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.