Barrow AFC.net

Whilst definitely not in this age category any more I think the club needs to recognise that the youth of this town and its surrounding areas need to be freely admitted to games without any restrictions until a time their individual behaviour causes the club to bar them.
I'm unsure of what the restrictions presently are but the following happened on Monday. As I was entering the ground via the corner turnstile at the Holker Street end a steward was preventing a teenage lad from entering the ground. The steward kept repeating that without any I.D. proving the lads age he wasn't getting in, (ask yourself how frustrated you would feel at that age being prevented access to the last game of the season).
Take it you have to be 16 or over to get in unaccompanied? Not sure of the rules tbh but either way the steward was having none of it. So, I intervened and said I would vouch for the lad inside the ground hhe steward tbf ok'd this and the young lad thanked me. All was sorted amicably. I then let the lad in front of me in the queue, to get in he then produced his season ticket! I've took a while to post this to let the football side of things settle etc.
This scenario simply cannot be allowed to continue. The lad, or his parents, have purchased a season ticket and their son shouldn't be subjected to having to hassle his way into the ground. The youth are undoubtedly the future of the club. If this kind of thing becomes the norm I dread to think of attendances in a decade or so. Whoever the supporter's liason is with the board needs to get this sorted.
Thanks for reading if you've got this far!

Well said. I know a couple of lads who took 9 in on Mondays game or else they wouldn’t have been allowed in exactly the same refused the gate.

Them 9 may never come again if we don’t get to grips with this that’s 9 less lads who might go for the next 25 years 50 years with their families in the future.

They’re the next generation. Hopefully our club person of the year or whatever she is reviews this.

I don’t think it will be changing. I bought my daughter a season ticket for the season just gone - I didn’t have one, I pay game by game - and I couldn’t renew hers for 23/24 without it being linked to an adult season ticket.

Lancaster Branch wrote: ↑Wed May 10, 2023 11:55 pm I don’t think it will be changing. I bought my daughter a season ticket for the season just gone - I didn’t have one, I pay game by game - and I couldn’t renew hers for 23/24 without it being linked to an adult season ticket.

You're right but I personally wouldn't have been able to watch barrow now under these present draconian and UNQUALIFIED decisions about safe guarding etc,

Surely we ( as a club) we could get together and try to establish a common sense way forward)
It saddens me that instead of getting kids to buy into the club we put up barriers ( because that's the way it's now done)

We're supposed to be a community club and inclusive!

It’s common across EFL clubs to have some sort of rule about unaccompanied children, whether it’s for ages 12 or 14. The EFL rules don’t give a minimum age, just guidance that safeguarding policies need to be in place.

Not sure how we go back to the old way to be honest, which is a shame.

If I wasn't allowed in when I was a teenager I wouldn't have got the bug and I wouldn't have been going for the last 45 years. It needs sorting just because other clubs do it we don't need to follow like a sheep.
Give them a special area where only under 16 are allowed I don't know the answer but it needs sorting out

So grab a lad and say ‘I’m his Dad’. We all stand together in the face of any discrimination shirley?

Lancaster Branch wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2023 8:08 am It’s common across EFL clubs to have some sort of rule about unaccompanied children, whether it’s for ages 12 or 14. The EFL rules don’t give a minimum age, just guidance that safeguarding policies need to be in place.

Not sure how we go back to the old way to be honest, which is a shame.

I get the guidance but kid`s whose parents /relations don`t like football/sport are really stuck ,I was in that boat and I wouldn`t have been able to go now.

I`m sure we could organize a designated area to at least give Kids a chance to support our team , it`s absolutely great for kids to meet each other etc. and be involved in the experience of growing up supporting the team through good and bad, these safe guarding rules are made by people who see the world in black/white, I see it at work with Health and Safety where people bring in rules without any thought on how they can be implemented and in fact make more issues than was previous.

The situation as it is needs sorting if not where`s the future support coming from?

blue nige wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2023 8:32 am

Lancaster Branch wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2023 8:08 am It’s common across EFL clubs to have some sort of rule about unaccompanied children, whether it’s for ages 12 or 14. The EFL rules don’t give a minimum age, just guidance that safeguarding policies need to be in place.

Not sure how we go back to the old way to be honest, which is a shame.

these safe guarding rules are made by people who see the world in black/white, I see it at work with Health and Safety where people bring in rules without any thought on how they can be implemented and in fact make more issues than was previous.

Quite. But the club have to do deal with the world as it is, not how we’d like it to be. If the EFL say we need safeguarding policies, we need to have them. We can’t just say “bugger elf n safety, we’re Barra Soccer - we do what we want! It never did us any harm etc etc”

Again, I don’t know the best route to satisfying the rules and the Council etc whilst also allowing the young ‘uns the freedom to come to the match with their pals. Personally I’d set the bar at if you’re at high school, you should be responsible enough for your own behaviour. But I don’t know if that is sufficient for the powers that be.

Lancaster Branch wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2023 8:45 am

blue nige wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2023 8:32 am

these safe guarding rules are made by people who see the world in black/white, I see it at work with Health and Safety where people bring in rules without any thought on how they can be implemented and in fact make more issues than was previous.

Quite. But the club have to do deal with the world as it is, not how we’d like it to be. If the EFL say we need safeguarding policies, we need to have them. We can’t just say “bugger elf n safety, we’re Barra Soccer - we do what we want! It never did us any harm etc etc”

Again, I don’t know the best route to satisfying the rules and the Council etc whilst also allowing the young ‘uns the freedom to come to the match with their pals. Personally I’d set the bar at if you’re at high school, you should be responsible enough for your own behaviour. But I don’t know if that is sufficient for the powers that be.

Totally agree with everything you`re saying but If we as a club at least try to come up with a robust plan then put it to the "powers that be " then who knows, people should always challenge things because they is usually a solution it just needs people to get their heads around this !, rather than hide behind guidelines because that`s what they are guidance !

Presumably the rule about no unaccompanied u14s (or is it 16s?) is ‘the plan’.

Maybe the club can set up a junior supporters membership ; juniors (with min age of 7/8 ?) join up and are issued with an ID card inc photo which they use with ticket to gain entry. Each member to be sponsored by an adult (ie parent) to gain membership.

blumooncrab wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2023 9:35 am Maybe the club can set up a junior supporters membership ; juniors (with min age of 7/8 ?) join up and are issued with an ID card inc photo which they use with ticket to gain entry. Each member to be sponsored by an adult (ie parent) to gain membership.

This sounds like a framework for a very sensible idea and maybe one the club could look at. It needs interested parties to sit round the table together and work out a way forward that both club and fans are happy with.

I'd like it at least set at Secondary children as are quite a few EFL Clubs. In real life, that's when many are given independence.

I've raised this issue on many occasions. The club are not the children's parents, nor are they the police or Children's Services nor should they be acting like them.

For balance however, I must say the free tickets for primary schools has been superb this year-best ever- what I had always dreamed of would work as it is reasonably flexible as long as they are accompanied. It's the same folk make the decisions- so credit where it is due.

Main Stand SeasonTct wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2023 11:14 am

blumooncrab wrote: ↑Thu May 11, 2023 9:35 am Maybe the club can set up a junior supporters membership ; juniors (with min age of 7/8 ?) join up and are issued with an ID card inc photo which they use with ticket to gain entry. Each member to be sponsored by an adult (ie parent) to gain membership.

This sounds like a framework for a very sensible idea and maybe one the club could look at. It needs interested parties to sit round the table together and work out a way forward that both club and fans are happy with.

It is a sensible suggestion and it could be taken even further than just allowing access on match-day to entice more uptake - discounts in the club shop etc.