Sniffer Dogs at Madejski

[STAR Voice]

New Song for Saturday

"Who kicked the dogs out?
Jon, Jon, Jon Keen"

Well done STAR, credit where it's due.

But you can bet Man U and The Mirror will claim all the credit!

Not sure about that - they've had no contact with RFC about this.

Incidentally, the plans never actually involved screening of away supporters in any case, so the Mirror piece was way off track.

[Rawlie19]

Was this a small test for this years Reading festival? If they're planning on using such things at events like that then they would need to test it! Lot of work at the festival!

[STAR Voice]

Was this a small test for this years Reading festival? If they're planning on using such things at events like that then they would need to test it! Lot of work at the festival!

This was initiated by the sniffer company, not the FC or the police, so who would "they" be?

But I've no doubt that the idea was to use the crowd at the football match as guinea pigs to show how this would work with big crowds - but only to sell the services of the drug detection company, not to benefit Reading FC or its supporters.

[RG30]

RFC = absolute disgrace

[Wycombe Royal]

RFC = absolute disgrace

You've lost me.

[Schards#2]

RFC = absolute disgrace

RFC = Made a poor decision without thinking it through and corrected it after listening to the concerns of their clients.

Well Done

[Tinrib]

I remember the days of the late 80's when drug use on the terraces was rife...

And was there any trouble?

No.

[PurpleTurtle]

RFC = absolute disgrace

RFC = Made a poor decision without thinking it through and corrected it after listening to the concerns of their clients.

Well Done

Agreed, and well done to them.

I do think they need to install a 'Will-this-piss-people-off-o-meter' somewhere in their decision making process, I haven't been so riled since I got that mailshot to STH's inviting us to come and watch the opposition.
Or in other words, why don't they apply some common sense before going public on these things?

Fair play on this one though, they've reacted quickly to a negative fan response and binned the idea.

FWIW I have been going to all sorts of large sporting events for many years and do not honestly believe there is a societal problem with drugs and spectators. Its far more prevalent at music festivals, and from what I read TVP do a very good job of nicking lots of people.

[Dai Brainbocs]

One more thing that people will remember for years, when the club is wondering why it has acres of empty seats at 30 quid a pop gainst Barnsley and Scunthorpe.

A fair cross-section of the population crosses the threshold of John Lewis every Saturday. Why not give them the sniffer dog treatment? Because it would be commercially disastrous.

[Blue and White Toucan]

Tinrib Posted: 17 Jan 2008 13:13 Post subject:

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I remember the days of the late 80's when drug use on the terraces was rife...

And was there any trouble?

No.

Not sure that is exactly true TBH

[Silver Fox]

I haven't been so riled since I got that mailshot to STH's inviting us to come and watch the opposition.

Really?

[Ups and Downs]

"

I guess people might be necking pills but I can't imagine many people would want to watch a football match on ecstacy.

If they are doing acid then God 'elp 'em.

A few years back when we were in Division 2 I was so bored at a game at the Mad Stad that me and a friend did a few pills. I ended up talking utter shit to the poor bloke next to me for the whole match and then nearly passed out through heat exhaustion when trying to get a bus back into town. I think we won though.

[Blue and White Toucan]

Dai Brainbocs Posted: 17 Jan 2008 13:40 Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One more thing that people will remember for years, when the club is wondering why it has acres of empty seats at 30 quid a pop gainst Barnsley and Scunthorpe.

A fair cross-section of the population crosses the threshold of John Lewis every Saturday. Why not give them the sniffer dog treatment? Because it would be commercially disastrous.

I think the idea was that the company running the scheme wanted to trail based on a crowd of 20,000 plus all arriving within a 2 hour period and seeing if they could work such a scheme. As said before its is not about Reading FC or even Football, it is about the numbers and the crowds.

Remember this is a private company and to sell there service to the Police forces that look after Glastonbury, Reading Festival or other large gatherings they have to convince them that the scheme works and they can handle the numbers.

Hardly sells to them if you say you sniffed out 3,000 shoppers outside John Lewis in 5 hours does it!???

[Huntley & Palmer]

But it is targetting football fans specifically. Why not do it at say a venue like Alexandra Palace, though they probably wouldn't have enough bodies to arrest that many people and search them

[RoyalBlue]

New Song for Saturday

"Who kicked the dogs out?
Jon, Jon, Jon Keen"

Well done STAR, credit where it's due.

But you can bet Man U and The Mirror will claim all the credit!

Not sure about that - they've had no contact with RFC about this.

Incidentally, the plans never actually involved screening of away supporters in any case, so the Mirror piece was way off track.

Even though they may have had no contact, wouldn't put it past them to claim RFC had a rethink after reading the article.

Incidentally having now learned that RFC had planned to volunteer their own supporters as guinea pigs to a private company, I am even more annoyed that such an idea was ever contemplated.

Why such a willingness to offer the services of our supporters (in doing so incurring the risk of further reinforcing the stereotype of football supporters being law breaking scum) for free to a private for profit organisation? What benefit does that bring to either the supporters or the club?

So what that we were the nearest big sporting venue. Why can't the company test their idea at a shopping centre (as has already been pointed out, that would give a far more representative cross section of society)? Could it be that the police/authorities/shopping centre management would be too worried about the adverse reaction this would provoke. Or does it really come back to the fact that football supporters are regarded as the lowest of the low in society.

I'm glad RFC have realised the error of their ways and have been quick to pull the plug on the idea. Hopefully next time around they will think a little more carefully about possible implications, ideally consulting with supporters/STAR, before rushing in to volunteer the cooperation of their customers/supporters.

Dai Brainbocs Posted: 17 Jan 2008 13:40 Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One more thing that people will remember for years, when the club is wondering why it has acres of empty seats at 30 quid a pop gainst Barnsley and Scunthorpe.

A fair cross-section of the population crosses the threshold of John Lewis every Saturday. Why not give them the sniffer dog treatment? Because it would be commercially disastrous.

I think the idea was that the company running the scheme wanted to trail based on a crowd of 20,000 plus all arriving within a 2 hour period and seeing if they could work such a scheme. As said before its is not about Reading FC or even Football, it is about the numbers and the crowds.

Remember this is a private company and to sell there service to the Police forces that look after Glastonbury, Reading Festival or other large gatherings they have to convince them that the scheme works and they can handle the numbers.

Hardly sells to them if you say you sniffed out 3,000 shoppers outside John Lewis in 5 hours does it!???

I think you'll find that the hourly throughput of a major shopping centre is far higher than that!

Anyway, why should the club feel any obligation, or indeed need, whatsoever to help a private company looking to sell there services to police forces looking after things like Glastonbury, Reading Festival etc?

If that's the intended end use of their service, why don't that just offer it as a free trial to the police at such events?

[weybridgewanderer]

To clarify on this, and to give people a better idea of what to expect on Saturday, as people enter through the turnstiles there will be a sniffer dog there.

If the dog detects any signs of drugs on anyone walking past then they will be taken aside and searched - but no-one will be searched as a matter of course.

But although this isn't as intrusive as suggested in the Evening Post story, I still think that the club have been naive in accepting this "free trial" from the suppliers of this service without thinking through the message it sends out to peopel who are their customers.

All fans or just the Man Utd fans?

[Huntley & Palmer]

You might want to read the rest of the thread

[The Cube]

This is an excellent example of how the club's media department have still not worked out the difference betwen being a Championship team and playing against Manchester United in the Premiership. How long is it going to take them?

(And I'd like to congratulate the local firm involved for their imaginative way of attempting to get a few people in to see some of the game for free.)

[Blue and White Toucan]

RoyalBlue Posted: 17 Jan 2008 14:08 Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STAR Campaigns wrote:
RoyalBlue wrote:
Schards#2 wrote:
New Song for Saturday

"Who kicked the dogs out?
Jon, Jon, Jon Keen"

Well done STAR, credit where it's due.


But you can bet Man U and The Mirror will claim all the credit!


Not sure about that - they've had no contact with RFC about this.

Incidentally, the plans never actually involved screening of away supporters in any case, so the Mirror piece was way off track.


Even though they may have had no contact, wouldn't put it past them to claim RFC had a rethink after reading the article.

Incidentally having now learned that RFC had planned to volunteer their own supporters as guinea pigs to a private company, I am even more annoyed that such an idea was ever contemplated.

Why such a willingness to offer the services of our supporters (in doing so incurring the risk of further reinforcing the stereotype of football supporters being law breaking scum) for free to a private for profit organisation? What benefit does that bring to either the supporters or the club?

So what that we were the nearest big sporting venue. Why can't the company test their idea at a shopping centre (as has already been pointed out, that would give a far more representative cross section of society)? Could it be that the police/authorities/shopping centre management would be too worried about the adverse reaction this would provoke. Or does it really come back to the fact that football supporters are regarded as the lowest of the low in society.

I'm glad RFC have realised the error of their ways and have been quick to pull the plug on the idea. Hopefully next time around they will think a little more carefully about possible implications, ideally consulting with supporters/STAR, before rushing in to volunteer the cooperation of their customers/supporters.

Blue and White Toucan wrote:
Quote:
Dai Brainbocs Posted: 17 Jan 2008 13:40 Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One more thing that people will remember for years, when the club is wondering why it has acres of empty seats at 30 quid a pop gainst Barnsley and Scunthorpe.

A fair cross-section of the population crosses the threshold of John Lewis every Saturday. Why not give them the sniffer dog treatment? Because it would be commercially disastrous.



I think the idea was that the company running the scheme wanted to trail based on a crowd of 20,000 plus all arriving within a 2 hour period and seeing if they could work such a scheme. As said before its is not about Reading FC or even Football, it is about the numbers and the crowds.

Remember this is a private company and to sell there service to the Police forces that look after Glastonbury, Reading Festival or other large gatherings they have to convince them that the scheme works and they can handle the numbers.

Hardly sells to them if you say you sniffed out 3,000 shoppers outside John Lewis in 5 hours does it!???


I think you'll find that the hourly throughput of a major shopping centre is far higher than that!

Anyway, why should the club feel any obligation, or indeed need, whatsoever to help a private company looking to sell there services to police forces looking after things like Glastonbury, Reading Festival etc?

If that's the intended end use of their service, why don't that just offer it as a free trial to the police at such events?

Maybe the company has certain Directors that we are not aware of with a link to RFC.

Thereis a difference between a crowd at a sporting / music event and saturday shoppers so to sell it on they need that sort of exposure.

Tried there luck RFC said yes without really considering it then relaise it was probably not the best idea, so decided against it. Simple as that.

[AF1]

Congratulations to MUST for having this charade cancelled.