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I understand both sides, but having the bubble is the right decision in my opinion. If fans were mixing all over the place: train stations, motorway service stations, busses, pubs, various streets it would be a nightmare for the police to manage. I do think adults should be able to make their own decisions and take the risk if they want to for themselves, but innocents get hurt just going about their day.
It's a pain for those who have to get to St Mary's but that's just one of those things. I think they will be doing some other pick up points? The atmosphere in the stadium is still electric, so it doesn't really matter. They could provide a pub or something I guess, rather than forcing fans to just go straight there and back.
Honestly, what’s the problem with a bubble for both games ?
Is it so much trouble for fans to go to their own grounds ( as they will on 23 other occasions during the season) and then get driven to the fixture on a bus/coach just like any other away game ?
For pity sake it’s hardly difficult is it and presumably the clubs will pay for the travel cost ?
Ultimately attendance isn’t compulsory and if you don’t fancy what the clubs have arranged stay at home or go to a pub and watch it.
If it stops one adult or child being injured by some mindless knuckle dragging imbecile and saves police and N H S resources what’s not to like ?
A bubble completely takes away what a proper derby day is all about imo. The build up and anticipation of having 2000-3000 of them descend on your city or the camaraderie you experience heading down to theirs is a feeling you simply cannot replicate. I think I've only missed one Pompey game since I started going and the combination of nervous energy and excitement for each and every one of those games is something I'll never forget.
I don't expect everyone to understand that opinion or feeling, but it's the edge of being in the pubs and walking to and from the ground that makes derby days so special for me....and of course winning.
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 09:14 - Jul 30 by Buggalugs
A bubble completely takes away what a proper derby day is all about imo. The build up and anticipation of having 2000-3000 of them descend on your city or the camaraderie you experience heading down to theirs is a feeling you simply cannot replicate. I think I've only missed one Pompey game since I started going and the combination of nervous energy and excitement for each and every one of those games is something I'll never forget.
I don't expect everyone to understand that opinion or feeling, but it's the edge of being in the pubs and walking to and from the ground that makes derby days so special for me....and of course winning.
Exactly that, the train adds to the build up, with the pubs in the center full before people go down and the train itself packed and noisy as you get there.
Then when you arrive you get the anticipation and adrenaline of stepping off Fratton station into a place where everyone hates you, and that's a buzz no matter what anyone says. Also by the time you get in the combination of adrenaline, anticipation and pack mentality means the ground is jumping.
And you get the same the other way round as a home side, the city buzzes, people come out to "welcome" them as they arrive, and it all adds to the day/game.
And for people who think it's just about trouble that's also b*llocks, i've got no interest in getting into a row, i'm a middle age bloke ffs, but I also think the threat of trouble is massively overblown.
I have no doubt we could've gone by train to Fratton and next to nothing (other than pantomime) would've happened.
Instead what you get is to be stuck on a slow moving bus, herded into a "sterile zone" and then herded back on a slow moving bus.
The police bill will be equally huge (if not more), they'll still get their overtime, but we won't be allowed to travel our own way, we'll be treated like criminals for going to football and we'll be inconvenienced for some fake idea of something that "might" happen
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Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 10:18 - Jul 30 with 1520 views
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 09:14 - Jul 30 by Buggalugs
A bubble completely takes away what a proper derby day is all about imo. The build up and anticipation of having 2000-3000 of them descend on your city or the camaraderie you experience heading down to theirs is a feeling you simply cannot replicate. I think I've only missed one Pompey game since I started going and the combination of nervous energy and excitement for each and every one of those games is something I'll never forget.
I don't expect everyone to understand that opinion or feeling, but it's the edge of being in the pubs and walking to and from the ground that makes derby days so special for me....and of course winning.
I have to agree.
It isn't the same going to Fratton on the coaches.
I have been a few times on the train. It's a brilliant craic.
Yes, you do miss some of the game because of the idiots at the other end refusing to move away from Fratton station, so they hold the football special train back. Doesn't seem to happen for games at our place, funnily enough....
But it definitely gives you the feeling of being at a proper derby game.
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 10:18 - Jul 30 by PatfromPoole
I have to agree.
It isn't the same going to Fratton on the coaches.
I have been a few times on the train. It's a brilliant craic.
Yes, you do miss some of the game because of the idiots at the other end refusing to move away from Fratton station, so they hold the football special train back. Doesn't seem to happen for games at our place, funnily enough....
But it definitely gives you the feeling of being at a proper derby game.
Not aimed at you directly Pat, you are just the last of several posts saying similar, yes its a great atmosphere having a few drinks and going on the train, but at what cost.
You say its a great craic, but that is because the travelling fans are surrounded by riot police who march them slowly down the road with the home fans giving them stick, all good fun.
But if the police line breaks and someone gets hurt its no longer such a good craic, if you get lifted by the police and despite not having any previous convictions get a few months inside, then it's not such a craic.
For those living on the route, its not such a good craic as they are penned in their houses and worried that in the case of the game at Fratton that their fans will damge their cars or windows.
The average cost of policing a game is about £12,500 so £25 k for the pair, the Police had earmarked £125k of tax payers money for this one and that will now be a lot less.
I have been to many Saints v Pompey games, I can agree with everyone in what they are saying, but it seems that the craic is about not actually fighting with the opposition fans, but hurling abuse from the safety of being behind a line of riot police, you can do that just as easily from the Bubble bus.
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Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 13:13 - Jul 30 with 1401 views
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 12:58 - Jul 30 by SaintNick
Not aimed at you directly Pat, you are just the last of several posts saying similar, yes its a great atmosphere having a few drinks and going on the train, but at what cost.
You say its a great craic, but that is because the travelling fans are surrounded by riot police who march them slowly down the road with the home fans giving them stick, all good fun.
But if the police line breaks and someone gets hurt its no longer such a good craic, if you get lifted by the police and despite not having any previous convictions get a few months inside, then it's not such a craic.
For those living on the route, its not such a good craic as they are penned in their houses and worried that in the case of the game at Fratton that their fans will damge their cars or windows.
The average cost of policing a game is about £12,500 so £25 k for the pair, the Police had earmarked £125k of tax payers money for this one and that will now be a lot less.
I have been to many Saints v Pompey games, I can agree with everyone in what they are saying, but it seems that the craic is about not actually fighting with the opposition fans, but hurling abuse from the safety of being behind a line of riot police, you can do that just as easily from the Bubble bus.
Well, if people are daft enough to live near Fratton Park…….
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 12:58 - Jul 30 by SaintNick
Not aimed at you directly Pat, you are just the last of several posts saying similar, yes its a great atmosphere having a few drinks and going on the train, but at what cost.
You say its a great craic, but that is because the travelling fans are surrounded by riot police who march them slowly down the road with the home fans giving them stick, all good fun.
But if the police line breaks and someone gets hurt its no longer such a good craic, if you get lifted by the police and despite not having any previous convictions get a few months inside, then it's not such a craic.
For those living on the route, its not such a good craic as they are penned in their houses and worried that in the case of the game at Fratton that their fans will damge their cars or windows.
The average cost of policing a game is about £12,500 so £25 k for the pair, the Police had earmarked £125k of tax payers money for this one and that will now be a lot less.
I have been to many Saints v Pompey games, I can agree with everyone in what they are saying, but it seems that the craic is about not actually fighting with the opposition fans, but hurling abuse from the safety of being behind a line of riot police, you can do that just as easily from the Bubble bus.
Spot on post. I also totally understand the viewpoints of people wanting to make their own way to the game, and understand the "fun", but it's not fun if innocent people, families, kids get scared or worse, not just at train stations but motorway service stations and various residential streets at random times.
It could get nasty, in amongst families going about their day and it could be at a place where there arn't any police. The bubble enables everyone to be protected. I appreciate some people want to take their own risk, but it's not right that many innocents might be in hostile situations or worse. Particularly from the Pompey side of things, if they know groups of Saints fans are in certain places, without the police, they will attack.
If Pompey fans were free to arrive at St Mary's whenever they wanted, they would probably smash up the city. I don't mind the bubble. It's entering the enemies territory en masse together with protection.
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 12:58 - Jul 30 by SaintNick
Not aimed at you directly Pat, you are just the last of several posts saying similar, yes its a great atmosphere having a few drinks and going on the train, but at what cost.
You say its a great craic, but that is because the travelling fans are surrounded by riot police who march them slowly down the road with the home fans giving them stick, all good fun.
But if the police line breaks and someone gets hurt its no longer such a good craic, if you get lifted by the police and despite not having any previous convictions get a few months inside, then it's not such a craic.
For those living on the route, its not such a good craic as they are penned in their houses and worried that in the case of the game at Fratton that their fans will damge their cars or windows.
The average cost of policing a game is about £12,500 so £25 k for the pair, the Police had earmarked £125k of tax payers money for this one and that will now be a lot less.
I have been to many Saints v Pompey games, I can agree with everyone in what they are saying, but it seems that the craic is about not actually fighting with the opposition fans, but hurling abuse from the safety of being behind a line of riot police, you can do that just as easily from the Bubble bus.
“if you get lifted by the police and despite not having any previous convictions get a few months inside, then it's not such a craic.”
That is a worry, and why i’m surprised by the bubble. The police, in most cases, love football matches and being able to bully any normal football fans into their own bingo bus.
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Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 13:28 - Jul 30 with 1354 views
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 13:25 - Jul 30 by Joiedevivre
“if you get lifted by the police and despite not having any previous convictions get a few months inside, then it's not such a craic.”
That is a worry, and why i’m surprised by the bubble. The police, in most cases, love football matches and being able to bully any normal football fans into their own bingo bus.
Yeah to be fair the last few times i've done Fratton by train the police have been the most violent group there by some distance. In the league cup as we left the station they were just indiscriminately battening people for no reason.
I took one to the leg just for the "crime" of walking down the steps
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Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 13:36 - Jul 30 with 1343 views
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 13:28 - Jul 30 by franniesTache
Yeah to be fair the last few times i've done Fratton by train the police have been the most violent group there by some distance. In the league cup as we left the station they were just indiscriminately battening people for no reason.
I took one to the leg just for the "crime" of walking down the steps
Yes, I know of someone who was repeatedly battoned at Fratton station last time out—at the grand age of 15. Going after the proper criminals then.
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Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 14:22 - Jul 30 with 1289 views
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 13:15 - Jul 30 by Southamptonfan
Spot on post. I also totally understand the viewpoints of people wanting to make their own way to the game, and understand the "fun", but it's not fun if innocent people, families, kids get scared or worse, not just at train stations but motorway service stations and various residential streets at random times.
It could get nasty, in amongst families going about their day and it could be at a place where there arn't any police. The bubble enables everyone to be protected. I appreciate some people want to take their own risk, but it's not right that many innocents might be in hostile situations or worse. Particularly from the Pompey side of things, if they know groups of Saints fans are in certain places, without the police, they will attack.
If Pompey fans were free to arrive at St Mary's whenever they wanted, they would probably smash up the city. I don't mind the bubble. It's entering the enemies territory en masse together with protection.
[Post edited 30 Jul 13:16]
From this post I take it you've never been to a derby game before?
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 14:29 - Jul 30 by Southamptonfan
Not sure what your mean by that. I have been to many Saints Pompey derbies home and away.
"If Pompey fans were free to arrive at St Mary's whenever they wanted, they would probably smash up the city."
All football matches are policed accordingly, so large scale disorder is incredibly rare nowadays. Those that go by train get wrapped up by the old bill every step of the way, so it's just hysterical to say they'll be mobs of fans running around smashing up the city. The only occasion that's happened in the last 30 odd years was when we played them at theirs in 2004 and the thick tw@ts smashed up their own city.
There's plenty of games where there's the potential of disorder or being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, so where do you draw the line? Both Millwall and Cardiff were particularly lively at ours the season before last, so should our games with them be bubbles from now on?
...and no-one's going to attack families or regular people going about their own business. That just doesn't happen.
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 15:09 - Jul 30 by Buggalugs
"If Pompey fans were free to arrive at St Mary's whenever they wanted, they would probably smash up the city."
All football matches are policed accordingly, so large scale disorder is incredibly rare nowadays. Those that go by train get wrapped up by the old bill every step of the way, so it's just hysterical to say they'll be mobs of fans running around smashing up the city. The only occasion that's happened in the last 30 odd years was when we played them at theirs in 2004 and the thick tw@ts smashed up their own city.
There's plenty of games where there's the potential of disorder or being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, so where do you draw the line? Both Millwall and Cardiff were particularly lively at ours the season before last, so should our games with them be bubbles from now on?
...and no-one's going to attack families or regular people going about their own business. That just doesn't happen.
There's a reason why this game is a bubble. What do you think the reason is?
And I am not talking about families being attacked directly, although you may remember a Pompey thug attacking a horse, so I wouldn't put it pass some of them.
As for Millwall fans, I can tell you now that they were throwing glass bottles from the Northam bridge down towards Saints fans simply walking back to their cars. A disabled person and a child got injured. It happens. I was around that area just walking back to my car and it was nasty. If you think allowing Pompey fans in a massive derby, the first one in years to roam free around Southampton, crossing the bridge en masse, doesn't present a risk to innocent people than that's your opinion. There's a reason it's a bubble and it's to prevent injury to innocent people who just want to see the game.
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 15:20 - Jul 30 by Southamptonfan
There's a reason why this game is a bubble. What do you think the reason is?
And I am not talking about families being attacked directly, although you may remember a Pompey thug attacking a horse, so I wouldn't put it pass some of them.
As for Millwall fans, I can tell you now that they were throwing glass bottles from the Northam bridge down towards Saints fans simply walking back to their cars. A disabled person and a child got injured. It happens. I was around that area just walking back to my car and it was nasty. If you think allowing Pompey fans in a massive derby, the first one in years to roam free around Southampton, crossing the bridge en masse, doesn't present a risk to innocent people than that's your opinion. There's a reason it's a bubble and it's to prevent injury to innocent people who just want to see the game.
So should our games with Millwall this season be bubbles as well then? If what you say is true, that sounds much worse than anything I've ever seen or heard the skates doing at ours, despite there only ever been one bubble meeting with them previously. Why haven't Pompey fans thrown bottles at innocent Saints fans en masse whilst freely roaming around the city with no police?
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 16:00 - Jul 30 by Buggalugs
So should our games with Millwall this season be bubbles as well then? If what you say is true, that sounds much worse than anything I've ever seen or heard the skates doing at ours, despite there only ever been one bubble meeting with them previously. Why haven't Pompey fans thrown bottles at innocent Saints fans en masse whilst freely roaming around the city with no police?
The last time i can remember even coming close to mixing "freely" with skates before a game was the league cup game where they booed Ted Bates minutes silence and there's was surprisingly little trouble around the ground that day.
Other than that they've been kettled in and out of the ground and held back with a cordon around them.
As for at theirs i think the last time we got to move freely was the Alan Knight "friendly" which was carnage.
The idea that they would be milling around freely is complete fantasy and i have no idea why anyone would put up a straw man like that.
It's about as realistic as saying "well what if the army armed pompey fans as they left Fratton and there were no police, there would be dead bodies, so that's why we need a bubble"
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Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 16:09 - Jul 30 with 1121 views
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 16:00 - Jul 30 by Buggalugs
So should our games with Millwall this season be bubbles as well then? If what you say is true, that sounds much worse than anything I've ever seen or heard the skates doing at ours, despite there only ever been one bubble meeting with them previously. Why haven't Pompey fans thrown bottles at innocent Saints fans en masse whilst freely roaming around the city with no police?
When there wasn't a bubble, bottles were thrown and worse. Note, this disorder only occurred when the WASN'T a bubble. I remember having to stay inside the ground for a good hour after the game. Have a sterile area, a bubble and no problem.
This game was not a bubble. "Why haven't Pompey fans thrown bottles at innocent Saints fans en masse ?"
They have.
Southampton fan Brain Callum, 29, of Napier Road, Southampton vowed not to take his ten-year-old son Richard to Portsmouth matches ever again.
He said: "The Portsmouth fans were really looking for trouble. It was scary when they threw bricks and planks at us. It's a football match and this behaviour is totally unacceptable."
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 16:09 - Jul 30 by Southamptonfan
When there wasn't a bubble, bottles were thrown and worse. Note, this disorder only occurred when the WASN'T a bubble. I remember having to stay inside the ground for a good hour after the game. Have a sterile area, a bubble and no problem.
This game was not a bubble. "Why haven't Pompey fans thrown bottles at innocent Saints fans en masse ?"
They have.
Southampton fan Brain Callum, 29, of Napier Road, Southampton vowed not to take his ten-year-old son Richard to Portsmouth matches ever again.
He said: "The Portsmouth fans were really looking for trouble. It was scary when they threw bricks and planks at us. It's a football match and this behaviour is totally unacceptable."
[Post edited 30 Jul 16:14]
I'm sorry pal, but you don't know what you're going on about. That link is from the 2004 game at theirs I mentioned originally when they smashed up their own city. We were all locked in the ground for a good hour and a half afterwards whilst that was going on, so no Saints fans were involved.
Got any other examples you can Google? I'm pretty sure only the 2011/2012 season was a bubble between us so you should have plenty of fixtures to choose from...
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 16:21 - Jul 30 by Buggalugs
I'm sorry pal, but you don't know what you're going on about. That link is from the 2004 game at theirs I mentioned originally when they smashed up their own city. We were all locked in the ground for a good hour and a half afterwards whilst that was going on, so no Saints fans were involved.
Got any other examples you can Google? I'm pretty sure only the 2011/2012 season was a bubble between us so you should have plenty of fixtures to choose from...
And I'm sorry for you pal that the game will indeed be a bubble. You will just have to get on a bingo bus won't you and put up with it, or don't go. So my opinion has been upheld and yours hasn't. Maybe write to you MP and argue how safe the game will be and how nobody but you knows what they are on about?
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 16:29 - Jul 30 by Southamptonfan
And I'm sorry for you pal that the game will indeed be a bubble. You will just have to get on a bingo bus won't you and put up with it, or don't go. So my opinion has been upheld and yours hasn't. Maybe write to you MP and argue how safe the game will be and how nobody but you knows what they are on about?
Do You Think The Bubble Is Good ? on 16:04 - Jul 30 by franniesTache
The last time i can remember even coming close to mixing "freely" with skates before a game was the league cup game where they booed Ted Bates minutes silence and there's was surprisingly little trouble around the ground that day.
Other than that they've been kettled in and out of the ground and held back with a cordon around them.
As for at theirs i think the last time we got to move freely was the Alan Knight "friendly" which was carnage.
The idea that they would be milling around freely is complete fantasy and i have no idea why anyone would put up a straw man like that.
It's about as realistic as saying "well what if the army armed pompey fans as they left Fratton and there were no police, there would be dead bodies, so that's why we need a bubble"
Wasnt that League cup game the one where there was a massive ruckus between both sets of fans in St Mary's street outside the Joiners
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