Boy left 'heartbroken' after St Mary's eviction (From Daily Echo)
When news happens, text SDE and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Boy left 'heartbroken' after St Mary's eviction
1:42pm Saturday 5th January 2013 in News
By Simon Walter, Senior Sports Reporter
Ten year old Jordan Barnett and his mother Sharleen, and father Adrian.
It was supposed to be the perfect Christmas present.
But ten-year-old Hampshire lad Jordan Barnett was left “heartbroken”
after being evicted from St Mary’s during Southampton’s Premier League match against Arsenal on New Year’s Day.
The young Arsenal fan from Ringwood left in tears at half-time with his parents, Adrian and Sharleen, and 14-year-old sister Jessica, after they were ejected by stewards who feared for their safety when Saints fans began abusing them.
They had been enjoying the first half from the Family Enclosure, but began receiving verbal abuse after cheering Arsenal’s equaliser shortly before the interval.
Jordan, who attends Poulner Junior School, was wearing his Arsenal under-11s tracksuit.
Sharleen, a care home worker, said: “It was the first game we had ever been to and we thought it would be a nice Christmas present for Jordan to watch Arsenal play Southampton with all of us.
“We couldn’t afford to go all the way to London, so as soon as the tickets went on sale for the game at St Mary’s, I rang up the ticket office.
“I explained I wanted four Arsenal tickets and was offered seats in the Family Enclosure, without being told that was only for Saints fans.
“Jordan was loving it, he got to see his favourite players like Theo Walcott, so it broke his little heart when we were made to leave.
“I could understand it if we were kicking off and shouting abuse, but we were even cheering for Saints at times.
“Jordan also has a Saints kit but plays for Arsenal under-11s and under-12s so was wearing his club tracksuit.
“I offered to turn his top inside out and said we’d watch the rest of the game without saying a word, but the stewards said we had to leave for our own safety. We couldn’t believe it.”
Adrian, a self-employed gardener, coaches Ringwood Town’s junior teams.
He said: “I’ve been involved in football at grassroots level for seven years and I couldn’t take the youngsters I coach to St Mary’s knowing the adults behave like that.
“I felt very intimidated and Jordan’s confidence has been knocked. I’m devastated I put him in a potentially dangerous situation.
“Football needs to give hatred the boot.”
No one at Saints was available to comment.
Comments(38)
MGRA
says...
2:01pm Sat 5 Jan 13
WECOMING4U
says...
2:02pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Be loads of Chelsea in amongst us today so expect more trouble.
Ginger_cyclist
says...
2:03pm Sat 5 Jan 13
MGRA
says...
2:08pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Ginger_cyclist wrote:I have been to loads of games in the family enclosure over the years with both sets of fans in there... its for kids for chr1sts sake... stewards are often morons and this just shows they are cowards too... A mate of mine reckons they have grounds for compensation... Also cowardly of the club not to make comment on this, hiding behind bullying it what it looks like and silence does not exactly make the club look good but then again PR is a joke at SMS....
Why is the "Family enclosure" only for saints fans? there should be one for fans of the other teams too, how disgusting, to treat people who's only crime is to support the opposing team, totally out of order and something should be done about it, only one stand is for away fans too, Southampton is supposed to be all about equality, so why doesn't the stadium treat home and away fans equally, it's bloody ridiculous.
TEBOURBA
says...
2:30pm Sat 5 Jan 13
With Nicola's contacts wouldn't it be great if he spoke to Arsene Wenger and got the family a free VIP trip to The Emirates.
Saints have a new PR Director what's he doing about it??
likewatchingbrazil
says...
2:33pm Sat 5 Jan 13
edinagoal
says...
2:39pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Sorry this is the Saints end, not the Aresnal one, dont the ticktes say "Home Supporters only"
He should of got tickets in the Arsenal end, but was problay banned for being a nutter!
dibsy1984
says...
2:42pm Sat 5 Jan 13
The home end is for home fans only! If he wanted a ticket that badly he should have gone in the Arsenal end
I have no sympathy what so ever!
userds5050
says...
2:43pm Sat 5 Jan 13
dibsy1984
says...
2:48pm Sat 5 Jan 13
loosehead
says...
2:49pm Sat 5 Jan 13
which is the closest team to Ringwood in any division? shouldn't he support them?
Will he still "support" Arsenal if they got relegated?
My family originally (dad's side) come from Liverpool do we support Liverpool? NO we support the Saints.
Arsenal goal? you mean Saints own goal so cheering could be taken as ridicule by the Saints fans no?
loosehead
says...
2:51pm Sat 5 Jan 13
dibsy1984 wrote:Should have gone to the Emirates instead of taking a group of tickets Saints fans might have wanted
So his dad is involved in football yet thought it would be acceptable for his son to wear an away top in the home end! How thick is he?
The home end is for home fans only! If he wanted a ticket that badly he should have gone in the Arsenal end
I have no sympathy what so ever!
Rockhopper
says...
2:54pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Why then did they not purchase tickets from Arsenal directly?
Maybe because they are not regular Arsenal supporters they did not qualify so thought instead to take a chance and sit in the home section?
Common sense then tells you not to wear away team clothing or to start cheering the away team when you are sat in the home section!
Surprised the father being involved in football would not know of the above.
elvisimo
says...
3:00pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Safehands
says...
3:03pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Rubbish, the photos are a joke as well. They took a chance, and by the sounds of it, thet got chucked out because the old man went mental when Arsenal scored.
Looks to me like they're just angling for a handout from the club.
freemantlegirl2
says...
3:04pm Sat 5 Jan 13
elvisimo wrote:Completely agree elvisimo and rockhopper. For goodness sakes anyone in their right mind doesn't wear an 'away' team shirt in a Saints enclosure and the comments about the tickets saying for Home Fans only is exactly that!!
No the brightest. Sit in saints area wearing an arsenal track suit. Go ballistic when arsenal score - hmm don't need to be a rocket scientist. Hilarious photo, love the long faces - sponsored by sports direct?
They only have themselves to blame for putting their son in such a position and 'celebrating' goals! Crass!
SaintsBTGOG
says...
3:26pm Sat 5 Jan 13
verwoodsaint
says...
3:31pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Maine Lobster
says...
3:43pm Sat 5 Jan 13
sotonbusdriver
says...
3:47pm Sat 5 Jan 13
But I thought sport was to be enjoyed, not evoke threats from one side to another.
Back in the past it didn't matter where you sat, as long as you enjoyed it, and there was no segregation of fans...
Maybe it is about time to bring an end to the sport, where players are overpaid, and go ill for the slightest thing.
Personally I have said for years that if matches were played behind closed doors, and players were paid a reasinable wage in line with normal workers, the game would finish completely, and remain in the amateur league only...
MGRA
says...
3:52pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Lockssmart
says...
3:56pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Lone Ranger.
says...
4:21pm Sat 5 Jan 13
MGRA wrote:Not surpringsly none much more stupid than yours by the seems of it.
some highly stupid comments on this thread ( surprise surprise ). Lets get one thing straight... this was the FAMILY AREA.... not the other areas of the ground where the knuckle-scraping drooling punchy chavs sit.... the FAMILY AREA is for FAMILIES who want to watch the game without agression and problems.... Fine if the father was causing a problem then yes thats one thing, but if they just celebrated the goal then so what !? If stupid fans who can not tolerate away fans sit in the family area then that is their problem. And if as saints say this FAMILY was not "safe" in the FAMILY area then the club is in a right mess... What a terrific advert for the game of football !!
.
You seem to want to put the blame on most people at StMary's as oposed to the family who evidently have one member that is rather "excitable".
.
As you have pointed the finger at stewards being cowards and morons ... you may wish to know that their main job function is for the safety of all customers.
.
To ensure the customers safety they will take what ever action is required to achieve it.
.
As shown on all tickets, "Home areas are for home supporters only"
stampya
says...
4:22pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Everyone knows, even if you are taking your kids, you do not overly celebrate the away teams goal if you are in the home end. The guy probably thought he was being 'ard, and now is crying foul after the stewards did exactly what they were supposed to do. The eviction is for their own safety and benefit after all..
I just wish this local rag would finally get over themselves and start supporting the club.
LadySaint1975
says...
4:26pm Sat 5 Jan 13
gladbachsaint
says...
4:32pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Why should Saints fans pay for their children and grandchildren to go in the families area to enjoy being part of the club and then see them sitting next to somebody who follows Arsenal? If you think Saints are that bad (and i know this doesn't make things right) try taking a nipper wearing an Arsenal tracksuit to an Arsenal match at The New Den or White Hart Lane.
elvisimo
says...
4:32pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Lockssmart wrote:Yep, you have to feel sorry for his poor suffering family.
MGRA. You give my bum a headache
ranger_bob
says...
4:44pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Lockssmart
says...
4:46pm Sat 5 Jan 13
elvisimo wrote:He was aloud to breed?
Lockssmart wrote:Yep, you have to feel sorry for his poor suffering family.
MGRA. You give my bum a headache
loosehead
says...
4:57pm Sat 5 Jan 13
ranger_bob wrote:I stand & talk to Southampton supporters & drink with them in the bar & I'm an Ex Millbrook player & of course I'm talking about Rugby & yes your so right.
Funnily enough this doesn't happen when I go and watch rugby. All fans mixed in together and no "agro". Enough said really.
Played against several teams from various areas of Portsmouth & drank & talked to them afterwards & no name calling & no aggro
MGRA
says...
5:02pm Sat 5 Jan 13
jen1
says...
5:10pm Sat 5 Jan 13
rightway
says...
5:26pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Why were these people allowed in this area.
It may not be right, but away supporters shouting their support in the middle of the home stands are simply asking for trouble, and to expose their own children to this shows at best bad judgement at worst a very low intelligence.
If a Saints fan done this in the away end he would be kicked out and banned, I hope the father is banned from all football matches for being a trouble maker.
Lockssmart
says...
5:42pm Sat 5 Jan 13
sarfhamton
says...
5:54pm Sat 5 Jan 13
If you are from Ringwood then support the Cherries lad.
Stillness
says...
5:55pm Sat 5 Jan 13
Stillness
says...
5:55pm Sat 5 Jan 13
voiceof thepeople says...
1:56pm Sat 5 Jan 13