Alcohol and Football

[kent_don]

I’ve never wanted a beer watching football in a ground. Same as I don’t generally have a soft drink or hot drink.

But when I lived down south - being able to grab a beer at 2.30/45 in a sheltered concourse if weather was bad and same again at half time if the football was equally crap was much appreciated alongside my curry pie. That was watching Charlton as they bounced about league 1/championship.

[TonyFerrino]

2 hours ago, Crawford said:

Unpopular opinion, but I would like the game to stay dry.

You already hear and see some pretty shocking stuff at grounds around the country without needing to add alcohol into the mix.

The balance we have of most having a pre match pint and not allowing people who are steaming into grounds is right.

You can point to rugby, cricket or any other sport that allow drink in the stands but let's be honest and say football does not have the same calibre of fan.

 

Presumably Crawford is your forename, what. 

[Comrie]

3 hours ago, Crawford said:

Unpopular opinion, but I would like the game to stay dry.

You already hear and see some pretty shocking stuff at grounds around the country without needing to add alcohol into the mix.

The balance we have of most having a pre match pint and not allowing people who are steaming into grounds is right.

You can point to rugby, cricket or any other sport that allow drink in the stands but let's be honest and say football does not have the same calibre of fan.

 

I used to play rugby and from seeing both players and fans (at a low level) and I can tell you they are in no way, shape or form "higher calibre" than football fans. There are just less of them.

Edited February 25, 2021 by Comrie

[Crawford]

Just now, Comrie said:

I used to play rugby and from seeing both players and fans (at a low level) and I can tell you they are in no way, shape or form "higher calibre" than football fans. There are just less of them.

Already addressed that calibre was the wrong word to use and explained it. 

24 minutes ago, TonyFerrino said:

Presumably Crawford is your forename, what. 

Can't tell if we are going for the Billy Connolly classic, that people with surnames for first names are posh c***s, but no. No it isn't.

[invergowrie arab]

Drunk football fans are more likely to fight each other.

Rugby fans more likely to sexually assault people.

[Empty It]

Can someone please just point out that it's an absolutely brilliant thing that football fans are 'not of the same calibre' as rugby fans.

I for one am delighted to not be on the same level as those tory deviant egg chasers.

[RossBFaeDundee]

Never cared tbh. Like the odd drink, particularly with mates and on a day out, but at no point in my fandom have I been choking for a drink at the game. Can't pretend I'm a big visiter of the pub before or after games tbh, same reason why I don't get why 'getting the pubs open' is the pinnacle of freedom, but again that's just down to personal preference. Don't see how having alcohol at games improves the experience any more than it would otherwise. Probably would understand it better if I had more football-going mates, my usual group couldn't give a shit and it's always been me and my dad that've went together.

[The Golden God]

I definetely want it back. People have said there are a lot of arseholes and bams at games which is true, I don't think a pint or 2 during the game is going to get them all rioting though. Not everyone who drinks pre and post match is going out and getting steaming, a Saturday 3pm they will meet up with their friends and have a couple in the pub, go to the game and go back to the pub for a couple after, then they'll go up the road for dinner, why deny them the right to have a pint at the game cause people were dicks 40 years ago? There's hundreds of police and stewards at every game and 99% of the time they're doing nothing, I'm sure they'd be able to handle any people who are getting out of hand.

You can get a drink at any other form of entertainment, darts fans can get a bit rowdy, maybe we should ban it at the darts? The theatre is fine thogh, maybe ban it at comedy shows if it's someone like Kevin Bridges, not Michael McIntyre though his fans can all be trusted.

[Jambomo]

My only reason for not wanting it back is the amount of times I’d be having to get out the way of people going to buy beer or needing to go to the toilet. It’s already a bit of a nightmare for that if you are next to already pished fans. 

I think that the actual difference in match day experience is a bit overestimated tbh. I’ve been to a few games in Germany where you can drink. I don’t drink beer but those I was with did and tbh some didn’t bother because they just found it a bit expensive and those who did, liked the novelty but didn’t really think it made a lot of difference. 

In terms of behaviour I doubt it would make a huge amount of difference. Fans start drinking early most match days anyway and are pretty often steaming when they get there. 

[true_rover]

My only reason for not wanting it back is the amount of times I’d be having to get out the way of people going to buy beer or needing to go to the toilet. It’s already a bit of a nightmare for that if you are next to already pished fans. 
I think that the actual difference in match day experience is a bit overestimated tbh. I’ve been to a few games in Germany where you can drink. I don’t drink beer but those I was with did and tbh some didn’t bother because they just found it a bit expensive and those who did, liked the novelty but didn’t really think it made a lot of difference. 
In terms of behaviour I doubt it would make a huge amount of difference. Fans start drinking early most match days anyway and are pretty often steaming when they get there. 

Agree with this. The couple of times that I've been to games at Murrayfield, it's a complete pain the arse continually getting out of people's way for that.

Not to mention, you see plenty footage from fan parks of beer going everywhere celebrating a goal - could live without that.

[Dons_1988]

Drawing parallels with the 'red shed' piloted at Pittodrie before the world went to hell in a hand basket, you could have specific sections/stands that serve beer to avoid a lot of the complaints from above.

When the red shed was announced it was made pretty clear that there would be standing, less stewarding and the language was likely to be colourful. If that wasn't your thing then you had the option to steer well clear. The same could be said for beer at the game?

I understand there's things that come with beer being sold that people don't like and that's fair enough but surely there's a way to accommodate both factions. I believe families should be bale to attend without fear of being confronted by arseholes but I also think some of the younger guys should be able to enjoy the football beyond the limits of a family friendly day out.  

[ropy]

I drive to games, home and away, so there is great attraction from me (apart from games in Edinburgh where I get the train and visit the pub pre-game).

I don’t remember drink being sold at matches, I remember 4 cans being brought in to be placed between the feet and eventually chucked depending on the outcome of the game.

I went to a match in Reading a couple of years ago, I struggled to down the pre-game pint, it was poor and I never went back for a half time drink.  

[AndyM]

14 hours ago, virginton said:

Bramall Lane offered some English bitter as well as your generic lager and it cost a reasonable £3.20 or something a few years back. If some clubs choose to sign dung overpriced deals with Tennents then that's just like having a garbage pie stall or the monstrosity that they use for catering at Hampden. 

I believe Spurs now have moved away from the generic crap and have their own microbrewery at the stadium. Christ knows what it costs though. And you still can't take it out the concourse area.   If Scottish teams were allowed to sell beer you can bet it would be the overpriced watery crap from Tennents or Carling.

I'm just about old enough to recall a few games in 1979 at Easter Road with my older cousins before the booze ban. Drinking at games entailed guys coming in to the ground with carrier bags  of cans and usually a flat pint bottle of whisky or Vodka which then was often used as a missile if Rangers or Celtic were visiting.  And it was the same from the away end.

[Leith Green]

1 hour ago, AndyM said:

a flat pint bottle of whisky or Vodka which then was often used as a missile if Rangers or Celtic were visiting.

tbf, it wisnae much different last year from the wee radges at the end section when those pair were visiting.

Simpler, better, times imo.............

[AmericanFan]

17 hours ago, AJF said:

Unfortunately not. It was banned after crowd trouble at the 1980 Scottish Cup Final between Rangers and Celtic.

Interesting. It would help the smaller clubs some financially if they could.

I rarely drink at sporting events here because I don't want to pay $10 for piss, but I'm in the minority.

[invergowrie arab]

3 minutes ago, AmericanFan said:

Interesting. It would help the smaller clubs some financially if they could.

I rarely drink at sporting events here because I don't want to pay $10 for piss, but I'm in the minority.

My experience of NFL and NHL in the States is you could get Goose IPA for $10 for a 500ml can. Expensive but did get the job done. Only PITA was having to go to exact same server each time or fill out another form to confirm I was 21.

My experience is casual violence in the States was far more common. Not large scale crowd disturbances but two lads going at it, even those supporting same team, was not a massive deal. They would get chucked out but I  can count on one hand the number of actual fights I have seen in a stadium  in Scotland over 30 years.

[AmericanFan]

5 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

My experience of NFL and NHL in the States is you could get Goose IPA for $10 for a 500ml can. Expensive but did get the job done. Only PITA was having to go to exact same server each time or fill out another form to confirm I was 21.

My experience is casual violence in the States was far more common. Not large scale crowd disturbances but two lads going at it, even those supporting same team, was not a massive deal. They would get chucked out but I  can count on one hand the number of actual fights I have seen in a stadium  in Scotland over 30 years.

Sounds about right on all accounts, though I've never experienced having to go to the same server or fill out some form (maybe a hockey thing?).

 

[craigkillie]

Went to see the Toronto Maple Leafs and paid $10 for a cider only to receive a can of Strongbow. The joke was on them though because it was a work trip and I put it on expenses.

[LIVIFOREVER]

4 hours ago, AndyM said:

I believe Spurs now have moved away from the generic crap and have their own microbrewery at the stadium. Christ knows what it costs though. And you still can't take it out the concourse area.   If Scottish teams were allowed to sell beer you can bet it would be the overpriced watery crap from Tennents or Carling.

I'm just about old enough to recall a few games in 1979 at Easter Road with my older cousins before the booze ban. Drinking at games entailed guys coming in to the ground with carrier bags  of cans and usually a flat pint bottle of whisky or Vodka which then was often used as a missile if Rangers or Celtic were visiting.  And it was the same from the away end.

Which again highlights how this alcohol ban is outdated nonsense, people wouldn't be allowed to bring in their own carry outs, drinking as many cans of beer as they liked inside the ground. Really should be reviewed properly and Police Scotland told to go f**k off with their objections.  

[johnnydun]

If you are going to have a drink at a game then I don't see how 2-3 pints at about £8 each (just a guess of how much they will cost), during a game is going to affect you? Whether you have been to the pub or not.

It's the being at the pub before hand that is going to determine how pished you are.

I can only see a win for clubs here.