STOKE City is looking to recruit more female stewards after complaints fans are missing kick-off. The steward shortage means women are having to wait to be searched before getting in to the bet365 Stadium. Stoke City Supporters Council Chairwoman Angela Smith raised the issue at the group’s latest meeting.
Now she’s urging women to take up the security roles. She said: “The club are trying to increase the amount of female security staff but like most other places in the city, they are finding it difficult to recruit for the positions.
“They are clearly doing their best. Sometimes it is frustrating. As it stands, male stewards can check a women if she agrees but the man also has to agree. But the likelihood of both parties agreeing is rare.”
Stoke City fan Tamsin Parker admitted she had sometimes missed kick-off at home games.
The 41-year-old, from the Staffordshire Moorlands, said: “It probably wouldn’t bother me being searched by a man.”When I have missed kick-off it’s not been because there weren’t enough female stewards.
“Outside where I sit in block 28, there are too many fans and not enough stewards in general, male or female. There is a surge at 2.55pm.”
Fellow fan Deborah Roberts, from Lightwood, added that the situation is better at other stadiums.The 51-year-old said: “My daughter went to Anfield a couple of weeks ago and they have portable scanners, which would be a good solution.
“Then if there were only male stewards it wouldn’t make much difference.
“Being searched by a man doesn’t bother me.
“If something needs doing, it needs doing. They are not there to grope you, they only pat you down.”
A club spokesman says feedback from fans is always welcome.
He said: “The current threat of terrorism is severe, therefore security searches are much more stringent and as a result more time consuming.
“We urge supporters to arrive early and give themselves plenty of time to pass through the searches and make their way into the stadium.
However, it’s inevitable there will be queues at times but we have the ability to deploy teams of stewards, both male and female, to congested areas.”
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