DOES anyone know who controls or regulates stewards at football matches? Are they the responsibility of the club, the league or the local police?

I worked as a steward at Oxford United in the 80s and our role was pretty well defined, with fans expected to comply with a list of about 30 conditions displayed at several points in and around the Manor Ground. The police were of course in overall charge of everything, especially crowd disorder or misconduct.

With nightclub ‘bouncers’ pretty much a thing of the past, who’re now replaced by registered and vetted security staff of both sexes, wouldn’t it be a good idea to do the same with football ground stewards?

Oxford’s recent derby victory at near neighbours Wycombe was spoilt by the actions of several so-called stewards, who came into conflict not only with Oxford fans, but at one point with U’s goalkeeper Ryan Clarke. Stewards coming face to face with fans will at times be unavoidable unless both sides behave sensibly, however a steward coming into contact, and so into conflict with a player is totally unacceptable.

Should the player react in some way, he could find himself being sent off, so I applaud Ryan Clarke’s professional and careful no contact walk away conduct.

Stewards in the main do a fine job, but surely football, which is now much more of a family game, needs to ensure that good standards of control are required off of the field of play as much as on it?

DAVID WILLIAMS
David Walter Close
Oxford