FC Voices wish to thank all those who helped in the investigation into several problems that arose last year on our trip to the Catalan Dragons.

Following several fans giving statements the group has been able to help instigate an investigation into the complaints which has been conducted by the RFL.

This has now been concluded and the RFL has now agreed that the following information can be released for the guidance of fans who had problems last season and those who are to make the trip in the future. Thanks again to everyone who helped with the investigation.

Venue - Gilbert Brutus Stadium Perpignan.

Date - Saturday 15th May 2010

Investigator - Neil Robinson RFL Match Commissioner

A summary of recommendations are listed below:

Recommendations regarding the overcrowding issue are as follows.

These recommendations are made in the knowledge that new covered seating will be available for the exclusive use of the visiting spectators for 2011. Evolution should ensure that these potentially dangerous scenes are never repeated.

a) Catalan Dragons should receive a written warning regarding their failure to ensure Hull spectators were able to take their allocated seating on 15th May 2010.

b) There is sufficient evidence to prove that the Gradin Nord Stand was overcrowded and that spectator tickets were not checked on entry. This is easily proved by the fact that one of the spectators who took the photographs of the overcrowding from within the stand was not in possession of a ticket for that particular stand. There is ample evidence from six credible witnesses to prove that there was no check on tickets. Catalan Dragons should receive a formal warning regarding their failure to ensure a particular stand was overcrowded. This is clearly in breach of their ground safety certificate.

c) Catalan Dragons do not appear to operate a seat allocation policy and if they wish continue with this policy the seating should therefore be unallocated up to the maximum number permitted in any particular stand.

d) Catalan Dragons should ensure that proper ticket checks are made of all persons entering a particular stand.

e) Catalan Dragons should be encouraged to use multi lingual speakers in areas where visiting fans are likely to congregate, and also be encouraged to make selected public address announcements in English.

f) Catalan Dragons must ensure that only female members of staff and involved in searching of female spectators.

g) To ensure that these recommendations are carried out the Investigator will be appointed as Match Commissioner for the corresponding fixture in 2011.

It is hoped that the ground re-development will eradicate any possibility of a repeat of these scenes at any future fixture at this venue.

All Match Commissioners who attended fixtures at this venue subsequent to the investigation were given a briefing note regarding the above issues. There were no further incidents in 2010

Chant quickly

Catalan , reasonable prices
Catalan , reasonable prices
Matalan , reasonable prices

Hi Guys,

What actually happened last year was everyone was split up, some in South Gradin and some in the North Gradin, everyone wanted to be together, so they over powered the security and then took other supporters seats in the North!!!

Now where this fell down also was the sign posting on both stands , this was in existent and everyone was confused , so on the Monday i went to the Dragons office to explain at what happened. Straight after this the problem had been rectified.

Just to state, all tickets are computerised on a stadium plan , i actually get to see this and when i buy tickets they print out the exact seats and numbers we have asked for, then this comes up as sold and not possible to print tickets, so over selling is not possible .


Cheers
Dave