Season 04/05 - April

Tranmere vs Wrexham: Hooligans jailed for football plot - 20/04/2005

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

A GROUP of hooligans who plotted violence after a Tranmere Rovers football match have been jailed.

The 11 are among 32 hooligans being sentenced this week at Liverpool crown court.

Stuart Driver, prosecuting, said the group planned and/or took part in two clashes after Tranmere Rovers played Wrexham football club on September 27, 2003

Before the game at Prenton Park stadium, Merseyside police's football intelligence squad visited websites used by hooligans and read messages suggesting trouble was intended, the court heard.

Mr Driver said: "It was known there was hostility between factions of the supporters of both clubs."

The court heard that bricklayer David Sands, 30, was at the hub of the plot and he and other Tranmere fans sent and received large numbers of text messages planning violence.

Mr Driver said during and after the game, which was not attended by all of the Tranmere hooligans, Sands had mobile phone contact with Henry Topham, Lee Hobbs, Paul Davies, John Ryan, Colin Ebbrell and Simon Crabtree.

Company director Edmund McGill sent a text saying he could not wait for the confrontation, said Mr Driver.

Sands, Topham and Ryan travelled to Rock Ferry station where there was a fight with Wrexham fans.

Unemployed Shane Wharton, 35, was seen throwing punches at supporters, said Mr Driver.

Those who were not arrested in Tranmere met again in Chester, where a further clash took place.

Among the hooligans spotted near the fighting were disability support worker Mark Clarke and Carl Power and builder Colin Ebbrell.

Sands, of Holme Lane, Prenton, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit violent disorder.

Wharton, 35, of Moseley Avenue, Wallasey, who also pleaded guilty to the charge, was jailed for 18 months.

Topham, 37, of Observatory Road, Bidston, pleaded guilty, and Power, 40, of Pulford Road, Bebington, who was convicted of the charge, were both jailed for 15 months.

Clarke, 36, of Church Street, Conway, and Paul Davies, 38, of Mallory Road, Prenton, who were also convicted by a jury, and Ryan, 39, of Foxcovers Road, Bebington, and Ebbrell, 36, of Hamilton Square, who both pleaded guilty, were all jailed for 12 months.

Crabtree, 31, of Masefield Close, New Ferry, McGill, 36, of Mellock Close, Little Neston, and Hobbs, 29, of The Woodlands, Little Neston, were jailed for nine months after pleading guilty to the charge.

All were banned from Tranmere Rovers matches for six years.

Judge Brian Lewis told them: "You have besmirched the name of Tranmere Rovers."

Tranmere: Prison for 32 football hooligans - 29/04/2005

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

FOOTBALL thugs, including the manager of a Chester city centre shop, have been jailed for plotting football violence.

The thirty-two defendants, had planned large-scale fighting on the day of a Tranmere Rovers match.

Prosecuting, Stuart Driver said Merseyside Police knew trouble was brewing on September 27, 2003, after they visited hooligan websites to discover what was afoot.

There was trouble on a train as the Wrexham fans headed home and again in Chester city centre.

Jason Montessori, 33, of Polden Close, Ledsham, admitted conspiring to commit violent disorder and Judge Brian Lewis jailed him for 15 months at Liverpool Crown Court.

Defending, Jeffrey Clarke said Montessori was married with three children and lived in Chester.

Judge Lewis told Mr Montessori, manager of the Tessuti men's clothing shop: 'You were at the forefront of the ugly and threatening mob in Chester.'

Edmund McGill and Lee Hobbs, 29, both of Little Neston, admitted to charges and were each jailed for nine months.

Clubs facing expulsion after Melbourne soccer riot - 18/04/2005

Source: ABC

Two Victorian soccer clubs are facing expulsion from the state league after around 400 fans were involved in violent scenes at a match last night.

Four police officers received minor injuries when trouble flared at the match between home side South Melbourne and local rivals Preston.

A wheelie bin was thrown at a police horse and about 100 fans invaded the pitch after Preston scored a goal, with flares, darts and bottles being thrown. Two arrests were made.

Victorian Soccer Federation boss Tony Pignata praised the way police handled the riot but warned that both clubs could be dumped from the competition.

"It wasn't totally out of control in terms of fights and things like that. It was a lot of flares thrown at each other," he said.

"The police were fantastic, they moved in very quickly to quell the disturbance. But it's not what I want to see at a soccer game in Victoria."

Acting Superintendent Chris Duthie said police had been unable to obtain reassurances that the clubs could stop their fans from fighting.

"I'm not totally satisfied with the result, however there'll be further talks with the Federation and with each of the soccer clubs," he said.

"I wasn't satisfied with the fact there was no guarantee that they could control the behaviour of their fans."

South Melbourne president George Donikian admitted there was long-standing tension between fans of the two clubs.

Mr Donikian said both clubs had worked together to put extra security measures in place, such as removing provocative banners.

"We had the unfortunate occurrence a couple of years ago when we played them in a charity match, which turned out to be anything but charitable," he said.

"Both presidents and committees did the best they could to make sure [there was no trouble]. All the known hot-heads were kept apart for a start. And then kept as entertained as possible. But it's the old story, it's the few that try to spoil it for the many."

Two hurt in ferry riot after Old Firm match - 26/04/2005

Source: The Scotsman

SECTARIAN violence erupted across the west of Scotland in the wake of the final Old Firm game of the season, Strathclyde Police said yesterday.

In a series of bloody clashes in the aftermath of Celtic’s 2-1 victory at Ibrox, shoppers were left shaken as fans fought running battles in Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire.

A riot broke out on the Troon to Larne ferry service as rival fans clashed on their return journey to Northern Ireland after the game. Up to 100 people were reported to have been involved, and riot police were forced to board the ferry to quell the disturbance.

Two members of the crew were injured, and three men and one woman were arrested.

Police said they had made 20 arrests at Sunday afternoon’s game - with more than half of those detained charged with sectarian-related offences.

A police spokeswoman said: "There were 20 arrests in total before and during the match, with 10 of those for offences relating to sectarian breach of the peace.

"There were five arrests relating to drink, and another five arrests for other breach of the peace offences.

"It was a relatively busy night but we had sufficient resources to cope with those taken into custody."

In an attempt head off the ever-present threat of violence surrounding the Old Firm fixture, the teams had been instructed by police to kick-off at 12:30pm in a bid to stop fans turning up drunk at the ground.

But as supporters headed for the pubs after the game, an unsavoury display of violence erupted across the country.

Immediately after the game, running street battles were reported in the Govanhill and Myrtle Park areas of Glasgow and Uddingston, Lanarkshire.

On Sunday night, motorists in Dunbartonshire were forced to take evasive action as a fight between rival fans outside a Clydebank bar spilled out on to the street.

Sunday’s match always had the potential for trouble, especially as its outcome was vital in the close-fought race for the SPL title.

There were calls last night for the courts to clamp down hard on those involved in the violence.

Bill Aitken, a list MSP for Glasgow and the Tories’ chief whip at Holyrood, said: "People should be able to go about their business without having to worry about getting caught up in this sort of violence.

"This behaviour is disgraceful and paints a bleak picture of the tribalism which still persists in Scotland. The courts have a clear duty to crack down on those who bring terror to the country’s streets.

"People need to be reminded that it is only a game and not part two of the battle of the Boyne.

"But, frankly, I fear that the Old Firm games are just an excuse for some people to indulge in mindless violence."

The incident on the Troon-Larne ferry occurred as the vessel left the Ayrshire town on Sunday night, with riot police called in after fighting broke out between rival fans.

There were 350 passengers on board the ferry, and as many as 100 fans of both Glasgow clubs were allegedly involved in the fighting.

After police boarded the P&O ferry it took them around an hour to bring the fighting under control.

The latest violence comes just weeks after the Scottish Executive vowed to clamp down on the bigotry that surrounds Old Firm games.

Last Friday, Cathy Jamieson, the justice minister, urged Old Firm supporters to keep the match free of bigotry.

Her appeal came as the Executive published an official summary of a high profile anti-sectarianism summit organised by the Jack McConnell, the First Minister, in Glasgow in February.

The minister said that while much had been done to rid Scotland of the "stain" of sectarianism, the pace of change needed to speed up.

The Executive has brought in legislation making provision for offences aggravated by religious prejudice.

Funding has also been given to voluntary groups and church organisations for community-based and inter-faith projects tackling sectarian attitudes.

Linfield FC - Glentoran FC - 23/04/2005

Source: http://www.4ni.co.uk

Local football under spotlight following weekend trouble

Local football was under the spotlight today following trouble at Saturday’s Irish League game between Linfield and Glentoran.

Both clubs, as well as football chiefs at the Irish Football Association (IFA), are to look into the game which saw hundreds of supporters of both clubs spill unto the Oval pitch in east Belfast following a last minute winner by Chris Morgan to leave the game 3-2 in favour of Glentoran.

Rival fans threw missiles at each other and fought hand to hand battles on the pitch for around 15 minutes before riot police arrived and restored order.

Irish FA chief executive Howard Wells said he would be asking for a report into what went on at the game which attracted more than 10,000 fans.

"We are trying to attract more people into games but they are not going to come if they see this kind of thing going on," Mr Wells said.

"It is just unacceptable to all people. It is frightening for those who were at the game, for families and children, and it means football is not a winner.

Glentoran chief executive Stafford Reynolds said neither clubs could be blamed for the trouble.

"Neither club did anything wrong. The damage was done by the people who were hell-bent on creating havoc after the game," Mr Reynolds said.

"I can see no reason why clubs can be held to ransom by the mindless few.”

A statement from Linfield said it was high time “all available evidence was applied rigorously to bring the offenders through the criminal justice system”.

"For those who set off on a beautiful spring afternoon to enjoy an entertainment and ended up injured, intimidated, offended and upset, we must take firm action,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, one man has been charged with disorderly behaviour and assault in connection with the incident.

He is expected to appear at Laganside Magistrates Court next month.

West Ham United - Millwall FC - 16/04/2005

Source : Getty Images + Press + forums







Wall lads

Australia : Bonnyrigg White Eagles - Sydney United - 30/04/2005

Source : Press

Malmö FF - IFK Göteborg - 10/04/2005

Source : pppress.se

Around 200 Goteborg supporters mobbed up in the city center to drink and party but at 1.30pm, Malmo hooligans threw bottles at them. Two of them were arrested.




After the game, outside the stadium, Malmo supporters threw missiles at IFK coaches so police intervened and 3 fans were arrested.
Mounted police and dog-handlers intervened and pushed supporters away.
Two IFK supporters were also arrested.











One hour after the game, dozen of Malmo hooligans were arrested near the old market of Föreningsgatan.




Translation Underground Fans (c)