Stewards - Plan B Please.

[homerj]

once again last sunday, the kerry fans were subjected to an attempt by croke park officials to keep us off the field. aint it about time that they grew a brain and realised that no matter what they do, they will not keep us or indeed any fans off the pitch after big games in croker? i am of the opinion that they are infact, creating a higher risk of injury by puttin up human barriers. people are going to get onto the field no matter what they try. Im surprised in this day and age that they keep taking the risk of trying to stop people. The latest on this is that they are going to try put up a fence if this continues to happen. so now, we will go from the safest world class stadium in the world, to one where we have to (and will) climb over fences to get onto the pitch. Lads a HQ, get a grip and get realistic please, before somebody gets hurt. thoughts please?

[Walter Mitty]

Agree fully with you.....they may as well leave everyone on the pitch.....for insurance purposes, surely they can simply put a note on the ticket saying that you enter the pitch at your own risk??

[kerrydoc]

agree totally. its part of what makes the day so special, would hate to see it abolished. next tehyll be segregating the fans

[wayupnorth]

After the Monaghan match when I was in the front row of the Cusack a steward lifted up a flimsy bit of plastic in front of me. I told him not to bother because Kerry people only want to get onto the pitch after we have won the final.

And so it was. During Plan A the stewards were told quite reasonably by the crowd that they wouldn't have kept the Dubs off the pitch.

I think there should be an acceptance that the supporters will get on the pitch after the final and safety plans adapted accordingly. Supporters should keep off the patch after all other matches.

[Aine]

Plan A is a joke because everyone knows the fans will get on the pitch anyway so why do they bother with it. I agree that there is a higher risk of injury when the stewards try to stop people and that plastic orange net causes tempers to rise when they insist on putting it up before the final whistle.

[kingdomkerry]

Its traditional for a pitch invasion after all ireland finals. Walls or barriers wont make a difference. What would of kept the Limerick or Dublin fans off the pitch if they won all irelands this year??

[kerrygold]

where i was looking after the match the stewards seemed to have very little interest in putting up the orange plastic netting,infact they didnt even reach down for it.

[kerryman]

There was a buffoon in a suit at the bottom of the hill trying and failing to stop the flow. If people started pushing from the back it would've been just dangerous.

Imagine if we'd all to watch Declan speech from the stands and terrace. Ridiculous.

[buck02]

The stewards have to make some attempt to stop people getting onto the pitch after a game. Between the extra work that has to be done to the pitch and injuries occuring to people trying to get onto the pitch it costs the GAA approx. €100k per pitch invasion. Unfortunately I can see a time in the future where the GAA will decide to put fences around the stands and terrace to stop fans getting onto the pitch.

[Deleted]

buck02 said:

The stewards have to make some attempt to stop people getting onto the pitch after a game. Between the extra work that has to be done to the pitch and injuries occuring to people trying to get onto the pitch it costs the GAA approx. €100k per pitch invasion. Unfortunately I can see a time in the future where the GAA will decide to put fences around the stands and terrace to stop fans getting onto the pitch.

€100K per pitch invasion its costs the GAA is bull.
Thats pure HQ propaganda. Maybe I missed it but I don't recall many injuries from over the years.

[homerj]

simple as this, if fans are told that they enter the field at their own risk, then insurance claims should not be an issue. the injuries are as a result of the pushing and crushing that come as a result of the initial refusal to let people on.

[ardfertnarrie]

buck02 said:

The stewards have to make some attempt to stop people getting onto the pitch after a game. Between the extra work that has to be done to the pitch and injuries occuring to people trying to get onto the pitch it costs the GAA approx. €100k per pitch invasion. Unfortunately I can see a time in the future where the GAA will decide to put fences around the stands and terrace to stop fans getting onto the pitch.

I'm sorry but thats complete ballsology.

Perhaps they could save money by not hiring all those stewards in the first place.

[buck02]

ardfertnarie said:

buck02 said:

The stewards have to make some attempt to stop people getting onto the pitch after a game. Between the extra work that has to be done to the pitch and injuries occuring to people trying to get onto the pitch it costs the GAA approx. €100k per pitch invasion. Unfortunately I can see a time in the future where the GAA will decide to put fences around the stands and terrace to stop fans getting onto the pitch.

I'm sorry but thats complete ballsology.

Perhaps they could save money by not hiring all those stewards in the first place.

So whats the alternative lads. With 5 minutes to go in an all ireland final open the gates in the Hill and let all the fans onto the pitch behind the goals. That seems to be what ye're saying.

Where accidents & injuries occur at sporting, music, social events then they are investigated and fingers pointed as to how and why they occurred and what can be done to prevent them occurring again. When somebody breaks an ankle when 20,000 people try to rush onto a pitch in Croke Park in the space of 2 or 3 minutes then the people in charge have to be asked why they let it happen.

They said the smoking ban wouldnt work and that we'd always need signposts in miles. Times change, perhaps peoples opinion on pitch invasions should too.

Its all fine giving out about it but when you dont come up with a possible alternative it makes your opinion somewhat flawed.

We didnt invade the pitch in 2000, it didnt ruin the day for me.

[tabbyie]

I was on the pitch on All Ireland final day. There's nothing like going right up to your team to congratulate them.

Agreed it can be dangerous but at the same time it has been the tradition of fans for generations.

The presentation in 2000 was very disappointing as the fans couldn't get close to their heroes. The tradition of the pitch invasion should be plan A for any All Ireland final

[JOAN]

With high and continuing cost of Insurance they are going to have to stop it. Its reality simple facts..it is dangerous dont know how it will be done but it is an issue.

[homerj]

croke park is one of the safests stadiums in the world. getting onto the pitch is easy if people are let do so in an orderly manner.the reason people get injured is because of the initial crush and subsequent rush, that follows the delay caused by the stewards trying to stop people getting on.

[austinstacksabu]

One word folks: Insurance.

Croke Park Teoranta are absolutely fleeced for public liability insurance every year, and they have to put these measures in place to at least demonstrate that they are taking all steps possible to prevent injuries to people.

On average they get three legitimate compensation claims for every pitch incursion.

[Aine]

buck02 said:

Unfortunately I can see a time in the future where the GAA will decide to put fences around the stands and terrace to stop fans getting onto the pitch.

...and they will be climbed over like they were before.

[buck02]

homerj said:

getting onto the pitch is easy if people are let do so in an orderly manner.

I can just see it after the all ireland next year. 10,000 trying to get onto the pitch from the hill saying to each other "After you kind sir", "No I insist, after you".

[martym]

My one act of rebellion every year is Jumping thoes stupid nets they put up . Buck the fences are not coming back. Insurance claims and the associated costs are part of life and no excuse . GAA fans need to be treated with respect and left enjoy the moment of victory . What is the nature of thoes claims every quotes ?.

[dstar10]

martym said:

My one act of rebellion every year is Jumping thoes stupid nets they put up . Buck the fences are not coming back. Insurance claims and the associated costs are part of life and no excuse . GAA fans need to be treated with respect and left enjoy the moment of victory . What is the nature of thoes claims every quotes ?.

u are spot on every year we as gaa fans are losing little segments of what d gaa is all about d ordinary joe soaps who want to bask in their teams glory what difference does it make if we go on d field. d gaa hierarchy should remember its us d dedicated fans who contributed greatly to d building of croke park. to hell with all d burocracy and get back to basics.

[Tackle Hard]

yeah stewards should just leave us onto the field its way more dangerous not to!

[austinstacksabu]

So, here is a possible scenario Shane.

In purchasing a ticket in future, you will agree to the terms and conditions of Pairc An Crocaigh Teoranta. One such term is that, should you encroach onto the pitch, the operating company of the stadium are not liable for any injuries or loss of belongings that may occur.

You are let onto the pitch surface without any problems, and are walking along at a nice canter. Suddenly you slip on a greasy spot, where a player was medically treated during the preceeding two to three games that day, with a back spray and some gel rub. You fall badly and crack your knee cap on the hard surface as you fall.

As there is a multitude of people now walking / running onto the pitch, you are unable to get assistance for a number of minutes, the medical service being held back as people make their way onto the pitch.

You eventually get attention and are brought to hospital in an ambulance. You have to have surgery on the knee and are released from hospital (Mater) on the Tuesday. There follows a course of anti inflamatories and six weeks of rehab.

When all medical and associated costs (can't drive, taxi to work etc) are added in, the incident costs you $7,500. But you have accepted the terms of the company in purchasing the ticket.

You decide to challenge it in court, but after another $10,000 in legal bills, you lose the case because, well the terms and conditions were laid out on the ticket.

Now, would you prefer that, or the ability, though a little slower because the stewards have to manage an impossible situation, to run onto the pitch knowing that 95% of injuries caused on the pitch will be covered by insurance?

[animal]

Rock of sense as ever ASA.

[kerrygold]

i wonder have we created a monster by trying to keep people of pitch in the first place,it has become an issue now where as before people saunted on with little said.

are we continuing to erode our irishness and traditions built up over time, as long as the cows have being brought in to be milked.Pitch invasions are part of out heritage going back over the decades in every little parish in ireland on county final day.Its part of the make up of gaelic games in our country.

take a look around,our irishness is fast evaporating,the small corner shop,the small country pub,indeed even town pubs,the small fisherman,the small guest house are all dying a death all around us to be replaced by aldi,tesco the travel lodge etc,were becoming franchised and losing our irish identity quickly.God help us take a look at the plight of the small irish farmer,a living on the land has now become a pipe dream,now its a part time existance funded by reps 4 and eu payments.

tourists have come in their droves in years gone by to sample our irishness,thats fast changing,so we now want to stop people coming onto the pitch on all-ireland final day,i'd hate to be the stewards standing against the raw emotions of the armagh people in 2002,whats next,people sitting in croker like robots in their sunday suits allowed 5 chants per game,munching on mc donalds,burger king,dunkon donuts and sipping some new elaborate coffee franchise in their nice neat cups in their seats as they watch the game, while slipping in a nice neat orderly fashion off down into the bowels of croker to next,beneton,marks an sparks,harry corry,atlantic home care,dixons to do a spot of shopping on the credit card at half time.

give me a break,protect our irishness our identity our heritage our traditions our love of gaelic games,why bottle the raws emotions of vast numbers of people on all-ireland final when their county wins their first ever ireland and want to sing in the rain under the sacret hogan stand steps in an orderly circle.Why deprive the faithful the hair raising shiver down the spine as they inhale the emotion of dara or paidi deliver their speech in their native tongue to the masses below looking up with tears in their eyes and opened mouths of awe.

The gaa,croker,all-ireland final day,representing the small parishes all make up our footballing souls,for some pitch invasions are an intergral part of those days,find a safe way of protecting what we have,the access gates on to croker are far too narrow to promote safety in the event of an imergency.

[diehard]

Still bottom line is that they are dangerous. Gettin on the field is only one of those dangers. What happens if something goes wrong on the field. They may be part of our culture but so was smoking in pubs once upon a time. Its time to have a mature attitude about. Things have to change

[austinstacksabu]

And we don't have to lose any of that tradition KG if we just accept that the stewards are there to do a job, and we need to be mindful of the job they are doing.