Stewarding at Cappielow

[MarTon80]

Leaving the game today, the female steward at the car park on Sinclair street happily telling Morton fans to fuck off and nit to come back. I'm sure there was some provocation before hand but that's a disgrace 

[EanieMeany]

Since we criticise them (not unfairly), it's only fair to mention the guy at the front of the Cowshed just at the end of the roof towards Sinclair Street who was really good. He helped one wee boy get a high five from Cappie and get a tshirt, and also had another bunch of wee guys in front of him who weren't causing any trouble as such, just a bit lively now and again and had a bit of a laugh with them and was able to quietly say to them if they were getting a wee bit much just to stop any of them falling and getting hurt. It's what stewarding should be, so good on him. 

[so72]

Two of the stewards were driving me and my two mates round the bend at the cowshed. One was unlicensed so probably on little over minimum wage at best but she was just constantly getting at the wee guys for standing at the bottom of the steps or for having a laugh. The other was licensed and she seemed to be itching for a reason to get involved with every little thing possible

 

3 minutes ago, EanieMeany said:

Since we criticise them (not unfairly), it's only fair to mention the guy at the front of the Cowshed just at the end of the roof towards Sinclair Street who was really good. He helped one wee boy get a high five from Cappie and get a tshirt, and also had another bunch of wee guys in front of him who weren't causing any trouble as such, just a bit lively now and again and had a bit of a laugh with them and was able to quietly say to them if they were getting a wee bit much just to stop any of them falling and getting hurt. It's what stewarding should be, so good on him. 

Noticed him as well, as a good guy. 

[adder4]

Had a issue with moving to Sinclair St end 15 min before end of match  today was told the time to move round had been changed from 10 min to 15min  I asked when did this change was told today and totaly refused to let us move round there must mave been around 50 supporters wanting to move round .

i asked for the reason for the time change was told  to stop over crowding in Sinclair St end load of crap as it was half empty at the time I just cant for the love of god who is making these decisions at Cappelow and for what reason I aske to talk with who was in charge  and a guy who may I add looked like he just came from a shift at the coal yard could not give me a valid reason as to why Morton did not want supporters moving  to the Sinclair St I had enough and will express my feelings via email to GMFC Monday forgot to add the only way past was if you were leaving the ground .

Edited April 16, 2022 by adder4

[vikingTON]

1 hour ago, EanieMeany said:

Since we criticise them (not unfairly), it's only fair to mention the guy at the front of the Cowshed just at the end of the roof towards Sinclair Street who was really good. He helped one wee boy get a high five from Cappie and get a tshirt, and also had another bunch of wee guys in front of him who weren't causing any trouble as such, just a bit lively now and again and had a bit of a laugh with them and was able to quietly say to them if they were getting a wee bit much just to stop any of them falling and getting hurt. It's what stewarding should be, so good on him. 

Fair enough to identify those who are actually doing their job well.

The organisation as a whole are making a cunt of it though. As I posted earlier, we're now forcing weans into asking random stranger adults to buy a ticket and accompany them into the game.

If that was the system in place twenty years ago, I certainly wouldn't be a Morton supporter now. Completely counter-productive (and dangerous) jobsworth attitudes in action.

Edited April 16, 2022 by vikingTON

[EanieMeany]

Been meaning to ask btw...at the Kilmarnock game there was a handful of stewards lurking about in all-black rigouts, their badges had something about "consultancy" on them. I seen somebody asking one of them something at the turnstiles and they said they weren't involved and they seemed to just be around that area. Wonder what that was about? Had thought maybe they were there to observe our own, given the club had said they were looking into it after the Partick game.

[SassenachTon]

The stewards are (in all probability) a 3rd-party contractor hired by the club to do a job which they aren’t doing  especially well. Go to any large rock festival (Download, Bloodstock, Glastonbury etc etc, often with north of 70,000 people) - they’re all manned by a company called Showsec. Their role is to maintain order - but whilst taking care of showgoers welfare as their #1 priority. I’ve stood and watched it a hundred times. A drugged-up loony crowd-surfs and goes over the barrier? He’s caught gently in mid-air by a Showsec guy, taken to the medical tent for a checkup, given some water, told to calm down, then sent on his way with a smile and told to enjoy himself. He’s treated like a paying customer, not like a potential criminal. These people also wear a hi-vis with a bloody great employee number printed on them - which immediately identifies them to company management as a good guy or a total cnut when punters report them for their deeds - be they good or bad.
 

The blame IMO doesn’t lie with the stewards themselves who are just automatons earning a crust and following orders - it lies with the brief given to them by those who hire them. Just sayin’ …….

Edited April 16, 2022 by SassenachTon

[vikingTON]

Well no, there are multiple institutional level issues in crap stewarding companies, but also mini-Hitlers who glory in their pathetic scope of power. This has been true from our previous visits to Rock Steady on Tayside around ten years ago: we've now got our own version at Cappielow. 

That's precisely why decent stewards deserve recognition for fighting against the institutional biases and power temptation to hound children around and outside a football ground just because their supervisor says so. Their organisation needs binned - I hope there's a way that the few good eggs can retain a post if they want it. 

Edited April 16, 2022 by vikingTON

[Toby]

3 minutes ago, SassenachTon said:

The stewards are (in all probability) a 3rd-party contractor hired by the club to do a job which they aren’t doing  especially well. Go to any large rock festival (Download, Bloodstock, Glastonbury etc etc, often with north of 70,000 people) - they’re all manned by a company called Showsec. Their role is to maintain order - but whilst taking care of showgoers welfare as their #1 priority. I’ve stood and watched it a hundred times. A drugged-up loony crowd-surfs and goes over barrier? He’s caught gently in mid-air by a Showsec guy, taken to the medical tent for a checkup, given some water, told to calm down, then sent on his way with a smile and told to enjoy himself. He’s treated like a paying customer, not like a potential criminal. The blame doesn’t lie with the stewards - it lies with the brief given to them by those who hire them. Just sayin’ …….

I’m not having this. Their remit is one thing- it doesn’t, or at least shouldn’t, include the utter disdain of paying customers and treating them like the shit off their shoe from the stewards.

I often see the excuse that they’re in a frustrating minimum wage job as justification for their behaviour- the worst of the lot is the most senior steward in the Cowshed, who is presumably above that pay grade. As most on here who know me will know, I did a similarly frustrating job with the public for years, and had I treated a paying customer the way our fans are treated, my feet wouldn’t have touched the ground.

The last thing I want to do is go Uber-Tory and say these folk sign up for it so they should take what comes their way but there has to be a balance between crowd control and the behaviour we’re currently seeing from them.

[SassenachTon]

1 minute ago, vikingTON said:

Well no, there are multiple institutional level issues in crap stewarding companies, but also mini-Hitlers who glory in their pathetic scope of power. This has been true from our previous visits to Rock Steady on Tayside around ten years ago: we've now got our own version. 

That's precisely why decent stewards deserve recognition for fighting against the institutional biases and power temptation to hound children around and outside a football ground just because their supervisor says so. Their organisation needs binned - I hope there's a way that the few good eggs can retain a post if they want it. 

You’re quite right. That’s why the employee numbers are so important. The pot will inevitably contain both power-crazy psychos and decent human beings.

[SassenachTon]

3 minutes ago, Toby said:

I’m not having this. Their remit is one thing- it doesn’t, or at least shouldn’t, include the utter disdain of paying customers and treating them like the shit off their shoe from the stewards.

I often see the excuse that they’re in a frustrating minimum wage job as justification for their behaviour- the worst of the lot is the most senior steward in the Cowshed, who is presumably above that pay grade. As most on here who know me will know, I did a similarly frustrating job with the public for years, and had I treated a paying customer the way our fans are treated, my feet wouldn’t have touched the ground.

The last thing I want to do is go Uber-Tory and say these folk sign up for it so they should take what comes their way but there has to be a balance between crowd control and the behaviour we’re currently seeing from them.

Exactly @Toby. Read my post again and you’ll see we’re in complete agreement.

[Toby]

47 minutes ago, SassenachTon said:

Exactly @Toby. Read my post again and you’ll see we’re in complete agreement.

Aye, okay. I’m pished. Apologies.

[SassenachTon]

7 minutes ago, Toby said:

Aye, okay. I’m pished. Apologies.

No apology necessary. It’s Saturday night, it’s Easter, it’s the anniversary of our cup win. If I wasn’t up for work in a few hours, I’d be joining you. Enjoy the rest of your night. All the best.

[vikingTON]

56 minutes ago, SassenachTon said:

You’re quite right. That’s why the employee numbers are so important. The pot will inevitably contain both power-crazy psychos and decent human beings.

Well no, because we're not actually dealing with some corporate Goliath of the security world that you're envisaging here.

These are folk who (quite rightly) chuck away their badges and are mingling at Cartsdyke by 6 o'clock on a Saturday. I heard just today someone on the train to Central saying that it's okay because 'at least ahm a steward and not a polis'. The company is fundamentally responsible for most issues but the bottom line is that even by stewarding standards they have largely attracted piss poor employees. And it shows. 

[SassenachTon]

8 hours ago, vikingTON said:

Well no, because we're not actually dealing with some corporate Goliath of the security world that you're envisaging here.

These are folk who (quite rightly) chuck away their badges and are mingling at Cartsdyke by 6 o'clock on a Saturday. I heard just today someone on the train to Central saying that it's okay because 'at least ahm a steward and not a polis'. The company is fundamentally responsible for most issues but the bottom line is that even by stewarding standards they have largely attracted piss poor employees. And it shows. 

Aye, fair point and right enough. No easy way to fix this without significant input from the club.

[irnbru]

12 hours ago, adder4 said:

Had a issue with moving to Sinclair St end 15 min before end of match  today was told the time to move round had been changed from 10 min to 15min  I asked when did this change was told today and totaly refused to let us move round there must mave been around 50 supporters wanting to move round .

i asked for the reason for the time change was told  to stop over crowding in Sinclair St end load of crap as it was half empty at the time I just cant for the love of god who is making these decisions at Cappelow and for what reason I aske to talk with who was in charge  and a guy who may I add looked like he just came from a shift at the coal yard could not give me a valid reason as to why Morton did not want supporters moving  to the Sinclair St I had enough and will express my feelings via email to GMFC Monday forgot to add the only way past was if you were leaving the ground .

Suggest you add some punctuation to your email. 

[so72]

11 hours ago, SassenachTon said:

The stewards are (in all probability) a 3rd-party contractor hired by the club to do a job which they aren’t doing  especially well. Go to any large rock festival (Download, Bloodstock, Glastonbury etc etc, often with north of 70,000 people) - they’re all manned by a company called Showsec. Their role is to maintain order - but whilst taking care of showgoers welfare as their #1 priority. I’ve stood and watched it a hundred times. A drugged-up loony crowd-surfs and goes over the barrier? He’s caught gently in mid-air by a Showsec guy, taken to the medical tent for a checkup, given some water, told to calm down, then sent on his way with a smile and told to enjoy himself. He’s treated like a paying customer, not like a potential criminal. These people also wear a hi-vis with a bloody great employee number printed on them - which immediately identifies them to company management as a good guy or a total cnut when punters report them for their deeds - be they good or bad.
 

The blame IMO doesn’t lie with the stewards themselves who are just automatons earning a crust and following orders - it lies with the brief given to them by those who hire them. Just sayin’ …….

I worked at festivals and stuff through Uni. Showsec specialise in being at the stage for music gigs. What you find at festivals is different companies are in charge of different areas. I worked for Securigroup who were in charge of perimeters and, in my case, entrances including drug/drink searches and liaison with the police. G4S are the sort of, one does all, but the reality is that you're only as good as the staff you've got and they won't be sending their finest to Cappielow. There is a relatively low risk of incidents compared to other places and its not a flagship sort of event (Merchant City Festival for example got the best staff because it paid more and had a reputation implication due to clients and location). 

 

Morton will most likely have a contract until the end of the season but they absolutely will be telling the Head Steward what they expect and then its their job to implement it into a plan. I would be surprised if it was the security firm deciding kids need to go in with adults for example.

[so72]

11 hours ago, Toby said:

I’m not having this. Their remit is one thing- it doesn’t, or at least shouldn’t, include the utter disdain of paying customers and treating them like the shit off their shoe from the stewards.

I often see the excuse that they’re in a frustrating minimum wage job as justification for their behaviour- the worst of the lot is the most senior steward in the Cowshed, who is presumably above that pay grade. As most on here who know me will know, I did a similarly frustrating job with the public for years, and had I treated a paying customer the way our fans are treated, my feet wouldn’t have touched the ground.

The last thing I want to do is go Uber-Tory and say these folk sign up for it so they should take what comes their way but there has to be a balance between crowd control and the behaviour we’re currently seeing from them.

 

10 hours ago, vikingTON said:

Well no, because we're not actually dealing with some corporate Goliath of the security world that you're envisaging here.

These are folk who (quite rightly) chuck away their badges and are mingling at Cartsdyke by 6 o'clock on a Saturday. I heard just today someone on the train to Central saying that it's okay because 'at least ahm a steward and not a polis'. The company is fundamentally responsible for most issues but the bottom line is that even by stewarding standards they have largely attracted piss poor employees. And it shows. 

As both of you have said, a large part of the issue is the individual stewards themselves. Not getting paid well is shite but its not an excuse to be nasty to primary school weans. I'd have a lot more sympathy for them if they just weren't doing their job and didn't care but its the reverse thats the issue.

 

As said above, they'll be filling Cappielow with a mix of local staff and whatever folk they can get to work at the game. The better staff will be at better paying events or higher risk events. I never worked football games because I always got offered better shifts elsewhere, imagine the other stewards with people skills are largely the same.

[LargsTON]

There's a female steward who needs emptied from her position.  Any time I've been at Cappielow she's been at the centre of any flashpoint and her attitude stinks.  Short in height, long brown hair with a council facelift.   

Edited April 17, 2022 by LargsTON

[irnbru]

2 hours ago, so72 said:

 

As both of you have said, a large part of the issue is the individual stewards themselves. Not getting paid well is shite but its not an excuse to be nasty to primary school weans. I'd have a lot more sympathy for them if they just weren't doing their job and didn't care but its the reverse thats the issue.

 

As said above, they'll be filling Cappielow with a mix of local staff and whatever folk they can get to work at the game. The better staff will be at better paying events or higher risk events. I never worked football games because I always got offered better shifts elsewhere, imagine the other stewards with people skills are largely the same.

It's a factor. Pay people a decent wage and you'll get a better performance.