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ornchurch ammer 10:27 Wed May 11
Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

Forget the coach issue.

Got to the ground around 5:30 and there were thousands of people milling around. The pavements were overcrowded and the road was full of people yet there were still cars trying to force their way through and, let's be honest the way that some people around there control a car, the potential for an accident was there.

It was not difficult to predict that this would happen so why were the police not more proactive? If the road had been closed to general traffic from Plashet Grove to Barking Road then they might also have been able to manage getting their coach in a bit better.

Eddie B 10:30 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

Cos the local police don't seem to have a fucking clue.

stewie griffin 10:39 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

It was amazingly clueless really

Only had to look on here to see how many were turning up without tickets so it wasn't exactly a secret.

Russ of the BML 10:42 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

Massive massive fuck up by the authorities. Whether this was arrogance or naivety to the obvious thousands that turned up ticket or no ticket I do not know. But it was a massive fuck up.

People lobbing bottles and cans at the coach is not right but the press need to ask the plod some questions.

i-Ron 10:46 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

When the old bill are standing next to you getting crushed on green street and looking all worried you know they've totally lost control.

joe royal 10:50 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

They manage to close the Fulham road after Chelsea games.

Northern Sold 10:50 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

That 147 Bus to Ilford looked like it might be a tad late

Mr Rubbish 10:51 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

It was really poorly planned by the Police, myself and two sons (10 & 7) got stuck across the road from the main gates by the ITV van for 30-40mins. When the crush started we were kindly let into a house on Green st until it calmed down.

A complete fuck up by the Police, but not seen a report of it anywhere ...

southwoodford 10:55 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

There needs to be a full investigation into how this game was policed (or not policed, IMHO).
I remember the Spurs home game. You couldn't move for police - so what made them think that last night's game was any less needful of a heavy and well organised plan?

holyhandgrenade 10:56 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

Yeah thought that too. Organisation outside the ground was piss poor and negligent at the very least.

Was stuck between the Boleyn and the main gates for a good 45 minutes or so. Trying my best to not come all over dramatic here although there where a few people getting nervous through the crush.

Lost my old man for a while, who, in his wheelchair, would have been in danger more than many. To be fair a few big old West Ham boys paved the way and pushed their way through giving my old man a chance to wheel himself behind them.

Buster 10:56 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

Unbelievably inept from the police last night. It would have been clear from 3pm that the place was going to be absolutely heaving within an hour or two. They really did not have a fucking clue how to handle the situation.

epsom 10:58 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

The police underestimated the volume of people in attendance and were also under manned.

In Plaistow they had 7+ Met vans plus 3 City of London Vans monitoring the pubs (Britt/Vic/Lion/Stanley)

By the time we walked to the ground we could not get past the Supporters Club so went back to Green Street to go round the Barking Road.

The Man U bus was stuck in the crowd, the police could not move the crowd there were so many fans.

Spoke to two WPC who were in their white blouse and ordinary hats, they were both visibly scared f the situation and there was just a total lack of control by the authorities.

Need to ensure that the Met don't just spin this. Don't get me wrong, the damage was stupid, however the police need to learn lessons.

There was no real police presence in the Green Street / Barking Road area to talk of given the amount of people.

The Match Day Commander I think was in Plaistow following a group of fans who were causing no trouble and he lost control of priorities and the situation.

Northern Sold 10:59 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

Don't the club pay for the Old Bill ??

nerd 11:09 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

Why were man utd so late again,spoiling tactic went wrong. We all got there on time.

RichyP 11:12 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

I agree, police presence and crowd control before the game was almost non existent, yet when I came out of the BML at the end there were loads of Old Bill lining the street in full riot gear yet weren't needed. They went from one ridiculous extreme to the other

holyhandgrenade 11:12 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

epsom 10:58 Wed May 11

Good post.

Police thinking there would be aggro elsewhere near the old school pubs and not really planning for what was essentially a celebratory atmosphere with thousands just wanting to be around the ground.

worm 11:13 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

epsom 10:58 Wed May 11

How do you know where the Match Day Commander was?

Not having a pop, genuinely interested as to how you know?

13 Brentford Rd 11:15 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

Talksport kept going on about how badly the club handled the game and saying NORMALLY the gates are open 2 hours before KO and that away teams don't need to arrive too early.

They then couldn't understand why there were so many of us still on the streets nearing KO time, it seems that they were totaly oblivious to the fact that it was our last ever game there and that thousands came without tickets just to soak up the atmosphere.

epsom 11:24 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

There was a Met Police (I think a Chief Inspector) wearing red epaulettes running down Plaistow High Street at about 615 PM to a set of Met police vans. (7+ in total)

Assuming the Match Day Commander is at least this rank and is out inspecting whats going on in the streets. He also had his own police vehicle with a driver.

At Green Street / Barking Road I could only see two police vans and about 12ish police in gear ready to cope with the situation.

Therefore I think there resources were in the wrong place to cope and there was not enough of them.

Mr Polite 11:25 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

I was pleased at the lack of policing - I think a higher police presence would have seen more trouble - if you call a few bottles thrown at a coach trouble.


I didn't get crushed on Green Street, so can't comment on that, but at the Green Street/Barking Road junction it was a brilliant party and I think lack of police helped the atmosphere stay light.

RichyP 11:29 Wed May 11
Re: Why wasn't Green St closed to traffic last night?

Brentford, good point, the BML turnstyles where I was didn't open until 18:45 which really didn't help cos people were just rammed back to Green street and Barking Road as there was nowhere for them to go. The stewards didn't have a clue why they being told not to open the turnstyles.

I wondered if it was because the staff that work in the ground were also struggling to get there through the crowds which is why they couldn't open the turnstyles

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