Alcohol At The Football... Again

[twinny]

Seems this is back on the agenda. I don't imagine there will be any change, especially when reading the reactionary comments at the bottom.

 

Don't the authorities realise that by restricting alcohol consumption at the ground they are only encouraging it elsewhere (i.e. get as many pints in as you can before the game as you'll have to go two hours without a drink) for those who want to have a few drinks and be merry during the game. I don't tend to drink much on matchdays, but it would be a great way to generate revenue for clubs and it could easily be introduced at SFL level, or at minor events (say fewer than 5,000 spectators) without any issues arising (might be best to wait until Rangers are no longer in existence in the SFL).

 

I cannot see what is wrong with allowing people to drink crap lager out of plastic bottles provided they stay on the concourse, as they do in England. It could even be limited to pre-match.

[Jaggernaut]

Or if not in bottles, at least in plastic cups.

[thistledave78]

 

I cannot see what is wrong with allowing people to drink crap lager out of plastic bottles provided they stay on the concourse, as they do in England. It could even be limited to pre-match.

 

I was at the Blackpool match a few weeks ago - had a few pints in the concourse before the match and a quick one at half time too. They also had plastic bottles available. And in comparison to the firhill catering I left my seat a few minutes after half time and managed to get served and have a pie and pint and back in my seat just after kick off (and thats with a crowd of 14500)

There is no reason for prohibiting the sale of alcohol at football if done similar to the way it is down south!!

[Norgethistle]

I was at the Blackpool match a few weeks ago - had a few pints in the concourse before the match and a quick one at half time too. They also had plastic bottles available. And in comparison to the firhill catering I left my seat a few minutes after half time and managed to get served and have a pie and pint and back in my seat just after kick off (and thats with a crowd of 14500)

There is no reason for prohibiting the sale of alcohol at football if done similar to the way it is down south!!

 

There are unfortunately 2 reasons for keeping it banned, a blue one and a green one

[l'escardot]

There are unfortunately 2 reasons for keeping it banned, a blue one and a green one

...and one tartan.

 

(right enough with the standard of football witnessed from the national team recently I'd have been better off totally pished as well).

[kji7]

It's ridiculous that an incedent over 3 decades ago still dictates policy. Football, the game/fans/stadiums has moved on considerably.

 

It's utter madness that last year you could watch a Warriors rugby game at Firhill on a Friday night with a pint in your hand yet the following day you would be arrested.

 

Who are these wee diddy men that keep criminalising us for being football fans? We don't want to drink in the ground to get steamin', the prices dictate that.. We just want to have a pint, A PINT, while watching the match.

[topcat]

It's ridiculous that an incedent over 3 decades ago still dictates policy. Football, the game/fans/stadiums has moved on considerably.

 

It's utter madness that last year you could watch a Warriors rugby game at Firhill on a Friday night with a pint in your hand yet the following day you would be arrested.

 

Who are these wee diddy men that keep criminalising us for being football fans? We don't want to drink in the ground to get steamin', the prices dictate that.. We just want to have a pint, A PINT, while watching the match.

 

Cripes I had a coke with my pie at Falkirk last week. It was a pain in the butt as I was always worrying I would spill it every time someone sang "Stand up for Champions".

 

Beers under the stand but not in the stand

[billko]

 

A few of these would come in handy.

[jags on tour]

 

A few of these would come in handy.

 

am I the only one watching that over and over again thinking, how are they getting filled from the bottom of the cup?

[Willjag]

am I the only one watching that over and over again thinking, how are they getting filled from the bottom of the cup?

Nope!

[craigthepict]

am I the only one watching that over and over again thinking, how are they getting filled from the bottom of the cup?

 

http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2011/01/14/invention-beer-cups-with-holes-that-fill-from-the-bottom-how/

[topcat]

Non return Valve bottom. Pressure from the bottom as it fills open the bottom of cup. Weight of beer forces it closed. Brilliant idea.

 

Know what I want for Xmas

[lady-isobel-barnett]

In principle I've nothing against selling alcohol at football tho' I think it's rich that the call is being lead by one of the two clubs who brought about the drink ban in the first place. If this was to come about I feel there's a good case of introducing it as an experiment at 40 grounds in Scotland.

In practice I'm not keen on the idea for the following reasons

I/Most stadia can't sell pies without a ridiculous queue. Firhill being one of the worst. If we can't learn from that selling beer would be laughable.

2/That leads to folk leaving their seats during a game to go get served. Doesn't bother me that much but with the addition of beer it could be double or treble the problem.

3/At a time when we're trying to reduce policing and/or stewarding costs we'd be in danger of seeing these costs rise. Anyone who thinks the polis will not see this as a potential fund raiser is misguided.

4/As far as I'm aware we've never sold alcohol in Scottish grounds before. Hardly a reason for not selling it now but I can't see where the demand is. I'd suggest tho' it's not fan driven but to the benefit of the clubs. Nothing wrong with that but I guess it would be a sliding scale of benefit favouring the the ugly sisters foremost where purchasing power will be so much higher..

Edited April 27, 2013 by lady-isobel-barnett

[Fearchar]

On listening to a radio discussion about this recently, it occurred to me that everyone mentioned alcohol and football, and some even the name of a club that went out of existence IIRC, but no-one suggested that the real problem is a cocktail: alcohol, crowds and tribalism. Take away any one of those and there's no problem. After all, even if every single supporter of, say, Cowdenbeath or Elgin City were drunk, it's hard to imagine any violence as a result. Since the type of tribalism that affects Scottish football in that way is limited, an alcohol ban could be applied locally, based on police assessment of the risks.

[Charlie Endell]

In principle I've nothing against selling alcohol at football tho' I think it's rich that the call is being lead by one of the two clubs who brought about the drink ban in the first place. If this was to come about I feel there's a good case of introducing it as an experiment at 40 grounds in Scotland.

In practice I'm not keen on the idea for the following reasons

I/Most stadia can't sell pies without a ridiculous queue. Firhill being one of the worst. If we can't learn from that selling beer would be laughable.

2/That leads to folk leaving their seats during a game to go get served. Doesn't bother me that much but with the addition of beer it could be double or treble the problem.

3/At a time when we're trying to reduce policing and/or stewarding costs we'd be in danger of seeing these costs rise. Anyone who thinks the polis will not see this as a potential fund raiser is misguided.

4/As far as I'm aware we've never sold alcohol in Scottish grounds before. Hardly a reason for not selling it now but I can't see where the demand is. I'd suggest tho' it's not fan driven but to the benefit of the clubs. Nothing wrong with that but I guess it would be a sliding scale of benefit favouring the the ugly sisters foremost where purchasing power will be so much higher..

Agree with pretty much everything there - especially point 1.

 

At Carlisle they have a small bar at the back of the Paddock (it's a separate room - not just a bar on a concourse) - it is pleasant to nip in at half-time and have a pint - service has always been quick when I've been there and they have SSN on TVs. However, at Firhill I think such a facility would be massively over-subscribed (i.e. by the time you got served the second-half would be starting). It would be good to have somewhere to escape the inane half-time nonsense though.

[LambieIsGod]

As someone who avidly follows the national Rugby team, as well as the Harry Wraggs, I think bringing back alcohol back to football games would be a big mistake. When I go to Cardiff, Dublin etc for the Rugby games, I always enjoy a good bucket before and after the game. That is the culture of national rugby and it works well. Why? Because there is no segregation, no hatred, and the generally speaking the sport encourages a different type of fan. i.e. fans who can get drunk but know when to draw the line. Do we ever see lines of police officers at Rugby games? No, because the rugby fans don't act like morons when they get drunk. Win, lose or draw, we all go back to the same pub and discuss the game. Football on the other hand, is a totally different matter. We (I mean football generally, not just Firhill) get separated from the opposition supporters like gangs being kept apart, we spend part of the game calling each ******s etc, we then have to go to our own specific pub that opposition supporters are not welcome in. You get the picture? I genuinely love football as much as I do Rugby, but having attended both sports for over 25 years, I cannot see football fans behaving as responsibly as rugby fans when under the influence. In any case, look at how successful our free entry for under 16's has been. Great success and it has encouraged loads of young lads to come along to the games. Why potentially spoil it by letting a minority get pished and put people off coming to the game with their kids. We have loved this season for the football that Jags have played. Would we have enjoyed it any better with a few beers on our bellies? I doubt it.

[Mr Bunny]

In principle I've nothing against selling alcohol at football tho' I think it's rich that the call is being lead by one of the two clubs who brought about the drink ban in the first place. If this was to come about I feel there's a good case of introducing it as an experiment at 40 grounds in Scotland.

In practice I'm not keen on the idea for the following reasons

I/Most stadia can't sell pies without a ridiculous queue. Firhill being one of the worst. If we can't learn from that selling beer would be laughable.

2/That leads to folk leaving their seats during a game to go get served. Doesn't bother me that much but with the addition of beer it could be double or treble the problem.

3/At a time when we're trying to reduce policing and/or stewarding costs we'd be in danger of seeing these costs rise. Anyone who thinks the polis will not see this as a potential fund raiser is misguided.

4/As far as I'm aware we've never sold alcohol in Scottish grounds before. Hardly a reason for not selling it now but I can't see where the demand is. I'd suggest tho' it's not fan driven but to the benefit of the clubs. Nothing wrong with that but I guess it would be a sliding scale of benefit favouring the the ugly sisters foremost where purchasing power will be so much higher..

 

My point exactly. Only the really big clubs could afford the extra staff (and pay to polis) this would entail and only the really big clubs would sell enough to make it profitable after all the hassle. That's why the call is coming from a really big club (in Scottish terms).

[Stewarty]

It's one of those policies that once in place is very difficult to dislodge.

 

1) No politician/party wants to be held accountable for any incidents that can be attributed to a change in legislation.

2) It's hardly a major vote winner in the first place

 

1 + 2 = leave things as they are.

[vinylscore]

My grandson figured out how the cups that filled from the bottom work