Flares/Smoke Bombs: Yes or No?

The following was posted on the forum the other day:

‘Yes or No and why?

Personally I am against them, smell awful, hard to breath, don’t need them to create an atmosphere. However, I thought it looked brilliant to have the red smoke coming out of the away end. Think it really got the crowd going.

I am not encouraging their actions as I am still opposed to them, just wanted to see everyone’s opinion on it….’

Current Poll Standings:
Yes: 46.67%
No: 53.33%

And here’s some of the responses:

‘They do add atmosphere but I’d honestly prefer them to be timed, say after we scored or at the end of a winning game. The 617 guys were fantastic yesterday and really got the whole away terrace singing. That was probably enough.’

‘They are okay as long as they are timed well. But overall I’ve gone for no. Yes they look cool and help a little bit in generating an atmosphere, however (as said before) they smell awful and if you’re in the middle of it you can’t see any thing for a few minutes. Think about the people that have respiratory problems, they must be a nightmare. Also calling back to Alfreton away, one was thrown right next to the pitch when they had a corner. It must have affected Farmans vision.’

‘Didn’t bother me.

I inadvertently stood right in the middle when one was let off and it didn’t smell that bad at all, you could still see the pitch and they didn’t make breathing difficult either.

They go off for about 45 seconds, and about 30 seconds after the smoke has gone. Done and dusted in a couple of minutes.

Barnet fans liked them anyway.’

‘Completely not needed. At best an irritant and at worst dangerous. As has been said those with breathing difficulties could be put at risk and the particulates that make up the smoke in these things are particularly irritating to anybody with bronchial problems. Have seen several accidents using these sort of things when I was in the army and I can see no justification for their use in a crowded football stand. Apart from that I am sitting on the fence with this one.’

‘Voted no. Pointless and potentially dangerous. Anything on fire in a football stadium is a big no no from me.’

‘Can talk and argue about it as much as we want, it wont stop people bringing them into the ground and using them anyway. But personally I’m for them, think they do add to the atmosphere myself. If the club do get fined, which I’ve never seen or heard about myself, then obviously its no good. But i’m pretty sure if the club was that bothered they’d release a statement about the use of them, and unless I’ve missed something I’ve not seen one yet?’

‘I actually think the club is being very lenient. The fact is it’s against the law to take them to matches, and the punishment ranges from banning orders to prison. The club and the police could be a lot stricter with those that bring them in than they are.’

‘I like them at away games but not at home games. I think they add to the atmosphere but would I take one in myself, nah not a chance. I think they are good but not worth getting banned for 3 years for and certainly not worth going to prison for, I am far too pretty to go to prison!!!’

‘Smoking is banned in football grounds yet someone thinks it is OK to let off a smoke flare. I bet there would be complaints and me ejected from the ground if I were smoking in the ground.’

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