Shrimpsvoices

Read with interest the piece on p40 of Shrimpscene about family areas. It says "Attendances in family areas at Christie Park has grown signifcantly on last season"

Where exactly is the family area??

I've taken my sons to Christie Pk for a few years now, and we've tried various areas of the ground, but I know not of any designated family area where 'the eradication of abusive language' is being aimed for.

I saw that. Looked like a bit of Cut, Paste and insert name of Football club propaganda to me.

I noticed some family area signs on the segregation fencing between christie away end and the away area in the main stand.

In the new stadium, why don't we try having the 'fourth stand' as the family stand (ie where the car wash is now), so that they have their own recognised place to stand/sit with other families (rather than the current bits and bobs dotted all over the place), and each stand will have its own identity. Could also help stop the likely effect after a couple of years of about 50 or 100 people, if that, going in that stand a la the car wash at the minute.

Gnasher wrote:I noticed some family area signs on the segregation fencing between christie away end and the away area in the main stand.

Don't think anybody is allowed to stand there and especially not families.

Most grounds do have a designated area...we clearly don't which means my kids have to endure swearing wherever we go. Mind you they're used to it now.

Very important point. When we move to the new stadium, three of the four sides are a "given", i,e, home supporters end, away supporters end, the main stand for season ticket holders, directors, the press and some capacity for away supporters, but what about the fourth side? What do other teams do? is it just anybody can go on that side or do some teams have a definite strategy: family area? or half home/half away or what@ Perhaps the directors might have a view on this.

its not propaganda mark
its official league two news mate
we have to include these major positive stories all clubs have to promote the positive aspects
part of our remit mate
not propoganda
something in that message is worthy of a promotion
the bay sponsor a family area in the main stand and have done for quite some time now

Rochdale had a section of their stand behind the goal for families while the away fans were opposite the main stand. I felt it game them the advantage of having their own fans behind the goals in both halves.

the bay sponsor a family area in the main stand and have done for quite some time now[/quote]

Didn't know that Sean...where is it...do they do family tickets?

Agree the new ground could certainly benefit from a family stand. I know that passions run high at times at a game and thats how it should be but i am amazed at the kind of bad language being used by people who really should know better. i feel that if a family was to visit for the first time they would be put off from returning as stewards dont appear to be bothered and i havent seen anyone asked to tone it down. Bringing kids to the game will be the future lifeblood of the club and they should be encouraged to come along and be passionate about the game without being bombarded with every obscenity under the sun. Swearing has its place and its certainly not at a family club. Gripe over

Shrimpsscene wrote:its not propaganda mark
its official league two news mate
we have to include these major positive stories all clubs have to promote the positive aspects
part of our remit mate
not propoganda
something in that message is worthy of a promotion
the bay sponsor a family area in the main stand and have done for quite some time now

Sean

My tongue was in my cheek mate, but seeing as you responded.

Official League Two news it may be but when you leave a line such as 'Insert some local flavour here, some examples shown below' it would seem a little contrived.

We may have signs up saying Family Area, but we dont promote it as a family area, you cant buy tickets specifically as a family area and a Director of the club told me himself that 'we dont have a family area, the whole ground is a family area'

So how we can say 'Attendances in family areas at Christie Park have grown significantly on last season' I dont know.

I am fully behind the 'Enjoy The Match' campaign (dont forget its my kids that the morons boo every week) but if we are going to put information to the fans of this club, it should be accurate surely?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda

If I remember right even Altrincham used to have a small family stand in the corner of their mainstand just to the side of the away end.

The side terrace should be a family stand. I think it should be seated too as that would encourage more families along. Have 25 quid family tickets available on the turnstile and watch the stand fill with lots of new faces.

Personally I wouldn't like to bring kids in the north stand. The language can be pretty blue at times. I can't see it ever disappearing as it is part and parcel of football, so better to have designated spot for mum and dad to take their sprogs.

I sit in the main stand with my 10 year old son and we hear plenty of working class slang regularly, also the occasional bit of , should we say, anglo saxon chanting from both the home and away ends.

My children go to Ripley and Greatwood, and on sometimes come home repeating bad language,
I think expecting to wrap kids up in cotton wool at a league football ground is a bit unrealistic!!

POO HAPPENS!

PUNKISDEAD wrote:I sit in the main stand with my 10 year old son and we hear plenty of working class slang regularly, also the occasional bit of , should we say, anglo saxon chanting from both the home and away ends.

My children go to Ripley and Greatwood, and on sometimes come home repeating bad language,
I think expecting to wrap kids up in cotton wool at a league football ground is a bit unrealistic!!

POO HAPPENS!

With my 9 year old who goes to a church school, I explained to him early on that he'll hear "terracetalk" ie words that he should not repeat. He accepted this and does not repeat words he hears.

We have to be realistic about bad language of course, and though we may choose not to use it ourselves, we have to respect the right of the families to be able to attend football and not hear abuse at referees , managers, and worst of all players.

The respect campaign is a good thing, there's not enough respect in our society and once kids pick up these messages at football grounds, it's only a small step for them to begin abusing teachers, police officers and the like away from the grounds.

Aal wrote:We have to be realistic about bad language of course, and though we may choose not to use it ourselves, we have to respect the right of the families to be able to attend football and not hear abuse at referees , managers, and worst of all players.

The respect campaign is a good thing, there's not enough respect in our society and once kids pick up these messages at football grounds, it's only a small step for them to begin abusing teachers, police officers and the like away from the grounds.

Why is it "worst" to abuse players, more so than referees? I would think it's worse to abuse them because both sides fans do it on a regular basis!

I agree that the Respect Campaign is a good thing but I think there is a far greater leap to be made from hearing swearing at football to being abusive towards teachers or police officers. When I was a kid watching football, not only did I hear the swearing, but if a coloured player was on the pitch, there would be racist comments too, but I didn't abuse a teacher. Football has moved on a great deal and is far more inclusive a sport than it has ever been.