Season 03/04 - November

Livorno - Treviso-18/11/2003

Source : REUTERS

Italian Serie B club Livorno have been banned from using their home stadium for one game after a group of their fans chanted abuse following a minute's silence in honour of the victims of 19 Italians killed in Iraq.

Livorno fans chanted anti-Carabinieri slogans before the start of their match against Treviso -- 12 of the victims of the suicide attack on a military police barracks in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya were Carabinieri.

"With their vulgar phrases that group (of fans) insulted the memory of the killed Carabinieri," the Italian Football League's disciplinary body said in a statement.

Livorno's hardcore ultras are reported to be connected to far-left groups.

Insulting Athens Olympics to become a criminal offence - 19/11/2003

Source : AFP

Greek football hooligans shouting slogans against the Athens 2004 Olympics will face criminal charges under new legislation proposed by the Greek ministry for sports.

The proposals are designed to combat the rampant violence in Greek football stadiums, the country's sports minister Yiorgos Lianis told a press conference Tuesday in comments reported by the Athens News Agency (ANA).

Alongside hurling "vulgar insults against the Olympics", other misdeeds set to become criminal offences include consumption of alcohol at matches, shouting "racist and anti-national slogans" and "barbaric offences against the (Greek) national anthem," Lianis said.

Supporters of PAOK Salonica, a popular football team based in the northern port city, have been reportedly shouting anti-Olympics slogans during matches.

PAOK supporters are locked in bitter rivalry with Greece's three biggest clubs, Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and AEK, all based in Athens, where the Olympics take place in August.

Rights groups, mostly affiliated to left parties, have voiced concern the authorities might use the Olympics as a pretext to curtail Greeks' democratic rights, notably the right to stage rallies and strikes.

THC Tver – HC Spartak Moscow - Hockey - 13/11/2003 -14/11/2003

Source: post

First match day: on this game came 30 guests from Moscow (young hools and some scarfers). It was a little fighting on the first and the second stage of the ice arena between second and third period of the match with tveriaks that had advantage. Some moscovites had some not serious traumas.

Second match day: 200 guests from Moscow came at this match, good performance. Most interesting actions began after first period, one of the guests began to attack policeman, Spartak supporters returned him to their sector, police tried to find him in the crowd to arrest, only that they could get – hundreds of the moscovite’s fists and legs. Second period of the match – HC Spartak scored and guests began to slam and lighting the fires, as a result one more fighting with Tver police. Tver fans began to throw bottles, coins and even chocolate bars, one of them thrown yogurt tetrapack but missed…it was fanny to see big white blur on the policeman’s clothes, poor boy he was disgused =)))) After this fighting with police again. After the match 50 Spartak hools attacked 20 policemen outside ice arena, police preferred to use gas weapon against moscovites. Nobody was arrested, police carried Spartak supporters to railway station by Tver police department bus.

Grasshoppers Zurich - FC Basel - 09/11/03

Source : RAVENS BASEL

Basel fans set fire at the Grasshopper Blue Side banner.

Sparta Praha - Banik Ostrava - 08/11/2003

Source : xyron.cz - supporters.cz websites

Prior to the game, a fight occured, opposing 70 locals to 60 Banik fans.
Banik fans made the trip with approx 4000 and some of them also fought with police forces and stewards as many fans were there without tickets.

Real Altamura - Monopoli - 23/11/2003

Source: Ansa

Some injured and one so seriously after riots who occured during this game. Some vechicles were set on fire during these riots.

Salernitana - Genoa - 23/11/2003

Source: Tifonet - neutral ultra view

If there is no rivalty between Genoani and locals, it must be noticed that Napoli ultras were there with their friends (Genoa), but these ones are also arch-Salerno rival.
After the game, a group of approx. 40 locals attacked 5 visitors. Seeing this fact, Genoani forces police escort and a violent fight erutped between both sides. Locals have to retreat.

Riots between Catanzaro and Cosenza fans - 23/11/2003

Source: Catanaro.net

At 7.09pm, inside the Catanzaro station, a train with 29 young Cosenza fans entered the station (they played in Locri against Vibonese). Immediately this train was assaulted by Catanzaro fans who trhew several missiles as rocks, firecrackers etc...
Finally, Catanzaro fans went out of the train and disappeared before the police forces intervention.
It must be noticed that major part of Cosenza ultras went to Locri by coaches, not by train.

SK Lokeren - RSC Charleroi - 22/11/2003

Source: mail

For this game, approx 30 Wallon's Boys made the trip by cars. At the end of the game, they requested an off late in the night to avoid any police presence.
They stood in the city-centre to 11.45pm without seeing the local mob (same number).

Olimpia - Cerro Porteno - 12/11/2003

Source: Yahoo

Two fans died last night at the classic Paraguayan soccer game in Asunción.
A 19 year old fan, David Samudio, died from being shot with 2 bullets in the back as he stepped off a bus with a group of Cerro Porteño fans. This incident happened prior to the game.
Another fan named Juan Aquino, 20 years old, was taken to the hospital after suffering gun shot wounds in the thorax and in the leg. He died in the hospital emergency room.
A total of 13 fans were arrested for incidents after the game, among them two minors 8 and 10 years old.

Walsall - Crystal Palace - 23/11/2003

Source: D30 website - CP view

Arrived at a pub just up the road from where the walsall firm was meant to be.About 25 of us. Made some calls to our other lads to let them know where we were. Along came another 20 plus a couple here and there,about 50/60.Had been on blower for last couple of hours to walsall,quite sensible lads by all accounts.
Found out they had two firms in different pubs, one wrapped by old bill.
One of our main lads was outside the pub when he looked up and saw walsall come charging down the road,he came in to tell us, the whole fucking pub spilled out with half the furniture hoping for a similar sized firm. Looked like about 20 of them at first.The charge went up and they were on a back foot when they saw the numbers.We back footed them down to the market.They were holding us off with all sorts of masonary and woodwork for missiles. When they got to the market i was waiting for the brussel sprouts to start coming over.Lol.
Fair play to the walsall lads coming to us, reckon you underestimated our numbers,note they were on a back foot all the way but they didnt run til it was coming on top in the market.
Lets hope they pay us the visit.
All in all a fucking good day out!

Universidad Catolica - Wanderers - 23/11/2003

Source: Reuters

Rioting fans forced the Chilean championship match between Universidad Catolica and Wanderers to be suspended with three minutes to play, the football league said on Monday.
The league's official website said the referee abandoned the second-round first-leg match on Sunday after visiting Wanderers supporters knocked down part of the fencing separating them from the pitch.
The fans also clashed with police at Catolica's San Carlos de Apoquindo stadium but the report did not say whether there were any arrests.
Universidad Catolica were winning 4-1 at the time.
It was the second serious incident of Chilean crowd violence in less than three months.
In August, the Colo Colo-Universidad de Chile derby was abandoned midway through the second half when a player from the visiting team was struck by an object thrown from the crowd.

Sparta Rotterdam - Heracles Almelo - 21/11/2003

Source: forums

A 30 year old fan of Heracles Almelo (first division) got badly injured (now paralyzed)after being hit by a stone. A group of approx. 80 fans from Almelo travelled by train to Rotterdam for the match Sparta - Heracles.
On their way to Rotterdam they got attacked by GAE on trainstation Deventer, the threw stones en beercans, but nobody got hit.
One of the first trainstations in Rotterdam Heracles got attacked by an hit-and-run action from Dordt-lads. With 20 lads they attacked they trein with bottles, stones and batts and belts as weapons. Some good punches were thrown. Like the word says, Dordt ran away and shortly after that police arriverd. To release their agression Heracles attacked police and 74 fans got arrested and taken to De Kuip.
Around midnight all the arrested fans were released and taken to a special train which would take them back to Almelo. Police were there to make sure they would behave. Shortly after the special train left, it got attacked by an (unknown) group who ones again threw stones. One big stone hit a fan on the back of his head and he lost a lot of blood. He was uncounsious and taken to hospital were he had some critical hours. The fans who got lightly injured were helped in the train. After that the train got to Almelo in an quit atmosphere because everybody in that train was shocked by what just happended to there mate.

Belley - St Etienne - Cup - 23/11/2003

Source: Le Progrès + mail

A St Etienne fan received a 4 months jail sentence after he was arrested.
After the game, a group of ASSE fans left the town, but some others stayed in the city-centre. Two of them stayed inside a pub, where some scuffles erutped with locals. Some damages were caused and 2 policemen arrived to restore order. A fan was arrested but other St Etienne fans arrived to free their friend. Policemen were assaulted. When other policemen arrived, fans totally disappeared but some hours later, a fan was arrested for these facts.

Lazio Roma - Besiktas - 26/11/2003

Source: Tifonet

For this high risks game, about 800 Besiktas fans made the trip to Roma.
Violent riots occured in the city-centre, when a group of Lazio ultras attacked Turks. Six were injured, and 3 of them by knives.

Sentences for Genoa fans - 27/11/2003

Source: Primo Canale

Eleven Genoa ultras received jail sentences (from 10 months to 2 years) for having part to riots who occured in June 99, during the game Genoa-Verona.

Rennes - Lyon - 28/11/2003

Source: Mouvement Ultra - Rennes fan

During the journey about 35 locals (Breizh Stourmer and 7/8 SP) were waiting for visitors. In the morning a group of Lyon fans (Nucleo) said they were there.
At 3pm, and after many phone-calls, both groups are in the same street. Nucleo are approx. 40. A violent fight erutped and some lads lied on the floor (most of them are locals). After some minutes, we had to retreat, except our main lads who stayed there.
The fight took place for 5-6 minutes.

RSC Charleroi - Beerschot Antwerp - 29/11/2003

Source: mails

Local view:

After the game, a group of 15 Beerschot lads made a toe-to-toe with approx the same number of locals, without any police presence. When locals charged, Beerschot lads have to retreat. One arrest one local side.
**************************************************************
Beerschot view:

the beerschotboys were only with 9 youth lads, first the home lads followed us with 7 men, en when we came into the street where our cars were parked we saw a group of 20 charging at us. then we had to retreat. the home lads were with 20-25 lads. it only came to a toe-to-toe with one lad of us, who was trying to reach his car. nothing else happend that evening.

sincere greetings

Fiorentina - Livorno - 30/11/2003

Source: Kataweb

About 10 policemen were injured during clashes who occured during the morning at the Livorno station, when a group of Livorno ultras without tickets tried to force the police escort. Missiles were threw at police forces.

Dinamo Buharest - Spartak Moscow - 27/11/2003

Source: http://spartak.msk.ru + fanats.ru

At last Spartak official match in this year came about 1500 supporters and 200 hools (all main firms was represented). Before the game group of the guests from Moscow attacked romanians, police began to forceback the moscovites, but Spartak hooligans began to fightback (one policeman in the hospital, 14 russians arrested).
Then romanians began to throw stones and bricks to russians.

In the second half of the game it was a local fights beetween moscovites and police on the stadium.

Hearts of Midlothian - Hibernian - 14/11/2003

Source: Forum - Independent view

Was at the Edinburgh Derby on Sunday and saw both of their mobs at it before the match, despite being surrounded by OB Hearts attacked the Hibs escort on Gorgie Road. After the match outside Robertsons boozer a full battle commenced which in my opinion finished with Hearts doing Hibs over and Hibs running up the road, also seen at least 10 Hibs boys running into shops. From what I seen Hearts won the day told my mate to get me a ticket for the next derby.

Hooligans rampage - 12/11/2003

Source : HENDONTIMES

Nineteen football hooligans were thrown out of Barnet FC's Underhill Stadium as violence marred the FA Cup first round tie against Stalybridge Celtic on Saturday.

Police made four arrests inside the away supporters’ section of the ground after trouble flared when around 30 fans, claiming to support Manchester City, succeeded in getting into the game.

Around 50 such fans, including known football hooligans, were believed to have travelled to the match in addition to two coach loads of Stalybridge fans. CCTV footage taken at the ground is currently being examined and further arrests may follow.

Police officers from the Central London Football Reserve, which usually patrols Premier and Football League matches, were called shortly after 2pm when the Manchester City supporters began fighting among themselves in the Queen's Arms pub in Great North Road, Barnet, and the nearby Old Red Lion in Underhill.

The trouble continued in the south-east corner of the ground after kick-off and police arrested two men: Carl Wallace, aged 29, and Jonathan Paul Street, 22, both of Stalybridge, near Manchester, for breaching an order banning them from entering any football ground in the country.

Officers arrested two other men from Stalybridge for using threatening words or behaviour. They were all due to appear before Hendon magistrates today.

A spokeswoman for Barnet police said the Stalybridge fans were well behaved. "There were about 150 supporters altogether who came down from the Manchester area,” she said.

"Of those, about 40 to 50 were Manchester City supporters and about 20 to 30 got into the ground where they then decided to cause problems."

No supporters were injured but one police officer suffered a cracked rib.

Dennis Signy, PR consultant for Barnet FC, said: "Underhill has a good record for crowd behaviour and Barnet FC prides itself on being a family club — if there are a handful of arrests or ejections a season that is a lot.

"I understand that the trouble came from Manchester City fans in town as their team were not playing until Sunday."

Keith Trudgeon, Stalybridge Celtic press officer, said: "There were two coaches organised by the supporters' association and the club and the group of people who caused the trouble did not arrive on these coaches.

"Many Celtic fans are distressed that they are being tarred with the same brush as these people. The incident cast a shadow on what was a great day for the club."

The game ended in a 2-2 draw so the two teams are due to meet for the replay in Stalybridge next Tuesday evening.

Bradford: Eight jailed over football violence - 06/11/2003

Source: The Telegraph & The Argus

Eight Bradford men have been jailed for their part in clashes with visiting football fans in Bradford city centre.

They were also banned from all football matches for periods ranging from six to seven years, as the police and Crown Prosecution Service sought a new crackdown on football-related violence.

The city's magistrates court heard how punches and kicks were exchanged when Bradford City fans clashed with Aberdeen supporters in Ivegate on July 26. The match was part of City's Centenary Tournament.

Sentencing some of those involved yesterday district judge David Thomas said the incident - which lasted only 37 seconds - blighted the city which had suffered from riots in July 2001.

He said: "Bradford has had its share of problems in the last few years and, while this was not like the events of 2001, incidents of this nature bring discredit on the city.

"This was a serious city centre incident, fortunately nipped in the bud by the prompt action of the police." The citizens of Bradford were entitled to walk the streets in safety without having to face such incidents perpetrated by "supposed football supporters" who were really "hooligans", he added.

Malcolm Christy, prosecuting, said all the defendants were in a group walking uphill and some Aberdeen fans came downhill towards them.

During the brief confrontation that followed, fighting broke out and advertising boards were thrown through the air before police officers moved in to separate the two groups.

Pleading guilty to violent disorder were: David Horsfall, 35, of Lynfield Drive, Chellow Grange, who was jailed for five months and banned for seven years; Craig Blessington, 31, of Bolton Hall Road, Wrose, jailed for four months and banned for six years; Anthony Tempest-Mitchell, 37, of Old Road, Horton Bank Top, jailed for four months and banned for six years; Joseph Bryan, 22, of Larch Hill, Odsal, jailed for three months and banned for six years; James Garrett, 28, of Weetwood Road, Brown Royd, jailed for three months and banned for six years; Timothy Clarke, Lower George Street, Wibsey, jailed for three months and banned for six years; Richard Lee, 24, of New Works Road, Low Moor, jailed for three months and banned for six years; Neil Sibson, 34, of Hollin Park, Oakwood, jailed for three months and banned for seven years, plus a further two months consecutive for unrelated driving offences.

Also pleading guilty to violent disorder were: Christopher Marshall, 34, of Thirkhill Court, West Bowling, 160-hour community punishment order and banned for three years; John Softley, 39, of Chapel Row, Allerton, 12-month community rehabilitation order and 80-hour community punishment order and banned for three years.

Christopher Carr, 24, of Prune Park Lane, Allerton, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and was released on bail until November 27, for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Paul Widdowson, 30, of Kings Road, Wrose, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour and was given a 160-hour community punishment order and was banned for three years.

Philip Sharpe, 36, of Coppice View, Idle, had a charge of using threatening behaviour discontinued by the prosecution.

Massive police plan for Saints showdown - 27/11/2003

Source: http://www.portsmouth.co.uk

A MASSIVE police operation will swing into action when rival football fans from Portsmouth and Southampton meet for the first time in seven years.
An average Premiership clash at Saints' St Mary's ground is policed by just 21 officers on match day.

But next week's Carling Cup match between the two clubs will see around 300 officers based in and around the ground.

A total of 3,900 Pompey fans are expected to make the journey along the M27 to St Mary's to join 29,000 Saints fans at the match on Tuesday.

Chief Superintendent Paul Stickler, the man in charge of the operation, is taking no chances and has organised a £50,000 operation including:

A booze ban near the ground on the night.

Dog units, riot police and traffic officers to help at the scene

Around 100 police officers working with stewards inside the stadium

Another 200 officers in streets around the stadium to ensure any fans who cannot get in or are thrown out do not get into trouble

A zero-tolerance approach to ensure drunken fans do not get into the ground.

Linesman taken to hospital after violence flares - 05/11/2003

Source: http://www.lutontoday.co.uk

FA investigates after match is abandoned

A football linesman was taken to hospital and police were called when a local Sunday league match ended in uproar.

The match official was beaten up by players and suffered injuries to his face and ribs as violence erupted at the game between Barton Rovers and Luton club Three Crescents.

Three players received red cards and the referee abandoned the match before paramedics arrived to treat the wounded linesman. He was allowed home after treatment at Luton and Dunstable Hospital.

Bedfordshire Football Association this week called for reports into one of the most appalling disciplinary cases it has had to deal with.

Three Crescents, whose team is a mixture of Turkish and English players, has been disqualified from playing further matches while Beds FA and the police carry out their investigations.

A Bedfordshire Police spokesman said: "We were called to Barton Rovers FC in Luton Road at 12.13pm after receiving a report that a linesman had been assaulted by players and was being taken to hospital. No one has been arrested at this stage, but our inquiries are ongoing."

Witnesses should contact Pc Steven Gorman, of Dunstable Police, on 01582 471212.