Merry Christmas! Thanks as always for penning these
Judging by your last pic it looks like you got stuck in the same row as me - right near the overzealous steward who was genuinely asking people where they were going and effectively acting as a gatekeeper from whom we should seek permission to visit the loos!
In answer to your question near the start, I think there was concerted effort by NTFC to kill off any away atmosphere and wind up away supporters. It's what small time clubs like them do.