Season 03/04 - August

Police Appeal For Suspected Hooligans - 17/08/2003

Source : SKYNEWS

Police have appealed for help in identifying 10 suspected football hooligans following trouble at England's Euro 2004 qualifier in Liechtenstein.Officers want to quiz the men after fans ran amok during street battles in the Swiss city Zurich and in Liechtenstein's capital Vaduz the following day.The pictures were taken from CCTV footage recorded during the scuffles in March and are part of a National Criminal Intelligence Service campaign to safeguard England's passage to the European Championships next year.
Soccer chiefs have warned the Football Association that England face expulsion from the competition if the fans continue to cause "mayhem" at matches.
A spokeswoman for the NCIS said: "We believe that the men were involved in disorder ahead of the Liechtenstein game in Zurich and in Viduz and we're trying to identify them before the 2004 championships and indeed, the next friendly against Croatia.
"A Swiss reporter was attacked during the disturbances and we believe these men may well have information about that particular incident."
Police believe that at least three of the men pictured were involved in the attack and the remaining seven in the violent clashes which took place on March 28 and 29.
England have since been warned by UEFA president and FIFA executive Lennart Johansson that not only do they face expulsion from next year's competition, but they also face the prospect of missing out on the World Cup if fans continue to fight.

Football Arrests Increasing - 18/08/2003

Source : SKYNEWS

A "new generation" of hooligans contributed to a 19% increase in the number of football-related arrests last season.The Home office has reported there were 4,793 arrests in total in England and Wales, compared with 4,035 the previous year.The figures included 3,695 arrests at league matches - the highest since since the 1994-1995 season.
A Home Office spokesman said the increase reflected "lingering domestic football disorder problems with indications of an emerging new generation of troublemakers", as well as a tougher stance by police.
There were 1,636 arrests at Premiership matches, compared with 1,318 the previous season - an increase of 24%.
It was the highest number since the 1996-1997 season.
In the First Division there were 1,042 arrests (compared with 1,016), the most since 1997-1998. In Division Two there were 687 (648) and in Division Three there were 330 (278).
Premiership clubs which saw significant increases in arrests included Birmingham City, where there were 137 arrests compared with 55 the previous season.
Others included Aston Villa - 91 arrests (compared with 60 in the previous season), Chelsea - 92 (63), Everton - 108 (65), Manchester United - 134 (96), Sunderland - 154 (130) and West Bromwich Albion - 62 (35).
Premiership clubs which saw the number of arrests fall were Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham.

Manchester City fined - 19/08/2003

Source: Reuters

Manchester City have been fined 25,000 pounds ($39,620) for cutting the number of tickets they offered Southampton fans for last season's final premier league game -- the last match to be played at Maine Road.
City must also offer Southampton fans 3,000 tickets at half price for this
season's corresponding fixture in April, the premier league said in a
statement on Tuesday.
Southampton were given just 1,305 seats for the May 11 game instead of the 3,000 they should have received under premier league rules. City were leaving Maine Road after 80 years.
The half-price seats will cost City around 40,000 pounds in lost revenue,
the Southampton website said.
City now play at the City of Manchester Stadium, venue of last year's
Commonwealth Games.

Police Target Football Yobs - 22/08/2003

Source : SKYnews

A massive police operation to stop football hooligans attending England's next home match is underway.Greater Manchester Police's Chief Constable Michael Todd has sent more than 170 letters to known troublemakers in the county.
It warns them to stay away from Old Trafford for the Euro 2004 qualifying match against Liechtenstein on September 10.
The letters reads: "If you travel to, or are sighted in Manchester city centre, or the vicinity of Old Trafford football ground, it may be interpreted as an attempt to become involved in football-related disorder and police action will be taken against you."
Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Thomas said "spotters" from other police forces across the country will be working in Manchester on the day of the match to look out for known hooligans.
He added: "English football hooligans have traditionally used international fixtures as an opportunity for the disruptive element from smaller clubs to join forces, and inter-club rivalry has led to fighting and disorder.
"There will be no such opportunity at Old Trafford in just three weeks time."
Earlier this week the Home Office said a "new generation" of hooligans contributed to a 19% increase in the number of football-related arrests last season.
There were 4,793 arrests in England and Wales compared with 4,035 the previous year.

England-Croatia -20/08/2003

Source : AFP

Thirty-two football fans were arrested on suspicion of public order offences at a friendly between England and Croatia, British police said.
The England fans' alleged offences included affray and threatening behaviour.
Some were held before Wednesday's match in Ipswich, eastern England, which the English side won 3-1, in order to prevent a breach of the peace, a spokesman for Suffolk Police said.
Around 600 officers were deployed in the city, with police warning there would be "zero tolerance" for troublemakers at the game.
Superintendent Carl Puiy, in charge of policing the friendly, said: "A zero-tolerance policy towards anti-social, criminal and racial behaviour led to 32 people being arrested before and during the match."
England face the prospect of being banned from the Euro 2004 championship in Portugal if their fans repeat the serious disorder that marred the 2-0 April victory over Turkey in Sunderland, northeast England.

Lions lift fan ban - 18/08/2003

Source : TEAMtalk

Millwall have confirmed an end to the ban on away fans at The New Den after a fall in arrests involving supporters of the First Division club.
Just 18 Millwall fans were arrested home or away last season compared with 109 the previous season, against an overall rise in arrests throughout the Barclaycard Premiership and Nationwide League of 19%.
The club issued a statement which read: "We are delighted measures which were introduced prior to the 2002-03 season have been instrumental in reducing arrests, both at The Den and at grounds visited by Millwall. These included compulsory memberships and a number of games at which there were reciprocal 'away fan bans'.
"As a result of the excellent behaviour of our supporters, reflected by the arrest figures released by the Home Office on August 18 2003, we have been able to relax the compulsory aspect of our membership scheme.
"At this stage, supporters will only be required to produce membership cards in order to attend four home league games out of the 23 scheduled. In addition, there is no intention to ban fans of any other club from attending matches at The Den.
"However, we are determined to maintain the high standards set last season and consequently the situation remains under constant review. We will continue to work together with our genuine supporters, the police and local authorities towards minimising problems associated with Millwall Football Club."

Sunderland: Black Cats get tough - 18/08/2003

Source : TEAMtalk

Sunderland have reaffirmed their hardline policy towards football violence in the wake of a recent Home Office report on the issue.
The Black Cats have stated that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated at The Stadium of Light, which last season saw 185 arrests.
Sunderland's zero-tolerance rule means supporters are always arrested rather than simply ejected from the stadium.
Safety officer John Davidson told the club's official website: "Most of the arrests (last season) were for minor infringements and in many cases the fans involved modified their behaviour immediately.
"We simply cannot tolerate any form of anti-social behaviour as this reduces enjoyment for other supporters.
"Any such behaviour therefore results in the person involved being arrested, rather than simply ejected, to ensure that the problem is contained rather then moved elsewhere. We will continue to make a firm stand this season."

Aberdeen chief fears fan ban - 19/085/2003

Source: ESPN

Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness fears the club's games against Rangers could soon be played behind closed doors if the bad blood between supporters does not come to an end.
Saturday's game at Pittodrie was marred by a fan who made his way onto the pitch from the Richard Donald stand before attempting to attack Rangers defender Fernando Ricksen.
Meetings between the two clubs have resulted in a catalogue of flashpoints over the years, and Wyness said: 'There is a possibility we could be ordered to play Rangers behind closed doors.
'If what happened on Saturday had been an isolated incident then it wouldn't be so much of a concern. But the trouble last time and the history of unrest at Rangers games will be taken into consideration.
'The more often there is trouble, the more possibility there is of some sort of ban on spectators being imposed.'
One of the most disturbing incidents of recent times came in January 2002. Dons striker Robbie Winters was struck on the head by a coin thrown from the Rangers section at Pittodrie before a group of Aberdeen fans made their way to the away end to confront their rivals - resulting in the game being halted for several minutes as riot police were called in.
Now Wyness has called for an end to the feuding that seems to go hand in hand with the powderkeg fixture - or face a total ban on supporters when the two sides play each other.

Eggs hurled as Serie B is postponed - 29/08/2003

Source: Reuters

Italian fans hurled eggs and insults outside Football League headquarters on Friday as the decision was taken to postpone the start of the Serie B championship by a week.
'Turn on your passion, turn off your television', 'No to modern football' and 'Kick out the power brokers' read banners held by about 100 supporters of clubs Brescia, Atalanta, Vicenza and Torino.
The fans were protesting at what they claim is the hijacking of their sport by TV money men and bureaucratic incompetence.
The meeting of the Football League, which represents clubs in Italy's top two divisions, was called to prevent a boycott of the start of the season by 19 Serie B teams unhappy about plans to expand the division to 24 clubs.
The boycott was approved last week after the Italian Football Federation readmitted to Serie B three relegated teams and Florence club Fiorentina, who were all due to play in the third level Serie C1.
Even before Friday's meeting started, however, the chances of avoiding a postponement looked slim.
'The people aren't stupid and they're starting to understand what's going on,' Cagliari president Massimo Cellino said before entering the building.
'(The president of the Italian Football Federation Franco) Carraro has overstepped the mark. He's written his own resignation letter by his behaviour in the past few days,' Cellino continued.
As well as delaying the start of the season, the Football League also passed a vote of no-confidence in Carraro.
Earlier, Football League president Adriano Galliani denied the chaos might disrupt the first round of Serie A matches this weekend.
'Serie A will start on time, for sure,' Galliani said, brushing off suggestions that some top-flight clubs might join the Serie B boycott.

Jail for Lazio fans - 28/08/2003

Source: Tifonet

Gianluca Cavarischi and Fabrizio Toffolo, two Lazio fans, received jail sentences for riots who occured the 15th December, when policemen were attacked by fans.
It must be noticed than these 2 guys are leaders inside the Curva Nord: Fabrizio is one of the Irriducibili'sd top boys as Gianluca for Banda Noantri.

Cesena - Modena - Friendly match - 24/08/2003

Source: Il Resto del Carlino

Some Modena fans (about 70 for this game) were attacked and injured, and some cars damaged after a Cesena fans' attack.

AC Fiorentina - Lucchese - Cup - 22/08/2003

Source: Ansa

Five Fiorentina ultras and one Lucchese fan were arrested after riots occured, opposing both sides of supporters.

La Spal - Reggiana - Cup - 27/08/2003

Source: La Nuova Ferrara

Some years ago both sides of supporters were friends. Now, things have changed and riots occured inside a similar empty stadium.
Locals tried to attacked rivals, throwing firecrackers, bricks...Police forces tried to restored order but violences continued for 10 minutes. Locals also used a molotov, throwing it in direction of Reggiana ultras. About ten fans from both sides were injured, as 3 policemen.

Lokomotiv Moscow - Shaktar Donetsk - 27/08/2003

Source: rus-hool website

About 5000 fans of Donetsk's club came to Moscow to support their team. Before the match there were a lot of rumours that 2 fans of Shakhter were killed in one of the districts of Moscow, but the militsija(police) disproved these rumours. The truth from this incident is unknown for this moment... The match presented 29000 fans, that means-practically full stadium. After the first goal of Lokomotiv ,fans of Moscow's team began to use fireworks(about 15 fireworks). After goal of Shakhter, fans from Donetsk used only 2 fireworks, and with unusual for Russia colors:yellow and viol-rose!...The match ended with the victory of Lokomotiv 3:1,which made for madness happiness of Moscow supporters which came to the stadium!Before and after the match were arrested 42 fans...

Cracovia Krakow - Ruch Chorzow - 17/08/2003

Source: rus-hool website

Fans of Cracovia made big troubles and then attacked the police forces. As the answer police used rubber bullets and "waterguns". One of the policeman was injured. But at that moment the troubles didn't stop: hooligans began crashed cars of fans from Ruch, about 750 fans came to Kracow. The results: about 30 hooligans were arrested, and most of them are fans of Cracovia...

La Louvière - RSC Charleroi - 30/08/2003

Source: mail

About 60 RCSC Boys took the road of La Louvière by cars for this high-risks derby.
Different rumours were announced from locals such as: "we'll stay calm" to "we are 40"...
Arrived in the city-centre, we took the road of their pub but police forces catched us and we were escorted. Local Wolf-Side have left their pub as last season.
After the game, we made 2 groups. The 1st one was directly escorted back to cars and the 2nd one tried to reach the pub but they were also catched by police forces. Nothing else to tell about this game.

Note from UFF: newspapers said 60 Boys were arrested after causing damages inside a train....but in fact they travelled by cars.
And rumours also said 30 Hell-siders from Standard were catched by police forces in Spy, with the aim to have an off with CH-lads.

Universidad de Chile - Colo Colo - 31/08/2003

Source : Reuters

A derby match between Chile's two most popular
clubs was abandoned in the second half after a player was hit by an object
thrown from the crowd on Sunday.

Universidad de Chile defender Nelson Pinto was about to take a throw-in
against arch-rivals Colo Colo when he was struck in the face and sustained
a cut.

Referee Ruben Selman immediately called off the match, which was being
played in front of a 40,000 crowd at Colo Colo's Monumental stadium. The
score was 1-1.

"We all agreed the match should be suspended," Selman told reporters.
"There was no way we could play on."

The match kicked off 15 minutes late after dozens of fans climbed the
fencing surrounding the pitch at the compact arena, which has no running
track around the field.

"I believe (the perpetrators) are delinquents and not Colo Colo
supporters," said Universidad de Chile coach Victor Castaneda, whose team
left the field under a hail of missiles.

Christian Thompson put Universidad de Chile ahead in the fifth minute, with
Miguel Aceval equalising three minutes later with a brilliantly-taken free
kick.

Last week, Universidad de Chile's match at home to Huachipato was
interrupted when fans began hurling stones onto the field in protest at
their team's performance.

Shinnik Yaroslavl - Spartak Moscow - 31/08/2003

Source: rus-hool.narod.ru

About 3500 Spartak fans came to Yaroslavl' to the football match between Shinnik Yaroslavl' and F.C. Spartak Moscow.Before the game near the stadium about 50 Spartak hooligans had a fight with riot police and militsiya. 9 hooligans were arrested. 6 policeman were sirious unjured...

Hull City - Boston United - 31/08/2003

Source: local newspaper

The police are investigating after a number of coaches carrying Boston United fans came under attack.
At least three vehicles were pelted with missiles following Saturday's division three match against Hull City.
It happened as supporters left the KC Stadium after the game.
No one was reported injured but the vehicles were damaged.
Coaches escorted
Pilgrims' fan Andy Butler, who was on board one of the coaches, said: "I saw a crowd of Boston fans getting attacked.
"The buses have all been hit, we have all had bricks thrown at us.
"Ours got through fairly unscathed but the one in front of us had a window put through.
"We had to have an escort to get out. It was just mad."

FC Amkar Perm - FC Uralmash Ekaterinburg - 31/08/2003

Source: post


120 guests from Ekaterinburg came to Perm city


Fighting not far from the stadium (125 lads (FC Uralmash Ekaterinburg) vs 50 lads (FC Amkar Perm + FC Dynamo Perm))

Villa gangs 'hired Nazis' -31/08/2003

Source : LOCAL NEWS

Villa hooligans are recruiting members of a hard-core neo-Nazi gang to fight for them, it has been claimed.

Birmingham City’s notorious Zulu firm say that Combat 18 members were hired for derby day brawls and an England international last year.

Running battles between Blues and Villa fans took place in Rocky Lane during the local clash last September, leading to the worst soccer violence seen in Birmingham for years.

Last night one self-confessed Blues thug said: “There was a three-mile pub closure around Villa Park and we knew Villa had recruited Combat 18 lads.

“The police used different tactics for Rocky Lane. They filmed the fighting and were not as quick to step in. We think the police wanted to draw the big players out and get us at the same time.”

A report from anti-fascist magazine Searchlight confirmed that a minority of Villa hooligans did link up with right-wing groups from Chelsea at the Villa Park England friendly against Portugal in September

A spokesman for Aston Villa said: “We, like all clubs in the Premier League, take any hooligan-type behaviour very seriously and work very closely with the police to combat it.”

Boca Juniors - Chacarita Juniors - 31/08/2003

Source: Reuters

Seventy people were injured (one so seriously) during violent riots who occured during this game, who was abandonned during 2nd half as violences were at high level.
The pitch was invaded by fans and teargas were used by police forces who tried to restore order.
The Boca Juniors' manager, Pedro Pompilio said '16 people are at Argerich hospital and one of them is there for a serious injuring'.
Chacarita fans threw bricks and other missiles in direction of rival fans during 1st half, but violences started when Boca scored his 2nd goal. At this time, Chacarita fans, who were situated on 2nd floor behind a goal, threw missiles at local fans. Fires also started.
Some people said Boca fans also tried to enter Chacarita stand and police forces used teargas to restore order.

Menace of the new football hooligans - 19/08/2003

Source: The Hudersfield Daily Examiner

Arrests increase at Town matches

By Neil Atkinson, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner


A "NEW generation" of hooligans contributed to a 19% rise in the number of football-related arrests last season, says the Home Office.

There were 4,793 arrests in England and Wales, compared with 4,035 the previous year.

The figures included 3,695 arrests at league matches - the highest since the 1994-1995 season.

And 52 Huddersfield Town fans were arrested last season, up from 34 in 2001/02.

Of the 52 arrests, 23 were at home games and 29 away from home.

Seventeen of those fans were charged with violent disorder and 22 with public order offences.

Town have 12 fans subject to banning orders, prohibiting them from going to matches.

But the Town club compares favourably with others in the same division.

The worst offending club Division 2 last season was Cardiff City, who saw 149 of their fans arrested.

There were also 91 arrests at Plymouth Argyle games and 70 at Bristol City matches.

A Home Office spokesman said the increase reflected "lingering domestic football disorder problems, with indications of an emerging new generation of troublemakers", as well as a tougher stance by police.

And ministers have promised an extra £5m to help tackle football violence during the course of this season.

There were 1,636 arrests at Premiership matches, compared with 1,318 the previous season - an increase of 24%.

It was the highest number since the 1996-1997 season.

In the First Division, there were 1,042 arrests (compared with 1,016), the most since 1997-1998.

In Division Two there were 687 (648) and in Division Three there were 330 (278).

There were 293 arrests at FA Cup games and 267 at internationals.

Premiership clubs which saw significant increases in arrests included Birmingham City, where there were 137 arrests, as against 55 the previous season.

Others included Aston Villa with 91 arrests (compared with 60 the previous season), Chelsea 92 (63), Everton 108 (65), Manchester United 134 (96), Sunderland 154 (130) and West Bromwich Albion 62 (35).

Premiership clubs which saw the number of arrests fall were Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham.

England: Police will visit hooligans before games - 26/08/2003

Source: Lancashire Evening Telegraph

WE know who you are -- that's the message to football hooligans after police revealed they will be calling at the homes of yobs just days before big games.

Chief Inspector Ian Pilling, Lancashire's football co-ordinator, said the off-beat technique -- where an officer calls at a known hooligan's home prior to a potentially explosive fixture -- is to be extended across to Blackburn Rovers games after proving successful at quelling Burnley FC's hooligan minority.

Similar techniques have been successfully used by Lancashire Police in the past to shackle other types of persistent offenders. At Christmas, prolific burglars were sent cards from the force.

Mr Pilling said: "We have been able to make many pro-active arrests, often many hours before the match and away from the ground, allowing us to prevent trouble from occurring in the first place.

"With one Premiership club, two First Division teams and one Second Division side, Lancashire Constabulary devotes many operational resources to policing more than 100 matches in the county each season.

"We intend to ensure that spectators who attend these matches are not inconvenienced or threatened by the actions of a minority of so-call fans intent on causing trouble."

Mr Pilling spoke out after the Home Office released figures for trouble at football matches last season.

Arrests at Turf Moor doubled to 130, making it the second highest in Division One. At Rovers' Ewood Park, 25 people were arrested.

Police chiefs say the high Burnley figure was due to Operation Fixture, a campaign fuelled by over £100,000 of government cash to tackle hooligans.

Mr Pilling added: "Across the county, more than 70 people are banned from attending matches. Although the number of arrests has increased we attribute this to tougher action on our part, not an increasing problem.

"Over the last year we have learned many valuable lessons through a range of innovative measures in Burnley, including visiting known troublemakers at home prior to significant fixtures.

"We aim to send a very clear message to hooligans that they are not welcome in Lancashire."

Bolton: Booze ban on soccer thugs - 30/08/2003

Source: Bolton Evening News

WANDERERS are being asked to hand over a list of football hooligans to pub landlords in a bid to ban them from drinking on match days.

Licensees want the club to identify known troublemakers who are already forbidden from entering the Reebok Stadium.

They would be told they cannot drink in Bolton's pubs -- especially when a local derby is being played against teams such as Manchester United.

Licensees want to remain open on high-risk match days. They say the current system of widespread closure is unfair for law-abiding football fans.

They point to the Wanderers having one of the highest numbers of banning orders in the country.

Licensees claim fans who do not get into the Reebok end up going to the pubs and they want help in identifying the hooligans. Either that or play potential problem matches on a weekday night.

John Jewitt, secretary of the Bolton Town Centre Licensees' Alliance and landlord of Ye Olde Man and Scythe pub in Churchgate, said: "Bolton Wanderers has succeeded in removing the troublemakers and we have acquired them."

He added: "The town centre licensees are working together to remove troublemakers. When the town centre pubs are closed on a Saturday, there is a massive loss of sales for the shops and the pubs.

"If such matches could be played on say a Tuesday evening, the loss to us in the town would be negligible."

The threat of violence in Bolton town centre has led police to tell pubs to close their doors for period of time on some match days.

Chief Supt Dave Lea, head of Bolton Police, said more thought was needed before such a scheme could be put in place.

He said: "The main problem is that these people are banned from sporting events and not licensed premises so those who are banned could challenge the scheme."

"The only way would be for it to be part of our town centre strategy which we are looking at now with the local authority and licensees. That would still be a difficult one to manage because we don't always have access to the banning orders of visiting fans.

"At football stadia we have spotters who look out for troublemakers who may have flouted their ban. In pubs this would be far harder to do. We are extremely cautious about asking pubs to keep their doors closed and we only do it when we have the best intelligence.

"As for playing games on a Tuesday, matches are played every night anyway and the game against Manchester United which is the Reebok's biggest is being staged on a weekday anyway this season."

Rob Dyson, Bolton Town Centre Company's security development manager, said: "Handing out lists of known troublemakers is a feasible idea.

"But certain issues have to be addressed. There could be problems with data protection but there would also be a strong need for such a scheme to be controlled. Landlords would have to strongly enforce any such scheme."

A spokesman for Bolton Wanderers said: "We are in the process of checking our data regulations and intend to make an official response to the licensees alliance within a few weeks."