Rugby v Football Fans.

[shinglis]

Interesting article regards the difference of treatment between rugby & football fans. 
https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/other-football/40-times-scottish-football-fans-15821982

[ghostofjimmysmith]

Start charging £92 a ticket for football matches, as per Murrayfield last week and maybe you get a better class of stewarding.

Usually when having any discussion on this I blame the ugly sisters for ruining it for everyone else but then things like the absolute abhorrent lunacy at St Midden last Saturday make me realize why there is such a negative perception of all football fans.

Did the rugger buggers not try and claim that the Scottish lads who gave Eddie Jones a bit of a hard time on the train last year were actually football rather than rugby fans.

[AYRSHIRE_ANGUS]

I think this is only recently but Scotrail have started to impose an alcohol ban on trains to Murrayfield, however I don't think it is policed very effectively.

Being in a train full of drunk rugby fans is absolutely horrendous. Mainly for their abysmal patter rather than any physical behaviour!

[real deal]

Ayr supporters being made an example of with the cops stopping their bus and taking their cerry oot

[TonyH]

Ayr supporters targeted on their way to Cappielow while Tennents are allowed to hand out free cans of lager to rugby fans on their way to Murrayfield.

[ghostofjimmysmith]

I apologise for my ignorance but what specific crime was being committed - why are you not allowed to drink you have provided on a private bus? I'm not being awkward I genuinely don't know.

If the bus had left a couple of hours earlier and the folks on board had gone to the pub for a couple of hours, would that have been alright?

Clubs are required to provide stewarding/policing at the ground and one of their duties is to prevent those gaining access who are under the influence and also remove anyone who is under the influence who may have gained access.

Whenever I get the train at weekends there will be groups of folks going on a day/night out having a drink, how is that any different. Similarly I have been on lots of fun flights with work, bizarrely some very early in the morning, with blootered stag and hen parties who are at best a nuisance but at worst a real safety risk.

[shinglis]

not a legal eagle but for reference - Criminal Law Scotland Act 1995

Where a public service vehicle or [railway vehicle] is being operated for the principal purpose of conveying passengers for the whole or part of a journey to or from a designated sporting event, then—

(a)

any person in possession of alcohol on the vehicle shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 60 days or a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale or both;

(b)

if alcohol is being carried on the vehicle and the vehicle is on hire to a person, he shall, subject to subsection (7) below, be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale; and

(c)

any person who is drunk on the vehicle shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale.

[weejoe]

This Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 was introduced due to our and I mean Scotland's terrible relationship with alcohol.  There is no getting away from that.   It is beyond me why morons need to go to a football game smashed out of their face and spoil the day for everyone else.

However, included within the definition of designated sporting event is International Rugby Union  matches.  So I can't understand why with this group get a blind eye turned and football fans are targeted.

From my army days the biggest bunch of animals were always the rugby crowd, but anything they do is written off as high spirits.  With football fans they are labelled hooligans.  Its a war of the classes!

[AYRSHIRE_ANGUS]

Someone made a good point on P&B after the Killie v Celtic game. The biggest issue these days at football games could be that increasing numbers of people are taking substances other than alcohol before the games.

[Try6Place]

That's what's scary, it's not just drink...even the drink is awfy stong.