Tuesday 8 March 2011

If There’s Not A Wicker Man In This Cop’s Future…

A high-profile police chief has criticised a York pub for allegedly failing to control its customers during a bad-tempered live football match.
Oh? There was trouble, then?

How many police attended, how many fans were arrested, and did ambulances have to attend for anyone injured?

Oh:
A spokesman for O’Neill’s said they had received no contact from the local authorities and no concerns from other customers.

The pub had not been especially busy, with about 100 people watching the game, and they were satisfied with staff training.

He said: “We wish to be very clear that whilst many of our customers were passionate about the match there were no serious issues concerning customer behaviour.”
Curious, isn’t it?

I mean, it sounds almost as if a ‘high-profile’ police chief has a completely different opinion of what constitutes bad behaviour, isn’t it?

What sort of ‘high profile police chief’ are we talking about? Is this a case of a top brass out-of-touch cretin of the sort much derided at police blogs?
Mr Gray, chairman of the Scottish Police Federation
Ah. Hmmm…
Les Gray said the atmosphere in O’Neill’s, in Low Ousegate, was “sheer poison” and fans behaved “like cavemen” during Wednesday’s Celtic v Rangers Old Firm match.
He’s a paeleontologist in his spare time, then? He’s familiar with the influence of team sports in the late Neolithic?
Mr Gray told The Press: “If someone walked in there for a pint – and York is a popular tourist area and one of my favourite places in the world – then they would not be pleased. There was shouting and things you should never hear in a pub.”
Do tell, sweetie. What sort of things should you ‘never hear in a pub’?
He said that when Celtic manager Neil Lennon and Rangers assistant Ally McCoist clashed at full time, he “thought the roof was going to come off”.
There were people jumping about like cavemen, ranting and raving with their eyes bulging and their fists waving.”
Ah. I see.

What we have here is a few people enjoying themselves. A bit loudly, maybe, but hey, so what? Surely adults who don't care for football have a choice of other pubs, don't they?

No-one else appears to have had a problem, but Gray has a vested interest in making it seem as if there’s a problem….

22 comments:

Curmudgeon said...

And things like that never happen in Glasgow pubs on Old Firm matchdays?

dr cromarty said...

Those things happen on every day of the week, whether there's an Old Firm game or not, depending on the pub.

Shame the numptie can't go and arrest a few criminals. All the drug dealers in Easterhouse safely banged up are they? All the gangsters who grace the pages of The Digger all in Bar-L are they?

Thought not.

Anonymous said...

With a complete absence of alacohol my normally quiet and restrained father turned into a complete psycopath watching a match on telly. Expletives followed by "sorry kids..." and much launching of his whole self with shaking fist at tv screen...I dunno how he got through it without having a stroke.

If SS had perchance knocked on the door we would have been whisked off into care but the minute the match finished it was back to happy quiet home again.

Footy makes men schizophrenic...fact :)

Michael Fowke said...

I had no idea it was illegal to be a caveman.

Rob said...

Scot claims that other scotsmen behaving badly is the fault of the English.

Some things never change...

Rob said...

I am also curious about what "control" he expected the bar staff to have over a hundred Scottish football supporters. Perhaps a couple of machine-gun nests to cover the Lounge?

Also, why should a hundred grown men need "controlling"? Is Scotland now so progressive that their adult males are no longer expected to exercise control over themselves?

So, in summary, he's a twat

I can

SadButMadLad said...

This comment on the newspaper's site says it all - "It should be noted that he is currently engaged in a media campaign to impose additional policing restrictions on Scottish football and I can't help but think that his comments are simply an dishonest attempt to add weight to his claims."

Mjolinir said...

//What sort of ‘high profile police chief’ are we talking about? //

The sort that served 27 years, rose to Inspector, and became full time 'Chairman' of SPF three years ago.

Certainly that gives him a high profile - but I'm not sure whether that also makes him 'a Police Chief'?

BTW - I thought that ANY reference to 'cavemen', jungles, or supposedly 'primitive' behaviours was automatically racist these days?

Mike said...

Oh Julia, I have just been presented with some firm evidence that the local police had made false statements, altered records and pursued me for the past few years. I really don’t know who I have upset but I can’t go on like this. I always knew something was rotten and put it down to individuals but this is a group action. I give up. We can all pick out individuals and take them to pieces like the copper in this story.

I just give up :(

Captain Haddock said...

I heartily dislike football .. in fact, I'd sooner wrench out my own spleen with a pair of molegrips than watch a single minute of it ..

But .. South of the Border (where English Law pertains) this self-serving & pushing-his-own-agenda Twonk is just plain "Mr" Gray .. He has no powers, no authority, no standing, no nothing ..

So his opinion on this, or any matter carries no more weight than that of the man on the Clapham Omnibus ..

Rob said...

Some copper, whinging and doing nothing except blaming a handful of barstaff against a hundred pissed-up Weegies. Yep, definitely a "high-flying policeman".

Mike said...

I used to trust the police. Now I hate them, even though I know its only a few the rest allow them to abuse thier postition so thier just as bad.
This copper is a prime example of the them and us attitude

Greencoat said...

C'mon you Celtic boys!

NickM said...

"There was shouting and things you should never hear in a pub."

Clearly he's never dunk some of the places I have...

That really is the money quote.

Anonymous said...

I hope they hold a protest in responce to talks about thier pay as they have done before. Currently double pay for a bank holiday plus a day off in lieu effectivly triple time. If they did protest I know many people who would just see them as lining up for target practice. In fact I would offer to drive my friends tank to any police protest and do all the reloading, he's a better shot than me. I know a family of a newspaper seller who would find out where they intend to march and charge them with horses. Fuck da po lice.

Mike said...

OK, charging a police protest on horseback or shooting at them with a tank as they marched sounds a bit severe but interesting!

Mike said...

By the sounds of things my advice to the police would be thankful you've got a job and serve the public, you know the ones that pay you, not the state and/or just yourselves.

Mike said...

Oh and if your a copper planning to go on a protest march I'd wear a bullet proof vest, watch your back or just not go!

Mike said...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12677652

now I know why false rape accusers get away with it

Mike said...

although this could turn out to be a case where because the police do nothing to protect men from false accusations of rape they themselves are now feeling the pain, I doubt it

JuliaM said...

"And things like that never happen in Glasgow pubs on Old Firm matchdays?"

I'd be astounded if they didn't!

"Footy makes men schizophrenic...fact :)"

Heh!

"I am also curious about what "control" he expected the bar staff to have over a hundred Scottish football supporters."

Clearly he'd not be happy unless they were all seated, drinking tea and murmuring in quiet appreciation.

"This comment on the newspaper's site says it all.."

Indeed! There's much illumination to be found in comments, where allowed, isn't there?

"I always knew something was rotten and put it down to individuals but this is a group action."

Individuals are quick to form groups when its in their interest. It's how mobs form.

"Clearly he's never dunk some of the places I have...

That really is the money quote."


He really sounds a bit precious, doesn't he?

JuliaM said...

"I hope they hold a protest in responce to talks about thier pay as they have done before."

Who'd police it?

"now I know why false rape accusers get away with it"

Cheers. One to keep an eye on.