Whilst, proposals to make the Scoreboard End a "singing" end as an attempt to generate some much needed atmosphere into the Ricoh Arena on match-days are to be encouraged, The police may have other ideas.
We've received this in our inbox from a City supporter who had a deeply off-putting experience on Saturday.
"Just thought I'd let you know of another bad experience from Saturdays game. I'm a season ticket holder in block 13, just next to the away fans, it's only a small block as most sit to our right in block 14 and generate a fair amount of noise.
We've received this in our inbox from a City supporter who had a deeply off-putting experience on Saturday.
"Just thought I'd let you know of another bad experience from Saturdays game. I'm a season ticket holder in block 13, just next to the away fans, it's only a small block as most sit to our right in block 14 and generate a fair amount of noise.
For the Burnley game and then todays game we seem to have acquired our own row of stewards in between ourselves and block 14, we have no issues and rib some of the stewards as one of them actually sits in my season ticket sit during the game. Very light hearted and we never have any problems at all.
Fifteen minutes into Saturdays game we are told that we have to move from our season ticket seats as they need to keep the area sterile. Bit bizarre after being going past two or three stewards who all checked where we were sat on the way up to our seats. Hence we all started asking questions as to why we couldn't sit in our season tickets seats. It was more annoying for our group as we'd already been moved from block 10 a couple of days before the first game of the season.
After chatting with stewards we then had the 'pleasure' of the orange coated response team who told us that if we didn't move we'd be ejected from the ground. After asking if they would literally eject me from the ground for purely sitting in my season ticket seat, causing no trouble, not swearing or shouting and not being abusive in any way I was told in no uncertain terms that I should move or be ejected.
After still questioning why we had to move as they gave no reason apart from 'this area must be kept sterile' we reluctantly had to move as there were now three Police officers at the entrance to our block moving the people in front of us. There was one chap with two young lads that was obviously asking the same questions and were pretty much shunted out of their seats to sit elsewhere.
I went to have a chat with the stand manager, at half time and she explained that the decision had come from match day control and they had decided to empty our block for 'operational reasons'. She had argued the point with the control room that it would cause more trouble moving us than leaving us there. She agreed with us that it was ridiculous as there were no signs of any trouble from our block, we were all season ticket holders and they were always going to receive abuse due to the decision. She was told to just do it and get on with it.
The whole thing ruined the match and despite City battling back to get a point, I still went home feeling bad about it all.
I'll be writing to the club and sending them my season ticket back as I now have no idea where I can sit from one game to the next and the heavy handed nature of the Response team steward who dealt with us (including an 11 year old lad with his first season ticket) just doesn't make me feel like visiting again.
I'll always wish the team every success but it'll be a while before they see any of my hard earned cash again."
Covsupport understands that the decision was made by the Matchday Police Commander who has complete control on matchdays for "operational reasons".