Please remember that the Annual General Meeting of The Partick Thistle Supporters Association Ltd will take place this coming Thursday 3 September in the Aitken Suite at Firhill commencing at 1930hrs.
In addition to the formal business at hand, we are delighted to be able to confirm that we will be joined by club legend Denis McQuade who will share his memories of his time at the club as a player, as well as telling us what he hopes to achieve in his new role as Club Development Director.
Papers for the meeting are available on the Trust website (and check back again for any later additions). Draft accounts for approval will be made available on the night of the meeting.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on Thursday evening
Monday, 31 August 2009
Friday, 28 August 2009
Thursday, 27 August 2009
Centenary Fund August draw - results preview
The official PTFC website is down at present (27 August) and the official results are currently unavailable. Until the site is back up, here are the results as noted by the Trust representative who attended Tuesday's draw.
£250 - P McGaughay (417 Bronze)
£100 - David Stevenson (66 Silver)
£100 - Alan Wallace (73 Gold)
£50 - C J McLean (28 Silver)
£50 - Irvine Reid (69 Silver)
£50 - M Talbot (294 Bronze)
£25 - M McGuthrie (1 Silver)
£25 - Iain McIver (78 Gold)
£25 - Donald McAskell (240 Bronze)
£25 - Allan Heron (208 Bronze)
£20 - Graham Elrick (11 Gold)
£20 - Robert Templeman (409 Bronze)
£20 - Mark Rowntree (67 Silver)
£20 - Peter Murray (20 Gold)
£20 - Christine Thomson (70 Silver)
Hospitality(x4) - F N Walker (64 Silver)
Hospitality(x2) - Bill Minnis (109 Gold)
Signed Shirt - Neil McNab (4 Silver)
Signed Ball - Howard Niblock (113 Gold)
Signed Ball - John Cross (84 Silver)
Signed Ball - Andrew Aitken (368 Bronze)
Signed Ball - Michael Gleeson (31 Silver)
Signed Ball - David Walker (116 Gold)
Signed Ball - Neil Roden (99 Gold)
Signed Ball - C Whitehouse (421 Bronze)
Signed Ball - Robert Marshall (110 Silver)
Signed Ball - M Jamieson (120 Bronze)
Signed Ball - Ian Maxwell (328 Bronze)
Congratulations to all the winners!
£250 - P McGaughay (417 Bronze)
£100 - David Stevenson (66 Silver)
£100 - Alan Wallace (73 Gold)
£50 - C J McLean (28 Silver)
£50 - Irvine Reid (69 Silver)
£50 - M Talbot (294 Bronze)
£25 - M McGuthrie (1 Silver)
£25 - Iain McIver (78 Gold)
£25 - Donald McAskell (240 Bronze)
£25 - Allan Heron (208 Bronze)
£20 - Graham Elrick (11 Gold)
£20 - Robert Templeman (409 Bronze)
£20 - Mark Rowntree (67 Silver)
£20 - Peter Murray (20 Gold)
£20 - Christine Thomson (70 Silver)
Hospitality(x4) - F N Walker (64 Silver)
Hospitality(x2) - Bill Minnis (109 Gold)
Signed Shirt - Neil McNab (4 Silver)
Signed Ball - Howard Niblock (113 Gold)
Signed Ball - John Cross (84 Silver)
Signed Ball - Andrew Aitken (368 Bronze)
Signed Ball - Michael Gleeson (31 Silver)
Signed Ball - David Walker (116 Gold)
Signed Ball - Neil Roden (99 Gold)
Signed Ball - C Whitehouse (421 Bronze)
Signed Ball - Robert Marshall (110 Silver)
Signed Ball - M Jamieson (120 Bronze)
Signed Ball - Ian Maxwell (328 Bronze)
Congratulations to all the winners!
Sunday, 23 August 2009
Support Thistle Strips To Ghana....
As some of you may remember, in 2006 Thistle fan Adam Lockyer organised an appeal to take Thistle shirts out to Ghana. Thanks to your generosity, he managed to take over 100 children’s and youth shirts out with him. These shirts were used to kit out boys teams at under-12, under-14 and under-17 level and also a girls team. All of these teams are run by the Right to Dream Underprivileged Children’s Centre. The tops are still used by these teams and there is a strong affection for Partick Thistle in the local community, even though most will almost certainly never get the chance to see the mighty Jags in action.
Time rolls on, and Adam is currently back out in Ghana for a 6 week work stint. He has been in touch with the Trust to let us know that a group of folk who have grown too old for the under-17 team have entered an adult team into the Accra Regional 3rd Division in Ghana for the new season. Future Stars FC are currently renting tops each week since they can’t afford to buy them.
The Trust is looking for fans to make a Paypal donation towards the cost of 14 to 16 adult home tops that we hope to send out to kit out the Future Stars. We appreciate that times are tough at home, and that fans have already been very generous in digging deep to sponsor the Nomads, OTIG and EEoS tops. Your generosity is never taken for granted and is deeply appreciated. However, we do hope that some of you can spare a donation for this very worthwhile project.
Time is fairly tight, unfortunately, with the next group of volunteers (who will take the tops with them) heading out to Ghana at the start of September, so if you can spare a donation then please send it to the Trust via Paypal using the payment address paypal@jagstrust.com. Please remember to add a comment that the money is intended for the Ghana appeal.
If you want to know more about the charity, then you can check out via this link.
Thanks in advance for your support. We’ll post updates as this progresses.
Friday, 21 August 2009
Club EGM notes
Twenty shareholders or their proxies attended the EGM on 20 August at Firhill. Five Jags Trust board members were present, some of whom are shareholders in their own right.
The meeting opened with a brief introduction from the Chairman and a request for questions of clarification.
The Trust asked for more information on resolution three, which was in relation to changes in the Articles of Association of the company in order to comply with The Companies Act 2006. The meeting was advised that these were issues of consolidation in relation to changes already implemented, some of which were relatively historic.
The meeting then voted on all three resolutions at once although it was later pointed out that each should have been taken in turn and the exercise was repeated towards the end of the evening. However, in both cases, the show of hands indicated a substantial majority in favour. As a result, there was no need for individual holdings to be taken into consideration as part of the voting process (this is the process allowed for in the rules for shareholder meetings).
The meeting was opened up for general questions and there were a number of points of interest as follows.
Taking the reduction of debt into consideration, the club is projecting a loss of £50,000 to £60,000 this year. (On reflection, it was not clear if this was the financial year or the football season.) This is less than in the past few years and there are a number of factors which have come into the equation, some of which have a negative impact.
The Ambassador scheme has been successful with nine people signed up at £10,000 per season. Some of these are folk already spending significant amounts in hospitality so the net effect is not an increase of £90,000 in income, but it is significant.
Income from the Centenary Fund is acknowledged as a major contribution.
Increased costs have been incurred in signing up the manager on a three-year deal and in bringing in more players over the summer. It was not stated as such, but the implication was that the salary budget has been increased.
Looking forward, the club is planning for breaking even year in, year out, although it was implied that this is subject to so many variables as to be almost impossible to predict. The meeting was told that some initiatives would take time to grow to fruition whilst an event such as promotion or relegation could change things literally overnight.
When challenged further on these matters Tom Hughes stated that the budget deficit could be fixed very easily by moving to a mixture of part and full time players but this is not contemplated at the moment.
The board acknowledged that becoming more of a selling club was part of the reality of our current position.
Some concerns were raised about the cost of stewards and police in a frequently almost empty North Stand. The club feels that its hands are tied by the police in these instances and there are marginal cost savings if fans are shifted into the Jackie Husband stand due to the need for more stewards to enforce segregation.
As far as the stadium development is concerned, this is unlikely to take place until Spring 2011 at the earliest, due to ongoing discussions with Glasgow City Council in relation to the surrounding area and the impact that the development will have.
There is an ongoing desire to see a four-sided stadium remain, despite some areas having a very small depth from trackside to the rear of any seating. Terracing is being considered as an option and the board were receptive to the idea that fans should and could have an input to that decision.
The proposal to have back of shirt sponsor has fallen through. In addition there is a delay in dispatch of the new away kit due to an issue with the colour of the Ignis logo which is now resolved. The club will talk to Greaves about the season ticket discount voucher which expires at the end of August since the new strips will arrive at Greaves around that deadline.
Under some strong criticism from the body of the meeting, the club agreed to look again at the revised prices in the Aitken Suite with a view to further reductions back towards last season’s levels.
As can be seen from these brief notes, the meeting covered a lot of ground not directly associated with the business in hand. If trust members or other supporters have any queries about any of the items above, please use the comment function in this section of the site and we will do our best to answer them.
The meeting opened with a brief introduction from the Chairman and a request for questions of clarification.
The Trust asked for more information on resolution three, which was in relation to changes in the Articles of Association of the company in order to comply with The Companies Act 2006. The meeting was advised that these were issues of consolidation in relation to changes already implemented, some of which were relatively historic.
The meeting then voted on all three resolutions at once although it was later pointed out that each should have been taken in turn and the exercise was repeated towards the end of the evening. However, in both cases, the show of hands indicated a substantial majority in favour. As a result, there was no need for individual holdings to be taken into consideration as part of the voting process (this is the process allowed for in the rules for shareholder meetings).
The meeting was opened up for general questions and there were a number of points of interest as follows.
Taking the reduction of debt into consideration, the club is projecting a loss of £50,000 to £60,000 this year. (On reflection, it was not clear if this was the financial year or the football season.) This is less than in the past few years and there are a number of factors which have come into the equation, some of which have a negative impact.
The Ambassador scheme has been successful with nine people signed up at £10,000 per season. Some of these are folk already spending significant amounts in hospitality so the net effect is not an increase of £90,000 in income, but it is significant.
Income from the Centenary Fund is acknowledged as a major contribution.
Increased costs have been incurred in signing up the manager on a three-year deal and in bringing in more players over the summer. It was not stated as such, but the implication was that the salary budget has been increased.
Looking forward, the club is planning for breaking even year in, year out, although it was implied that this is subject to so many variables as to be almost impossible to predict. The meeting was told that some initiatives would take time to grow to fruition whilst an event such as promotion or relegation could change things literally overnight.
When challenged further on these matters Tom Hughes stated that the budget deficit could be fixed very easily by moving to a mixture of part and full time players but this is not contemplated at the moment.
The board acknowledged that becoming more of a selling club was part of the reality of our current position.
Some concerns were raised about the cost of stewards and police in a frequently almost empty North Stand. The club feels that its hands are tied by the police in these instances and there are marginal cost savings if fans are shifted into the Jackie Husband stand due to the need for more stewards to enforce segregation.
As far as the stadium development is concerned, this is unlikely to take place until Spring 2011 at the earliest, due to ongoing discussions with Glasgow City Council in relation to the surrounding area and the impact that the development will have.
There is an ongoing desire to see a four-sided stadium remain, despite some areas having a very small depth from trackside to the rear of any seating. Terracing is being considered as an option and the board were receptive to the idea that fans should and could have an input to that decision.
The proposal to have back of shirt sponsor has fallen through. In addition there is a delay in dispatch of the new away kit due to an issue with the colour of the Ignis logo which is now resolved. The club will talk to Greaves about the season ticket discount voucher which expires at the end of August since the new strips will arrive at Greaves around that deadline.
Under some strong criticism from the body of the meeting, the club agreed to look again at the revised prices in the Aitken Suite with a view to further reductions back towards last season’s levels.
As can be seen from these brief notes, the meeting covered a lot of ground not directly associated with the business in hand. If trust members or other supporters have any queries about any of the items above, please use the comment function in this section of the site and we will do our best to answer them.
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Club EGM
The shareholders of the club tonight voted to approve resolutions which will result in the transfer of the south terrace and main stand to a property company in which the club will retain a 50% stake.
The meeting also addressed a number of other points that are of interest to trust members and a further update will follow shortly.
The meeting also addressed a number of other points that are of interest to trust members and a further update will follow shortly.
Wednesday, 19 August 2009
Ipswich? Norwich?
Jags Trust partner The Utility Warehouse has been awarded Best Buy by Which? for every one of its broadband products.
Whether you're a light user who just sends a few emails and does a spot of browsing, or a family of four who spend lots of time online, the Utility Warehouse has a broadband tariff to suit you - all offering superfast broadband at a great price, backed up with award-winning customer service.
And whichever broadband tariff you choose - you'll know it's a Which? Best Buy!
More details http://www.uwdcvideos.co.uk/?v=3&exref=E33962
Whether you're a light user who just sends a few emails and does a spot of browsing, or a family of four who spend lots of time online, the Utility Warehouse has a broadband tariff to suit you - all offering superfast broadband at a great price, backed up with award-winning customer service.
And whichever broadband tariff you choose - you'll know it's a Which? Best Buy!
More details http://www.uwdcvideos.co.uk/?v=3&exref=E33962
Friday, 14 August 2009
Club EGM - Update
The Trust Board met on Monday 10 August 2009 to discuss, amongst other things, how the Trust will exercise its vote at the upcoming EGM to decide on the Club Board’s proposal to sell the Main Stand and south end to a group of investors. The meeting was open for attendance by all interested supporters. After much debate, it was agreed that the Trust should abstain at the EGM.
The Trust Board did not feel that it could, in all conscience, actively vote in favour of selling off our heritage, particularly at this point in the property cycle, but we understand the reasons being given by the Club Board for this move to be deemed necessary. The meeting felt that to vote against the proposal was, however, unhelpful to the Club looking forward, and this resulted in the decision to abstain from voting in the upcoming shareholder meeting.
All Trust members are aware that the Trust Board has tried to engage with the Club over this matter and we will continue to make attempts to ensure that adequate safeguards are put in place.
The Trust Board are now focusing on the season ahead and the challenges that the Club faces to operate on a more stable financial footing. It is clear to us all that the property deal will not, on its own, achieve that. We are actively involved in a number of proposals which will assist in that regard and news of these will be made public as soon as we can.
The Trust Board did not feel that it could, in all conscience, actively vote in favour of selling off our heritage, particularly at this point in the property cycle, but we understand the reasons being given by the Club Board for this move to be deemed necessary. The meeting felt that to vote against the proposal was, however, unhelpful to the Club looking forward, and this resulted in the decision to abstain from voting in the upcoming shareholder meeting.
All Trust members are aware that the Trust Board has tried to engage with the Club over this matter and we will continue to make attempts to ensure that adequate safeguards are put in place.
The Trust Board are now focusing on the season ahead and the challenges that the Club faces to operate on a more stable financial footing. It is clear to us all that the property deal will not, on its own, achieve that. We are actively involved in a number of proposals which will assist in that regard and news of these will be made public as soon as we can.
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Help Maggie's Centres with the Trust
The Jags Trust have linked up with Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres to sponsor Craig Hinchcliffe's away jersey for the forthcoming season in a move that will see the Maggie's name in every matchday programme and the charity receiving Hinchy's signed (and hopefully washed!) jersey next May.In addition Maggie's are asking Jags fans to join in with their 2009 Life Walk which takes place on 3 October, the date of our first home fixture against Airdrie United. Further details of the walk can be found by following this link where you can also find out more about Maggie's and the work which they do in supporting cancer patients and their families.
This year's Life Walk winds its way through the West End via the latest site for a new Maggie's centre at Gartnavel before passing through Maryhill on its way back down Byres Road to the centre on Dumbarton Road. The total route is ten miles and Jags fans would be able to finish the walk, take in the Centenary exhibition at Kelvingrove and still have time to wander up to Firhill in plenty time for the kick off.
Thursday, 6 August 2009
Elections To The Trust Board
Nominations for election to the Trust Board closed on Friday 24th July. At that date the following valid nominations had been received.
Treasurer
Treasurer
Margaret Forsyth
As only one valid nomination has been received, Margaret Forsyth has been returned as Treasurer to serve for a further two year term
Trust Board
Graeme Cowie
Tom Hogg
Morag McHaffie
David Stewart
Martin Towers
As there are five places available, all candidates have been returned to serve on the Trust Board and there is no need for a members' ballot.
Three of the positions are for a two year term, with the remainder for a single year. The allocation of these amongst the five successful candidates will be determined by the drawing of lots at the first Trust Board meeting following the Annual General Meeting.
As required, all candidates supplied a statement in support of their candidacy and this is available from the Trust website.
Thanks once again go to Kenn Elder of the ArabsTrust for acting as independent member of the Election Management Group for the third time!
Beach day at Ayr
The Jags Trust are keen to make sure that away trips are as enjoyable as possible even if the game and the result don't meet our expectations.
Knowing that a significant number of fans intend to dress for the beach on Saturday, we've been in touch with Ayr United to let them know in advance so that their security staff and the match commander are aware and they will hopefully apply a light touch.
Ayr United have responded positively but if any fans do feel that a less than tolerant approach is shown on Saturday, please let us know. There's little that can be done after the event but we want to have information that we can pass on to other Trusts and Supporters Direct to try to deal with stewarding problems at first division grounds.
Knowing that a significant number of fans intend to dress for the beach on Saturday, we've been in touch with Ayr United to let them know in advance so that their security staff and the match commander are aware and they will hopefully apply a light touch.
Ayr United have responded positively but if any fans do feel that a less than tolerant approach is shown on Saturday, please let us know. There's little that can be done after the event but we want to have information that we can pass on to other Trusts and Supporters Direct to try to deal with stewarding problems at first division grounds.
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Shareholders' Meeting confirmed......
It has been confirmed that the Shareholders Meeting will be held on Thursday 20th August.
Today's Evening Times reprints the press release from the club in full
Today's Evening Times reprints the press release from the club in full
Property Update......
The Trust Board understand that the shareholders' meeting to approve the proposal to sell 50% of the stadium to a property company in which the club will retain a 50% share will be held before the end of August, and that letters confirming the details will be heading to shareholders in the next few days.
The view of the Trust Board remains as set out in previous items on this site. Nevertheless, it remains necessary to consider how we will respond at the forthcoming meeting. The next scheduled meeting of the Trust Board falls on next Monday evening (10 August). This will be held in the Blythswood Room in Maryhill Community Central Halls on Maryhill Road commencing at 1900hrs.
The shareholders' meeting will be the first item on our agenda and we would welcome the attendance of any fans who would like to come along and contribute to the discussions - as ever, if you do intend to come along please contact Allan Heron or at 07789 030527 in the first instance so that we are aware of likely numbers.
The view of the Trust Board remains as set out in previous items on this site. Nevertheless, it remains necessary to consider how we will respond at the forthcoming meeting. The next scheduled meeting of the Trust Board falls on next Monday evening (10 August). This will be held in the Blythswood Room in Maryhill Community Central Halls on Maryhill Road commencing at 1900hrs.
The shareholders' meeting will be the first item on our agenda and we would welcome the attendance of any fans who would like to come along and contribute to the discussions - as ever, if you do intend to come along please contact Allan Heron or at 07789 030527 in the first instance so that we are aware of likely numbers.
Monday, 3 August 2009
Erik Geddes on the Airdrie policing
IT'S NOT everyday that you get a You've Been Framed moment in Airdrie but it certainly felt that way recently for dozens of Partick Thistle fans.
Around 2.30pm, on July 25, a train carrying Thistle supporters, including families with kids, arrived at Drumgelloch station and was met by Lanarkshire police officers. Most Thistle fans wouldn't be too proud to admit at being slightly relieved by the sight of police officers at some point over the years. However, Saturday's escort to the ground was interrupted for 15 minutes where the group of some 60 or so fans were held back by the police and lined-up, filmed and told nothing about the reasons for this.
Forward Intelligence Teams (FIT) are the name given to the camera carrying cops. FITs are becoming more and more common in all areas of public surveillance, however this episode outside Airdrie's ground was a first for most Jags fans.
Life-long Jags fan Alan Fraser, 47, retail manager, attended the Challenge Cup game, which Partick Thistle eventually won 0-1. He was there with his 12-year-old son Alfie, and they were part of the contingent held-up.
He said: “I was interested in what the whole thing was about, I couldn't get forward to ask the police as we all had to stand in on the pavement. “The WPC at the back was friendly enough but didn't have any information to give us as to why we were being delayed entry into the ground.
“I suppose if this sort of thing did eliminate football violence then it would be worthwhile but I couldn't see the point of what the police doing on Saturday. I don't know how this sort of thing is helpful to anyone. Also I don't mind too much if the police escort us to the ground but quite why they were filming I don't know. "
“They didn't film Alfie or me close-up, but I imagine they will have as we walked down the hill before getting stopped.”
In May, towards the end of last season, a street brawl in Glasgow's west end - which resulted in one man needing surgery on his head - brought home the fact that football violence is alive and kicking. As there was little sign of the easily identifiable Airdrie or Thistle casuals it seemed all the more surprising, and annoying that our days football viewing had been delayed, with surveillance cameras in our faces.
Inspector Bill Crawford, from Motherwell Police station was match commander at the game and explained the policing of the fans. He said: “We felt there could, due to historical issues between certain supporters of Airdrie an Partick Thistle, have been problems. We were trying to identify anyone that has been or was going to cause trouble and filming lets us do it retrospectively.”
I told Inspector Crawford of the families and children present in the crowd being held back and asked if he was able to confirm or deny that they were working on the (quite bizarre) idea of intelligence that suggested these supporters were potential trouble-makers.
He said: “I'm not in a position to say that there was or wasn't any intelligence gathered on any individuals. I wasn't there at that time but I did speak during the course of the game to the Inspector that was there with that team. We can't discriminate and say 'you might be and you might not be a trouble-maker' when dealing with a crowd.”
"We can't discriminate and say 'you might be and you might not be a trouble-maker' when dealing with a crowd.”
The Inspector confirmed that there were no arrests before, during or after the match. Speaking about the footage shot by the FIT squad, or as they are known in Lanarkshire, Evidence Gathering Teams (EGT) I tried to press him to explain what will now happen with the footage. He said: '”It will be reviewed, and if it is believed that there is nothing of any evidential purpose or value then it will be destroyed. It's also to enhance the officers safety. With regard to if anyone who wants to have a go they might think twice.”
For games in the future at Airdrie, and indeed across the country, the police boss was keen to play down, but not rule out, his own or other forces deploying this tactic again. He said: “I wouldn't say that police EGT meeting supporters would be a natural default position. It's not to be ruled out though and maybe used in a situation where we have had problems in the past. "
“It's not cost effective and not best value for us to just throw everything we have at policing games so we only use it after we have risk assessed the situation. We want to minimise the threat of danger and maximise the safety for everyone.”
The days events were neither rash nor reactive but strategic and matter-of-fact. The supporters were compliant and eventually allowed in just before kick-off. It does however raise questions about police powers and UK subjects civil liberties in the twenty first century.
Section 8 of the 1998 Human Rights Act is there to protect citizens from 'interference from public authorities'. On the face of it this wasn't the case on Saturday 25th August. On a much more basic level it dampens the appeal of following SFL football. An already expensive hobby, it's not overly surprising clubs are failing to attract the crowds they need when supporters are now being stopped and filmed by the state on their way to the ground.
(c) Erik Geddes
Around 2.30pm, on July 25, a train carrying Thistle supporters, including families with kids, arrived at Drumgelloch station and was met by Lanarkshire police officers. Most Thistle fans wouldn't be too proud to admit at being slightly relieved by the sight of police officers at some point over the years. However, Saturday's escort to the ground was interrupted for 15 minutes where the group of some 60 or so fans were held back by the police and lined-up, filmed and told nothing about the reasons for this.
Forward Intelligence Teams (FIT) are the name given to the camera carrying cops. FITs are becoming more and more common in all areas of public surveillance, however this episode outside Airdrie's ground was a first for most Jags fans.
Life-long Jags fan Alan Fraser, 47, retail manager, attended the Challenge Cup game, which Partick Thistle eventually won 0-1. He was there with his 12-year-old son Alfie, and they were part of the contingent held-up.
He said: “I was interested in what the whole thing was about, I couldn't get forward to ask the police as we all had to stand in on the pavement. “The WPC at the back was friendly enough but didn't have any information to give us as to why we were being delayed entry into the ground.
“I suppose if this sort of thing did eliminate football violence then it would be worthwhile but I couldn't see the point of what the police doing on Saturday. I don't know how this sort of thing is helpful to anyone. Also I don't mind too much if the police escort us to the ground but quite why they were filming I don't know. "
“They didn't film Alfie or me close-up, but I imagine they will have as we walked down the hill before getting stopped.”
In May, towards the end of last season, a street brawl in Glasgow's west end - which resulted in one man needing surgery on his head - brought home the fact that football violence is alive and kicking. As there was little sign of the easily identifiable Airdrie or Thistle casuals it seemed all the more surprising, and annoying that our days football viewing had been delayed, with surveillance cameras in our faces.
Inspector Bill Crawford, from Motherwell Police station was match commander at the game and explained the policing of the fans. He said: “We felt there could, due to historical issues between certain supporters of Airdrie an Partick Thistle, have been problems. We were trying to identify anyone that has been or was going to cause trouble and filming lets us do it retrospectively.”
I told Inspector Crawford of the families and children present in the crowd being held back and asked if he was able to confirm or deny that they were working on the (quite bizarre) idea of intelligence that suggested these supporters were potential trouble-makers.
He said: “I'm not in a position to say that there was or wasn't any intelligence gathered on any individuals. I wasn't there at that time but I did speak during the course of the game to the Inspector that was there with that team. We can't discriminate and say 'you might be and you might not be a trouble-maker' when dealing with a crowd.”
"We can't discriminate and say 'you might be and you might not be a trouble-maker' when dealing with a crowd.”
The Inspector confirmed that there were no arrests before, during or after the match. Speaking about the footage shot by the FIT squad, or as they are known in Lanarkshire, Evidence Gathering Teams (EGT) I tried to press him to explain what will now happen with the footage. He said: '”It will be reviewed, and if it is believed that there is nothing of any evidential purpose or value then it will be destroyed. It's also to enhance the officers safety. With regard to if anyone who wants to have a go they might think twice.”
For games in the future at Airdrie, and indeed across the country, the police boss was keen to play down, but not rule out, his own or other forces deploying this tactic again. He said: “I wouldn't say that police EGT meeting supporters would be a natural default position. It's not to be ruled out though and maybe used in a situation where we have had problems in the past. "
“It's not cost effective and not best value for us to just throw everything we have at policing games so we only use it after we have risk assessed the situation. We want to minimise the threat of danger and maximise the safety for everyone.”
The days events were neither rash nor reactive but strategic and matter-of-fact. The supporters were compliant and eventually allowed in just before kick-off. It does however raise questions about police powers and UK subjects civil liberties in the twenty first century.
Section 8 of the 1998 Human Rights Act is there to protect citizens from 'interference from public authorities'. On the face of it this wasn't the case on Saturday 25th August. On a much more basic level it dampens the appeal of following SFL football. An already expensive hobby, it's not overly surprising clubs are failing to attract the crowds they need when supporters are now being stopped and filmed by the state on their way to the ground.
(c) Erik Geddes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
