Apologies

Here's my take on things:

There was a gang of around 20 'men' behind the posts that were intent on causing trouble and started kicking off about ten minutes before the end, they can be seen on one of the videos pushing and shoving at the stewards. They threw a couple of advertising boards and one bloke tried to push one of the stewards into gang of 'fans' which is nothing but sly.

There were more than enough stewards to deal with the situation but they failed to do so, I was sat in the East Stand and the four or five in front of me looked like door security staff, when the problems started occurring behind the posts it would have made sense to send these over rather than leaving what looked like 50+ year old men to deal with the s.

As was said it started to go wrong early on when, with only a small police presence, the Castleford team bus was pelted. There were far too many people drinking outside the pub, which wasn't to blame as every drink was served in a plastic glass, but the supermarket 50 yards away was happily selling cases of bottles and cans to everyone in sight, some of these were what were used as missiles. Also a lot of those outside the pub had been drinking in Widnes from around 8am when Wetherspoons opened.

I was the person on another thread that mentioned the steward being butted, this for me was the worst thing that happened that day and I hope the stadium cctv picked it up.

The steward in question was probably the most cheery and helpful steward I have seen at a game for years, he was laughing and joking with people while doing his job, he helped an old couple up the stairs, which is beyond his call of duty, and I had made my mind up I was going to thank him at the end of the game and praise him for his efforts on the day.

With about five minutes to go, when the ones by the posts started kicking off, a bloke came down the front of the stand in front of us and wanted to go and join in, the steward told him to return to his seat at which point the Widnes fan attacked the steward and butted him. Another couple of stewards restrained the man and started leading him to behind the stand when a couple of his mates went and grabbed him and he ran back into the stand.

I know a lot of people in Widnes, both from the games and around town, but sadly did not recognise any of them involved in this so can't report them.

There were a lot of things wrong on the day that, in hindsight, should have been controlled in a better manner, but the blame still has to fall solely on the two groups of Widnes supporters that instigated the trouble, the ones behind the posts goading the stewards/police and the ones who entered the field of play.

For them I can only apologise to every other rugby league fan in the country.

I hope that Castleford go on to win the cup this year just so those fans, who showed great restraint, get to celebrate a victory in the right manner as our 'fans' ruined your moment you had waited so long for the other day.