The BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-15351491 is saying that Southampton fans will only be able to attend this match if they buy a combined coach/match ticket and they'll be herded (kettled?) into a secure area in Portsmouth. The arrangements are to be repeated for the return fixture.
I guess it would otherwise be likely to kick off at this match but I can't quite see driving from Essex to Charlton to get a coach back to West Ham. Let's hope the plod don't think this sort of arrangement should become more common. I've no idea quite what they mean by "Coach Bubble" - any ideas?
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They've done it with Cardiff & Swansea before as well. They had an article in one of the papers, ahead of the game in Swansea, about a Cardiff fan who lived in Swansea and had to drive to Cardiff to get the coach to take him back to Swansea, and vice versa afterwards.
Chances of our supporters ever being subject to this is zero, and even less than that for a game against West Ham.
FOD "these people" are mainly ordinary fans.
There was a fair amount of trouble at St Marys last season, not sure in Pompey so I suppose the police have the powers so there using them.
I know what Southampton's away support is like.
Sorry FOD you've lost me.
Re the Swansea/Cardiff posts above..........
I can understand why clubs/the police do this, but surely it is against your human rights ??
If you are a law abiding citizen who has never been in trouble with the police and have no criminal record, then why should you have to be inconvenienced like this ? For the chap who lives in Swansea & has to go to Cardiff to get a bus back is just laughable.
it only happens in football.
Well at Swansea a couple of years ago, Charlton fans were attacked upon arrival at the station, so when we arrived on the next train we were taken into the nearest pub/hotel bar & kept there for our own safety. There were groups of Swansea gathering who wanted trouble, but were continually moved on by the police.
We were taken to and from the ground in a police coach, down a private road that was "gated" at each end.
The Welsh still live in the football 70's & Soton at times aren't far behind. (Remember they trashed The Lib a few years ago).
Seems like a necessary, but good idea to me. A bit like making Millwall fans collect Leeds A match tickets on a service station.
This has been happening for years now for lots of different fixtures that have previous.
Slowly kills off the atmophere at these games as most lads can't be arsed with the bubble trips these days.
From what I seen at Swansea, We were hardly 'attacked'.
A couple of things thrown but most didn't want to know because the cctv.