Season 03/04 - April

Feyenoord player attacked by Ajax fans - 15/04/2004

Source: Reuters

Feyenoord midfielder Jorge Acuna was taken to hospital with head, neck and rib injuries after players from the Rotterdam side were attacked by hooligans from arch-rivals Ajax Amsterdam after a reserve match on Thursday.
Feyenoord's official website said a large group of Ajax fans came on to the pitch after the game at the Toekomst stadium and attacked Chilean international Acuna and winger Robin van Persie, who was linked with a move to Arsenal during January's transfer window.
"It was a complete chaos," said Feyenoord coach Mario Been, "my players laid everywhere and they had to be saved by Ajax (reserve) coach John van't Schip and (Ajax) player Daniel de Ridder."
Last Sunday Rotterdam police made 53 arrests during the Dutch first division match between Feyenoord and Ajax which ended in a 1-1 draw.
There have been numerous violent clashes between supporters of the two sides over the years. In March 1997 an Ajax fan died after an organised fight between hundreds of Feyenoord and Ajax hooligans in a meadow near Beverwijk.

SK Lierse - St Truiden VV - 12/04/2004

Source: Casuals Nederland + mail from a local lad

It seems an off was taken by both youth groups with 30 lads on each sides.
Locals were there with a total of 70 lads, inlcuding some Vitesse Arnhem ones.
Finally, no confront erutped between large groups but only at 1.00am, opposing 9 STVV lads to 20 locals + 10 Vitesse lads.
************************************************************
Before the game: Lierse and vitesse were drinking in their pub waiting at the arrival of stvv lads. At 18.30 we received a phonecall that stvv wanted an off at T because their spotters said our numbers were to high. T. is 45km from lier and they had promised us they would come to Lier, so we refused

After the game: still angry because all our plans fell through, some lierse and vitesse lads decided to pay them a visit in their own city. Stvv lads knew about our visit so the hour of our arrival is no excuse. At 00.30 we arrived in sint-truiden. 7 lierse lads and 5 vitesse lads opposing 15 locals armed with belts and baseballbat. Our group forced locals to run back into their pub leaving one man behind. We brought it up despite we played at home.

Red Star Beograd - Partizan Beograd - 17/04/2004

Source: forums - Red Star lad view

It was the first time, for many years, that police had forbiden CZ fans to gather in front of their stadium, and organized go to the game. That was one of the reasons why there wasn't any big fights with Grobari. But in front of the north side of the stadium was a fight with police. Smokes, stones, bricks and torches were throwen to the police cordon, and few times police was made to withdrew. In that fight a lot of Delije and one boy from Slovakia were arrested (three lads from Slovakia, Slovan fans, were at the game with us, and that's not the first time they came, respect for them). That boy is now back to Bratislava...During the game were smaller fights with police and securinty because they didn't let fans to put the flags on the fence and leaders to sit on the fence. So the chairs were throwen on them, and some punches were changed through the fence...After the game group of CZ hools confiscated one flag from partizan hools. It's a flag grobari - Vrbas. And some smaller fights, between fans from other towns in Serbia, was on the highway...The final result of the derby, from the hool view, are 49 arrested hools, 1 injured cop and 3 injured hools...

RSC Charleroi - SK Lokeren - 17/04/2004

Source: mail

For this game, opposing two sub-top firms, locals made a contact with Lokeren lads with the aim to have the last confront of the season.
It must be noticed than locals were a little bit angry because on the game played in Lokeren, a good CH-firm made the trip by cars and stayed in the city-centre 'till 11.30pm. Each offs were cancelled by locals. But after, on the net, some Lokeren youths said CH-lads 'made their show', withtout any action.
Finally, for this return game, a top mob of + 40 CH-lads gave an off so far away fro the stadium with the aim to haven't a police presence.
So, this off was near the train station.
Many phone-calls were exchanged between both sides. But visitors said many different things: 'We're only 12 by cars', 'We don't come', 'We arrived near the station' and...'We are in Rumst'...So, where was the truth????
Each season, Lokeren firm came in CH by cars and in large number (from 30 to 50) and now, when a confront WITHOUT ANY POLICE PRESENCE is possible....they don't give a show up....
Finally, the local leader gave another phonecall to have a confront after the game and Lokeren lads totally refused.
At the end of the game, a 40ish locals mob tried to find the Lokeren lads...without any chance...
Finally, the question is: 'Was the Lokeren mob there????'

Atletico Madrid - Real Madrid - 17/04/2004

Source: Marca

Riots occured prior to the Madrid derby, opposing rival fans.
Important fights erutped near the Vicente Calderon stadium witha total of 28 people injured, including some policemen.
Everything started when Real Madrid fans, especially Ultras Sur arrived near the stadium.
A group of approx 50 had false tickets and they were members of the Frente Atletico group...from the rivals. A huge fight occured.
Several missiles were exchanged, as bricks, bottles etc...
The fight continued, opposing especially FA members and police forces. Many charges were made by police forces.

Sentences in Spain - 17/04/2004

Source: EFE

The National Anti Violence Commission proposed to give a sentence of 3.500 euros to 2 fans arrested during the game Algeciras-Cordoba, played the 3rd April.
They also received a 5 months stadiums ban sentences.
The first one was arrested as he caused trouble between fans and the second was arrested as he had a pepper spray inside the stadium.

St Truiden - RC Genk - 17/04/2004

Source: mails

Genk view:
After the game Stvv-Genk witch was lost by STVV some boys of JGS throwed rocks from the bridge on busses off Genk when the Genk boys arrived they all ran away.
After the game OB was also outside and used the waterkanon on the Genk boys after the game.
St Truiden view:
The facts as they really happened that day:
An arranged 'off' wasn't an option, because of to big numbers on genk-side,
that's why sint-truiden offered genk to come to the city center, where STVV
and MVV lads were gathering the whole afternoon. No genkies showed up, could
have something to do with the combi-regulation in Belgium... but they were
invited to come to town by car... which they say they are going to do each
year, but never reall really show up
After the game, a good mob of Sint-Truin en Mestreech gathered at the bridge
over the route where the visitors buses have to leave... Old Bill didn't
expect that to happen and were totally surprised by the good mob that showed
up all of a sudden... this manoeuvre was a first-timer... and planned.
(the picture you see, sent by genk, is just an overview of genkies making it
to their coaches...)
Rocks and stones were indeed thrown, but only at the police-vans and the
watercanon down the hill... JGS and SFM shouted at genk to come out of their
coaches, but apparently that was too hard for them.
The watercanon then sprayed Sint-Truiden en Mestreech-group backwards and
some arrests were made by undercover Old Bill. The mob gathered in the
city-centre, telephones were made... and genk said that they were allready
on their way back home, up north... bummer... end of a nice long day, but
only confrontation between police and 50 or so mob from Sint-Truiden and
Maastricht-side
***********************************************************
Source: mail - another Genk view

at the day for the game we won't a confrontation , and that was no problem for you , you would come whith beerschot. But when beerschot called off . you suddenly cancel the meeting . they off the match you called Genk in the late afternoun for a confrontation . The Genkies didn't accept the deal because the whole city was full off police. And there was a combi for the Genkies. After the Game you where trowing stones at the busses off Genk. but the weren't there . they were in the stadion at that moment. because they have won the game 0-3 they have a little party there. When they arrived at the bussector the stvv lads were already gone. At one side off the bussector the watercanon came in action at the Genk lads. So it is bullshit that we didn't dare to come out off our busses and that we don't a confrontation.
you have a mob off 50that day , more as 20 off them were lads off MVV .
stvv is nothing without mvv and beerschot .

FC Rostov (Rostov-na-Donu) - FC Rotor (Volgograd) - 17/04/2004

Source: www.wildlegion.ru

The fight was happened near the stadium between 90 Wild Legion(Rostov hooligans) and 90 Volgograd hooligans (+/- 5 hools).100% Fair Play-No weapons.The trouble was on the square,like in the previous year.The trouble was about 2 minutes.The result is the victory of Rostov hooligans.After the fight police became to arrest lads...

Russia: riots in Krasnodar - 07/04/2004

Source: post

in 23-00 in the petrol station near Krasnodar Rostov's hooligans attacked the bus with hooligans from Volgograd,who went home from the away game.The winners are Rostov guys...

Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen - RSC Charleroi - 24/04/2004

Source: mail

For this game, approx 1000 visitors made the trip, with + 60 lads by cars, mainly youths, joined by some top lads. These lads parked their cars on the local side. Prior to the game, this mob took the way of the local pub. In front of it, just a few locals wen out, with belts, and the rest stayed inside. Undercover policemen made an intervention before cops who pushed back visitors who tried to took another direction to have a confront, without any success. Four CH-lads were arrested.
Inside the stadium, skirmishes erutped, opposing Charleroi fans, who were angry about their players.
At the end of the game, CH-lads took another time the road of the pub but this time, the local firm was waiting for them and charged them, using belts. Just a few visitors stayed their ground as their 2nd line ran away.

Pics: CH-mob made their way to the local pub

Hull City - Huddersfield Town - 24/04/2004

Source: Hull City scarfer view

So, did anyone else experience the post-match entertainment, laid on very generously by Humberside Police?

Following a tense game in front of a huge crowd, the police - in their infinite wisdom - decided to let 3,800 Huddersfield fans out of the ground at the same time as 20,000 Tigers faithful.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it glaringly obvious that there were people there today (from both sides) who were hell-bent on causing trouble? Inside the ground, there was a bit of handbags at the north-eastern corner of the ground, from which I'm sure competent police forces would be suspicious that something may go on outside the ground following the match. No, not ours, after all it's never happened before has it? Oh, it has?

Anyway, as I circumnavigated the north-east corner of the stadium car park, many of the away fans were set upon by the Burberry boys, who always take glee in pelting visiting coaches with missiles.

As the police just stood there and watched, one could have assumed that everything was under control. Not so.

As I walked past the back of the Vulcan Arena, and into the main Walton Street car park, I spotted 5 or 6 troublemakers, all of which were covered in blood, with one of them sporting a broken nose.

As I ventured past them, and into the car park, I was faced by a group of around 30 men, who seemed to be sporting 'Wezzie' accents. They were stood, glaring at the smaller blood soaked gang near the Vulcan Arena. Two or three minutes later, one of these menacing looking people shouted "There they are, let's fucking get 'em!".

What followed was nothing short of carnage. From nowhere, a larger group of rival fans joined in, and Walton Street car park now resemble Beirut. I'd not seen anything like this in many, many years. As myself, and my colleagues, sloped off to the far side of the car park, the severity of the violence was there for all to see, with several cars being trashed in the process.

"The police will be here in a moment", I thought. Anyway, after nearly TEN minutes of fierce battle, a few horse-back plods arrived, after which I thought it would be best to get out of the car park pretty sharpish. The damage had, however, been done at this point.

So, what have we learned from today, and how could it have been prevented? Well I, many more City fans, and a couple of Huddersfield fans I got talking to, believe that the away following should have been kept in the ground after the game. I mean, does it really have to be that obvious that this would have prevented some - if not all - of the carnage? And let's face it, we are often kept back in the ground after important away games.

It's not the first time, and not the last no doubt, that the planning, organisation and - dare I say it - conduct of Humberside Police has been called into question.

Karlsruhe SC - VFB Stuttgart - 12/04/2004

Source : KA-West

In the evening , the locals (about 30 Ultras from Karlsruhe) attacked the CC (abaout 50) inside our station, where they are going to get their train (they were on the way from mainz to stuttgart). A big fight fight started and the locals were going to win againt the reds.
In this moment, about 30 lads from the legion süd (hooligan- group from Stuttgart), who came with cars to help their Ultras, storm inside the station and a new fight started. They were too strong for the locals (only Ultras with a lot of young guys) and they`re going to run away...
At first it was a victory for Karlsruhe against the other Ultra group but against the hooligans from stuttgart they`ve had no chance...

Paris SG - Marseille - 25/04/2004

Source : PSG lad view

Approx 200 local lads met up in a pub. All main faces were there...Alcohol and sun...everything was on top...Mainly lads had no tickets. At 5.15pm, the group left the pub and all police lines were not a problem. In front of the stand, a large number of lads entered without tickets, as French CRS had to retreat.

FC Nantes - Paris SG - Cup - 28/04/2004

Source : TV

Riots occured inside the stadium, opposing both PSG ultras groupes: Boulogne Boys and Tigris Mystic.

Dirty dozen jailed after fans fought in streets - 08/04/2004

Source: icNorthWales

By Elwyn Roberts Daily Post


A CHILDREN'S football coach was among a dozen soccer hooligans jailed yesterday after violence flared between Wrexham and Port Vale supporters.

Ben Paul Morris, 22, of Burslem, Stoke, was jailed for six months along with six other Port Vale fans and one man from Wrexham following the disturbances in a housing estate close to The Racecourse ground.

Two men from Wrexham and two Port Vale supporters admitted affray and were jailed for nine months for their part in the violence which erupted after Wrexham's 2-1 home win in October.

Judge Roger Dutton told Morris at the end of a two-day sentencing hearing: "You are a football coach for youngsters. You have let them down very badly."

The court heard on Tuesday how rampaging fans dodged police and ran through gardens around Mold Road hurling bricks and even garden gnomes at each other.

Knives used as rival Moscow fans clash - 04/04/2004

Source: Reuters

Ten football fans were injured - some with knife wounds - when supporters of rival Moscow clubs clashed on Sunday, Russian news agencies reported.


Interfax news agency reported that three people had been taken to hospital with knife injuries after a street fight between supporters of CSKA and Spartak Moscow, widely considered the two most violent sets of supporters in Russia.

It was not clear how many fans had been involved in the clash, which broke up when police arrived.

Police said a bus with Spartak fans onboard had been blocked by a car carrying CSKA fans as it stopped for refuelling. Supporters of the army side then attacked the Spartak fans with knives and bats.

The two teams did not play against each other this weekend but fights between their fans are common.

England: Hooligans Face Arrest - 26/04/2004

Source: Straffordshire Police website

Police working to ensure the safety of supporters at Saturday's match between Stoke City and West Ham came under attack from groups of hooligans who were trying to attack the West Ham supporters waiting for trains at Stoke Railway Station.

A large number of police officers, a small number in protective clothing, became the targets, when they successfully kept the groups apart. Now police are reviewing camera footage of the incidents including film taken by the force helicopter 'Air One' to identify those responsible.

The specialist officers working on Operation Scorpion have begun a post match enquiry and currently reviewing the footage. Sgt Steve Parker from the unit said "Our officers came under attack from a group of hooligans near to the Railway Station, bottles were thrown at the police but our evidence gathering team was also at the scene, so we have those responsible recorded on video."

Police expect to make up to further twenty arrests in the next few weeks following the disorder. Of those eight arrested on Saturday, two men remain on police bail and the other six will appear before magistrates on the 30th April or 10th May.

Sgt Parker added "We would like to hear from any members of the public who witnessed any of the disorder or had property damaged. All this information will be valuable to the investigation and any information will be treated in confidence."

Anyone with information about the disorder should contact the football unit at Hanley on 01785 23 4883 or call Crimestoppers anonymously

Football hooligan fined for Wales match breach - 03/04/2004

Source: Daily Post

A FOOTBALL manager and self-confessed hooligan was yesterday convicted of breaching a ban on watching a Wales international match.

Holywell Football Club boss Andy Nicholls was barred last October from all of Britain's grounds and international games for two years after admitting being regularly involved in match-day violence in his book, "Scally: Confessions of a Category C Football Hooligan".

Flintshire magistrates were yesterday told Nicholls travelled to Russia to see Wales play in a European qualifying match last November.

The sports promoter denied breaching the order - saying he believed the ban only applied to England matches.

He also claimed he had not received a letter telling him to hand over his passport and report to Wrexham police on the day of the Wales game.

Nicholls was convicted yesterday and fined £450 with £300 costs.

He said he would pay straight away - in cash.

The 41-year-old, of Bryn y Foel, Rhosesmor, near Mold, was banned by Liverpool magistrates last October under the Football Spectator Act following the publication of his book. He was also ordered to pay £500 costs.

Nicholls yesterday accepted he went to see Wales play in Russia but claimed in police interview he believed he was only banned from England matches.

Huw Evans, prosecuting, said the National Criminal Intelligence Service responsible for generating the necessary documentation for football banning orders had sent a first class letter to Nicholls at his home address.

That required him to hand in his passport no later than November 10 and for him to report to Wrexham police between 12 noon and 4pm on the day of the match, November 15.

FC Kärnten - SK Sturm - 15/04/2004

Source : Gruabn Veteranen

Soccer police's snatch of day - 26/04/2004

Source: Lancashire Evening Telegraph

POLICE are taking 18 suspected football hooligans to court as part of a new crackdown to keep troublemakers away from the Euro 2004 championships.

The action is part of a move by senior police chiefs to keep troublemakers away from this summer's prestigious football tournament.

They want to take every possible step to prevent yobs getting the England team booted out of the tournament.

Already 10 people who claim to support Blackburn Rovers and 50 connected to Burnley FC have been banned from travelling to Portugal to watch the tournament this June.

But 18 further suspected football hooligans from East Lancashire, who also associate themselves with Rovers or Manchester City, have been ordered to appear before the Blackburn magistrates on Wednesday.

Detectives have applied to ban the men from attending all UK matches and selected European and international games under the Football Disorder Act 2000.

If the order is successful, they will be made to surrender their passports before and during Euro 2004.

Police have been building up a dossier of evidence to try and root out suspected hooligans. They have been filming in and around games to try and catch suspects on camera. Now they are preparing to take that evidence to court so that the yobs can be ordered to stay out of Portugal.

Detective Constable Tim McDermott, a football intelligence officer who is responsible for ensuring trouble makers stay away from Blackburn Rovers, said: "We have been building up to this throughout the season, but this doesn't mean we won't go for some more before the tournament.

"We need to prove these people have been involved or contributed to disorder connected to football."

Nationally, more than 2,000 football hooligans are already barred from travelling to watch the tournament after a season-long crackdown.

But police forces across the country are stepping up their efforts so that football's European governing body, UEFA, are not given chance to invoke their threat to expel England if supporters cause trouble.

An extra 600 suspected football hooligans from throughout the country are being targeted by police as a result.

Some £5million in Government cash is being used to fund the crackdown.

Halting the yobs before they start - 26/04/2004

Source: Lancashire Evening Telegraph

IT hasn't been an easy task for police to crack down on the sort of football violence that has shamed us at home and abroad so much in the past.

First, forces throughout the country had to pool intelligence and set up databanks of information so that yobs could be identified and pinpointed.

Then they had to be tracked at different league grounds, watched and removed from games the minute they started trouble.

Once that had happened, police could get banning orders to ensure that they did not get past the turnstiles.

Having identified troublemakers in this country, police then had to work with forces throughout the footballing world to stop these known yobs from travelling to follow England.

Apart from the shame to the nation caused by drunken, violent hooligans on the rampage abroad, international football bodies have made clear that if we don't keep our own yobs out, our team will be booted out.

With the help of the Football Disorder Act brought in four years ago police have already banned 70 people who have claimed to support Blackburn Rovers or Burnley from travelling to Portugal for Euro 2004 in June.

This week, Blackburn magistrates will hear applications to stop 18 more suspected hooligans from leaving the country. Let's hope such thorough work is rewarded by none of the problems of the past rearing their heads.

Judge hits out at soccer bans trial - 29/04/2004

Source: Lancashire Evening Telegraph,

A JUDGE has criticised police over moves to ban alleged football hooligans from travelling to Euro 2004 in Portugal.

District judge Paul Firth asked why it had taken police five months to bring the matter to court and why the prosecution then expected the defence to be ready to conduct trials in just three weeks.

"The summonses were not served until seven days ago and the evidence has not been served on the defence until today," said Mr Firth, sitting at Blackburn magistrates where 17 football fans, including a father and son, face applications for banning orders.

"The guideline for summary trial in criminal cases, agreed by, among others, a senior police officer, is a fraction short of five months from the first date of hearing.

"I wonder why it should be that the same police force in a case like this now expects the court and those who represent the respondents to have everything ready for a hearing within three weeks.

"If the application had come before this court in January, nobody could have complained or expected longer than the end of May to have their cases ready for a fair hearing," he said.

"I have heard no explanation for why it has taken until April 28 for these proceedings to come before the court for the first time."

Paul Schofield, who represents 15 of the 17 defendants, said the cases should have been before the court "months ago".

He pointed out that, even when all the preparation had been completed, there could still be problems with witness availability.

Mr Firth adjourned all matters until May 12.

He indicated he would not expect any trial to take place before June 1 "in fairness" to the respondents.

"I am told by the court listing officer that any trial organised for June will require setting up additional courts or cancelling trials that have already been set," he added.

The recipients for the football banning orders are: Damien Bradley, 33, of Rockliffe Street, Blackburn; Steven Collins, 20, of Alpine Close, Hoddlesden; Ashley David Fielding, 17, and his father Simon Fielding, 44, of Whalley Banks, Whalley. Sean Flaherty, 35, of Malvern Avenue, Blackburn.

Terence Gibson, 19, of Wolsley Street, Blackburn; Oliver Hickmott, 17, of New Wellington Close, Blackburn; Thomas Hosker, 33, of Franklin Street, Blackburn; Steven Maxwell, 19, of Montrose Street, Blackburn; Anthony McCallion, of Heys Court, Blackburn.

Adam Metcalfe, 19, of Hibson Road, Nelson; Ian Mitchell, 39, of Curzon Street, Clitheroe.

Gary Parker, 39, of Adelaide Terrace, Blackburn; Paul Scott, 33, of Cornelian Street, Blackburn; Paul Scott, 45, of Infirmary Street, Blackburn.

James Smith, 22, of Dukes Brow, Blackburn; and Paul Sutcliffe, 34, of Mossdale, Blackburn.

CSKA Moscow - Spartak Moscow - 03/04/2004

Soccer fans clash in Moscow

Fans of two Moscow-based rival soccer clubs, CSKA and Spartak, are reported to have had a violent clash on the city's southwestern outskirts earlier today. Police eventually broke up the clash, arresting about forty fans, most of them youngsters.

Three of those involved in the fight reportedly sustained serious knife wounds while several others were left with various fractures.

Police are now trying to identify the instigators of the clash. This latest outburst of Moscow soccer fan violence occurred in a neighborhood with no large football stadium and on a day for which no major match had been scheduled.

Feyenoord's Acuna hurt after attack by Ajax hooligans - 16/04/2004

Source: China Daily


Feyenoord midfielder Jorge Acuna was taken to hospital with head, neck and rib injuries after players from the Rotterdam side were attacked by hooligans from arch-rivals Ajax Amsterdam after a reserve match on Thursday.

Feyenoord's official website said a large group of Ajax fans came on to the pitch after the game at the Toekomst stadium and attacked Chilean international Acuna and winger Robin van Persie, who was linked with a move to Arsenal during January's transfer window.

"It was a complete chaos," said Feyenoord coach Mario Been, "my players laid everywhere and they had to be saved by Ajax (reserve) coach John van't Schip and (Ajax) player Daniel de Ridder."

Last Sunday Rotterdam police made 53 arrests during the Dutch first division match between Feyenoord and Ajax which ended in a 1-1 draw.

There have been numerous violent clashes between supporters of the two sides over the years. In March 1997 an Ajax fan died after an organised fight between hundreds of Feyenoord and Ajax hooligans in a meadow near Beverwijk.

AGOVV Apeldoorn - Go Ahead Eagles - 23/04/2004

Source : De Stentor