That does come across as a bit patronising? Bit surprised because that is not at all like you.

If the issue is that you cannot bring your own food and drink into the ground, that might have been an issue at other grounds (like Knowsley Road, as I remember very clearly) but it has never been an issue at Odsal. If there has been some change of rules, that has been sprung without any warning or notice.

But you are commenting without actually having experienced the issues that are attracting comment. Which are basically that there appears to have been a comprehensive change of staffing, with increasing reliance on "volunteers" to do jobs previously done by paid staff. And the transition has caused some issues. The ones I personally experienced were a security man buggering up the queuing for the back-of-stand bar for no good reason, and lack of trained bar staff. I suspect I would have flown off the handle had I been searched, since that is not the Bulls way. But I was not. As a positive, I was able to get a programme this week, from volunteer sellers. Change is never easy, especially when it is probably driven by trying to contain costs in the face of the Sky money confiscation.

These may be teething issues - in which case this will die down after a short period. I personally am no longer involved in any direct liaison with the club (for the first time in over 12 years), but I hope those who now ARE will ensure the issues (real or perceived) are suitably conveyed.

Over the last 40yrs the various generations of our family (like many others) have been taking flasks of tea, sandwiches, snacks, home baking to the match without any problems. I hope this can continue

If the club really wants to go down the sorry route of "can't bring your own food" then I suspect they'll lose far more goodwill than it's worth. I rarely bring anything in, and if I do it'll be a flask of coffee, but even there of course that means I won't be buying any £5 coffees. But the point here surely is that I won't be buying them anyway, and the people who are used to taking a plastic container of butties or some sausage rolls wrapped in tinfoil are really not going to spend a load of money on the overpriced burger vans, they don't want that stuff, and even if they did they would probably be so peed off they wouldn't buy anything on principle.

I don't care what other events or even other RL clubs do, going to Odsal has always been a particular family-type sort of event and this does include the leaving alone of the own-butty-munchers. Barring them from bringing their own is like saying that if you're hungry, then tough, buy from a concession or else do without. It is up to the concession to offer a product at a price that such customers would willingly pay.

I would make an exception for alcoholic drinks, up to a point, for the simple reason that the club needs to have control over whether or not to serve any more alcohol to any given individual and obviously if they're drinking their own, you lose that.

I can totally understand that and as I said, IMO it was "a fair cop". The discussion with steward A was perfectly amicable. The problem arose when steward B 'sneaked' behind me and started pulling at the zip of my bag without my consent.

Well I'll be down at Odsal at the weekend to see the whole thing for myself. Maybe it is different this year, but we have been searched before at other grounds.

It tends to ebb and flow. Usually if there are new staff they are going to be a bit keener to stick to the rules.

Back at KR we where hardly ever searched, but on the odd occasion they have had a search of my mum's bag, with enough spare tissues for the north stand. It occours more so at GF's and CC finals. Which has been amusing as they rummaged through our bag of torn paper for throwing at the entrance of the teams.

But in the end they are there to do a job and if they are being sticklers for the rules, then so long as they are polite then it's not an issue.

I have taken soft drinks in before. So was not trying to be patronising, but if someone tells me I can't bring x,y, or z in, then that's pretty much all there is to it. I'm not going to kick up a stink over a can of coke.

I recall during particular search situation where they where not bothered about the drinks going in, just the plastic bottle caps? I'm not sure what damage can be done by a plastic bottle cap? But off they all came. Strangely when we got inside the ground there were lots of TRY / NO TRY signs, that where fashioned into paper planes. I always thought that it was a bit strange to disarm you on the way in, then rearm you with something a bit more lethal.

You could chuck plastic bottle tops at me all day without much damage, but a plane in the eye is going to hurt.

Anyway I'm sure it will be fine. Bradford has always been a good day out, I even enjoyed the A-team venture back in the day.

Is it just bags - or is it a full pat down??? Just a thought - deep pockets.

You are missing the point.

Its not the rules, per se.

Its the unannounced changes - real and perceived - in both the rules and the staffing that people are raising

Exactly. What are the problems perceived, that we have never heard mention of in the last hundred years, which such changes would need to address?

I noticed immediately the new security in the ground and all I saw was them walking round being obnoxious to people, thinking they owned the place constantly dictating instructions to everyone. Walking round in gangs and being intimidating. Rugby League doesn't have the crowd trouble they are obviously use to in football. Someone should enlighten them

I think I must have been at a different game to everyone else at the weekend. I missed all this heavy handed stewarding.

I think you are rather missing the point; it isn't the cap per se but the full bottle with a cap on which they see as dangerous. I assume they believe a bottle without a cap would lose most of the liquid (ie weight) and therefore do less damage if thrown.

FWIW, and only if you promise not to throw anything, I'll tel you that I usually take a couple of spare tops with me to grounds (they are virtually totally interchangeable) and as soon as I've got past the steward I put the old top on in place of the one they took off. With the double effect that it doesn't go 'flat' or spill all over my bag.

I've occasionally wondered how the catering staff would react if I took a bottle back late in the game and complained about it being flat/had some dirt in it/spilt into my bag - chances of free replacement??

Given the millions who attend sporting arenas around the world each year, is the evil of being injured by a flying plastic bottle documented as being a serious risk that the stadia need to expend millions on, in terms of the manpower cost of ensuring no single spectator ever has a bottle with a top? Or is it just a monumental case of overkill based on a mad misinterpretation of H&S rules?

Is there research which demonstrates that the clearly heinous risk of injury is eliminated by top removal? That sounds like palpable nonsense to me, but I think we should be told.

Going back a few years (Northern were playing Widnes in a cup semi-final at Station Rd, Swinton so it was probably late seventies/early eighties) my wife had her bag searched at the turnstile by a WPC. Now she'd bought two cans of orange from the shop near home before we set off, but the WPC told her they were, "dangerous weapons" and couldn't be allowed into the ground under any circumstances -she had to drink them there and then or be thrown into the bin.

The first thing I saw on the other side of the turnstile was a stall selling "dangerous weapons", sorry, cans of orange and I admit I flipped - I went to the police control and accused the inspector of taking bribes from the stall holder (shouldn't have gone into the pub before the game....) thing is he didn't have, or wouldn't give an answer, so I, spleen vented, made my escape before he could recover from my attack on his integrity, which incidentally, he denied but didn't satisfactorily refute.

We didnt experience any of these searches or anything either! We are in the usual place on the pop side and it was just the usual one steward not doing very much...

Saying that i dont notice quite a few more stewards around the ground than normal, which seemed to be a bit over the top for RL

I have to agree with FA... we have always allowed supporters to bring food/drink and this should continue, if you want to buy at the concessions you do but if you dont want a burger then bring your own sandwiches! Just makes it much more of a family and enjoyable atmosphere!

Only thing the should regulate is alcohol IMO, you shouldnt be able to rock up to the gate if a crate under your arm, beer prices seem fair at the concessions and can be controlled to stop someone getting hammered and causing a nuissance this way!

Your nose is just out of joint cos they searched your man bag and found your bus pass, a rosette emblazoned Northern, a rattle, a spare colostomy bag and a copy of Fly Fishing by J R Hartley.

Meh. You're just miffed cos you suddenly realise there's no chance now they'd let you in

I hope nobody tries to take the flask of hot chocolate off my Dad. It's been coming with us t'match for nearly 30 years.

Keep a tight grip on your Tartan rug too.

Is it lucky?

They had better not try to take my lucky socks off me either. Mind you, if they are brave enough, good luck to them.