On Saturday I was stood in the South Stand, just below the screen looking out towards the 20m line. I had the misfortune to be stood directly in front of a bunch of arrogant kids about 14/15 years old.

They had been messing about throughout half time and accidentally shoved into me, at which point I looked behind me and gave them a look that said 'stop ing around and calm down'. After this point and for thirty minutes throughout the second half I was constantly harassed with them tapping me on the shoulder every two minutes, purposely nudging me in the back and annoyingly playing with my hood on the back of my coat. I tried to ignore these childish actions for about half an hour, but unfortunately there's only so much of that sort of behaviour I can take. If the main culprit wasn't being so brave stood behind his mates, and my friend hadn't told me to move to the other side of him, he would have gone into school the today with a brand new black eye. A confession I'm not proud of, and had I laid a finger on him I'd no doubt be in a police cell right now.

That brings me onto my point. Other than alerting a steward who would do very little to resolve the problem, what is there that I can do myself to stop the actions of these immature individuals? I did think about using the text service and see what would come of that, but was unable to see the number on the back of the steward's jackets if it's there.

You dont have to use your fists to get a firm message across. I find that a flee in the ear works a treat with these youngsters who are only acting up infront of their friends. He probably would have died in embarrasment if you had given him a few choice words.

This is one fo the main reasons that i go in the north stand. Always got a place and you know the people who are around you.

I've been in similar positions in the past and when I have spoken up I have been laughed at by the scrotes concerned. What made it even worse was that despite the scrotes annoying just about everyone around, when I spoke up the silence from everyone else was deafening. Similarly, in the street several years ago I stepped in to try and stop some guy beating the poop out of 'his woman' (his words not mine). I got the poop knocked out of me for my trouble and not one bystander, who saw it all from when he first started on the woman, stepped in to help.

If everyone around all have a go together then the scrotes soon back down. In their minds five or six (or one) against one is great fun, but five or six against thirty or fourty and they need to rush off home and change their undies. Sadly all to often the majority see it as the individuals problem and find it easier to look the other way

I remember last season i was stood in the South stand with my girlfriend and her family and something similiar happened. A few beered up kids acting up to the guy in front of them, flicking his ear, throwing his hood up, the guy had it for about 35 minutes at which point one of them stole his hat of his head. He turned around and headbutted the lad right on the nose.

Turns out that a female fan (Over 40 and shouldve known better) stood a few yards away thought it would be funny to take it off him after seeing him get so wound up for half an hour. Luckily for the guy throwing the head in the lad admitted he brought it on himself by winding him up and nothing more was said. Only afterwards when it had calmed down did the woman say it was her.

My point being the situation couldve been a lot different had his mates jumped in to help him and the situation couldve fast been out of control. I share the feeling of you'd like to grip them and put the fear of god in them but you have to very careful of the consequences.

This is exactly why I stand further towards the West Stand, no kids messing about and a good laugh with those that have the same spec for every home game

You sound like the sort of person that would excel at being a parking warden.

As Flashjohns states the violent conduct shown by the victim stopped the "Scrotes" in their tracks! Turning to violence is probably not the answer but some times you just have to "fight fire withfire". If more people stood up to the "cowardly few" who hide in gangs then the streets would be a lot safer

You could vote Conservative, Dave Cameron is going to mend our broken society. Back in the 30s during the Great Depression and during the war years there were a lot fewer social problems, people respected their elders, more community etc. These days we might have material wealth but society has broken down. If Cameron's cuts can push our living standards back down to the level they were in during 30s then maybe it will create better social cohesion. Worth a try?

It's disapointing that nobody stood near you helped you out. I would of. You should have moved though or told a steward to sort it out or you'd sort it out yourself.

When I was that age watching at Wilderspool we sometimes used to mess about and if it went to far they used to post a couple of plod at the back of the Fletcher St. We wouldn't have dreamt about pushing an adult as far as they did you though as we would have received a smack in the mouth for our troubles.

It's just goes to show how society has changed for the worse over the years.

Personally I think it's easier with these types to just ask them (with sufficient machismo) wtf they are doing - and lead them to believe that if they carry on, you will give em a hiding (even though you have no intention of doing so) - 9/10 they'll just find a "softer" target to annoy.