Time for photos of away fans in the stands, we will be taking a look at all the different ones at this week’s English football matches.
The away day experience is one of the very best parts of following your own team, and although your alarm may be set for times of the day that, frankly, should never be seen, you still excitedly cram onto coaches or overpriced trains, and the whole experience, regardless of result, is still one you’ll always remember.
As long as trains and buses are on time, the pre-match pint and grub is a vital part of the whole match day experience.
It may be tough to find a pub without hostile home fans, but it’s always possible to duck into a nice little ‘boozer’ for a bevvy before kick-off.
While much of the ‘away day’ experience takes place out of the stadium, the ground itself always plays a big part.
The days of old in which away fans were in roof-less terraces being battered by the elements are becoming a distant memory – albeit they are still a problem at some settings – with modern stadia now spacious and comfortable.
Right then, time to look at photos of those away ends…
BRIGHTON fans at Wolves
(bottom tier)SOUTHAMPTON fans at Liverpool
5,500 Southampton fans at Anfield.
— Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) February 28, 2024
🔴⚪️🔴⚪️#SaintsFC pic.twitter.com/zimjHwE4QO
🎶 Oh when the SAINTS 🎶
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) February 28, 2024
An incredible following on the road 👏 pic.twitter.com/EI0R7KJiFl
MAN UTD fans at Nottingham Forest
LEEDS fans at Chelsea
LEICESTER fans at Bournemouth
@AbdulFatawuI10 we love you more than words can describe. #LCFC pic.twitter.com/8pNiHEufP7
— 🇮🇹 (@nhoblcfc) February 27, 2024
FLEETWOOD fans at Port Vale
MAN CITY fans at Luton
Haaland becomes the first to score 5⃣ or more in the #EmiratesFACup for a top-flight club since George Best in 1970! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/tQ135NNU4P
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) February 27, 2024
NEWPORT fans at Harrogate
Newport County fans (left of centre) at Harrogate Town @HarrogateTown @NewportCounty pic.twitter.com/SZwr1yLB7U
— Leon Wobschall (@LeonWobYP) February 27, 2024
CAMBRIDGE fans at Stevenage
Your away contingent#BoropodLive | SFC – CUFC pic.twitter.com/IB9jG3h40I
— Boropod – Stevenage FC Podcast (@Boropod) February 27, 2024
SHREWSBURY fans at Lincoln
Lincoln City – SHREWSBURY TOWN 📸#salop pic.twitter.com/dtXAgdcVfB
— KisyAWAY (@kisyrpk) February 27, 2024
BLACKPOOL fans at Leyton Orient
NEWCASTLE fans at Blackburn
7,000 Newcastle United fans in the sold-out away end at Blackburn tonight.
Some following from the Geordies👏👏 #NUFC pic.twitter.com/yXWTvzeuC2 — Football Away Days (@AwayDays_) February 27, 2024
CHARLTON fans at Derby
VALLEY FLOYD ROADDDDDD 🎶
— Charlton Athletic FC (@CAFCofficial) February 27, 2024
Thank you for sensational support tonight! ❤️#cafc pic.twitter.com/u9y4FqSVvV
WREXHAM fans at Forest Green
Forest Green Rovers – WREXHAM AFC 📸#WxmAFC #WrexhamAFC @AllThingsGriff 📸 pic.twitter.com/4f9qgexjAh
— KisyAWAY (@kisyrpk) February 27, 2024
KIDDERMINSTER fans at Solihull
CHESTERFIELD fans at Barnet
Chesterfield at Barnet tonight #Spireites pic.twitter.com/Ckj4SNZlCP
— FootballAwaydays (@Awaydays23) February 27, 2024
ACCRINGTON fans at Walsall
SUTTON fans at Notts County
TRANMERE fans at Swindon
Swindon Town – TRANMERE ROVERS 📸#swa #trfc pic.twitter.com/iIsFBM5zQR
— KisyAWAY (@kisyrpk) February 27, 2024
COLCHESTER fans at Salford
CARLISLE fans at Burton
💙💙💙 #cufc pic.twitter.com/OlPpCzeX5V
— Carlisle United FC (@officialcufc) February 27, 2024
BOLTON fans at Wigan
4,200 Bolton Wanderers fans at Wigan tonight. #BWFC pic.twitter.com/95X8gMaQNo
— Football Away Days (@AwayDays_) February 27, 2024
CHELTENHAM fans at Wycombe
Away end #ctfc pic.twitter.com/jwBaNqDevT
— Jon Palmer (@JonPalmerSport) February 27, 2024
MESSAGE ON FAN BEHAVIOUR AND TROUBLE
The English football authorities are introducing a series of measures to help improve the behaviour of players, managers and coaches across the professional, National League system and grassroots game, as well as addressing the issue of football tragedy abuse.
New policies, procedures, and regulations will come into force from the start of the 2023/24 season, to address unacceptable conduct on the pitch, on the side-lines and in the stands, to ensure that the actions of the minority do not spoil the game for all. This builds on the work carried out throughout last season to combat dangerous and illegal fan behaviour, supported by the ‘Love Football. Protect the Game’ football-wide campaign.
Participant behaviour
As part of this reset, The FA, Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League, Barclays Women’s Championship, National League System (Steps 1-4) and referees’ governing body PGMOL have collectively launched a new Participant Charter.
The charter which was developed in partnership with the League Managers Association [LMA] and Professional Footballers’ Association [PFA] will see stronger measures for players, managers, coaches, support staff and club officials to adhere to on a matchday.
Under the new approach, match officials will be empowered to take more robust action alongside a consistent application of the existing measures when participant behaviour falls below expected standards, and The FA will apply stronger supplementary disciplinary action.
Captains are expected to take responsibility for their teammates encouraging them to play fairly and show respect towards the match officials and their decisions.
Where match officials are confronted, surrounded or their personal space invaded by multiple players, at least one player will receive a card. The FA could also take further action against the club.
New measures will include:
- A new technical area code of conduct to require managers, coaches and other club staff members to behave in a responsible manner.
- Increased financial penalties for serious and repeat offenders.
- Academy scholars to undertake refereeing courses to improve players’ education into officiating.
For details of all the measures included within the charter, CLICK HERE.
For the grassroots game, The FA has announced new regulations from the start of the 2023/24 season, including point deductions for teams whose players or coaches commit repeated offences of serious misconduct.
The trial of bodycams for referees will continue into the 2023/24 season, while a new code of conduct will be introduced to set behavioural expectations and embed usage.
Further details on the new point deductions in the grassroots game for the 2023/24 season can be viewed HERE
Fan behaviour
To challenge the totally unacceptable presence of football tragedy abuse, for season 2023/24, regulation changes and tough new measures have been introduced which will see people who are found to have committed offences face stadium bans and potential criminal prosecution.
The issue is focused on offensive chanting, gesturing and displaying offensive messages based on football-related tragedies, which causes significant distress to the victims’ families, survivors and affected-club supporters. Football authorities, supporter groups and law enforcement organisations, including the police and CPS, have united to crack down on fans who participate in this vile form of abuse.
In addition to bans and criminal sanctions, a range of in-stadium, in-classroom and online resources will be rolled out under the ‘Love Football Protect the Game’ banner, to educate adults and children alike about the hurt tragedy chanting causes. Ground regulations have also been updated to incorporate references to tragedy chanting.
The game will also continue its efforts to combat dangerous, illegal and unwelcome behaviour off the pitch, be it in the stands or online. Last season a host of new measures were introduced by authorities which saw enhanced sanctions applied for people identified entering the pitch, using pyros, taking drugs to games, throwing objects or for discriminatory abuse.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PILOT SCHEME
To support the rehabilitation of those identified as having engaged in negative matchday behaviour, a new pilot scheme is now in development phase which will refer young people to a restorative justice education programme that will seek to inform and educate about the impact of their behaviour on others.
The scheme is being run by the Premier League, EFL, Premier League Community Fund and the EFL Trust with support from local police forces and will be trialled at ten clubs across the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two.
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