Archived News from September 2006
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BUY YOUR SON A REPLICA STAGS SHIRT
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'Buy your young son replica Stags' shirt'
CHAD, 13 September 2006 ANGRY Mansfield Town supporter Garry Quibell says club officials have told him to apologise to his own son and buy him the team's replica shirt . . . after he complained about how stewards treated the pair at a recent match. Mr Quibell wrote to Stags' bosses to complain about the way officials treated him and his seven-year-old son as they sheltered in the Field Mill stands after an electric storm forced the abandonment of a pre-season friendly with Nottingham Forest. But the shocked dad, of Egerton Close, Mansfield, was left scratching his head in disbelief when he finally received a reply four weeks later implying that he was at fault for upsetting his son — and not the stewards. The letter from club safety officer John Sidney went on to say that Mr Quibell could resolve the matter by buying his son a Stags' shirt from the club shop, which could then be signed by the players. "I was shocked by his idea of an apology," Mr Quibell told Chad "Mr Sidney implied I was responsible for upsetting my son and said that if I bought him a Mansfield Town shirt, then he would get the players to sign it. The club is not willing to address the intimidation we faced and admit responsibility for their actions." The Stags' fan says they were thrown out of the stadium as they waited, under cover in the Quarry Lane end, for a lift home after the abandonment. He said some staff were sympathetic to their situation — but claimed one steward accused the pair of trespassing and threatened to 'manhandle' them out of the ground. Added Mr Quibell: "The groundsman made a sensible suggestion that I could wait in his cabin, but the most threatening steward dismissed this and became more aggressive. "He accused us of trespassing and threatened me, saying he would manhandle us off the premises, by which time my son was in tears." Mr Sidney this week hit back at the accusations and said the stewards had acted correctly and insisted that they had not threatened the pair. "The stewards were in their right, the match was finished and they needed to lock up," he said. "Mr Quibell was told to leave and we are entitled to use such force as is necessary to eject people from the ground. "I feel my offer was appropriate, but if he wants to discuss the matter further I will be happy to do so. We would welcome his son back to the club and I'm sure we could arrange for him to meet the players and get some signed merchandise." |
Latest | September 2006