Time For Action

Killie's last match of the season turned out to be a memorable affair but sadly for all the wrong reasons. The policy to 'sell-out' the tickets backfired with Celtic fans obtaining tickets for most areas of the stadium. This led to angry confrontations between rival fans with Killie being made to feel like strangers in their own ground. The Killiefc.com message boards have been inundated with angry Killie fans that feel they have been treated as second-class citizens by their own club. The police have also come in for much criticism in their handling of supporters both inside and outside the ground. Here is a sample of some of the posts on the boards and some of the letters sent to the club:

"After the game yesterday when trying to get back to the car with my boyfriend, Uncle and ten year old

little cousin we came across about six Celtic fans hammering a Killie fan with not a policeman in sight. Being three months pregnant and not wanting to get hurt I tried to move out the road but lost my boyfriend. A Celtic fan cornered me and told me to hide my Killie top and take my scarf off or expect the same! Is this the kind of nonsense I have to expect every time we play one of the old firm? I have never been so terrified in all my life and surprise surprise not a policeman to be seen...Steph Rosbotham"

"Dear Sir…I write to you in absolute disgust today at the way the loyal Killie fans were treated at yesterday's game against Celtic at Rugby Park. As loyal Killie fans, my young son Tommy, aged 5, and I make the 440 mile round trip regularly to Rugby Park to attend the games and support my beloved team. Since moving down to Lancashire three years ago I have not allowed the distance to stop me from getting up to games. We have only missed four home games all season and also attended a number of away games. The only thing that stopped me getting a season ticket is the distance that we live from the ground. Yesterday's disgraceful events however have changed all that. The way that the club blatantly sold tickets to Celtic fans for the East Stand was an unbelievable act of contempt toward Killie's loyal fans. My whole family came up for this game, and we found ourselves totally surrounded by Celtic fans that were making no attempt to disguise their support, most of them were actually wearing Hoops. I spoke to the Stewards and the Police asking them to resolve this situation and to remove the Celtic fans from the Killie areas. The Stewards said they couldn't do it due to the large number of Celtic fans involved. The Police were less than helpful saying that they had no jurisdiction over the Football ground as they were only acting on behalf of the club and it was the club who had sold the tickets in full knowledge that the Celtic fans were going to buy them. I then had no option but to take the boys away from the game and out of the ground. As you will know, the atmosphere was very intimidating. Intimidating for an adult to be surrounded by Celtic fans, never mind for a five and a four year old. So at half time we left Rugby Park with Tommy in floods of tears. Can you imagine how this made my wife and myself feel Mr. Heath? Having made the trip specially for the game, having paid £56 for four tickets, and now having a wee boy heart-broken and distraught because of a serious display of bad management of what was Killie fans space within the ground. We were not the only ones to leave the ground, we saw a large number of Killie fans doing exactly the same thing as we did. I am not going to ask you to refund my monies Mr. Heath; I am not even expecting a reply to this e-mail. I would just like you to make the board aware of the ramifications of their actions yesterday. It is and was an absolute disgrace, and I am totally sickened by it. It saddens me greatly to say what I am about to say Mr. Heath as I have supported Kilmarnock loyally over the past 20 years. However the appalling situation yesterday leaves me no choice. I will never return to Rugby Park. Never again will I go through the turnstiles of the East Stand, and that is a great shame indeed. In these modern days of Football where supporters and money into the club are in a real short supply it is fans like the ones who you insulted yesterday that you need to keep at the ground. You sold out the fans Mr. Heath, you sold out the fans…Andy Hewat"

"Dear Mr. Heath…as a lifelong Kilmarnock Supporter and someone who has spent large amounts of my money following Killie it with deep disappointment I find myself writing this letter. Against my better judgment I attended yesterdays game at Rugby Park against Celtic. I say my better judgment, as I knew that large amounts of Celtic fans had been sold tickets for the East Stand and home areas by Kilmarnock Football Club. I accept that it is difficult to know who is a genuine fan when selling tickets and I have no problem with away fans sitting among us (although it still has potential for disorder). However, when they are cheering their team and inciting trouble with Killie fans I do have a problem. I went to the game as you had assured fans at the Supporters Association meeting that this would not happen. That these Celtic fans would be moved to the 'sterile area' and when that was full ejected from the ground. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. It seems to me that Kilmarnock FC are entirely to blame having briefed the Stewards in all parts of the ground that Celtic fans were not to be ejected. In direct contradiction to what the Supporters Association were told. I find it incredible to believe that Kilmarnock FC have put money gained from a one off game before the feelings of the fans, many of whom stayed away yesterday and am sure they will stay away in the future. At a time when Kilmarnock FC are trying to attract more fans and increase season ticket holders, yesterday's events are totally counter productive to this. It is completely unacceptable even to offer an apology as Kilmarnock FC were aware of the strength of feeling and the problems that would occur and failed to act upon it. Preferring instead to take the decision to allow the Celtic fans to mix among us. This same problem occurred at the start of the season when Rangers fans were mixing with the home fans in the West Stand so it is nothing new. To blame the Police is also unacceptable as they were not fully briefed either (although I do think they were extremely lacking in backing up Stewards within the ground and in neglecting to prevent disorder in the immediate vicinity of the Stadium and surrounding area). At this point in time I have already purchased my season ticket and among others have encouraged my OAP parents to become season ticket holders. I will now actively discourage my parents from attending future old firm games at Rugby Park as I would fear for their safety. Had the season ticket not been so cheap and already paid for I would not be renewing it, as I do not want to attend any future old firm game either. I already do not attend Ibrox or Parkhead as I don't like being subjected to the sectarian and other abuse that occurs there. I certainly do not expect this to happen at Rugby Park within the home stand and to fear my own and my brother's safety when we leave our own football ground is something I am not happy to accept or put up with. I realise this letter will fall on deaf ears, but I felt that at least I had to put down on paper my deep disappointment with Kilmarnock Football Club. I would be grateful if you would pass my comments on to the Board. I would also be interested in hearing any comments that they or yourself have to say on anything I have said, but as you will no doubt receive numerous complaints I won't be holding my breath for an acceptable or individual reply. Yours…Margot McCrone (Glasgow Killie Supporters Club)"

"Dear Sir…having just returned from the final home game of the season against Celtic, it saddens me as a Season Ticket holder to have to write to Kilmarnock Football Club to complain about the way the game was handled by the Club and the Stewards. Sitting in my usual seat in the West stand, I was appalled to see large numbers of Celtic fans enter and take over the area. I mentioned this fact to a steward who merely told me that the club had sold the tickets and the fans could sit where they wanted. During the course of the game I was subjected to Celtic fans jumping up and down in front of my family, and myself causing a restricted view. The language was disgraceful to say the least, but the ultimate insult was my daughter being threatened and sworn at by a hoodlum in green and white. It was mentioned to the police on duty that the segregation was a disgrace. However, I am advised that the police stated that Sir John Orr welcomed the Celtic fans into our stand. I suppose it is all right for him in the cocooned area, called the Directors Box. Can I point out the Killie Connections Shop stated all week that tickets were not to be bought by Celtic fans and they were subject to ejection should they attempt to take seats in the stand!! What happened to this policy then? Kilmarnock are proud to present themselves as a Family Club. I am proud to support the Club, but I for one am not prepared to put my family's safety at risk attending a game where our area is overwhelmed by threatening away fans. I would like to emphasise yet again that we were in an area that should only have had Kilmarnock fans in it. Celtic fans were blatantly displaying their team colours so there would not have been a problem for either the stewards or police to identify them and eject them to another area. After all this is what your notice in the Killie Connections window clearly stated! I follow Kilmarnock both home and away, with the exception of Parkhead and Ibrox, as these two venues are hostile in the way visiting fans are treated. As you can imagine, I do not want the same happening at our home games. Another point of note today was the number of ladies smoking in the toilets in the West Stand. As a Season Ticket holder I attend all home games. Smoking is banned in the West Stand for genuine safety reasons and there is not usually a problem with it at other matches. Today, however, when I visited the toilets there were several cigarette ends stamped out on the floor and one lady was finishing off her cigarette. The Club should take the risk of fire seriously and institute measures to combat people smoking in the toilets in the West Stand, remember what happened at Bradford! In conclusion, may I ask the Club to clarify its segregation policy? Will Sir John explain why he welcomes fans to take over our area, if this is the case? I certainly do not wish to have my family threatened, but I do not want to stop coming to games, but if this is not sorted out for next season at Old Firm matches, many fans will be forced to leave. As we are trying to encourage fans back to the Club this will certainly not help. Come on Kilmarnock. Let the fans have peace to support our great team. Yours Sincerely…Dorothy Morris"

David Heath posted: "I know that there is nothing I can say on here in the heat of the aftermath of yesterday's match that will satisfy the concerns of supporters who were unhappy or intimidated at the presence and behaviour of opposition fans at the match. I still don't know what the best solution is to issues like Sunday's game because both Seville and Rugby Park were examples that determined supporters will get tickets no matter what the selling policy is. Nonetheless we will look again at every avenue in the light of this experience. In terms of the subsequent policy once fans are in the ground, I won't engage in the usual debate about police/Rock Steady/club responsibilities, but simply say sorry that Killie supporters felt badly treated. We will review the events and what worked and what didn't with both the police and Rock Steady. From later this morning I am abroad for the next 2-3 weeks so please understand that my absence from the boards and lack of reply to emails is simply down to that. Please don't be too hard on the club. We genuinely tried our best to minimise the issues associated with this unique match. The fact that it didn't work as we hoped is regrettable and I apologise and we'll commit to explore as many solutions as possible for next season."

There are several issues that the board needs to look at urgently to ensure this situation never arises again. Firstly, away fans should not receive any tickets for either the East or West stands. The club policy should be that any away fans in these stands will be ejected. That's the policy at most other grounds so why not at Rugby Park? Secondly, there should be adequate policing outside the game on the streets where it is known rival fans are going to meet e.g. South Hamilton Street, McLelland Drive etc. And thirdly, away fans should be kept in the ground for 10-15 minutes to let the Killie fans out the ground in relative safety.

This happens at many grounds down south and helps to cut down on confrontation when leaving the ground. The club needs to take a long hard look at these issues and give priority to their own fans. We are actively trying to attract more fans back to Rugby Park next season but days like last Sunday will only scare fans away. This is an issue that Killie fans feel very strongly about and we won't be letting it die until we get satisfactory answers from the club.

Read the B&H column in the Kilmarnock Standard every week