A look at how well or otherwise the Bubble Trip to Fratton Park worked.

As someone who has been going to Fratton Park to watch Saints for over 30 years now and indeed has seen home fixtures against the old enemy for nearly 30 I feel i am well qualified to comment on the controversial bubble trip on Sunday.

The fixture has a history of violence dating back to the late 60's, when even friendlies could not be contested without trouble of some sort, indeed in 1974 when Saints met Pompey at the Dell for the first league game in 8 years, 250 Pompey fans were detained at Southampton Central Station after wrecking a train, they were held in the Civic Centre police station yard untli the game had started and were then packed off back to Fratton.

Saints supporters may have laughed at the assortment of OAP's who gestured at them as the coaches arrived at Fratton on Sunday, but its a sobering thought that these same men in their sixties were probably of the age to have taken part in that early seventies violence, if it is still ingrained in them now, how are we ever going to hope to play a fixture in peace unless drastic action is taken.

I have read a lot in the press ahead of the game about supporters civil liberties being infringed, my first answer would be quite glib, try walking out of Fratton Station an hour before the match with a Saints shirt on, on your own and without police protection, your civil liberties would be infringed in less that a minute with a swift punch in the mouth.

In truth on our last two trips anyway for the majority of fans going its been a case of a bubble trip in all but name, in 04 & 05 if you went by coach it wouldnt be much different to Sunday's experience and for those that went on the train, they found that they were corralled onto the train the police wanted Saints fans to catch and then at the other end surrounded by riot police to be marched to the ground, only problem was that on both occasions it took well over an hour to get the escort the 3/4 mile walk to the ground due to Pompey fans and the kick off was missed, similar timescales after the game, after being held in for over half an hour.

Contrast those experiences with the Bubble trip on Sunday where Saints supporters were outside the gates of Fratton around an hour of leaving St Mary's and after the game where not held in the ground but free to walk back to the buses, sit in the warmth and even buy a tea or a burger if they wished, a little over an hour after the game had finished we were disembarking back in Southampton, on previous occasions we would still be outside Fratton in that timescale

When we compare the events of 04 & 05 and the smoothness of the operation on Sunday, even the biggest detracctor of it cannot but admit that from a public disorder point of view Sunday was a big success.

Speaking to a cross section of people, I found that most seemed quite happy with the Bubble, yes some slagged it off from a civil liberties point of view, but secretly they were glad of the protection that it offered, you see most of those that go to the games, on both sides of the fence, may like to sing about what they would like to do to the Skates/Scummers, but in reality dont want to actually do anything that involves violence, of course there are those on either side of the fence that will actively try to cause it, but they are in a minority.

But the real problem is that although most would not want to cause it a sizeable majority would get involved if they became caught up in it (This isnt just my opinion, but that of the National Football Intelligence Unit who when categorising travelling football fans, found that most came into category B, those that wouldnt instigate trouble, but wouldnt neccessarily walk away from it either) This means that what starts small can soon esculate in a volatile game like this one, those in the train escorts of a few years ago would concur with this, when most Pompey fans although not throwing missiles or attempting to attack the escort were happy to throw abuse at Saints supporters and vice versa come to that.

This is probably why the bubble trip was really needed, its not just a small minority, its much bigger than that and this can esculate the situation out of control, even though the majority are content just to hurl abuse.

So the bubble trip although conttroversial works, on Sunday both sides went to and left in peace knowing they had no chance of getting near a member of the opposition, everyone was content to sing their songs of hatred of the other side from a nice protected atmosphere and then go home with honour intact and not a punch thrown in anger.

Some would say its too sterile, perhaps, but as I have said in the main supporters of either side cant just go down to the other down and hope to have a drink in peace as is the norm at other games, it just isnt going to happen, we all have to accept this in the current enviroment.

So I think the bubble is here to stay, for many reasons, it is easier for the Police to manage the situation and requires less man power than if it was normal, its safer for supporters, its actually quicker for away supporters to get there and back, with a secure area for the buses, there is no need to pen fans in the ground after the game, so in fact this is better from a civil liberty point of view, but finally perhaps it allows both sets of supporters to blow off steam without the threat of violence.

Of course its not the perfect situation and we would all rather be able to go to the game without all this hassle, but we have to accept at present that isnt going to happen and indeed hasnt happened for over 30 years, so the bubble is just an extension of the previous methods.

Secretely i think most who went enjoyed themselves and were happy to be able to go safely and enjoy the day out, certainly that is the safest game I have ever been to at Fratton in my 30 plus years of travelling there for Saints and perhaps the first one when the threat of violence happening has not been present, argue what you will about Sunday but it has been the first derby game where you could safely take women or children too.

Football fans enjoy a bit of banter and to be blunt as I say, most dont want violence, this was ideal for the "Pompey fan on a string" brigade and their counterparts at Fratton.

Perhaps the only negatives were the way the ticketing worked, certainly it wasnt ideal in that some were still awaiting news of whether they had a ticket or not less than a week before the game, however on this occasion you could put that down to there being a new ticket office manager and teething problems, Im sure that they would get this right at the next one.                      

Photo: Action Images

bstokesaint added 12:40 - Dec 21 A well written article Nick and some valid points. I've said it before after Millwall visited, but football violence should be seen as something that died in the past. As far as I am concered any chanting or singing during the game is just that. After the final whistle blows that should be that whatever the outcome. There's no place for disgruntled morons to carry on in front of families and proper football fans. Although this is one of the few away games I've missed this season from what I've seen and heard the bubble seemed to be a success. I have little time for the civil liberties brigade when it comes down to the safety of the majority. Let's see what Pompey think of the bubble if they are still around for the trip to St Mary's..

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sgd added 12:54 - Dec 21 As a newcomer to this site, Ijust wanted to say what an excellent article this is. I know the Bubble was a controversial feature, but I'ts good to see the issues explained in an even handed way.
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pompeytillidie added 17:46 - Dec 21 Your 3rd paragraph makes it look like only the Blue side have the morons - your idiots are proud to try and brag that they did this and they did that (i hear they only ever run away but that is another story) I trust there will be no scummers lined up when we roll into town then- i guess you are all above that! Maybe i missed your point when you say that a 'sizable majority' would get involved in it What do you suggest they do then? Get smashed about by the 'opposition?' I do not condone violence,i think it is TOTALLY unnecessary but if one of your lot punches me for no reason, other than the colour of my shirt,what would anyone expect? I admit i had an altercation in a pub (not in Portsmouth) after the game.My shirt caused a scummer to say something that i reacted to (honest to God i can not remember what it was but it would have been pretty petty i admit) and we continued for a long time with a bitter feeling bubbling gently underneath. I admit it was probably a few too many that caused me to react the way i did and,although i felt like i was provoked,i don't think i was in the right after. Threats were made to me , luckily they never went any further although i encouraged him to come forward.I did not cover myself in glory and i would not dream of going looking for trouble at any other time so i guess that proves that many would get involved if it started Bottom line is that the bubble worked, will probably work better next time as the little snags will be ironed out Only possible negative is that,now that the idiots have seen how it works,they might try to find ways round it I hope not Play Up Pompey

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1962saint added 18:41 - Dec 21 As a Saints supporter who lives in Sussex, I had to travel back to Southampton and then get into my car and drive back down the M27 past the enemy territory. However, I still agree with the 'bubble' operation. Sadly, you have to accept that when Saints visit Portsmouth it's not like other away games where one can where wear red and white and go for a drink in a nearby pub without feeling under any threat. Accepting this as a fact, to be bussed in close to the ground and then exit straight into a bus after the game is a good solution. As we entered the environs of Portsmouth with all the side roads blockaded by police, we had an almost unique experience of travelling on roads with no traffic and even passing through red traffic lights. It was almost like being royalty except the greeting from locals along the route was rather different! I would definitely be willing to do this again although, hopefully, we will be in different leagues next season.

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