won 1-0 that day, a day we dominated & Copps took the p**s out of their right back right in front of Dennis Wise's dug out, twisting & turning him in knots, the right back not Dennis Wise (although I suspect both would apply!). Me & my younger brother were going back into Leeds to catch our train back to Keighley, where we both have lived locally for some 40+ years. We sat on the top deck of that bus, full of Leeds fans, our 'colours' carefully hidden & listened to Irish, cockney,Scottish accents as they 'wailed' as one, "how could we lose to that lot?". Well you had & oh how we smiled 'inside'.

But yesterday I witnessed something that was...let's just call it unpalatable for now, then I would welcome anybody's comments.

I love football, no, I mean I really, really love football. Doncaster Rovers are more than just 'my club', they have been The Golden Thread that has run through the tapestry of my life, for so many reasons.

So I have been at many, nay most of the highs & lows that the journey with my club, Doncaster Rovers, have taken me on. As a young man on the 'pop side' at Belle Vue, I have stood chanting & singing until I was hoarse. As we beat Barnsley 3-0 at Belle Vue with Dave Penny's 'team', I have even started a chant of "Brazil, it's just like watching Brazil..." a song 'stolen' from Barnsley as they free fell from the Premiership.

I was 'an angry young man' in the eighties as Maggie crushed the miners into submission. So yeah, I 'got' the chants of "Scab, scab, scab" whenever we played a club from Nottinghamshire. I didn't join in, but I could understand it. Football is 'tribal' & that tribalism manifests itself at football grounds all over the world, I 'understand' that.

And so back to yesterday. First & foremost let me be clear, that penalty was like a dagger. I couldn't speak to my brother sat next to me. I kind of 'went into myself'. It's so painful it's almost physical. Heart, soul & body laid out bare to be 'trampled on'.

But, throughout the game & afterwards walking back to our car, I witnessed what I can only describe as animalistic behaviour from those 'stood' around me.  When I ordered my ticket I was asked "Do you want the quiet section or the noisy section?" "Quiet please". We ended up with tickets on Row P, three rows from the back. The two rows in front of us stood throughout. Directly in front was a bloke in I would say, his late fifties. Dressed in a beige woollen jumper, brown corduroy trousers & shiny brown brogue shoes. He could for all the world have been someone's favourite uncle, that is until he opened his mouth.

He & others around him, many again who must have been at least in their forties, spent 80% of the game chanting & slavering " Paedo's, paedo's...", making hand gestures to the Rotherham supporters who responded likewise. We're not talking about teenagers here, but actual grown men who 'pretended' they wanted to 'get at' the opposing fans. It would have been farcical if it wasn't for the pervasive feeling of hatred, pure hatred towards people who as my brother remarked, could well work in the same factory, would they dream of acting that way in any other forum?

A young boy, who can't have been more than 10 years old, joined his dad in the 'Paedo chant'. I very much doubt he even knew what he was chanting...but his dad did.

It continued as we left the ground with a woman who I would guess was in her thirties, screaming "Paedo's, F*****G PAEDO'S!"

The result & the way it came about was bad enough, but to have to walk through that. Are these representatives of my club? We're they hurting as much as me & my brother?

It was vitriolic, sickening, disgusting, horrible filthy & way unnecessary. Shame on them.

It made me long for 'my' pop side.

Colin, that’s a great post and my feelings reciprocated. Do these morons love the club we follow through thick and thin as much as we do. I don’t think so. In fact I know they don’t. One bloke behind me didn’t even know the name of some of our players. They are a disgrace to the club and to football in general. It wouldn’t surprise me if a couple of hundred at the match yesterday nave not been to a home match this season and some never.
The were only at Rotherham for trouble. A sad indightment of society. We have to a smaller degree i’m afraid back to the 70’s and 80’s

That is an overreaction to draw parrellels with the 70's and 80's!

[GazLaz]

You are describing society in general here, not just some of our fans.

[Campsall rover]

I've been supporting Rovers since I was 12 years old, I'm now in my sixties.

I've been to many, many away games. I've had my scarf ripped from my neck at Mansfield in the late 70's whilst walking to the ground with my elder brother, his young daughter & my younger sister, by two spotty teenagers egged on by a beer garden full of Mansfield fans. What do you do? You let it go of course.

I've been on one of the many Leeds buses taking fans from Elland Road back into Leeds after the game, a game SOD's side won 1-0 that day, a day we dominated & Copps took the p**s out of their right back right in front of Dennis Wise's dug out, twisting & turning him in knots, the right back not Dennis Wise (although I suspect both would apply!). Me & my younger brother were going back into Leeds to catch our train back to Keighley, where we both have lived locally for some 40+ years. We sat on the top deck of that bus, full of Leeds fans, our 'colours' carefully hidden & listened to Irish, cockney,Scottish accents as they 'wailed' as one, "how could we lose to that lot?". Well you had & oh how we smiled 'inside'.

But yesterday I witnessed something that was...let's just call it unpalatable for now, then I would welcome anybody's comments.

I love football, no, I mean I really, really love football. Doncaster Rovers are more than just 'my club', they have been The Golden Thread that has run through the tapestry of my life, for so many reasons.

So I have been at many, nay most of the highs & lows that the journey with my club, Doncaster Rovers, have taken me on. As a young man on the 'pop side' at Belle Vue, I have stood chanting & singing until I was hoarse. As we beat Barnsley 3-0 at Belle Vue with Dave Penny's 'team', I have even started a chant of "Brazil, it's just like watching Brazil..." a song 'stolen' from Barnsley as they free fell from the Premiership.

I was 'an angry young man' in the eighties as Maggie crushed the miners into submission. So yeah, I 'got' the chants of "Scab, scab, scab" whenever we played a club from Nottinghamshire. I didn't join in, but I could understand it. Football is 'tribal' & that tribalism manifests itself at football grounds all over the world, I 'understand' that.

And so back to yesterday. First & foremost let me be clear, that penalty was like a dagger. I couldn't speak to my brother sat next to me. I kind of 'went into myself'. It's so painful it's almost physical. Heart, soul & body laid out bare to be 'trampled on'.

But, throughout the game & afterwards walking back to our car, I witnessed what I can only describe as animalistic behaviour from those 'stood' around me.  When I ordered my ticket I was asked "Do you want the quiet section or the noisy section?" "Quiet please". We ended up with tickets on Row P, three rows from the back. The two rows in front of us stood throughout. Directly in front was a bloke in I would say, his late fifties. Dressed in a beige woollen jumper, brown corduroy trousers & shiny brown brogue shoes. He could for all the world have been someone's favourite uncle, that is until he opened his mouth.

He & others around him, many again who must have been at least in their forties, spent 80% of the game chanting & slavering " Paedo's, paedo's...", making hand gestures to the Rotherham supporters who responded likewise. We're not talking about teenagers here, but actual grown men who 'pretended' they wanted to 'get at' the opposing fans. It would have been farcical if it wasn't for the pervasive feeling of hatred, pure hatred towards people who as my brother remarked, could well work in the same factory, would they dream of acting that way in any other forum?

A young boy, who can't have been more than 10 years old, joined his dad in the 'Paedo chant'. I very much doubt he even knew what he was chanting...but his dad did.

It continued as we left the ground with a woman who I would guess was in her thirties, screaming "Paedo's, F*****G PAEDO'S!"

The result & the way it came about was bad enough, but to have to walk through that. Are these representatives of my club? We're they hurting as much as me & my brother?

It was vitriolic, sickening, disgusting, horrible filthy & way unnecessary. Shame on them.

It made me long for 'my' pop side.

Colin, that’s a great post and my feelings reciprocated. Do these morons love the club we follow through thick and thin as much as we do. I don’t think so. In fact I know they don’t. One bloke behind me didn’t even know the name of some of our players. They are a disgrace to the club and to football in general. It wouldn’t surprise me if a couple of hundred at the match yesterday nave not been to a home match this season and some never.
The were only at Rotherham for trouble. A sad indightment of society. We have to a smaller degree i’m afraid back to the 70’s and 80’s

That is an overreaction to draw parrellels with the 70's and 80's!

I did say “ to a smaller degree” to be fair.

[Colin C No.3]

You are describing society in general here, not just some of our fans.

If that's correct, it's a sad reflection on our society.

Perhaps I should have headed the topic 'Acceptable or unacceptable?'

I don't know if you're a dad GazLaz but if you are, would you have 'subjected ' your kids to such an 'environment' & if so, how do we/you explain to them what is unacceptable?

And no weisback, I wasn't & didn't generalise every Mansfield fan as a scab, nor did I join in those chants, because they are not 'football related'. What I said was, I understood where those chants were 'coming from' in a political climate that saw whole communities 'die'. The Manfield 'fan' who nicked my scarf all those years ago wasn't a scab because he lived in the 'Nottinghamshire Pit Area', he was simply a little nob egged on by a larger group.

And thanks silent majority, you 'get' what my post was trying to get across. As I say, these weren't 'young kids', they were fully grown, 'mature examples' of our species, both male & female & even more alarmingly, at least one I witnessed with their offspring in tow spouting the same inane profanity's.

I'm no 'wimp'. I spent my late teens, early twenties living & working in both Newcastle & Sunderland. You had to learn very quickly there to become either savvy or fodder. I learnt how to 'read the signs', when to back off & when to 'front up'. I've been kicked unconscious, spent nights in cells but I wouldn't change a thing. Those days were a good grounding for me. I met some fantastic characters who unwittingly 'helped' make me the person I am today

It wasn't a nice experience having to be amongst those I found around me (90% of whom wore no 'colours'). They were sick, sad people that I didn't want around me. I feel sorry for those who have to live with them as neighbours.

I had to get this off my chest, I'm actually surprised how much it affected me. Enough to come on here & 'tell the tale'.

Off to spend Sunday night now with my wife now watching something on TV she would describe as "It just washes over you". I think that's the 'tonic' I need.

[drfchound]

On the train on the way to Rotherham the young lads were chanting the usual stuff.
There were two quite old couples among us who wanted to get off the train at Conisborough but when the train stopped the doors didn’t open.
Someone tapped on the drivers door( from inside the carriage) and shouted to him that “ two old couples need to be off here driver”.
A young Rovers fan shouted out “f**k em, tough shit” .
Really nice eh?

[Super Colin Cramb]

I have to agree with the opening post, I too have been a rovers fan for many years (30+) and thought some our fans behaviour was nothing less than appalling. I asked to sit in a none singing area and was sat on row C which I thought would be perfect for my dad who is recovering from a double hip replacement but no, we had a group of young foul monthed idiots stood in front of us. Shouting peado c***s every 5 mins and not once singing in support of the team and spoiling for a fight with the stewards and security staff. My dad didn’t get to see much of the first half and stood in second half so he could see which coursed immense discomfort. The intelligence of these people probably did know anything about the scandal that occurred in Rotherham and the harm this caused to the victims. I’ve never seen these Moran’s at Rovers games before home or away and don’t want to have the misfortune to see them again. Why can’t our fans just support the club and behave.

[turnbull for england]

A smoke bomb dropped right in front of us  and ruined a lads coat saw at least 3 of those go off. Makes you wonder how they got through search

[RoversAlias]

I didn't enjoy yesterday and am liking away games less and less, for many of the reasons discussed in the opening post.

Too many imbeciles acting like absolute d**kheads, I don't understand the appeal in it. I was fortunate to avoid any bother and was sat on the far left side of the stand so away from any commotion, but overall the journey to/from the game and aspects of being at the match itself were not at all enjoyable and it's not the first time I've felt that way travelling to an away game.

[Rover By The Tyne]

I have to agree with the opening post, I too have been a rovers fan for many years (30+) and thought some our fans behaviour was nothing less than appalling. I asked to sit in a none singing area and was sat on row C which I thought would be perfect for my dad who is recovering from a double hip replacement but no, we had a group of young foul monthed idiots stood in front of us. Shouting peado c***s every 5 mins and not once singing in support of the team and spoiling for a fight with the stewards and security staff. My dad didn’t get to see much of the first half and stood in second half so he could see which coursed immense discomfort. The intelligence of these people probably did know anything about the scandal that occurred in Rotherham and the harm this caused to the victims. I’ve never seen these Moran’s at Rovers games before home or away and don’t want to have the misfortune to see them again. Why can’t our fans just support the club and behave.

Absolutely agree. I’ve been going away with the rovers for over a decade now and I’ve never seen anything like that debacle coming out of the away end yesterday. Grown men in their 50s and 60s standing at the top of that walk way pointing at our fans and asking them to fight, it’s pathetic, immature, and embarrassing. The penalty at the end was excruciating, but it was coming. It was wave after wave from Rotherham in the closing stages. And as for the whole “Peado” chants scenario, it’s not a term people should be throwing around lightly. It’s obviously tragic for the town because it has now put a huge negative stereotype on it, which envitably certain people are going to take advantage of. But you’ve potentially got a situation where a victim of the abuse scandal itself might be sat in the stands, the last thing they need to hear is a group of our fans chanting “you’re just a town full of Pedos”. I work in a Prison as a teacher and see how this term gets used and it’s no laughing matter.

[Campsall rover]

It’s no good us having a go at Leeds, Millwall, or other clubs ‘fans’ is it when we have all these imbaciles masquerading as Rovers fans.
We need to rid our club of them before we can have a go at other clubs problems.

[Herman Hessian]

It’s no good us having a go at Leeds, Millwall, or other clubs ‘fans’ is it when we have all these imbaciles masquerading as Rovers fans.
We need to rid our club of them before we can have a go at other clubs problems.

not to diminish the activities of the cretinous minority yesterday, but i don't think its a reasonable comparison at all - it does no-one any good at all to give those knobs the perverse kudos of being listed alongside "properly" notorious and violent fans - as far as "ridding the club" of them, they'll be gone next week, and every week until we get leeds or wednesday or lincoln in a cup game...

[normal rules]

Its no different to liverpool fans giving it the big un over munich, or others reminding leeds supporters of Istanbul.



Where there is no sense - then there will be no class. These so called supporters have no class, and never will have.

[colincramb]

I agree. Last away game I went to was Grimsby away last season. Similar behaviour from our lot, however seeing fans of the same team fighting with each other (again, young lads unfortunately) was a disgrace. Ruined the day really

[Padge_DRFC]

Liverpool fans are the worst in the land or it

[RedJ]

You're a Manchester United fan so of course you'll say that.

[rich1471]

I've been supporting Rovers since I was 12 years old, I'm now in my sixties.

I've been to many, many away games. I've had my scarf ripped from my neck at Mansfield in the late 70's whilst walking to the ground with my elder brother, his young daughter & my younger sister, by two spotty teenagers egged on by a beer garden full of Mansfield fans. What do you do? You let it go of course.

I've been on one of the many Leeds buses taking fans from Elland Road back into Leeds after the game, a game SOD's side won 1-0 that day, a day we dominated & Copps took the p**s out of their right back right in front of Dennis Wise's dug out, twisting & turning him in knots, the right back not Dennis Wise (although I suspect both would apply!). Me & my younger brother were going back into Leeds to catch our train back to Keighley, where we both have lived locally for some 40+ years. We sat on the top deck of that bus, full of Leeds fans, our 'colours' carefully hidden & listened to Irish, cockney,Scottish accents as they 'wailed' as one, "how could we lose to that lot?". Well you had & oh how we smiled 'inside'.

But yesterday I witnessed something that was...let's just call it unpalatable for now, then I would welcome anybody's comments.

I love football, no, I mean I really, really love football. Doncaster Rovers are more than just 'my club', they have been The Golden Thread that has run through the tapestry of my life, for so many reasons.

So I have been at many, nay most of the highs & lows that the journey with my club, Doncaster Rovers, have taken me on. As a young man on the 'pop side' at Belle Vue, I have stood chanting & singing until I was hoarse. As we beat Barnsley 3-0 at Belle Vue with Dave Penny's 'team', I have even started a chant of "Brazil, it's just like watching Brazil..." a song 'stolen' from Barnsley as they free fell from the Premiership.

I was 'an angry young man' in the eighties as Maggie crushed the miners into submission. So yeah, I 'got' the chants of "Scab, scab, scab" whenever we played a club from Nottinghamshire. I didn't join in, but I could understand it. Football is 'tribal' & that tribalism manifests itself at football grounds all over the world, I 'understand' that.

And so back to yesterday. First & foremost let me be clear, that penalty was like a dagger. I couldn't speak to my brother sat next to me. I kind of 'went into myself'. It's so painful it's almost physical. Heart, soul & body laid out bare to be 'trampled on'.

But, throughout the game & afterwards walking back to our car, I witnessed what I can only describe as animalistic behaviour from those 'stood' around me.  When I ordered my ticket I was asked "Do you want the quiet section or the noisy section?" "Quiet please". We ended up with tickets on Row P, three rows from the back. The two rows in front of us stood throughout. Directly in front was a bloke in I would say, his late fifties. Dressed in a beige woollen jumper, brown corduroy trousers & shiny brown brogue shoes. He could for all the world have been someone's favourite uncle, that is until he opened his mouth.

He & others around him, many again who must have been at least in their forties, spent 80% of the game chanting & slavering " Paedo's, paedo's...", making hand gestures to the Rotherham supporters who responded likewise. We're not talking about teenagers here, but actual grown men who 'pretended' they wanted to 'get at' the opposing fans. It would have been farcical if it wasn't for the pervasive feeling of hatred, pure hatred towards people who as my brother remarked, could well work in the same factory, would they dream of acting that way in any other forum?

A young boy, who can't have been more than 10 years old, joined his dad in the 'Paedo chant'. I very much doubt he even knew what he was chanting...but his dad did.

It continued as we left the ground with a woman who I would guess was in her thirties, screaming "Paedo's, F*****G PAEDO'S!"

The result & the way it came about was bad enough, but to have to walk through that. Are these representatives of my club? We're they hurting as much as me & my brother?

It was vitriolic, sickening, disgusting, horrible filthy & way unnecessary. Shame on them.

It made me long for 'my' pop side.

1I was sat just in front of you i think the man was vile and was proud of his son been as vile as him as well said on another post people like him should not be aloud children

[LincsRover]

I wanted to calm down before I posted this so my response was measured and not reactive but I find myself getting angry just typing this!

Was just away from the ‘front row standers’ as I bought tickets to the right of the goal and in row A right at the front. My mum can’t stand up for very long so I always try to avoid anyone standing in front of her - doesn’t always work as at scunny every year but I do try. These ‘fans’ didn’t give a sh*t about those sitting in row B and should have known better as they were not all young lads (some were 30/40yr olds ffs!). Most of these ‘fans’ were too busy arguing with those behind them (who wanted to/had to sit) gesturing at the Rotherham fans and shouting/waving to their mates at the back to actually watch any football so I’m surprised they even knew the score!

At the end, after the penalty, a couple of young lads ran over trying to get on the pitch but were pushed back by a steward. One landed on my mum, standing on her feet and pushing himself up, making it worse. No apology from the fellow ‘rover’ but the steward did say “sorry love” to my mum. I managed to Grab hold of ‘fellow rover’, dragged him over and told him my thoughts, intending to smack the ignorant c*nt but deciding better of it as the steward did a grand job of forcing him & his mates away and I could do without a night in the cells. He was far too intent on abusing the stewards and i doubt he even realised i, or my mum, was there.

I’m pig sick of these ‘fans’ spoiling away days for real fans who actually want to watch the match. I can’t for the life of me understand why they bother except to live out some sort of fantasy of being a hard man and making up for their microscopic pr*cks. My mum insists she wants to carry on going to away games but I feel more like her minder nowadays and can’t enjoy it as I’m always looking out for her so she doesn’t get hurt. I wouldn’t dream of letting her go to away games without me as she’s 74, fragile with osteoporosis but loves watching rovers as she has for many years - and there is my dilemma. We continue going and :
1. She gets hurt and I end up locked up for GBH
2. We stop going to away games
3. These so called ‘fans’ start behaving like humans and less like feral pond life - if you want to stand, don’t stand right at the f*ck*ng front stupid, selfish, ignorant c*nts!
4. They go and find another sport where they can act out their fantasies - maybe take up cage fighting/boxing? Oh yes, that would take some degree of intelligence and guts! They’d rather abuse at a distance or the elderly!

They won’t be happy until they force the older, quieter fans to stay at home on awaydays so they can create an ‘atmosphere’ and set off their fireworks. Well, they certainly created a toxic atmosphere on more than one level!

Well done! You must be very proud!

 

[Campsall rover]

I wanted to calm down before I posted this so my response was measured and not reactive but I find myself getting angry just typing this!

Was just away from the ‘front row standers’ as I bought tickets to the right of the goal and in row A right at the front. My mum can’t stand up for very long so I always try to avoid anyone standing in front of her - doesn’t always work as at scunny every year but I do try. These ‘fans’ didn’t give a sh*t about those sitting in row B and should have known better as they were not all young lads (some were 30/40yr olds ffs!). Most of these ‘fans’ were too busy arguing with those behind them (who wanted to/had to sit) gesturing at the Rotherham fans and shouting/waving to their mates at the back to actually watch any football so I’m surprised they even knew the score!

At the end, after the penalty, a couple of young lads ran over trying to get on the pitch but were pushed back by a steward. One landed on my mum, standing on her feet and pushing himself up, making it worse. No apology from the fellow ‘rover’ but the steward did say “sorry love” to my mum. I managed to Grab hold of ‘fellow rover’, dragged him over and told him my thoughts, intending to smack the ignorant c*nt but deciding better of it as the steward did a grand job of forcing him & his mates away and I could do without a night in the cells. He was far too intent on abusing the stewards and i doubt he even realised i, or my mum, was there.

I’m pig sick of these ‘fans’ spoiling away days for real fans who actually want to watch the match. I can’t for the life of me understand why they bother except to live out some sort of fantasy of being a hard man and making up for their microscopic pr*cks. My mum insists she wants to carry on going to away games but I feel more like her minder nowadays and can’t enjoy it as I’m always looking out for her so she doesn’t get hurt. I wouldn’t dream of letting her go to away games without me as she’s 74, fragile with osteoporosis but loves watching rovers as she has for many years - and there is my dilemma. We continue going and :
1. She gets hurt and I end up locked up for GBH
2. We stop going to away games
3. These so called ‘fans’ start behaving like humans and less like feral pond life - if you want to stand, don’t stand right at the f*ck*ng front stupid, selfish, ignorant c*nts!
4. They go and find another sport where they can act out their fantasies - maybe take up cage fighting/boxing? Oh yes, that would take some degree of intelligence and guts! They’d rather abuse at a distance or the elderly!

They won’t be happy until they force the older, quieter fans to stay at home on awaydays so they can create an ‘atmosphere’ and set off their fireworks. Well, they certainly created a toxic atmosphere on more than one level!

Well done! You must be very proud!

 

Fortunately the vast majority of these nutters do not travel to any away games more than about 70/80 miles away. For example we had no trouble at Shrewsbury, Northampton, Walsall, Fleetwood, even at Rochdale (60 miles) but that was a Tues night match. It’s mainly the local derby’s they turn up for. Most are not even at any home games.
LincsRover do not let them drive you away, or they have won. We are the supporters of our great club.
NOT THEM

[Superspy]

Just to touch on a point somebody made higher up the thread...how f**king stupid do you have to be to throw a reasonably heavy object into a crowd of people?! I saw at least 2 smoke bombs and 1 pop bottle (which looked to be half full) thrown from the back into the front few rows of our stand. I imagine something like that on the head from that kind of height can do some serious damage. Mind...if you're dumb enough to think letting one off in a crowd of people is a good idea then I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

[mushRTID]

Just to touch on a point somebody made higher up the thread...how f**king stupid do you have to be to throw a reasonably heavy object into a crowd of people?! I saw at least 2 smoke bombs and 1 pop bottle (which looked to be half full) thrown from the back into the front few rows of our stand. I imagine something like that on the head from that kind of height can do some serious damage. Mind...if you're dumb enough to think letting one off in a crowd of people is a good idea then I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

You should have seen some of the bricks the Rotherham fan's were chucking in the home fixture on the walk back to town, down near the alleyway. Game over for anyone if it hit their head. Morons.

[The Red Baron]

I agree with you, Campsall. I've been to Northampton, Oxford, Shrewsbury and Walsall this season in addition to Saturday's game. Not a hint of bad behaviour. I doubt most of the worst offenders will be at the Keepmoat this Saturday either.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Rotherham and bricks.

About ten years ago I was in the train from Donny back to home in Sheffield. The train that doesn’t stop at every station, so it was doing 40-50mph going through Masbororough.

For some reason which I’ll never understand, I bent over to look at my phone on the table, rather than pick my phone up to my face. As I did, a housebrick came through the window, showered me with glass, passed between the back of my head and the upright of the seat and smashed the window on the other side of the aisle.

If I’d not leant forward seconds before, it would have taken my head off, no question. Imagine the effect of a brick hitting your head at 50mph. Or actually, don’t imagine it because it still gives me nightmares to this day.

I cannot begin to comprehend the sort of upbringing that produces a kid or a teenager who has so little concept of responsibility that they would pick up a brick and chuck it at a speeding train. Or what sort of adult they have grown into.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I definitely think there's a general deterioration of 'standards' in society. Manners, respect, tolerance and a social responsibility. It's all me, me, me now and don't give a flying f**k about anyone or anything else and someone will clear up the sh*t afterwards.

Let's be right, there's always been d**kheads, teenage angst etc, etc, but there was respect knowing your place, and being prepared to take the consequences if you got it wrong.

I can't see anything improving soon and god help us, if these morons are the next generation of parents.

Thankfully there's still enough 'good' people about to enjoy occasions like Saturday overall but it's getting harder to remain tolerant.

[graingrover]

It is tribal /societal . I  have lived outside Uk for 50 years  and have not encountered  such phenomena in the social environments  in Belgium France and Italy and Spain . There are other issues which polarise tribal behaviour in football in those countries too but it is not so crassly vulgar.
 Why are rugby crowds in UK so different in their behaviour  too ; an interesting issue . 

[BillyStubbsTears]

I wouldn’t get dewy eyed about the past. The lad who lived next door to me 40 years ago used to drop bricks off a bridge over the Don onto the old disco boat. Another lad at 15 ripped a school bus seat base off its mountngs and threw it out the window onto a car. There’s always been sociopathic kids in every society.

I do think there were structures in place to tame the wild ones as they grew up. The pit, the union, the miners’ welfare and working men’s clubs, the associated sports teams. They gave a structure and a discipline. Gave people opportunities to work and play and learn discipline and reward. And threatened a clip round the f**king ear hole if you acted like a prick. Those structures have mostly evaporated now and I’m not sure that Twitter and Facebook are replacing them in a positive way.

[Glyn_Wigley]

Twitter and Facebook only give an opportunity for other sociopaths to egg the buggers on.