Season 03/04 - May

Zawisza Bydgoszcz - Elana Torun - 22/05/2004

Source: elana.boo.pl

Zawisza fans invaded the pitch.

Football hooligan is jailed for two years - 08/05/2004

Source: Bolton Evening News

A BOLTON Wanderers fan was today starting a two year jail sentence for organising football hooliganism.

Stephen Openshaw, aged 30, was also banned from attending soccer matches for six years after he was described in court as a "vital link" in setting up a fight involving up to 40 thugs.

Openshaw, of Wenlock Road, Leigh, admitted a charge of conspiracy to commit violent disorder.

He was one of 17 hooligans sentenced to prison at London's Kingston Crown Court following a pitched battle between Southampton and Charlton fans in London. And following the sentencing, officers said they had no doubt that the organisers were planning violence for next month's Euro 2004 in Portugal. Openshaw, who is married, was said to be responsible for putting thugs from rival teams Charlton and Southampton in contact with each other so the fight could be planned.

The builder and member of the official England Supporter's Club was described as a "fervent football fan".

Sentencing him, Judge Fergus Mitchell said: "You passed on details to the organisers and were a vital link in the setting up of this fight."

Prosecutor Alan Kent told the court that although the fight involved Charlton and Southampton fans, it was "orchestrated and organised" by Bolton Wanderers, Tranmere Rovers, Liverpool and Port Vale fans.

Mr Kent added: "All were members of the official England Supporters Club and there is a clear link between the defendants and their support of England.

"The main organisers are known to each other by their England connections, despite their allegiance to particular clubs."

Openshaw, who had no previous convictions, was in Bolton at the time of the fight which left three Southampton fans unconscious at Maze Hill station in south London.

But through his England connections, he knew the ringleader and organiser Dave Walker, a 37-year-old history teacher described as a "bedroom general" who was also absent from the actual clash.

Walker, from Stafford, was also jailed for two years and three months after admitting the same charge.

The head of year at a Birmingham boys school, used e-mails, text messages and mobile phones to organise the brawl.

Terrified passengers fled as nearly 40 rival yobs clashed, throwing bottles and rioting during the "Battle of Maze Hill."

Yesterday, as seven of the hooligans were given jail terms ranging from one to four years, police said they believed they had prevented planned football violence at Euro 2004. Ten other thugs have already been jailed.

Det Insp Carl Skrzypiec, of the British Transport police, said: "There is no doubt that many of these hooligans would have been organising fights at Euro 2004 in Portugal next month.

"It is a major success having them behind bars where they can no longer cause mayhem. They were planning to travel to Euro 2004 and it will be a safer tournament without them."

The court was told that after Walker's arrest in July last year police found a massive haul of literature on the history of football violence and novels penned by hooligans.

Kingston Crown Court heard he used the internet with the sign-on name "Three Lions" to drum up support for the battle in April 2002.

Using dedicated hooligan websites, particularly one called "intheknow", a small group of "generals" including Openshaw mustered their "footsoldiers" at the station.

Although there is no evidence knives or other weapons were used in the fight, when police raided the addresses of those who had taken part, they seized baseball bats, batons, knives and ball-bearing pistols.

Sentencing the hooligans Judge Fergus Mitchell said the clash resulted in "terrifying violence in a public place".

He added: "This offence involved planned premeditated use of violence which many of us would not understand.

"The planning involved recruitment, location and timing. It was fortunate that the injuries sustained were not more serious.

"There were children present on that platform. Members of the public were forced to flee because of the mass of running men. Grown men with shaved heads, some displaying the Union flag."

Also sentenced were Andrew McConville, aged 35, from Abbey Wood, William Greenall, aged 32, from Plumstead, both South-East London and 39-year-old Neil Shaw from Kent, who all received two years.

Fellow Charlton fan Steven Carpenter, 39, from Eltham, was sentenced to four years and Southampton fan Christopher Bowles, aged 22, from Southampton also both got two years.

Ten other hooligans were sentenced in January, bringing the total number of years behind bars for all 17 defendants to more than 38 years.

Maribor - Olimpija - 23/05/2004

Source : Viole Maribor

Boy of 10 held over Pompey riot - 22/05/2004

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

A 10-YEAR-OLD boy and a girl of 14 have been arrested by police investigating football violence.
The youngsters were the latest in a string of arrests made by officers investigating violence which marred Pompey's derby match victory over Southampton, at Fratton Park in March.

The boy, from Gosport, is the youngest person so far to be picked up by the police team which was set up to investigate the trouble.

Officers phoned the boy's foster parents to make an appointment for him to be questioned by police.

They believe he was caught on camera throwing stones at police in Goldsmith Avenue and Fratton Road.

The teenage girl, the first female to be arrested in the operation, is also accused of throwing stones at officers.

In the same wave of the operation, officers arrested five men from Portsmouth and two others from Fareham, and Emsworth.

All were released on bail without charge to report back to Fratton police station on June 21.

Hannover 96 - Eintracht Frankfurt - 08/05/2004

Source : ViewImages

Hunt for football violence suspects - 14/05/2004

Source : BBC News

Ten men suspected of violence after a Stoke City match

Detectives have released photographs of several men who are suspected of attacking police officers following a Stoke City football match.

Staffordshire Police say the officers came under attack as they tried to maintain order after the Potters' game with West Ham United on 28 April.

A number of people who took part in the disorder near the railway station in Shelton have already been identified.

But detectives are still trying to find out the names of 10 further suspects.

Video footage

A large number of officers, supported by police dogs, horses and the force helicopter, successfully kept rival groups from clashing after the match, which West Ham won 2-0.

Police say the hooligans responsible for the violence towards officers were connected with Stoke City.

Detectives have been reviewing hours of video footage recorded during the trouble.

Chief Inspector Paul Giannasi said: "We are already planning to make a number of arrests in connection with this disorder, but I urge all true supporters of British football to help us by contacting the football unit with any information they have about those involved.

"This sort of behaviour has no place in our community and we are determined to identify those responsible and to present them before the court."

Helsingborgs IF - Malmö FF - 24/05/2004

Source : pppress.se

Fights opposed hooligans from both sides in the city center of Helsingborg.
Several local supporters were controlled by police and some of them were arrested.

Translation Underground Fans (c)

Helsingborgs IF - IFK Göteborg - 10/05/2004

Source : pppress.se

Five supporters were arrested by police in the city center of Helsingborg.
Troubles occured after the defeat against IFK Goteborg.

Translation Underground Fans (c)

Manchester United - Millwall FC - FA Cup final played in Cardiff - 22/05/2004

Source: Press

Bursaspor - Samsunpor - 15/05/2004

Source : Turkish press

As a result of Bursaspor's relegation, 5 people, including 2 police officers, were injured in the events that broke out after the Bursaspor-Samsunspor match in Sakarya. At the end of the match at the Sakarya Atatürk stadium, Bursaspor fans, who could not accept being relegated from the league despite their team's victory, set fire to their seats, and when they became indignant as they left the stadium, the police opened fire in the air.

Besiktas - Caycur Rizespor - 21/05/2004

Source : Turkish press

During the Beşiktaş-Ç.Rizespor match at İnönü Stadium, a 16-year-old fan named Cihat Aktaş was stabbed to death.