The Poolie Bunker

First of all I have always come on here in the past to defend the police as often I think they get a raw deal. I work in the Criminal Justice System and my old man was in the fuzz for 30 years before retiring 9 years ago so I'm probably the last person who would be anti - police.

However, what I witnessed Friday was simply disgusting. First of all it was classified as a no police game confirmed by Hartlepools chief steward who also didnt know what they were doing in there. This means no police inside the ground and certainly those who verntured in were not being paid by the club. Prior to kick off at least 10 or more coppers came into our stand posing at the fans for some strange reason. During the first half there was a group of around 10 fans with their shirts off and the stewards asked the fans to put them back on. One of our "fans" then decided to get his knob out and start wiggling it at the stewards. They called over the police who then waded over the seats pushing and grabbing at random people even though they didnt have a clue who got their wangger out. This over reaction resulted in some fans getting hit and pushed over indiscriminately and they then through out random people. They then spoke to anyone asking what was going on with extreme aggression. I spoke to one at half time as I'm very clued up on policing policy at football due to a previous job and the fact i access the plans for matches online. I was sober (for once) and politely asked why the police were in the ground at a no police classified football game and why they assaulted a female fan and several children. The officer replied our fans are a disgrace to football and they should not have told his officers to **** off. He then told me to **** off or i will be removed. The police and stewards took a situation of fun and good natured support and nearlly triggered a lot of fighting and stupidity. I would urge anyone who witnessed it to report the incident to the police and the F.A.

At this stage the head of security / head steward pulled me to one side as he wanted to put his view accross and said the stewards were just reacting to a fan indecently exposing himself (again he knows who he is) he also said loads of the fans were very drunk and that this was the problem. After reminding him that it is illegal for a football fan to enter a sports arena drunk and illegal for his club to let them in when drunk and the fact that not only did the away turnstile not have away fans written on it but it had nobody stewarding it either that Hartlepool United had totally failed in their responsibilities so I would be reporting them to the F.A and health and safety excecutive he back tracked ever so slightly.

Some of our fans were stupidly drunk and but they manage to be stupidly drunk at every other ground without incident. (excluding Swindon)

I also hope that if anyone connected to the club read this they will bring it up with Hartlepool, the police and the f.a.

You seem to have trouble more than most in this league - is it viking heritage or somat? You have to be worried. I would hate to support a club with a reputation for troublesome fans