Season 02/03 - November

Banfield - Independiente - 17/11/2002

Source : ESPN

Hooligans banned for life from Wanderers matches - 26/11/2002

Source: Bolton Evening News

FOUR soccer fans have been banned from Bolton Wanderers matches for the rest of their lives -- the first time hooligans have received life bans in the club's 125 year history.

The bans are part of a new policy revealed by Wanderers chiefs today in a bid to combat violent troublemakers who tarnish the reputation of the club by their actions.

The Wanderers will now bar for life any hooligan who is given a football banning order by magistrates.

And five year bans will be given by the club to anyone convicted of acts of violence without any orders being imposed by the courts.

The club confirmed that the life penalties it imposes will apply to both home and away matches.

The life bans today were given to Wanderers fans Shane Durham, Graham Knowles, Russell Brooks and Stephen Barrow, who were convicted of attacking Manchester United fans in a public mall during the Premiership clash at the Reebok Stadium last season.

A Bolton Wanderers club spokesman said today: "They are the first to receive life bans and we have now set a precedent. We will stamp out the problem.

"Bolton Wanderers Football Club would like to stress that it will never condone the actions of a minority of fans who have been convicted of any football related offence."

The four men were all part of a gang who tried to smash their way into the Spirit of St Louis bar -- which was packed with Manchester United fans.

Waste bins, bottles and glasses were all thrown at the bar's windows. Durham, aged 34, of Dougill Street, Bolton, Knowles, aged 29, of Northern Grove, Heaton; Brooks, aged 35, of Rusland Drive, Harwood and Barrow, aged 32, of Dilloway Street, St Helens, all pleaded guilty to affray at Bolton Magistrates' Court last month.

They were banned by the magistrates from all Wanderers games for five years and from being within a mile of any Premier or Nationwide League football game for two hours before and after matches.

But they have now been made subject to life bans by Wanderers chiefs.

Police football intelligence experts have revealed that a total of 23 other Wanderers fans are currently serving three or four year bans for disorder.

The Wanderers spokesman said: "Any person who has been convicted of a football related offence will in future be banned from attending games associated with Bolton Wanderers Football Club. With immediate effect any person who receives a Football Banning Order will be banned for life and anyone who is convicted but does not receive a Football Banning Order will be banned from Bolton Wanderers Football Club matches for a period of five years."

"In conjunction with Greater Manchester Police, the club is doing all it can to rid itself of such anti-social behaviour from the Reebok Stadium, and will not tolerate any behaviour of this kind from its supporters at home and whilst travelling to other grounds in the name of supporting the team."

A spokesman for Bolton Police's Football Intelligence Office said many other Premiership clubs and Nationwide League teams had launched similar life ban schemes.

He said: "It is going to help to prevent football violence in Bolton. It is still only a small minority of fans that we have problems with, but we welcome this."

Burnley: Suspected soccer hooligans quizzed - 29/11/2002

Source: Lancashire Evening Telegraph

AN overwhelming response to a public appeal has led to the arrest of 11 suspected football hooligans.

The men were caught on CCTV outside Wolverhampton Wanderers' Molyneux ground during Burnley's away game in August.

Since pictures of 12 suspects were published in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph last week police have been inundated with calls and some of the men are thought to have handed themselves in voluntarily.

No charges have been brought yet.

Huddersfield: Hooligan gets second ban from football - 21/11/2002

Source: The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A HUDDERSFIELD soccer hooligan has been banned from all British and foreign football grounds - for a second time.

But Graham Brooksbank still denies he has done anything wrong.

He blames heavy-handed policing for his convictions.

Of the latest incident he says: "I was thrown to the ground with my hands behind my back and hit with a baton, several times. I will be appealing against my treatment."

Brooksbank, 36, of Hall Cross Road, Lowerhouses, was banned from all domestic and international football grounds for four years and fined £200 by Nottingham magistrates.

The Examiner can today reveal that it is just two years since Huddersfield magistrates banned him from football matches for a year and ordered him to complete 80 hours' community service and pay £40 costs after he pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour in December, 1999.

The conviction followed disturbances at Huddersfield Town's FA Cup match against Liverpool at the McAlpine Stadium.

Brooksbank's latest ban came after he was one of three men arrested in Nottingham city centre after Town's 2-1 defeat by Notts County on April 20.

All three were charged with public disorder offences.

Paul McDermott, 35, of John Ramsden Court, Huddersfield was banned from soccer grounds for three years and fined £200.

Shaun Hendrick, 33, of Carr Green Lane, Dalton, was banned for three years and fined £175.

The court heard that police were called following a disturbance around 7pm, after the match.

Football banning orders were introduced by the Government two years ago under tough new measures aimed at stamping out soccer hooliganism.

Anyone subject to a banning order cannot attend any domestic or international soccer match during the ban.

They must also surrender their passports during international matches, so they cannot travel to games.

Details of people banned are sent to police nationwide.

San Lorenzo - Independiente - 01/12/2002

Source: ESPN

After the 3rd goal scored by Independiente, local fans caused troubles inside their stands.

Coventry fans: jail sentences - 07/12/2002

Source: Coventry Telegraph

Faces of violence

Eight Coventry City fans involved in a major brawl at the end of an FA Cup tie were today starting jail sentences.

The men all pleaded guilty to violent disorder following some of the worst scenes of violence seen at a football ground for years.

They all got 12 months for their parts in the disturbance at Manchester City's ground Maine Road on January 27 last year.

At Liverpool Crown Court yesterday the men, who are all from Coventry, were also all banned from attending football matches for six years.

The fans, who were situated in the north stand, pushed their way into the main stand towards the Manchester City fans soon after Shaun Goater scored the winning goal for the home team.

A "large-scale disturbance" followed and officers, security staff and stewards intervened and moved them back into the north stand.

Sentencing, Judge Bryn Holloway said that the fans' huge disappointment was no excuse for the violence.

He added that the men were not stereotypical football hooligans and accepted that it had been a spontaneous incident.

He said: "Such incidents do not happen frequently nowadays, but when they do the courts must do what they can by the sentences they impose to make clear that custodial sentences will follow."

The eight Coventry City fans jailed are: Simon Richardson, aged 38, of Forrets Court, Mount Nod; Richard Jones, aged 34, of Haynestone Avenue, Coundon; Robert Healey, aged 28, of Dormer Harris Avenue, Tile Hill; Paul Lawler, aged 37, of Glencoe Road, Coventry; William Finnie, aged 29, of Ridgethorpe, Willenhall; Mark Sheehy, aged 36, of Ascot Close, Willenhall; John Hartley, aged 33, of Playdell Close, Willenhall and Andrew Wallen, aged 42, of Sebastian Close, Stonehouse Estate.

Coventry: Hunt goes on for soccer fans - 07/12/2002

Source: Coventry Evening Telegraph

Greater Manchester police today appealed for help in finding two men from the West Midlands wanted for questioning in connection with the violence which erupted at an FA Cup tie.

Eight Coventry City fans were each jailed for 12 months yesterday for their part in the trouble at the game between the Sky Blues and Manchester City in January last year.

Police are still trying to identify two men they want to speak to and anyone who recognises them is asked to phone police on 0161 856 4464 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Following the incident, Greater Manchester Police launched Operation Edit, which involved the scrutiny of high-quality video footage of the disturbance filmed by police and Manchester City Football Club, to identify the main troublemakers.

Steps taken by police before the match were also essential in tracking down those responsible and intelligence from West Midlands Police indicated that a coach from Coventry was arriving with supporters believed to have been involved in previous football-related violence.

This coach was stopped as it arrived at Maine Road, and each passenger was filmed as they gave their name, date of birth and address to the police before attending the match. Nine of those interviewed in this way were later identified as some of the main troublemakers.

Eleven of those arrested for the disturbance pleaded guilty to the charge. A twelfth man failed to appear at court and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Sub Divisional Commander Superintendent Andy Holt said: "It has been some while since this dis-order occurred, but no matter how long it takes or how difficult it is, we will do all we can to secure convictions against people who engage in football violence in our clubs.

"People want to watch football in an exciting and vibrant atmosphere. What they don't want is to be subjected to fear, intimidation and violence, which is what happened on this occasion.

"Those who commit offences such as this are not football fans and we will continue to work closely with Manchester City FC to target those who attend matches with the intention of causing trouble. The sentences passed today send a clear message that Greater Manchester Police will not tolerate football violence in our clubs."

Oxford: Fans invade pitch at Kassam stadium - 02/12/2002

Source: http://archive.oxfordmail.net

Football fans piled on to the pitch after a match between Oxford United and Lincoln on November 30, while a group of about 20 people raised fears of a disturbance in the car park.

But police, who were called to the scene at about 4.50pm, said today they arrived to find only boisterous fans and the situation was kept under control.

No fighting occurred between fans, although one person was arrested for breach of the peace, but was not charged.

Oxford United chairman Firoz Kassam later reassured fans that, despite the incident, it would be safe to attend next Sunday's FA Cup derby with Swindon.

Last week Oxford United fans were blamed for an hour-long riot, in which a policeman had one of his arms slashed.