P.S. I`ve no doubt there were a million and one more arguments that took place yesterday, between "Both" sets of fans, but none of which were worthy of making any of either sets of fans out to be "Thugs"!! I`m simply "Sick To Death" of certain posters, from all clubs, trying to liken Rugby League Fans to football fans, whenever a game takes place, (and generally its the same posters time and time again)![sizeWe should be proud of our game and our fans, rather than "Constantly trying to drag them down to the level of the round ball game"!![/size

We were in the upper tier and were completely unaware of any trouble. For the second year, we spent most of our day from 9am, drinking in wetherspoons, then at the ibis, then the stadium, with good beer, and great banter with opposition fans, without seeing a problem. Baring in mind, the amount of fans I came into contact with, posing for pictures with exceptionally (equally) drunk Leeds fans, I had nothing but another fantastically drunken, happy final. Just a counter argument for the doom mongers.....

I take it you`re the same rogues that takes to calling professional Rugby League players "Soft"!! (See the Saints Forum)! If so i would be "Astounded" if you are older than 15 yrs of age, as no adult, (or ex player), would dream of coming out with a statement such as this!!

Have to agree, Leeds fans were a "credit to our game" on Saturday!!!

That is pretty close to the day that most had. I don't think it's 'doom mongers'. Rugby has changed from the game I started watching in the 80's, when fighting was a regular occurrence. I for one hope that the events in block 109 are never repeated, but simply saying that we should all hold hands and share a few beers and banter won't prevent it. Something needs to be done.

My brother in law has never been to a Rugby match in his life, and knows nothing about the game. He's never been to Wembley, or any large sporting event. When I told him there were 30 young Leeds fans all drinking beer in the Warrington end, he ed himself laughing. I still would like to know how this happened. I don't mean this as a slur on the Leeds fans, given the reverse, the outcome would have been the same.

To be fair, there were quite a few Leeds fans in and around us, clearly in the wire end. It didn't cause any problems, barring a few moans when we went clear. Then again, I rarely see trouble anywhere at rugby. There is clearly an underlying minority problem, but nowhere near the scale some would have us believe.

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"There is clearly an underlying minority problem, but nowhere near the scale some would have us believe.'"

Walking back to the car after the game several Leeds fans congratulated us, not too entusiastically, but a muted well done non the less. I was very inmpressed with the way thier fans and thier players conducted themselves, considering the result. However, scale is irrelevant, when it kicks off near your four year old daughter attending her first game. This 'underlying minority problem' needs to be dealt with.

Im sorry but the above statement is absolute rubbish

Below Ive requoted the post ( or essay ) that I posted this morning on another topic and also on the Virtual Terrace so apologies to anyone whos read it before)

Can you please tell me what else other than thugs should these individuals from Leeds be known as.

And the frightening thing was, i do not believe that alcohol was the major cause of the problem. The problem was that these individuals from Leeds were twith the intention of starting a fight. It didnt matter with whom, male or female, old or young. I have not seen that kind of intent since the black days of the mid to late 80s.

So please fucitolbladderwrack but in this case you are badly wrong. This incident was not a petty squabble or minor argument. When small children are being hit in the face with a plastic cup half full of ale its a touch more serious than that.

And by the way.

Am i proud of the sport rugby league - yes
Am i as proud of rugby league tonight as I was on Saturday morning - not quite


Original post :
With regards to the trouble in the right hand corner of the Warrington end ( block 109 ) can I say that the Leeds "supporters" in that block ( approx rows 4 to 12 ) were an absolute disgrace. They were mostly in their 20s but ranged up to I'd guess 40 years old

I was sat approx 5 rows right behind them.

Can I thank them for showering my 68 year old parents with beer on at least 3 occasions ( along with their friend who came to his first game of rugby for 30 years ).

Can I thank them for offering my 68 year old dad out for a fight after he complained about the first of the beer showers.

Can I thank them for offering to fight a group of teenagers ( 13/14 year olds ) further a log the rows from them for having the temerity to applaud Warrington when they scored.

Can I thank them for the obscene gestures that we were subjected to from before the kick off until the time they actually decided that they had all had enough to drink and would mow like to start fighting with 10 minutes to go.

Can i thank them for hitting my wife with a plastic cup of beer

Can i thank them also for hitting the little girl about 5 rows above me in the face with a plastic cup of beer.

Can I thank them for reducing children around me to tears due to fear.

But can i also thank the moronic Warrington fans who rose to the bait thus ensuring a fight finally ensued.

A great day ruined. At the final hooter I didnt actually know the score because people were trying to calm everybody down.

To any Leeds fans sat down in this corner who obviously were not involved in this incident I apologise unreservedly for tarring you with the same brush as these morons. We had great banter with genuine Leeds supporters all day.

But to the group of Leeds "supporters" who instigated all the trouble.

You managed to spoil a great day out for hundreds of people. My wife will not attend another match if there is a chance that away fans could be mingled in with home fans ( ie Grand Final ). So thanks for that.

I do not want this brushed under the carpet or ignored because we won. I want the CC footage examined and I want to see the main instigators charged ( including the WArrington fans if necessary ). I want to see the people hurling the plastic pots filled with beer at people charged with assault. Any chance. NO.

Another solution ??

And we all feel for your predicament. If it was myself, then maybe I would have reacted in the way that sees things flare up. I'm very easy going, but not afraid to stand up and be counted when need be, but my underlying thought is always to diffuse a situation, but unfortunately some people, as you say, are already "looking for it". Alcohol or not, these are the type of idiots who genuinely scare me, never mind a child, as nothing will ever reason with them. Never mind rugby, how does society rid ourselves of this plague of uber pricks, who take so much pleasure in ruining other peoples lives? I can't see how, and it genuinely concerns me, that some retards get their kicks from threatening anyone nearby, regardless of age/sex.

I sorry, I know it's late but this is so infuriating. The reason you feel safe is that when things happen, action is taken, procedures are put in place to prevent it from happening again. Your attitude is one of being close to acceptance. Perhaps you could come and explain it to my family. I am trying not to focus on this aspect of a fantastic day, but as a father it's difficult not too. I would like to be able to assure my family that this was a one off and will never happen again. I will only be able to do this if what happened is addressed.

A very poor and infuriating answer. Should every person seated around the incident not go to another game due to the fact there was trouble. You use the term " vexed ". I also have watched the game for many years and have seen incidents that left me " vexed ". The incident yesterday did not leave people "vexed". I love the comment about not spoiling your enjoyment. Maybe 70 minutes of threats and abuse culminating in beer showers and then the full plastic cups being used as missiles may have just spoilt your enjoyment a little.

And I do not believe for 1 minute that you, with your kids with you, would have taken any more action than the people around the incident tried to. Unless you would have gone in fists flying of course.

So please stop trying to trivialise yesterday with your throwaway comments of "If you dont feel safe watching our sport, then dont go". Im pleased that you and your 3 kids obviously enjoyed your day yesterday. Im pleased that you and your 3 kids were sat nowhere near the incident so then they had no need to feel threatened or frightened.

So then you wouldnt be sitting down tonight telling them " Well kids ...Simple..... If you dont feel safe watching our sport, then dont go"

Ive supported Wolves for about 35 years and remember the days of problems in the town centre when we played Wigan. yesterday we drove down to Wembley and back and therefore not a drop of alcohol passed my lips. Did it spoil the game for me? no. Did my two daughters have their game at Wembley spoilt by the fights...quote for daughters (aged 12 and 17) "oh look at those pillocks fighting, they should just get them and kick them out". We all got beer spilt on us (mainly from middle aged blokes who were on their 7th pint by halftime) but an apology never went a miss.

With or without alcohol its the "pillocks" that spoil it for the rest of us. We have some good banter with Leeds fans on the way train back to the car. They were drunk but all good natured. The difference...the werent PILLOCKS

Lets assess the reaction to this; day one of next season....no alcohol on sale at the club and anybody appearing intoxicated will be banned from entering the ground. Will that detract from people going or make the game more appealing to those with younger families.

How about we stop having a go at the steward when the try and take action against drunks. OK, they aint our favorite people in the world but lets at least support them when they are making our game safer and more enjoyable.

The RFL/Wembley need to look at what happened in the ground on Saturday but TBH they dont give a s##t about what happens outside the event.