absolute rubbish most serious crowd trouble since 2000. In no way would I condone the behaviour of some of our fans but to say we are getting dragged into accusations of this proportion is ludicrous. The difference between our fans and fev fans in my experience was we were jubilant and chanting on our big day for banter with the fev fans. Whereas they were acting more like football yobs and intimidating Halifax fans, not all but big groups of fev fans were far too drunk to act responsibly even hours before kick off. The fev fans were waiting around after the game looking to take their venom out on the fax who after such drama were obviously in high spirits maybe winding fevs fans up a little too much but I don't recall us wating around looking to fight barrow fans last year!"!!!!!!!!!!!

The policing & organisation of the event was disgraceful. This stadium shouldn't be used again if they can't treat us all equally and as RL fans not football chav fans.
Video-ing us outside a pub pre-match, what's all that about ?

lol I noticed that, way way over the top, 99% of the trouble was Fev fans not fax fans, yet I feel we are getting tarnished with the same brush in the media and its not on.

I dont recall any away fans coaches leaving the shay getting glassed, bricked or the fans abused or grown fax fans trying to board away fans coaches starting fights.

Videoing is usually for protection as much as catching culprits Col. If Fev fans started trouble with the Fax Fans being filmed, they'd have been caught. Also, the Police will see from the video evidence they have, that they'll have few problems with Fax fans at future games.

I think the guy is right in saying it was the blackest of Sundays in Recent Times (since 2000 ie 10 years ago!). He was talking in relation to the announcement of the Death of Newton just hours before the game, and the trouble at the game, along with the Fax Fan who is in Hospital. Seems pretty black to me!

Fax fans can hold their head up high, but it doesn't stop it being a black day.

For me a lot of the problems on Sunday were caused by the poor standard of policing and stewarding. They seemed more intent on preventing supporters enjoying the occasion than they did in policing the event.

For instance why was there such a police presence in front of the stand after the game.What were they there for? It was as though they thought they needed to keep our players and fans apart. Why? We'd just won the grand final FFS.
I didn't see any police on the walk back to the car. Or controlling the traffic to aid peoples route back to the motroway.

The use of police dogs on the pitch was a complete overkill and only served to make every Halifax fan on the pitch feel like a hooligan.

Why were we asked to vacate the stand for a second time? The only explanation (From Sky) I've heard is that there was an unpleasant smoke smell. SO WHAT! Where will we all be on November the 5th?

Why were the Police & Stewards so intent on making the lads at the back of the stand sit down. Did they really need to start throwing people out for standing up?

For me the main party with explanations to make about their behaviour on Sunday is the Police. It was as though they were intent on provoking boistrous fans into a confrontation so they could take action and be seen to be doing something. Very poor in my opinion.

So you want more & less police at the same time? Hmmm... how dare they not guard the women's toilets in case anyone was in need of a Fag and had nowhere to put it out!

Not balming any set's of fans and obviously it seem's police could of been better in the car park but whatever happened Sunday was a dark day in RL simple as that, how can a fire, poor guy in a coma, fans being shown live on SKY (Free for the day to some) on a pitch inciting others whilst they try to get on the pitch to retaliate not be considered as trouble? When you are in an all seater stand you have to sit due to health and safety and remember why fans were in their in the first place!

With respect anyone can hide behind 'bad policing' and too much beer but also need to take responsibity for their actions. Hopefully this will soon pass, but when you consider action taken against other clubs on certain matters, it may not be the end of it across board!

So after both fans baited each other in the stands and someone set the stand on fire you think they'd just leave? I understand the need for more outside just making the point of why they must of felt required inside as well... as they are at any major game!

The fans were singing their songs as you would expect at any final. Are you aware there were no arrests made at the ground? Hardly Green St is it?

I may have missed the results of the fire investigation but was the fire definately started by a Halifax fan as you keep inferring?

You seem to know a lot about the days events. Were you there?

Exactly so the police their did there jobs



Don't recall implying that anywhere? Incident treated as arson though so it was someone in that stand regardless of who they supported!

I give in.

You have to make a point first! The police in the ground were clearly required given what happened and good on them for dealing with thinks with no arrests? Whether their should of been more situated immune car park is another matter!

The fev fans reacted the way they did becuase of the pathetic tannoy system, nobody head that there was a fire and thought it was a pitch invasion. The Halifax fans reacted the way they did because of the reaction of the Fev fans. Can people please stop merging a few incidents into one massive riot. It could quite easily be much worse if the Police and Stewards weren't there to stop the Fev fans from getting onto the pitch.

I only saw one piece of violence the entire day and that was the assault on David. I spent four hours in pubs around the ground with Fev fans and there was nothing but good banter. Thats what I will choose to remember.

The articles was posted on the Warrington group a couple of days ago and I made the point that parts of it were sensational journalism. The fans were not separated by police dogs. One police dog handler was brought onto the pitch "just incase". If I remember correctly he also seems to state as fact in his articles things which can only be suspicision. Anybody reading his article would think there were only Halifax and Fev supporters their at the time. This guy is a respected rugby journalist but looks like he let himself down this time.

As regards the tannoy system, this is something that the club will obviously be looking into BUT other spectators have said that they heard the announcements and I was at the game and TBH... there was that much smoke it doesnt take much more than 2+2 does it. Perhaps linked to the point below, the one thing I noticed on Sunday was that there was a lot more "RFL...final...woopy..doo" stuff on the tannoy system than would be normal at a Wolves game.

As regards the "second evacuation" of the stand the story Ive heard (maybe right/maybe wrong but it doesnt surprise me) is the RFL told the club to put the fans back into that stand. The club didnt want to (incase of secondart flare ups) and it was only when the club got backing from the fire officers that the RFL relented.

All the incidents etc around the weekend will be being looked into by police, club, RFL, Local Authority etc and I suspect at this point in time no one single organisation out of those closest to it will know everything that happened so 9500 fans each veiwing it from their own viewpoint have got no chance.

I thought the police and stewards did alright with the handling of the evacuation etc from my point of view up until we were told to go back into the stand only to go along the pitch to the new stand (still not sure why that was).

The only problem then was they were needlessly on edge and a bit emotional when we were safely in the new stand. To not let a few players or Matt Calland speak to their families etc was stupid and caused a bit of tension...then they let them do it at the other end of the stadium to our other fans! So there was clearly no rule saying they had to.

Also the police are a bit 'stuck up'. A few said they didn't handle it very well as they went back into the stand. Rather than the police just smiling and going 'alright then' and letting them carry on peacefully back in, they have to stamp their authority and drag them to one side and say 'how dare you speak to me like that'. If the general public reacted that way and dragged each other to one side for criticism (however just) there'd be rioting everyday. The police set a bad example in that case.

Btw I heard the announcement clear as day 'please evacute the stand...can the ref please stop the game' etc.

Been some right drival written about the day. Hope we can show some class now and let the Police and Fire Brigade deal with there investigations. Some words to abide by :- Class, dispassionate, context, facts.
Lets not get dragged down to the level of some idiots that were not stood in our shoes and are only interested in making noises for their own benefits. We can defend our club and reputation as fans without being as sensationalist as reporters, journalists and people that were not with us.
Best wishes once again to David and family.

I am sorry to read yet again a RL club official try deflect the blame away from themselves.
There was NO WAY the Fax fans being on the pitch was the cause of the trouble after the game and sadly Daves attack. Yes it got a bit hot for a liitle while when the Fev fans rushed towards us and then with some gesticulating going on by a few fans of both sides but the trouble was solely because Fev LOST.
Accept it, SOME Fev fans and I stress some could not take defeat and acted like football hooligans and wanted to 'quieten us', I felt very intimidated going back to my coach.

Exactly, it was only the some that have ruined it for everyone. Jeez, it's like being at school again! When will these spanners learn that because of their idiocy the whole game of RL has been brought into disrepute?


When we were making our on to the pitch I could see a few of our support had gone over chant at the Fev fans which I thought may have sparked things off.

However, looking at the replay on SKY you can clearly see a section of the Fev support start streaming down the steps from the back of their stand before any of our lot had made it anywhere near them.

If the roles were reversed and I saw their fans going on to the pitch my first thought would not be, I know let's run on as well!

Reading elsewhere, the only reason there were stewards in that area and stopped most them entering the pitch area was because they were chucking out some Fev fans for having a go at the section of the York support.

And as for the fire, well yes our fans were the majority in number but that still doesn't prove it was one of us.

Where ever you read it was talking rubbish. The reason that the stewards were there is because that where they were stationed by the club. The southstand at the HJ is also the most "heavily stewarded" quite simple because it has the most fans on a regular basis. Given that "nobody knew what was going on", the reason the steards were in place to stop fans coming onto the pitch for agro is that they were ready because they are trained to look for and be observant for anything. There's a reason they watch the crowd/stands and not the game!

I was one of those fans thrown out for standing!
We paid for standing tickets, cos we wanted to stand and watch the game. When moved we thought the best place to go would be to the back of the stand so we didnt ruin anybodys view by standing, which we did! And the got nothing but hassel from those numptys in florescent jackets! Until eventually they started chucking us out one by one. Managed to sneak back in just after Ben Black won it though







Cant wait for Fev home fixture in March.

(sorry if this post is a little late, have only just discoverd this forum)

Why can't you wait

Beat me to it.

I was going to ask why he couldnt wait?????????

There is obviously going to be a bit of tension but I hope nobody is stupid when the two teams meet!

On the tele as well. Could kill our Super League bid stone dead

No... You have completely misread that. The game is obviously going to be one of the best of the season. And the atmosphere will be electric! I want the bid to go well as much as you guys and am hoping nothing happens to jepordise that! Don't know if it will be peacefull though judging by the events and actions of the fev fans after and before the game. And for the record it wasn't a minority of fev fans it was the majority! I witnessed several unprovoked incidents against fax fans. Think emotions will be running quite high and there will be a lot of tension.