Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

KentC.
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by KentC. »

I totally agree there is a problem that needs to be addressed however has anything been said from the club in terms of reaching out to these younger people and trying to educate them through a club statement on expectations of behaviour and why, also with a constructive warning .
Were the club under pressure to act from somewhere because while I don’t have a problem with what they are doing have they tried to reach out already with no success. If so fair enough.
If they haven’t then the clubs decision to not try and resolve the major issues will have a massive effect on the atmosphere.
By the way most 13-17 year olds know exactly how to behave and are now within their right to feel disappointed at being treated like this.
Tall Dart
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by Tall Dart »

Hopefully the vast majority will still want to go for the football and behave, they can, with the youth membership card. Seems to make sense, I probably would have liked the membership card to carry around as well.

Maybe should have rebranded as free youth membership, mandatory for all of that age bracket. Throw in a few freebies and a leaflet on expected behaviour. Get them involved more perhaps?!
Bkev180
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by Bkev180 »

Surely the club could introduce a junior membership card with photo any trouble they lose membership no ifs or buts home and away games if identified they lose membership at cost of £20
Tony H
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by Tony H »

Does none of you realise that the trouble causers aren’t actually regular Darts fans and only pitch up 1 in every 3 or 4 games??? They seem to be a mob that goes around different grounds supporting whichever ground they arrive at. For this matter, it does seem the policy is a little harsh on the regular, well-behaved youths BUT what other action can the club take other than dishing out banning orders that requires taking identity of offenders and I’m not sure that’s permitted for individuals under the age of 16.
Tony H
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by Tony H »

Dart of Herts wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 2:24 pm As a youth worker and someone who started out coming to PP as a young person, I’m all for this.

Reading closely, it doesn’t actually stop any 13-17s coming unaccompanied as any of them can apply for youth membership. The club just needs to know who they are and have parents’ consent, which would make it much easier to identify any troublemakers.

The club have been quite patient with the stuff going on behind the goal and these aren’t the first measures brought in to try and sort it.
Hopefully this move won’t affect atmosphere but it definitely had to happen.
Totally agree with this
KentC.
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by KentC. »

Tall Dart wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 9:29 pm Hopefully the vast majority will still want to go for the football and behave, they can, with the youth membership card. Seems to make sense, I probably would have liked the membership card to carry around as well.

Maybe should have rebranded as free youth membership, mandatory for all of that age bracket. Throw in a few freebies and a leaflet on expected behaviour. Get them involved more perhaps?!
I like the fact it’s a positive spin with the same objective
Ajaxman DFC
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by Ajaxman DFC »

Tony H wrote: Wed Nov 16, 2022 10:03 am Does none of you realise that the trouble causers aren’t actually regular Darts fans and only pitch up 1 in every 3 or 4 games???
Or when Arsenal are away. And if that's the case the club need to take action now, considering the Premier League won't be resuming until xmas.
rambo
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by rambo »

I don’t really know what I think about this but what I do know is the club cannot survive it if misses out on a generation of potential fans
We need young people in the ground and need to catch them early
We as a club must welcome young fans and must encourage them to behave and make them understand how bad behaviour can impact on the club
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ozymandias
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by ozymandias »

Hence a very good reason to introduce a Youth Membership Card in my opinion. I thoroughly agree with Dart of Herts and the club.
Getting the youth in as Darts Supporters of the future is somewhat baffling to me. I thought it was a choice, not because Arsenal are away and they want somewhere to go to cause trouble.
Even Parky is happy to get his space back behind the goal.
If kids gets caught causing trouble, they have their card confiscated and they don't get in. Simple.
In my day if I got caught misbehaving anywhere I was worried what my mum and dad had to say about it.
I blame the parents. :)
A bit late in the day if we miss out on Promotion or even achieve relegation because of conduct in the ground.
Just my thoughts
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The Duke
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by The Duke »

The Club have acted correctly and the membership is a great idea for ALL future [young] Dart fans , I would make it attractive by giving added benefits such as a meet the players , training [ kick a about with Dowse ,discounts on certain matches etc , make it attractive for the good kids and as for the troublemakers , the Club doesnt need them !!!!!
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Spike
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by Spike »

It's a well intentioned mistake in my opinion. As well as punishing innocent people who aren't aware and just turn up on spec, I wouldn't be surprised if it causes more trouble than it solves when visiting fans get refused entry solely on the basis of age. A backward step in my view.
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JCJ
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by JCJ »

Spike wrote: Thu Nov 17, 2022 9:40 pm It's a well intentioned mistake in my opinion. As well as punishing innocent people who aren't aware and just turn up on spec, I wouldn't be surprised if it causes more trouble than it solves when visiting fans get refused entry solely on the basis of age. A backward step in my view.
Good Point on away supporters how do they enforce young supporters from other clubs having to be with an adult to get in?

It will be interesting on New Years Day might cause more problems turning young Ebbsfleet supporters away or does it just apply to home supporters?

Also 16 & 17 years old more likely to have 18 year old mates so nothing stopping them walking in with their mates, or will they think it is not worth the hassle and go to support the club down the road.
Ajaxman DFC
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by Ajaxman DFC »

Ok, it's just a minoriry causing problems and damaging the club's reputation.
If it get's worse it'll discourage genuine football people from attending, especially famillies who probably spend more money on match days than the herberts provoking trouble.
We've got cameras at the ground. Plenty of people must know who they are by now. So ban them.
The process begins with throwing them out in the first place. In order to do that, isn't it about time our security staff became more pro-active instead of just standing their ground with arms folded trying to look 'ard earning their money doing sweet fa.
I presume they do get paid. If not, maybe it's something the club should consider, if you weigh it up against a dramatic reduction in attendances as some fear.
Especially for the big games ie Ebbsfleet.
M1 South
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by M1 South »

Bloody ‘ell Ajax!! You forgot to put the black hood on before pronouncing sentence!!
KentC.
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by KentC. »

The Duke wrote: Thu Nov 17, 2022 10:18 am The Club have acted correctly and the membership is a great idea for ALL future [young] Dart fans , I would make it attractive by giving added benefits such as a meet the players , training [ kick a about with Dowse ,discounts on certain matches etc , make it attractive for the good kids and as for the troublemakers , the Club doesnt need them !!!!!

The club would of acted correctly if they are doing the things you mentioned.
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PeteSamson
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by PeteSamson »

It's probably a sign of the times that we are monitored wherever we go, and asked for some form of ID. Many clubs now prefer supporters to buy advance match tickets, often at a reduced price (or at a higher price if you attend on the day). I've got no problem with presenting ID and if that is a club issued Membership Card, so be it. As some have said, the statement doesn't stop youngsters attending, simply by taking some small actions.

I haven't attended any matches so I don't know any of the circumstances. Involving these youngsters who are causing the trouble. If they are well known and recognised, then one might have hoped action could have been taken already to have either warned them to their future actions and told they would be refused admission. Because quite simply, the club would be taken to rask by the FA if further incidents arose.

However, the club are being put in a difficult position and they can't be blamed for being seen to take the action they have. If I had been 16 or 17 (and not 75!), I would have had no problem in taking up the alternatives that have been put forward by the club and taking up ownership of a membership card. It seems the club (and not just the Darts) are in a Catch 22 situation. Damned if they do and damned if they don't, take action. We wouldn't have even been needing to be talking about this 60 years ago, so I suppose it is a sign of the times

Quite simply, the Club could be taken to task by the FA if further incidents arose, and it would be the remaining supporters suffering the basklash, along with the club itself. The agro, surely, is simply not wanted by faithful fans.

COYD
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DA Mikey
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by DA Mikey »

Good post PS. A blend of ‘Black Mirror’ style advances in technology, coupled with a few bad eggs spoiling things for the majority means that we are under heavy surveillance wherever we go, whatever we do in this day and age (unless living in a cave is your thing, which is quite tempting at times).
It’s really no different here, the issue being youthful exuberance spilling over to the odd bottle being thrown onto the pitch, some distasteful language and a bit of pushing and shoving. Most of us were young lads once, so (depending on how long ago) we can all remember what it was to be impudent and sprightly and a bit of a tearaway.
But it can go too far, especially if allowed to continue unchallenged and I know a few people who have been affronted by the voices and actions of these kids - some of whom have been drinking - particularly at evening games. So this is probably a good move by the club, one of those inevitabilities which might as well come in now and hopefully prevent something happening which could bring the club into disrepute.
Fred OLness
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by Fred OLness »

KentC. wrote: Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:18 pm
The Duke wrote: Thu Nov 17, 2022 10:18 am The Club have acted correctly and the membership is a great idea for ALL future [young] Dart fans , I would make it attractive by giving added benefits such as a meet the players , training [ kick a about with Dowse ,discounts on certain matches etc , make it attractive for the good kids and as for the troublemakers , the Club doesnt need them !!!!!

The club would of acted correctly if they are doing the things you mentioned.
The problem certainly needed addressing but,
The club will surely lose revenue and vocal support by adopting these measures.
I think the Junior/Youth Membership Card is an excellent forward thinking idea.
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Spike
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by Spike »

So does anyone know yet, if this applies only to home fans? If so, how do you tell if someone is an away fan or not? If it doesn't apply to away fans then how are the turnstile operators expected to know who is who? Some people don't even support either side, they're just out to see a game of football.
If 50 or so Ebbsfleet youngsters turn up at Christmas, presumably the turnstile operators are going to have to turn them away if they look around 13-17? Are Ebbsfleet aware of this? Are they and other away fans expected to join our membership scheme?
If proof of (over 18) age is required, what ID is deemed acceptable?
As this policy only applies to 13-17 year olds, are older looking 10-12 year olds going to require ID? They might not even have ID at that age.
There's no mention of how many people an "adult" can bring in, so what's to stop one 18 year old bringing in half a dozen of his troublemaking mates? In fact, what's to stop him bringing in a coach load? If there's a maximum number, what is it?
Have we informed all the other clubs in the league that their young fans could be refused entry?
It seems to me that in order to solve one problem we are potentially setting ourselves up for a whole host of new ones.
I wouldn't want to be working on the turnstiles as they seem to have inherited the burden of implementing this policy and yet nobody seems to have thought things through, or if they have, they haven't told us what the rules are.
It's all very well saying something had to be done, but you need to be very specific and clear about what the "rules" governing entry are if you want to avoid confrontation and confusion.
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DA Mikey
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Re: Change of admission policy for supporters 13 -17yrs old

Post by DA Mikey »

Blessed are the cheesemakers.
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