Season 05/06 - August

Clubs in pact to combat hooligans - 02/08/2005

Source : BBC News

Football clubs in West Yorkshire have joined forces with police to combat hooliganism at games in the county.

Leeds United, Bradford City, Huddersfield Town and Halifax Town football clubs have agreed to share information on known troublemakers.

The pact aims to ensure that anyone subject to a football banning order is not allowed into the clubs' grounds.

Banning orders are in place on 102 people from Leeds, 35 from Bradford, 23 from Huddersfield and one from Halifax.

'Significant issues'

Photographs and other information relating to the banned supporters will be passed to each of the participating clubs.

Launching the initiative on Tuesday, David Crompton, assistant chief constable of West Yorkshire Police, said: "Football-related anti-social behaviour, including violence, disorder and racist behaviour, remain significant issues for the four clubs and the force.

"We want to eradicate these issues from grounds and surrounding areas and together we can work towards this target."

A Leeds United spokesman said: "We believe that by linking up with the police and the three other clubs we can pool information and cut football disorder, something that tarnishes the game."

Fans jailed over soccer violence - 02/08/2005

Source : BBC News

Five West Midlands football hooligans have been given prison terms after they took part in a street brawl in London.

They were among 13 Aston Villa fans who admitted being involved in the incident on Pentonville Road in March last year.

At Snaresbrook Crown Court, Gary C***** and Steven F*****, from Minworth, were each jailed for 12 months.

Liam McC*****, of Birmingham, Carl M***, of Castle Bromwich, and Jamie W*******, of Kitt's Green, were given three months following the incident.

Banning orders

Scotland Yard said a number of fans were armed with street furniture, bottles and glasses during the violence on 27 March last year.

Eleven of the men were sentenced on Tuesday by Judge William Kennedy.

C*****, 33, and F*****, 36, both of Cottage Lane, were also handed 10-year football banning orders for affray.

McC*****, 43, of Sedgemore Road, had three months added to an 18-month sentence he is already serving for football violence.

M***, 22, of Poplars Drive, was given a three-month sentence to run concurrently with a 20-month sentence he is already serving for hooliganism.

He was also handed a 10-year football banning order.

Community sentences

W*******, 22, of The Lea, who is also serving a 20-month sentence for similar offences, was also handed a three-month term to run concurrently as well as a 10-year football banning order.

McC*****, M*** and W******* had all admitted Section 4 public order offences.

Richard K******, 21, of Newman Road, Birmingham, received a 12-month community rehabilitation order and a five-year football banning order for affray.

Five others received community sentences and five-year football banning orders over Section 4 offences.

They were: Steven B******, 23, of Witton Lodge Road, Erdington; Andrew C*****, 22, of Kenrick Croft, Castle Vale; Sean McD******, 29, of Chester Road, Castle Bromwich; Jason W****, 30, of Lakeside Walk, Birmingham; and Matthew R*******, 32, of Walney Road, Sutton Coldfield.

Fans sentenced for mass violence - 03/08/2005

Source : BBC News

Fourteen Leeds United supporters have been sentenced for what a judge described as "horrific, mass violence" at the Elland Road ground.

Up to 200 people were involved in the trouble which broke out after a game between Leeds and Cardiff in January.

The men, who admitted affray and public order offences, were also banned from matches for eight years.

Det Supt Phil Sedgwick said police were pleased with the custodial sentences, the longest of which was 21 months.

A 15th man was given a 240 hour community service order and a five-year ban.

'Cool courage'

Speaking outside the court, DS Sedgwick said: "It is the beginning of the new football season and these people are in jail and they won't be going to football for the next eight years."

"It is just exactly what we wanted to send a message to people who commit violence at football matches, or indeed anywhere, that if they commit violence they will be chased, caught and be imprisoned."

Sentencing the group on Wednesday, the Recorder of Leeds Judge Norman Jones, described the disturbance as "horrific, mass violence on a grand scale" which he said the city would not tolerate.

Four police officers were injured as fans pelted West Yorkshire Police with coins, bottles bricks and stones for almost an hour.

Police were praised by Judge Jones for their "cool courage and discipline" and he added that anyone tempted to return to "the old ways" of football violence would be dealth with harshly by the city's courts.

Trabzonspor - Anorthosis Famagusta - 03/08/2005

Source : AFP

Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus qualified for the third round of the European Champions League after a dramatic and politically-charged game against Turkey's Trabzonspor.
The Cypriot visitors lost the second leg 1-0 but went through to the next round 3-2 on aggregate and will now play Scottish champions Rangers.
Trabzonspor, the runners-up in the Turkish league last season and tipped as the favourites in the historic fixture between the two arch-foe countries, suffered a surprise defeat in the first leg in Cyprus last week.
The hosts opened the scoring in the 40th minute with a header by skipper Fatih Tekke, but their hopes of overturning last week's loss were dashed as they wasted multiple opportunities to score.
Local authorities took tight security measures for the game, putting on duty some 1,000 policemen, among them officers in full riot gear, at the Avni Aker stadium and across the city, on the northern Black Sea coast.
Turkey and Cyprus have no diplomatic ties owing to Cyprus' partition since 1974 when Turkey occupied the Turkish-populated north of the Mediterranean island in response to a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at union with Greece.
Ankara refuses to endorse the internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot government in the south and instead recognizes the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), where it maintains thousands of troops.
Spectators packed the 20,000-capacity stadium in Trabzon, turning it into a sea of red and white, the colours of the Turkish and TRNC flags.
A huge TRNC flag also greeted the Greek Cypriot side as their bus arrived in the street leading to the stadium.
Only 80 tickets were sold to Anorthosis fans.
At the final whistle, disgruntled Turkish supporters hurled plastic bottles at the Greek Cypriots, but the security forces quickly led the small group out to safety.
Despite the heavy police presence, several hardcore fans also pelted the Anorthosis bus with stones as it drove the visiting team directly to the airport after the game, CNN Turk television reported.
Two bus windows were broken but there were no injuries, it said.
Anorthosis are supported by Greek Cypriots who were displaced from the eastern city of Famagusta by Turkey's 1974 invasion and plays "in exile" in the south coast resort of Larnaca.
A Turkish minister and several parliament members also watched the match, but sought to play down the political tensions it stirred.
"I believe footabll contributes to friendship and good ties. We should look beyond politics," Public Works Minister Faruk Nafiz Ozak, a former Trabzonspor president, said ahead of the game.
Some observers, however, blamed the disappointing defeat of the home side on the tense atmosphere.
"Trabzonspor is a team with uncomparable advantages over Anorthosis, but this match was treated almost as a liberation war. No one can show his true capacity under such a strong psychological pressure," a football commentator said on CNN Turk.
Trabzonspor coach Senol Gunes described the outcome as "a bitter defeat" as Anorthosis player-coach Temur Ketsbaia hailed the unexpected victory while conceding that his team remained as underdogs against Glasgow Rangers.
The politics of the Cyprus problem has ensured that Cyprus-Turkey sporting contact is rare.
There have been some meetings in volleyball, tennis and handball but on the football field it has been non-existent.
The last time a Cyprus club drew a Turkish one in European competition was in 1986 when APOEL Nicosia was slapped with a two-year ban after refusing to play Besiktas of Istanbul in Turkey in a European Cup qualifier.

Messina demonstration - 02/08/2005

Source : AP




500 Messina's soccer team supporters stage a protest at the Messina harbor

Prato - 01/08/2005

Source : ANSAWEB

30 fans invaded the pitch.

GENOA RIOTS - 09/08/2005

Source : REÜTERS + Repubblica

Genoa fans fought with the police forces.

Hull City - Queens Park Rangers - 08/08/2005

Source : BBC NEWS

Fans taunted over London bombings

Police have launched an investigation after Queens Park Rangers fans were taunted about the London bombings.

The club's supporters were subjected to chants including, "You're just a town full of bombers" by Hull City fans.
Hull City chairman Adam Pearson apologised to QPR and promised to ban anyone found to be involved in the abuse during the game on Saturday.
Police said a 21-year-old man from East Hull, arrested for racist chanting, was fined and banned from football matches.
Some upset QPR fans left the KC Stadium before the end of the game. Both Hull City and Humberside Police are studying CCTV footage to identify those responsible.
One QPR fan, called Val, who was at the game, told BBC News: "Suddenly the Hull fans started shouting songs about the London bombings.
"It was really upsetting. We came out of the ground in tears. I couldn't believe it."
Hull's police commander Ch Supt Sean White, said: "I fully agree with the sentiments of anger and disgust.
"We're talking about 30 to 40 shameless cowards who made these chants towards the end of the game. We're just not going to tolerate them.
"We did intervene and made a number of arrests on Saturday. It has brought a great deal of shame to Hull City.
"What I really need is the support of the public. While we know their faces we don't know all of their names."

'Disappointed and embarrassed'

Mr Pearson has apologised to QPR supporters on behalf the club and said he was "extremely disappointed and embarrassed" about the chant.
"We have clear video footage of the group of youths responsible for this appalling chant, and when we identify and locate them, they will at the very least be banned from the stadium for life, and hopefully with sufficient evidence, they will be liable for official police charges."
He added that two people were removed from the stadium over the chant, and were being interviewed.
A section of Hull City's stadium is to be closed until the police investigation has finished.

Juventus Turin - AS Roma 09/08/2005 (friendly played to pescara)

Source : DATASPORT

incidents among the two faction (throwing of objects), soothed immediately by the intervention of the police. Any wounded and one arrested.

CSKA Sofia - Liverpool FC - 10/08/2005

Source : TEAMtalk

Uefa to report CSKA racism

Liverpool have been told by Uefa delegate Trygve Borno that he will include in his report the incidents of racial abuse suffered by Djibril Cisse in the Champions League clash against CSKA Sofia.
The Norwegian delegate made a point of telling Liverpool secretary Bryce Morrison that he was concerned enough by the constant monkey noises from the CSKA fans that he will report the Bulgarian club to Uefa.
And Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez said after his side's 3-1 victory had been marred by the abuse suffered by goalscorer Cisse: "Always it is a pity to hear such things, but the Uefa official has heard and it has gone in his report.
"The atmosphere in terms of support was good in the ground, but the monkey noises are a pity. We must learn and not do it because it is really bad for football. The Uefa officials have done the report."
On a claim from a Bulgarian journalist that Cisse provoked the crowd, Benitez said: "That is stupid. To score goals is not to provoke the fans."
Liverpool press officer Ian Cotton confirmed: "The Uefa official has told our secretary Bryce Morrison that he has heard the monkey noises and he will include that in his report."
On the match that sees Liverpool on the brink of qualification for the group stages, Benitez said: "For us it is a very good result, CSKA are a good footballing team and we have handled it well in defence and attack, and in the end we have three very important goals."
Fernando Morientes scored the other goals for Liverpool and Benitez was pleased with the Spain striker's contribution.
The manager said: "Always for a player it is important to score, but more so for a striker. I believe these two goals will help Fernando in the future and give him confidence."
CSKA coach Miodrag Jesic admits his side are more than likely to be knocked out after the second leg as they could only score one goal through Velizar Dimitrov.
He said: "We set out to play an open game against Liverpool, but made two mistakes in a short space of time and it gave them goals.
"It was hard to come back from that. Liverpool are the European champions and they took advantage of our mistakes, you cannot expect to win games when you do things like that against the best club in Europe.
"We felt we did OK, but Liverpool were the favourites before the tie and they are stronger favourites now in the second match. We will go to Liverpool and play with pride and do our very best, we will play with dignity."

FC Vaslui - Rapid Bucarest - ??/08/2005





Thx to ULTRAS18

Inter Zapresic (Croatia) - Red Star Beograd - 11/08/2005

Source : redstar.net

FC Sochaux - Paris SG - 06/08/05

Source: mails

Local view:


Prior to the game, Parisans (20 ?) charged on the carpark. We were there with only youth and girls.
A the beginning of the game 7 PSG youth entered our stand section. We saw them and we immediately charged and finally they retreated.

Visitor view:

About only 15 PSG casuals to this away game.
Prior to the game, this group charged an equal number of locals. These last ones received punches and retreated. Three visitors were arrested.
At the end of 1st half, 7 PSG youth entered the local stand where Joyriders are situated. Locals charged us but we stood our ground for a while before retreating. Six other Parisians were arrested.

Young Boys Bern - Grasshopper Zurich - 06/08/05

Source: ATS

Riots occured at the end of this game. Police forces used plastic bullets against about 50 supporters.
At the end of the game, Zurich hooligans tried to attack locas. After a few scuffles, situation became nasty and police forces used plastic bullets against vandals.
Police forces arrested 4 Zurich fans and 2 others were injured.

Atletico Mineiro - Cruzeiro - 07/08/05

Source: Ansa

A Cruzeiro fan was injured by a gunshot as their coaches were assaulted.

The game Ajax - Den Haag will not be playing - 08/08/05

Source: VRT

Due to security reasons (no large police contingent), this game will be not played at the agreed date.

FK Rad Beograd - FK Vozdovac - 07/08/05

Source : sportskacentrala

A fight occured in the tube station just at the end of the game. A Vozdovac fan, Bojan Majic, 19 years old, died after he wa cut at his throat of. Another fan was also injured at his back. It seems it was a pre-arranged of.

Lierse lads went to St Truiden - 13/08/05

Source: post

Lierse PCL went to Sint Truiden yesterday night and had a toe a toe with JGS...nice action from PCL.

It seems, PCL were there with 20 lads. Some cars were damaged and people transfered to hospital.

Source: ultrasworld forum

The game was on sunday but on saturday STVV lads got a call from Lierse ( PCL) that they were in Sint-Truiden with about 25-30 lads.

At the beginning there were only 4 lads of STVV but after making some phone calls they were with 15. So then Lierse lads went to a pub at the stadium of STVV where the riot took place.

The only bad thing, there were lot of weapons at both sides. But it was a very good fight after all. Nobody ran away, at STVV side a lot of youngsters who fought for the first time. There were about 3 charges from STVV side. At the end Lierse went away. It was a very good fight, maybe the best in years.

The only bad thing: 2 lads of STVV had to go to the hospital for stiches and also one Lierse lad had to go to the hospital

OGC Nice - FC Sochaux - 13/08/05

Source: AFP

The referre stopped the game for 10 minutes at 73rd minute of playing after local fans threw missiles onto the pitch as they were angry about referee's decsions.

UEFA probe racist attacks on Cisse - 12/08/05

Source: AFP

UEFA have launched an inquiry into the racist abuse hurled at Liverpool's Djibril Cisse in the Champions league tie against CSKA Sofia.

In a statement Friday European football's governing body confirmed: "The case has been opened after UEFA received the official delegate's report, and the matter will be dealt with by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body at its next scheduled meeting on 18 August."

The France striker was subjected to monkey chants from sections of the CSKA fans in the second half of the third qualifying round first leg tie won by Liverpool 3-1.

UEFA's announcement comes 24 hours after Cisse slammed the perpetrators of the abuse as "stupid".

"The racists will never grind me down," added the Anfield star, who went on to question what action if any could be taken to stamp out the problem.

"You can say UEFA should take stronger action when it happens, but I'm not sure what they can do about it. You can't really stop these kind of people doing this.

"It's not CSKA Sofia's fault and it's not their players' fault, so I don't know what can be done. When it happens, I'm sorry for football because no-one wants it.

"I think the only solution is to educate people so that they understand they should not be doing this.

UEFA are already investigating another case of racist abuse directed at two players from Irish side Shelbourne in their Champions League match against Steaua Bucharest on August 3.

Zulte-Waregem - Standard Liege - 14/08/05

Source: Sport.be

Local fans (about 3 of them) went on the pitch, after Standard scored two goals in extra time. One of them attacked referee Breda. They got arrested.

Football hooligans could lose passport - 12/08/2005

Source : REÜTERS

Hooligans who cause trouble at soccer matches in England or Wales risk losing their passports and being banned from every ground under a new plan outlined on Friday by police and prosecutors.

The Crown Prosecution Service and the Association of Chief Police Officers said in future troublemakers at domestic matches would be taken to court rather than being cautioned or given a fixed penalty fine.

That will allow prosecutors to apply for a Football Banning Order to prevent convicted hooligans from travelling out of the country when the England or Wales teams are playing abroad.

"We know that the vast majority of fans have a fantastic reputation both at home and abroad," said Nick Hawkins, the Chief Crown Prosecutor for Hampshire and Isle of Wight.

"We want to avoid a few troublemakers turning up to ruin both the enjoyment and reputation of law-abiding fans and making local residents' lives a misery."

The Premier League season kicks off on Saturday with security already tightened following the London bomb attacks. Clubs are introducing plans for thorough bag searches.

Figures released last October showed that hooliganism at matches across the country had dropped significantly although police warned the problem had not gone away.

Those who receive the banning orders will have their passports taken off them every time England, Wales or the team they support play abroad.

"If England or Wales qualifies for the World Cup or Euro 2008, you won't be going," Hawkins said.

"Not only will you not be able to go to a football match abroad during those times for at least the next three years, but neither will you be able to travel out of the country on holiday or business."

Police said 900 suspected hooligans were currently being targeted by 29 dedicated policing operations.

"Part of our policing strategy for the World Cup is to maximise the number of bans against those individuals who represent the greatest risk to violence and disorder," David Swift, the ACPO spokesman on football related matters.

England fans behaved well during the 2004 European Championship in Portugal after causing mayhem at the previous tournament in Belgium and the Netherlands four years earlier.

More than 2,800 known or suspected hooligans were banned from travelling to Portugal to prevent the kind of organised trouble which had marred previous tournaments, including the 1998 World Cup in France.
*************************************************************

Hooligan laws tightening unveiled

Prosecutors have announced plans to tighten up on football hooliganism ahead of the World Cup next year.

Source : BBC News

More minor offences will be prosecuted and fewer people let off with cautions, under plans agreed by police chiefs and the Crown Prosecution Service.

This will in turn lead to more travel bans being imposed on known hooligans, the BBC's Gordon Farquahar reports.

But the Football Supporters Federation says it fears some fans may be harshly penalised for very minor offences.

However, the group says it does support action against those who are violent or who threaten violence.

Legislation to ban known football hooligans from travelling overseas for key games was introduced five years ago.

Pre-match fights

Under these laws, known trouble-makers are required to report to local police stations and hand their passports in ahead of important international matches.

Police, the government and football authorities believe the laws have been effective in reducing trouble and restoring the previously tarnished reputation of England soccer fans.

According to Home Office figures for the 2003/04 season, the number of Football Banning Orders increased from 1,794 to 2,596 in just over a year.

And arrests decreased from 4,413 to 3,982 over the same period.

Currently the 42 police forces in England and Wales vary the way they deal with offenders.

Now the CPS wants to bring them into line by issuing new guidelines for tackling trouble inside and outside grounds.

A zero tolerance policy for football-related offences will be enforced, which means there will be a presumption of prosecution whenever there is enough evidence to bring offenders to court.

Where convictions are made, and are deemed to be football-related, the CPS will invite the sentencing court to impose a Football Banning Order.

The maximum punishments for breaching this order are six months in prison and a £5,000 fine.

Plans to deal with fans who arrange to meet by using their mobile phones for fights before games have also been set out.

Chief Crown Prosecutor for the West Midlands David Blundell said: "We want to prevent the small minority of yobs from travelling to Germany for the World Cup in 2006."

He said that while most England fans were a credit to the game, a minority ruined the occasion and gave all England supporters a bad reputation.

'Positive approach'

The move to seek banning orders - which prevent convicted hooligans travelling out of the country whenever England or Wales are playing abroad - has been welcomed by football authorities.

David Swift, the Association of Chief Police Officers' lead on football-related matters and Deputy Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police, also backed the move.

"There are currently 900 individuals who are being targeted by 29 dedicated policing operations across the country." he said.

"Those officers will be seeking direction from the CPS on the evidence they have collected and the positive approach to prosecution should increase convictions and bans.

"Most importantly it will help reduce the likelihood of violence by the English in Germany."


Police do not want a repeat of Euro 2000 violence at the World Cup

Airport op targets hooligan fans - 14/08/2005

Source : BBC News

Police are mounting a major operation at Manchester Airport in an effort to stop known or potential troublemakers travelling to an England football game.

The England national team plays a friendly match in Denmark on Wednesday.

Officers will be stationed in the airport terminals from Monday to target those believed to be involved in football-related violence.

As well as checking direct flights to Denmark, officers will monitor all routes available to travelling fans.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police's Football Intelligence Unit will be at the airport as part of Operation Springfield.

The force said it had mounted similar successful operations in the past, including the screening of more than 1,500 fans travelling to the Euro 2004 Championships.

However, officers have also been able to stop a number of known hooligans from travelling.

Several potential new offenders have also been identified and banning orders have been successfully applied for as a result of the operations.

Ch Insp Martin Gaffney said: "There is a very clear message to those people who are going to be travelling for the wrong reasons: don't bother.

"People with banning orders have received letters in advance of the games reminding them of the conditions imposed on them - including surrendering their passport and attending their nearest police station on the day of the games.

"Any breaches of the conditions will be treated seriously.

"The operation aims to continue the good work that has already been achieved in previous operations of this kind and prevent troublemakers ruining the reputation of genuine fans."

Armed police at QPR - 14/08/05

Source: forum

Armed police were called to Queen's Park Rangers' Loftus Road ground on Saturday after two people were reportedly held up at gunpoint during a match.

Officers arrested 11 men -- some inside and some outside the west London ground. A police spokeswoman said no one was injured and no shots were fired.

The incident took place inside the stadium just as QPR kicked off their second division clash with Sheffield United in front of over 13,000 fans.

"Police were called to reports that a number of men had threatened a man and a woman with threats to kill, and had then left the premises," the spokeswoman said.

Local media said the man threatened was Gianni Paladini, an Italian who bought a stake in QPR last year and is on the club's board of directors. Police declined to confirm the reports.

Paladini, a former agent, handled the transfer of several high-profile Italian players to English clubs.

Troubles in Genoa- 20/08/05

Source: Ansa

Like days ago Genoa fans made an escort in the city centre with the aim to prove their angry against Italian League.
A person was arrested and 60 others controlled during troubles which erupted.
Police forces used teargas and made a few charges.