I attended the game today with my wife and two children (under 8 ) on the back of some complimentary tickets. The game was great, the girls loved Parky Pig, the razzmatazz of the music after tries were scored and the dancing girls. The one thing that let's the west stand down is the lack of a "family" zone. The kids were distraught at the language and aggressive demeanor of a very small minority. We were sat underneath a box in the northern area of the west stand and were appalled at the language used by a group in that exec box. It was intimidating for my children who are not used to hearing that language and seeing drunken behaviour like that. Now I am not criticising the guys who we're using the exec box and some of the other fans in that area, but it would be nice if an area of the west stand was made family friendly so that families were not intimidated by groups who like to use industrial language and behave boisterously. I know we will never get the crowds in this league to justify opening the east stand but maybe making an area of the west stand family friendly will help the club attract the next generation.

Didn't the 'drunken behaviour' attract the attention of the stewards?

No

No surprise there then.

The Junior Centurions are trying to get a area of the West stand for the youngsters as my lad got a West stand ST with his JC Pack today so I think something is happening in the pipeline to create a proper family area.

It wasn't the sort of behaviour that would bother an adult that is used to attending rugby matches. I know the club is keen on attracting a bigger audience so I am just pointing out what would put families off coming to LSV.

Great that is exactly what is required. I hope it comes off and families are encouraged to go to that area when they buy tickets for games by the ticket office staff.

Open the East Stand as a Family Stand when crowds improve.

That'd cost a fortune to operate unless we were getting 3k+ a week/

There isn't a simple answer to this, bar putting a wall up and partitioning an area of the ground off.

Incorrect

I will reply on behalf of everybody who was sat in the said box, we are normally stood behind the sticks in the North Stand, (4 of us season ticket holders and a couple of new/lapsed fans) but decided that as the club has put a lot of effort in pre season, that we'd pay the extra money for the first game and make a day of it . Included in our box price of around £1000 in total was 60 pints of lager/bitter, plus another 70 bottles of Peroni/San Miguel. We play rugby at a local club, and if you put 12 rugby lads in a box with 60 pints and 70 bottles it's going to get a bit rowdy. Personally the only choice language I can recall is a chant that's used around football grounds week in week out for people that are slightly overweight.

I think our intentions were in the right place, we wanted to get the stadium singing together, but even starting off the 'Oh leiiiigh' at the start of the game was greeted with looks of disgust. I don't apologise for anything that was said, there was no racism, aggressive or provocative chanting, just rugby lads cheering on their home team.

I think kids know the language they hear at rugby games is a bit naughty sometimes,we've all stood on the terraces as kids and know what it's like, but a family section would be a good idea for the fans that don't want their children subjected to it.

I'd like to thank Rob Parker for sorting everything out in such a professional manner, the staff at the LSV for catering for anything we wanted (except the stewards that wouldn't let us stand up

), Derek Beaumount who thanked us for our vociferous support after the game and made us feel welcome from the start and invited us to come again later in the season, and Andy, who I had a long talk with after the game, things are definitely on the up here.. Genuinely one of the best days we've all had out in a long time and won't be the last time we get a box this season. Fantastic day.

I was told the end of the west stand was to become the family bit via the Junior Centurins but opening the first section of e east would be better

You make a very fair point and this should be looked at, obviously a case of people who can't behave when they have a drink

I’m not too sure it’s a case of people who can’t behave, although CW makes a valid point, to me there doesn’t seem to have been a major issue, don’t we want everyone who attends LSV to enjoy themselves, whether it’s a group of lads or a family of four.

I think it’s a great idea to have a family section, not because of what they might hear from those around them (they’ll hear worse at school) but because they will hopefully enjoy the experience more sat with other families and friends. Perhaps on Monday they’ll then go to school and tell their other friends how great it is and hopefully it’ll snowball.

As I said on another thread it was good to see more kids in the stadium but likewise its good that a group from the North Stand are willing to spend £1k plus take along some newbie’s and enjoy the experience in the boxes, so much so that they’ll be doing it again.

Well I was sat on the back row just in front of these lads and I can honestly say that I did not hear anything out of order neither was there any aggressive behaviour. OK they had been drinking and they were singing and to some that may class them as drunken louts - well they weren't!

Hi Linda,

Yes you have been told correct.

The first two blocks of the West Stand (the north west corner of the ground) have been set aside for junior centurions and community clubs. It totals around 400 seats and we want to fill them.

We've met with Sharon (from the JC) and John Duffy - and particularly when the weather gets better we'd like to see the younger element of our support in that area of the stadium with Parky, the cheerleaders etc and create something vibrant and entertaining for them. We've already invested time and money in music, dancers, flags, JC membership packs and FREE UNDER 16'S SEASON TICKETS!

Anyone who has a ticket there already and doesn't like fun or kids, get in touch and we will look after you



Yesterday was the start and we're looking for 'community matchday' sponsorship from local businesses to assist because like anything in life there is a cost associated to doing anything correctly.

Once the two blocks of the West Stand are full week in week out, we've two other stands we can look at - until then lets take sensible steps to somewhere we want to be instead of massive strides and falling over. We cannot (and I don't like that word as its defeatist) sensibly open the East Stand for a few dozen kids at present. It's too far away, lacks any atmosphere, and would cost around £1500 per game. However if anyone wants to drag 2000 schoolkids and parents from their houses a week on Sunday then you're pushing an open door with us - feel free!

We're trying to create a matchday event, an environment, not just 80 minutes of rugby. There's 'colour and identity' growing around the stadium match by match - the Centurions brand being grown each week. We've set aside a 5 figure sum for these things and by working with LSV together, the place is starting to look like our home.

It's coming together bit by bit - the whole 2014 matchday experience has been turned upside down and started again from scratch. Both Legends Bar & Touchdown Club - 3 HOME GAMES - 3 FULL HOUSES. Each game has also had a community club invited as guard of honour - from March we play half time tag rugby with them, meaning each game will have 3 community clubs represented.

Cheers

Steve

It's great that the club are looking to accommodate younger fans and engage them in enjoying there experience on match days . However can I make a suggestion?
In the north stand stewards point out that you must not stand on the yellow steps for safety reasons, to which I agree. So what about children running up and down the north stand steps away from parents plus picking up empty beer bottles to throw at each other. I would like stewards to address this as surely a youngster falling down steps is far more dangerous than standing on a yellow step!!!

Myself and the others that run the Junior Centurions have wanted a family area for a few seasons now.
We got approval of the Junior Season tickets and added them to the kids packs pretty much at the last minute, no criticism of the board there, they have had bigger fish to fry but at least we are now starting to look at the JCs as the future fans.
The idea is to have the last 2 northern sections of the West Stand to be JC/Family areas, Parky Pig will stay mostly in that area & we will try and get a little shop in the concourse selling JCs merchendise etc.
As for people swearing in the stands that's a matter for LSV stewards, we had a 10 year old kid with his mum who pleasantly was shouting at the Batley fans/players/ref aggressive abuse and foul language that I couldn't believe.
His mother should have been ashamed but was more concerned with screaming her own obscenities.

Didn't think the lads in the box did any harm,think the only time they let themselves down was during the halftime presentations but that was just them having the crack with people they knew I presume.

Regarding the kids section opening the east stand is the answer,what would it cost? 4 stewards £10 per hour?

I think sticking them in a cornor of the ground would have the reverse effect as lets be honest them seats are tosh and they would be bored sat out of the action

The answer to your question is the cost in real terms to the club would be somewhere between 1500-2k per game to open the East Stand which is not affordable on the current budget unfortunately.

Cash turnstiles please.

seems a bit excessive,seeing as the camera crew and ground staff are in that side of the ground so I presume they are being marshalled for there own safety

Interesting examples from Peanut and Jonny, OK the stewards could maybe have had a word with the swearing mother, but surely the responsibility for the kids in both examples lies with the parents. I know we want to encourage young fans to attend at all costs, but if parents can't look after their own kids they shouldn't bring them. Can't expect stewards to do the parents jobs for them, never mind the fact that if they tried to say owt to the kids they'd probably end up with angry parents in their faces.

Yeah it was exactly that mate, one of the lads in our party of 12 was handing over a cheque for £10,000 from the LCTV crew, he's put a lot of time into it over the last 12 months, but we were never going to let his moment on the field go quietly haha.