Season 05/06 - August

AEK moves to ban hooligans for life - 31/08/2005

Source : AFP

Top Greek side AEK Athens took the unprecedented move of releasing photographs of unruly fans who disrupted their opening league match on Sunday at the ground of city rivals Atromitos.

The club has now launched legal action against two of the fans, the identities of whom have been handed over to the police.

A statement from the club reiterated its commitment to combatting violence at matches and that it will not shield fans who get involved in such acts.

Police used tear gas to disperse fighting AEK and Atromitos fans before the match which ended scoreless. No arrests were made but a police vehicle was set on fire and surrounding shops and cars were damaged.

AEK said the two fans identified would be banned for life from attending the club's matches.

Football fans jailed over assault - 31/08/2005

Source : BBC NEWS

Two Brighton men have been jailed over a brawl that broke out in the town following a football match between England and Croatia in Euro 2004.

During the fight in Market Street, on 22 June last year, a 45-year-old local man received a fractured skull.

Troy J. of New England Street was jailed for three years and Paul M., 23, of Bevendean received two years.

At Hove Crown Court on Wednesday both men pleaded guilty to charges of grievous bodily harm and affray.

A third man, Wayne S., 23, of Hartington Road, Brighton, was fined £500 after pleading guilty to common assault.

Following the hearing DC Matt Grantham from Sussex Police said: "This was an extremely brutal attack on a man who was trying to act as a peacemaker.

"The robust investigation and subsequent sentencing shows our commitment to bringing those to justice who are involved in mindless alcohol fuelled football related violence."

Panathinaikos - Wisla krakow 23/08/2005

Source : WISLA websites

MFC Nikolaev - Kristall Kherson - 20/08/2005

Source : Mail

Chemnitzer FC - Rot-Weiss Essen - 14/08/2005

Source : jawattdenn.de

Nitra - Banská Bystrica - 06/08/2005

Source : Ultras Nitra website

Widzew Łódź - Śląsk Wrocław - 20/08/2005

Source : Slask website

Wuppertaler SV - Vfl Osnabrück - 06/08/2005

Source : violetfreakz website

5000 soccer fans in Haiti witness machete and hatchet massacre by police and the new death squad - 26/08/2005

Source: Infoshop News

Dredging up fearsome memories of days thought to have gone by forever, eyewitnesses here in Port-Au-Prince have portrayed an unbelievable massacre-by-machete/hatchet rampage by red-shirted killers, backed up by the Haitian National Police (PNH), of up to 50 victims on Aug. 21 at a soccer field in Gran Ravin-Martissant.

Special Report submitted to the Haiti Information Project

5000 soccer fans in Haiti witness machete and hatchet massacre by police and the new death squads

by Tom Luce with AUMOHD investigators

Dredging up fearsome memories of days thought to have gone by forever, eyewitnesses here in Port-Au-Prince have portrayed an unbelievable massacre-by-machete/hatchet rampage by red-shirted killers, backed up by the Haitian National Police (PNH), of up to 50 victims on Aug. 21 at a soccer field in Gran Ravin-Martissant. This summary, extra-legal execution follows similar type massacres in Bel Air and Solino earlier this month. This time the killings were done in plain daylight in front of and involving 5000 soccer fans, an incredibly bold assault by Haitian police and their civilian accomplices in the presence of troops from MINUSTAH. As has been the case this entire past year, the "targets" in Saturday's massacre, were all identified as "bandits", "Lavalas" scum (Rat pa caca).

Eyewitnesses described to a group of human rights agents today this super t.v. drama styled event. As fans were being entertained during one of the breaks in the soccer game--highly attended because national league players had joined the local teams--a group of police and men wearing red tee shirts and head bands entered the playing field and took over the microphone from the announcer. The people in the crowd at first thought that this was a friendly show of security by the police. But that idea was immediately dashed when the red shirt announcer stopped the music being played by the DJ and then demanded everyone to lay on the ground. A shot was fired into the air and people began a panicked response. Some tried to run away, some tried scaling the walls to escape and several of these were shot. Others tried running into the adjoining rooms of the stadium and later were found hacked to death. The red shirts, backed up by the police began demanding specific individuals lying on the ground if they were affiliated with Aristide, asking for confirmation from others whether these people were "bandits". Then without mercy these red shirts either hacked their victims to death or hacked them and then had their victims shot by the police. According to eyewitnesses and the family members of the victims interviewed today, the victims of the executioners were innocent people and were attacked only because they were allegedly Lavalas supporters.

The red shirts were equipped with machetes and hatchets that were distributed, according to witnesses, by the police at the Martissant police station. These same civilians who appeared in red shirts and head bands at the soccer game, armed with machetes were recognized by people in the area as the same people who at least a month previously were thrown out of the area as trouble makers among whom were some prison escapees and thieves. Some of these executioners were named by witnesses: Georges Jean Yves, Gérard, aka, Gwo l'Ombril (Big Belly Button), ...lifet aka TÍte Calé (Shaved Head), Ti Clody, Rudy, JoÎl, Eddy, Apoupann aka Colonel, Ronald Toussaint, Kiki , Rocky Rambo, and Cliska. The chief of police of Martissant was also implicated in the operation by the witnesses and according to the witnesses threatened to come after them and "wipe them out the next day."

On Sunday, Aug. 21 the same red shirts, accompanied by the police, invaded residential areas and burned more than four houses alleged to be inhabited by Lavalas supporters. They also severely damaged an electricity transformer in the area. They also damaged several other houses.

FK Mladá Boleslav - FC Slovan Liberec - 07/08/2005

Source : CASUAL FIRM LIBEREC

Otelul - Dinamo Bucharest - 07/08/2005

Source : Dinamo Mania website

Villa thugs banned from matches after clash with Chelsea - 02/08/2005

Source: Life Style EXtra

A gang of "mindless" Aston Villa football hooligans who staged pitched battles in the streets of London were given lengthy bans from attending football matches today (Tues).

Five of the 13-strong mob which hurled bottles and made Nazi salutes in a brawl with rival hooligans from Premiership champions Chelsea were also given jail terms.

The Chelsea fans were enticed towards a small group of Villa thugs before being ambushed by reinforcements storming out from nearby pubs with a loud "roar."

In a police video played to Snaresbrook Crown Court the two packs of supporters were seen to clash in Caledonian Road, near Kings Cross Station, as Chelsea’s "front row" charged the Villa fans.

Five defendants were jailed while the rest escaped with community penalties. All 13 were handed down banning orders barring them from attending any football matches.

Judge William Kennedy said: "Throughout this country and indeed throughout the world millions of people from all walks of life are united by a love of football. It is truly for them the beautiful game.

"They are the true supporters. It is their enthusiasm and commitment which can make live football an almost magical experience. They enrich the game in every way. They are the rock on which the game is built.

"But beneath that rock, as there has been beneath rocks since the dawn of time, lurks lower life. They are the mindlessly violent attaching themselves to the soft underbelly of football as a convenient rallying point.

"In the context of football, all column inches that their behaviour creates can only damage the reputation of the game, but they are not supporters of any sport in truth.

"It may be thought profoundly unfair that football is criticised for their actions – the game for them is but a means to an end. That end is serious public disorder, a crime which cannot and will not be tolerated."

Gary Clarke, 33, a scaffolder from Cottage Lane in Winworth, West Midlands, who pleaded guilty to affray and had previously served 30 months for a football related offence, was sentenced to 12 months in prison and given a football banning order for 10 years.

Richard Keatley, 21, a labourer from Newham Road in Birmingham, pleaded guilty to affray, but with no previous football related convictions, he was told to curb his "potentially serious" drinking habit if he hoped to have a "chance of a long and usual life."

He was given a combination order of a 12-month supervision order and 100 hours unpaid community work. He also agreed to enrol on a drink first programme, was ordered to pay £200 costs and was given a five year football banning order.

Noting his two previous convictions for violence Steven Fowler, 36, a scaffolder, also from Cottage Lane, who pleaded guilty to affray, was given 12 months in prison and banned from football matches for 10 years.

Gareth Howells, 23, a fitter from Hollyfield Road in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, did not attend as he was suffering from food poisoning. He will be sentenced at a later date after admitting affray.

The other men all pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Steven Bardell, 23, a ground worker from Witton Lodge Road in Erdington, West Midlands, was given a 12-month supervision order, 100 hours unpaid work in the community, ordered to pay £200 costs and banned from football matches for five years.

Andrew Clynch, 29, a ceiling fixer from Kendrick Croft, Castle Vale, Birmingham, was given a 12-month community rehabilitation order, 100 hours unpaid work and agreed to join the drink first programme after being warned to control his drinking. He was also ordered to pay £200 costs and given a five-year football banning order.

Christopher Deakin, 25, a chef from Musgrove Road in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, is due to be sentenced for this and another football related matter on August 16.

Reprimanded for his immature behaviour, Judge Kennedy told Liam McCarron, 43, a scaffolder from Sedgmore Road in Yardley, Birmingham: "At your age I would have hoped street fighting would have lost its appeal." Already serving a prison sentence, he was given a three-month consecutive sentence and a 10-year football banning order.

Sean McDermott, 29, from Chester Road in Castle Bromwich, was handed down a combination order, enrolled on the drink first programme and given 60 hours community work. He was also ordered to pay £200 costs and given a football banning order for five years.

In mitigation, Carl Anthony Meah, 22, a sales co-ordinator from Poplars Drive in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, defence counsel David Sawyer told the court the 22-year-old was an “intelligent man” who had “gone off the rails for six months”, costing him his job and place at university, studying financial management.

Taking this into account, Judge Kennedy said: “Your promising future is not necessarily lost, but you will have to work hard at it.”

Meah was sentenced to three months in prison, to run concurrently with an existing sentence he is serving.

Jason Wager, 30, a cleaner, from Lakeside Walk, Birmingham, was given a 12-month supervision order and 100 hours community service. He was also ordered to pay £200 costs and given a five-year football banning order.

Jamie Wellings, 22, a floor layer from The Lea, Kitts Green, Birmingham was given a three month concurrent sentence to one his is serving and a 10-year football banning order.

Matthew Albert Robinson, 32, a window cleaner from Walney Road in South Coalfield, was given a community rehabilitation order of 200 hours and a five-year football banning order.

Warning his future violent behaviour would land himin prison, Judge Kennedy added: “I hope you can see now where future offending will leave you.”

The 32-year-old was sentenced to a community order of 200 hours unpaid work over the next year and given a five-year football banning order.

John Cauldle, prosecuting, told how both teams are renowned for factions of notorious football hooligans, which are known by the police as “Risk Groups.” He told how the rival fans clashed in the Caledonian Road shortly after 8pm on March 27 2004. The Aston Villa fans had travelled into London to watch their team play against Charlton Athletic before the disturbance.

“About 25 members of the Chelsea group ran from the direction of Euston Road and engaged in fights with members of the Villa group and were outnumbered,” said Mr Caudle. “After a few minutes there was a roar as about 30 males ran into Pentonville Road towards the Chelsea group shouting ‘Come on then if you want it.’

“The prosecution say this was no coincidence, that this was the Villa group and that they had been summoned from the Dun A Ri Bar in Caledonian Road to assist their outnumbered colleagues.

“As the Villa group got within 15 yards of the Chelsea group they started to throw glasses and bottles at the police and the Chelsea group. Chelsea retaliated by throwing traffic cones and traffic was brought to a standstill because of the number of people fighting in the road.

“There was a great deal of noise with much shouting, swearing and glass breaking all around from the bottles and glasses that were being thrown. Members of the public were naturally put in fear at what was going on.”

Mr Cauldle told how one police officer lost his balance after he was struck on the helmet by a flying bottle as he attempted to catch the violence on camera.

“Eventually other officers arrived and the group started to disperse and run off in various directions,“ said Mr Cauldle.

Officers followed a number of Villa thugs from Pentonville Road into Brittania Street where they arranged to box them in and arrest a number of them. Others were arrested after police examined CCTV footage.

“The prosecution contend that some of the Villa group had no intention of going to the football match.”

As the police video was played still by still, Keatley was seen to pick up a metal bar and hide it under his coat.

Gary Clarke is seen to lead a crowd at the Chelsea group and kick one of their number. Clynch is spotted confronting the Chelsea group with a bottle in his hand.

Fowler can be seen trading blows with a Chelsea rival. Bald-headed Howells is captured giving Nazi salutes whilst shouting “Youth” several times towards the Chelsea contingent.

He has previous convictions for using Nazi salutes and shouting Zieg Heil.

Jail for top Villa hooligan - 03/08/2005

Source: Birmingham Post

A NOTORIOUS Birmingham football hooligan has been jailed and banned from matches for TEN years for his part in a street brawl.

Soccer thug Steven Fowler, 36, from Cottage Lane, Minworth, was handed a 12-month sentence for affray over the violent clash in north London.

He was among 13 Aston Villa fans who admitted being involved in the running battles on March 27, 2004.

Police rushed to the King's Cross area as Villa fans clashed with Chelsea supporters in what officers described as a "pre-planned brawl" that sent terrified passers-by scattering for cover.

Scotland Yard said a number of the men were armed with street furniture, bottles and glasses during the violent battle in Pentonville Road. Baton-wielding police took more than 30 minutes to bring it under control.

Villa fans had been on their way home after beating Charlton Athletic at The Valley, while Chelsea had beaten Wolves at Stamford Bridge.

Fowler - tagged by police as a hardcore category C hooligan leader at the time of the 1998 World Cup in France - was one of five Villa thugs jailed yesterday by Judge William Kennedy at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court.

He also received a six-month sentence at Birmingham Crown Court last year for his part in the "Battle of Rocky Lane" between Villa and Blues fans that preceded a derby clash in 2002.

Also jailed yesterday was Gary Clarke, 33, of Cottage Lane, Minworth, who was handed a 12-month sentence and handed 10-year Football Banning Order for affray.

Liam McCarron, 43, of Sedgemere Road, Yardley, had three months added to an 18-month sentence he is already serving for football violence.

Carl Meah, 22, of Poplars Drive, Castle Bromwich, 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 banning order.

Jamie Wellings, 22, of The Lea, Kitts Green, already serving a 20-month sentence for similar offences, was handed a threemonth term to run concurrently as well as a 10-year ban.

McCarron, Meah and Wellings had all admitted public order offences.

Richard Keatley, 21, of Newman Road, Erdington, 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 public order offences: Steven Bardell, 23, of Witton Lodge Road, Erdington; Andrew Clynch, 22, of Kenrick Croft, Castle Vale; Sean McDermott, 29, of Chester Road, Castle Bromwich; Jason Wager, 30, of Lakeside Walk, Stockland Green; and Matthew Robinson, 32, of Walney Road, Sutton Coldfield.

Hooligan quits as youth coach - 08/08/2005

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

Fan banned from football for fighting in Slovakia was helping Brickhill Wanderers U13 side

A football hooligan who last week was banned from attending matches for two years has now been barred from coaching a Bedford youth side.

Middlesbrough fan Lawrence Newton, 42, of Merlin Gardens, Brickhill, who was caught on police camera fighting during a UEFA Cup match in Slovakia last year, helped train Brickhill Wanderers' U13 side last season.

But the club announced yesterday that Newton has agreed to step down.

Brickhill Wanderers chairman Simon Stafford said: "We wish to announce that after discussions, both Mr Newton and the club's executive committee have concluded it would be inappropriate for him to continue in his role.

"Consequently we wish to advise that Mr Newton is no longer associated with this football club in any official or coaching capacity."

The Football Association in London this week confirmed Newton could also be banned from working with all youth sides.

A spokesman said: "FA policy is that where a participant is subject to a current Football Banning Order, the FA will issue a suspension fromunder-18 football for the duration of the order, after which time the case will be reviewed."

Newton was handed a banning order by Bedford Magistrates' Court last Thursday for his part in fighting at FC Banik Ostrava's ground on September 13 last year.

It is believed FA bosses did not know about the case until contacted by this newspaper.

One parent, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed most families of Brickhill Wanderers' young players were also in the dark until they read about the incident in last week's Times & Citizen.

She said of Newton: "Some parents feel he is a whole lot of good for the club, and he has been trying to get a grant for them.

"Other are concerned about the violent side of it. There is a big split between the two views."

She added: "I know Mr Newton is fanatical about football but I have never seen him be physically aggressive to the children."

Leeds vs Cardiff: Leeds fans jailed for football violence - 04/08/2005

Source : http://www.theguardian.com/

Fourteen Leeds United fans were jailed yesterday for "horrific mass violence" fired by binge-drinking which brought chaos to their club's ground at Elland Road earlier this year.
Rival supporters of Cardiff City were hunted along local streets with hooligans trying to line bridges above the M621 motorway in a failed attempt to ambush coaches taking the visiting fans home.

The men, who were caught after photographs were published of many of the troublemakers, were banned from Leeds United matches for eight years each. They all admitted affray and public order offences and were given terms ranging from four to 21 months. Another man was sentenced to 240 hours' community service.

The recorder of Leeds, Judge Norman Jones QC, said tragedy was only avoided by the "cool courage and discipline of police officers". Although one was dragged from his horse and several suffered cuts and bruises, the West Yorkshire police team prevented much worse injury and damage taking place.

Judge Jones said: "One message that must be sent clearly is that attacks on police by massed groups means prison. For some time it had been hoped that the curse of football violence had been largely removed. This incident indicates that it has not been entirely eradicated.

"I want to make it absolutely clear today to all those in Leeds who are tempted to return to the old ways that the courts in this city will not tolerate such behaviour. They have a duty to protect English football from the stigma of violence. They will not shirk from that duty."

Judge Jones also attacked the drinking culture that has given central Leeds a bad name late at night, and which reached a peak at the game against Cardiff in January.

He said: "This evil of binge-drinking, which gives rise to so much violent crime in the streets, has to be overcome. If not, more and more such drinkers, irrespective of their good characters, working records and family responsibilities, will end up going to prison."

Detective Superintendent Phil Sedgwick said the police were pleased with the custodial sentences and removal of the hooligans from Leeds United matches. Speaking outside Leeds crown court, he said: "It is exactly the message we want to send to people who commit violence at football matches, or indeed anywhere: they will be chased, caught and be imprisoned."