: Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:50 am  

I have at no point said that nobody will know who it was, or defended in anyway those who have concealed the identities of those who it was.

However, the vast majority of the fan base probably didn't have the faintest idea who it was. Unless they were able to provide the Club/Police with names of people I doubt reporting what they saw would have been much help (I doubt going to them and saying "aye I saw one man bout 6ft tall, dark hair and wearing a cas shirt" would be much use ) and there is nothing to say of course that some people didn't report what they knew but for whatever reason it wasn't enough to be able to catch the people who did it.

I still stand by the fact though that the decent fans (who will make up the vast majority of any clubs fan base) shouldn't be punished for the actions of others. They already have to watch the club they love being financially punished (which I am sure they could do without, 20k could go to much better use), and with people tarring all there fans as thugs thanks to a few idiots.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:04 am  

debaser wrote:

So yes, lots of "fans"are complicit in this.

I have been saying this all along.... it is a blight on our club and unless people stop thinking that it wasn't that serious because nobody got hurt and nothing really happened - It is practically endorsing it and we are going to have it happen again.

I find lots of things about this make me uncomfortable - the bottle throwing is one thing idiots - shop them; but then to have a mob baying for the referee so he had to be escorted out of the ground? Is that seriously defendable by anyone? Do you think no harm done?

I do think part of the problem is remembering it is sport. When you play, you get used to the fact that you leave everything out on the field and when the final whistle goes - that’s it, shake hands and go for a pint, regardless of what went on, I have been in abandoned games that were a right mess and that’s the end of it. When you start continuing off the field that’s a slippery football slope.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:12 am  

Isn't this fine more to do with the siege around the dressing rooms after the game that forced the officals to leave via the 'backdoor', than bottles being thrown.

I also note that the club have been told not to allow bottled beer on the terraces in future. Didn't this happen also on a day the club were inducing the Fans with special offers on beer, so hopefully increasing the crowd. I'm not blaming the club for this, but those morons who don't know when they've drunk enough.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:22 am  

I feel sorry for the fans and the club, but I understand why the RFL have done this.
"The respect" campaign is designed to stop the harrassment of officials and as the ruling says, this incident breached what is acceptable.
The fact that Castleford RLFC immediately installed CCTV cameras and asked for people to be named and shamed should of counted for them, but the RFL have laid down a marker for all clubs in the future and that, in the long run, is for the benefit of the game.

On a lighter note, that's £20k of the potential £60k UKBA fine for Celtic sorted
Hope you hammer Wigan.......

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:36 am  

Whilst disappointed that is has happened to us, I welcome the decision because it now sets a precedent for future incidents.

What you have to remember is that bottles were thrown at the referee, the Catalans players and there was also the reported incident of "fans" trying to get to the referee following the game.

Salford and Leeds fans did throw things onto the pitch, yes, but if we continually look to the past and say "but they didn't get punished" we're not dealing with the situation correctly and nobody would ever be penalised for such behaviour.

We were in the wrong, a selection of idiots have tarnished our club's reputation and cost us a lot of money, but it is fair IMO.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:23 am  

debaser wrote:

Small change in reality. Hardly a deterrent.

Should deduct enough points to drop you out of the play offs, that would be a harsher punishment. Might make these "fans" think twice next season.

You’re just clutching at straws, in a final effort to get a failing side into the play offs.

Do you support Bradford by any chance?

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:39 am  

debaser wrote:

You got off lightly.

No points deduction?

Jammy.

I win the spot the bitter bradford fan competition.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:41 am  

MR FRISK wrote:

cave men have always lived in castleford

Better caveman blood running through you than dirty cheating scab blood running through you.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:41 am  

spener wrote:

Lost ya bottle?

No we had plenty left over from all the times the fev team have visited and lost theres.

: Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:45 am  

Disco wrote:

Thirdly, I may be wrong but I've not heard of a single arrest and prosecution as a result of any of these incidents. I simply can't believe that nobody at all knows anything about these so called fans. All I'd say is if you're not shopping them (and doing so officially) then you're complicit.

I also can't believe these people would turn up to just this one game, which wasn't exactly our highest profile game of the season, spend money to get in, throw bottles then disappear. They are obviously 'fans' of the club and i'm sure they are present every week, someone must have seen something.

As I said before, too many idiots, too many people willing to defend the idiots.