Said in the MDT without a doubt the most over the top policing and stewarding operation I've witnessed (that wasn't a derby).
Today SYP made the organisation at Bloomfield seem text book.
12.30pm Kick Off.
No pubs for away fans (aside from the phoenix club).
Fans missing said kick off due to the most over the top entry into a football club I think I've ever seen.
Single file to go past a sniffer dog that when questioned a steward response was "to sniff out weapons, knives etc"...
Labels being put on bags again after being made to totally empty them (my daughters 12).
The away fans being moved to the back of the stand yet about 20 stewards at either side watching our fans like hawks.
As for the "line of steel" at the end it was farcical and totally unwarranted. I'm not sure what they expected, folk to jump over 20 rows to get near the pitch.
Then after the game there was more police in Barnsley Town Centre than at the G5 conference. Durham Police had been "drafted in".
We are staying just outside the area and had planned to have some food and a drink in Barnsley, however we felt some unwelcome and uncomfortable we went elsewhere.
It was a highly expensive, unwarranted, and most of all hostile environment I've seen for a very long time when the away fans where so good natured.
The FSA would like fans to email
info@thefsa.org.uk with there experiences today.
Truly staggering.