Season 06/07 - February

Argentina: Rowdy Fans Close Argentina Stadium - 16/02/2007

Source : Associated Press

Argentina's government took the extraordinary step Friday of banning River Plate from holding its next five home matches at Monumental Stadium because of a weekend brawl by hooligans.

Pre-empting an expected decision by the Argentine soccer federation (AFA), Interior Minister Anibal Fernandez went on television and radio to declare that the government had decided to "suspend" River's next five home games.

Fernandez, in his widely aired comments, complained that AFA chief Julio Grondona should act more forcefully to curb spiraling incidents of violence and fighting in the stands that have become frequent occurrences over the past year.

"Violent fans must be taken out of the stadiums and those responsible for the disturbances must not be allowed back in," Fernandez declared.

River Plate is at Newell's Old Boys in Rosario on Saturday in the second round of the Argentine league, with its next scheduled home game Feb. 25 against Racing Club.

It remained unclear where that match would be played.

The suspension is likely to affect River's Copa Libertadores matches against Caracas of Venezuela on March 8 and Liga de Quito of Ecuador on March 29.

Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires was site of Argentina's 3-1 victory over the Netherlands in the 1978 World Cup final. It seats 65,000 people and is one of Argentina's most famous soccer venues alongside Boca Juniors' "La Bombonera" in the same city.

The interior minister, who is responsible for domestic security in Argentina, said the decision to intervene directly in security issues involving the country's dominant sport came late Thursday night after another brawl by lower-division fans of Talleres and rival Los Andes that left dozens injured outside a suburban Buenos Aires stadium.

He said that rioting had also prompted the government to begin studying unspecified "actions" to contain soccer violence. But he did not elaborate on what additional measures may be adopted.

On Thursday evening, rival fans pelted each other with flying stones and sticks as riot police intervened, firing tear gas and rubber bullets, to break up the two sides during the 50-minute brawl in Gerli, a southwestern suburb of Buenos Aires. The fighting shattered store windows and damaged parked cars and live televised footage dominated newscasts.

Grondona was quoted by independent news agency Noticias Argentians, as saying he was responsible for regulating the sport but not for its overall security. Yet he signaled he was ready and willing to work with all involved on beefing up security plans.

"If some things have to be changed, they will change," he was quoted as saying.

Concerns about rising soccer violence in Argentina have become a major public worry for President Nestor Kirchner's government, soccer regulators and fans alike, who complain about a lack of safety precautions at stadiums in a country obsessed with the sport.

On Thursday, Javier Castrilli, a security official who oversees public safety at Argentine stadiums, told reporters there were plans to put the ban in place but that River Plate would have a chance to argue its case before AFA before a decision was reached.

"River must present its case in a very conclusive way if they wish for the sanction to be lifted in the short term," Castrilli said on Argentine television.

Castrilli said investigators had uncovered knives and bloody bandages apparently left behind by brawling hooligans at Monumental stadium after a fight before kickoff on Sunday near the club's swimming pool and recreational area.

Fans, including children and elderly patrons, were nearby at the time in the area enjoying picnics before the match.

Many reportedly fled in terror as the hooligans fought each other two hours before the match, in which River later beat Lanus 1-0 in the opening round of the new Clausura season. There were reports of shots being fired, but confusion overshadowed the fight amid reports that rival River groups were brawling for supremacy.

No violence was reported during the game itself.

Chelsea tops hooligan league - 16/02/2007

Source : This is Local London

CHELSEA has been named as the club with the worst football hooligans in the country by the British Transport Police.

Two other London clubs - bitter rivals Millwall and West Ham - also feature in the top 10 for causing the most disruption on the Tube and trains.

As thousands of fans prepare to travel to FA Cup 5th round matches this weekend, police called for the clubs to help keep hooligans off the trains.

"Although 98% of fans are law abiding, there is a minority of fans who behave badly on the rail and tube network," said BTP deputy chief constable Andy Trotter.

"Passengers and staff are subjected not only to noisy, raucous anti-social behaviour, but also to serious disorder including assaults which are racial or sexually motivated.

"No one, the vast majority of fans included, wants to travel in fear or have to witness fans fighting, damaging carriages and urinating in public places.

advertisement"It's simply unacceptable, but we need the active help of law abiding fans and football clubs to stamp it out. The clubs in particular must take seriously the problems some fans cause every weekend, despite the best efforts of train companies and BTP officers."

In a landmark ruling a Tottenham Spurs fan was this week banned from travelling to or from cities when certain teams were playing.

Hundreds of officers will target hooligan hotspots this weekend.

Mr Trotter said: "We do our best to second guess where trouble is likely to occur and deploy accordingly.

"As far as possible, this is intelligence led because some disorder is deliberate and organised."

Supporters of the following clubs are causing the most disruption on the Tube and trains:

1. Chelsea

2. Manchester United

3. Liverpool

4. Millwall

5. Coventry City

6. Leeds United

7. Cardiff City

8. Aston Villa

9. Birmingham City

10. West Ham United

Lok Leipzig Apologize To Police For Fan Riots - 16/02/2007

Source : DPA

Lokomotive Leipzig players on Friday apologized to local police for rioting by their fans at a match last weekend in which 39 officers were injured.

"We can not undo the events but we want to send a signal against the violence," said the club's general manager Peter Milkau, who gave the local police bunches of flowers on behalf of the team.

Senior police official Heinz Theus said: "We will everything to ensure that sport is the main issue on Leipzig football pitches and that such criminals don't make use of the games to let off their adrenaline."

Some 800 fans of the lower-league club attacked a police force of 300 last Saturday after a regional cup match.

The incidents caused outrage in Germany and a number of lower-league games scheduled for the coming weekend have been cancelled.

Identifying the offenders is difficult due to poor quality of video material. No arrests were carried out Saturday because of the unforeseeable brutality.

Lok Leipzig came under fire as well for allegedly not conducting adequate security measures at the match.

Club president Steffen Kubald said the club is ready to give the authorities a list of the known troublemakers even though he has personal safety concerns.

"I will give the names, all of them. Do you know what kind of danger I am in? I have a child," he told the Leipziger Volkszeitung daily.

Alleged soccer rioters threatened with 10 years jail; players thank police with flowers - 16/02/2007

Source : The Associated Press

A 10-year prison sentence could be sought for eight men under investigation after a riot Saturday at a German soccer match that left 39 police officers injured.

Leipzig district attorney Ricardo Schulz said Friday that photos have been released to identify more fans who took part in the riot, in which hundreds of FC Lokomotive Leipzig fans attacked 300 police and security officers.

One 23-year-old man turned himself into police Friday after seeing himself on television, while two other men under investigation are described as a German soldier and a ringleader. They are not in custody.

"We want to press charges as soon as possible," Schulz said. "Then they face a sentence between six months and 10 years."

Players from Lokomotive Leipzig apologized Friday to police for their fans' behavior, giving them flowers and promising a benefit match against a team of police officers.

"We can't undo what happened, but we want to send out an unmistakable signal against the violence," Lokomotive manager Peter Milkau said. "There must have been some terrible moments for the police officers."

Around 800 people pelted police and security officers with stones and broken cement after Lokomotive's 3-0 loss to FC Erzgebirge Aue II in a state cup match.

All the injured officers have been released from the hospital.

Lokomotive players have threatened to walk off the field if the rioters show up in their stadium again. The incident ranks among the worst in a wave of soccer violence in Germany since it hosted June's World Cup.

Wrexham AFC - Chester City FC - 16/02/2007

Source : icNorthWales

Football yobs get Dragons ban order

FORTY-THREE Dragons hooligans have been ordered to stay away from Sunday’s derby between Wrexham and Chester.

A massive police operation will be mounted to prevent any trouble at the vital League Two game.

The match is vitally important as the Dragons fight to avoid the drop into the non-league Nationwide Conference.

Police chiefs are aware of violent clashes between rival hooligan sets when the two sides met in the past.

The 43 Wrexham hooligans have been banned from all grounds.

Officers will make sure they observe all conditions of the order which means they will not be able to come anywhere near the Mold Road stadium.

Chief inspector Bob Wilson, who will be ground police commander on Sunday, said: “There have been many incidents in the past and many of those involved are on banning orders which will be enforced on the day.

“Our main priority is to ensure people have a safe and happy time at a game they are looking forward to.

“It is a small minority who act criminally.”

Wrexham town centre pubs will be closed before the noon kick-off.

There are also six Chester fans on banning orders and five with Asbos barring them from stadiums.

New law against Dutch soccer hooligans - 08/02/2007

Source : Radio Netherlands

It will soon be an offence in the Netherlands to arrange a fight in connection with a football match. This is one of the main elements of a football bill which will be presented to parliament in March. The bill looks likely to gain the support of a majority of MPs. The plans look very similar to the Dutch anti-terrorist legislation which makes conspiracy an offence.
In May last year supporters of the Amsterdam club Ajax attempted to demolish one of the central squares in Amsterdam following their team's victory in the national competition. Supporters of Den Haag stormed the pitch during a match and threatened the coach Frans Adelaar so fiercely that he felt obliged to resign.

Just a few weeks ago fans of Rotterdam club Feyenoord destroyed part of the centre of the French town of Nancy, just before a European Cup match. The behaviour of its supporters earned the team an immediate ban from European football from the European Football Association. The club's appeal is being heard by the Sport Arbitration Court in Lausanne on Thursday and Friday. Like the rest of Europe, the Netherlands is experiencing a new wave of hooliganism. In Italy last week, a police officer was killed in fighting between Sicilian football supporters.

Not enough
In the Netherlands, this wave of hooliganism follows a period of relative quiet. The death of an Ajax supporter in 1997 during a bloody clash between Feyenoord and Ajax fans near the town of Beverwijk resulted in a rash of measures aimed at outlawing hooliganism and football-related violence. However, Labour Party MP Hans Spekman believes it is now clear these measures were not enough:

"A great deal has been done, but many of the existing measures also affect good supporters. It's supposed to be a pleasant experience going to a football match. At present it's almost impossible to visit an away game. I'd like to see an approach which penalises bad supporters and allows the good ones to attend a match in a normal fashion."

Football Bill
Working together with Christian Democrat and VVD members of parliament and the national football association the KNVB, Hans Spekman has developed a special football bill. The central elements are that supporters who have been banned from a stadium will be required by law to report to a police station every time their club plays a match, and that making prior arrangements for violence will become an offence. For example, if groups of supporters agree to meet for a fight, through the internet for example, the police will be able to take action:

"If you don't have this, the danger is that the football stadium stays quiet enough but that the violence between supporters continues outside the stadium and on other days. That's right, it is similar to the new anti-terrorist legislation. But I think we're dying of naivety in this country. We know there are hooligan websites where they make arrangements for fights. The police must be allowed to make use of that information. These fights generally take place in built-up areas where people like you and I live." "We can't have a situation where the police know about the fights but can't do anything. It's just too frustrating."

The supporters' lobby group SOVS (Samenwerkende Organsiaties Voetbalsupporters) is not impressed by the new bill. It doesn't see it as a solution for hooliganism. The SOVS, which represents a large number of supporters' clubs, says what is needed is better enforcement. It cites the example of the violence in Nancy, when only five of the rioters were arrested. It argues for greater police manpower rather than new legislation.

England
The proposals are not new. They are based largely on existing legislation in Great Britain. But English football is also suffering a resurgence of hooliganism, according to Ramon Spaaij of the University of Amsterdam. He recently wrote his thesis on hooliganism in Europe.

"Police figures show that the number of incidents of hooliganism has risen in England. Of course statistics don't tell the whole story, but clearly you couldn't claim that football violence is under control there. It might look that way when we see footage of the Premier League with matches played without fences, but in the lower leagues and outside the stadiums, supporter violence is still rife. Those teams have fewer facilities and there is less intensive policing. But it is still a regular feature of the big stadiums too."

The politicians and the football association are planning to present their bill in March. This is supposed to herald an end to uncontrolled hooliganism in the Netherlands. However, Ramon Spaaij is afraid that expectations are too high:

"Hooliganism is not going to disappear in the near future. It may change, the opposing groups may become smaller, for instance, but violent incidents will continue for the foreseeable future."

OM-PSG - 04/02/2007

source: LCI

The Paris SG players’ bus as well as the psg fans’ bus were attacked by OM fans, with stones. One fan was injured and was hospitalized. Trouble occured near the stadium between PSG fans and cops. 2 fans were arrested, one of them is the LUTECE FALCO leader, the other is a Boulogne Boys.

Newell's Old Boys - River Plate - 17/02/2007

Source : Reuters

Match abandoned due to missile-throwing fans

Argentine football was hit by another bout of football violence on Saturday as missile-throwing fans caused the Newell's Old Boys-River Plate match in Rosario to be abandoned.
River, who received a five-match home ban on Thursday following a fight in the club's social area, were winning 2-1 when Newell's supporters began hurling stones and other objects across the fence separating them from River supporters.

Referee Hector Baldassi stopped the game in the 86th minute.

The match was considered high risk after two Newell's supporters were killed in a clash with River fans four years ago.

Saturday's trouble, on the second weekend of the Clausura championship, raised fears that the tournament could be blighted by the same problems as the Apertura, held in the second half of last year.

That tournament was plagued by unprecendeted crowd violence, threats and initimidation.

There has already been trouble in the week since the Clausura got under way.

Last Sunday, River's match at home to Lanus was preceeded by a vicious fight involving rival factions of the River support in the club's social area, terrorising families who had come to use the swimming pool and barbecue area.

Last week, the directors of Quilmes and Banfield both said they had been threatened for refusing to provide their respective clubs' own supporters with free tickets and money to travel to away games.

On Thursday, 50 fans were injured during clashes before a third division game on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

FARIAS DOUBLE

On the field, both River goals were set up by midfielder Fernando Belluschi and converted by striker Ernesto Farias.

In the 25th minute, Belluschi found Farias with a crossfield ball, the Newell's defence was slow to react and Farias fired past Justo Villar.

Nicolas Spolli popped up at the far post to equalise on the stroke of halftime but River regained the lead in the 70th minute when Farias scored from Belluschi's corner.

Talleres ER - Los Andes - 15/02/2007

Source : Xinhua news

Soccer fighting in Argentina leaves 50 injured

More than 50 people were injured, one by a gunshot wound, when fans from two Argentine third-division clubs clashed on Thursday at a stadium in the country's capital city, Buenos Aires, local media said.

The clashes occurred just outside the El Porvenir Stadium, in Gerli, a neighborhood in the greater Buenos Aires area, where Talleres de Remedios de Esacalada and Los Andes were playing in a Metropolitan Group B match.

The clash began when Tallers fans got off two local buses in the bush Hipolito Yrigoyen Avenue, and began throwing rocks and offensive objects at rival fans, despite being guarded by the Buenos Aires police.

Fans from the two teams clashed for more than 30 minutes and left car windscreens and shop windows destroyed. The police tried to break up the clash with rubber bullets and tear gas.

The game proceeded despite the violence and Talleres won, 4-0.

Three fans, one suffering a bullet wound, will spend the night in the Lanus neighborhood's Evita Hospital.

Grêmio - Cerro Porteño - 15/02/2007

Source : Reuters

Crowd violence mars Gremio's Libertadores clash

Gremio's Group Three game in Asuncion was held up for three minutes in the first half as rival fans pelted each other with plastic seats and lumps of concrete before riot police calmed the situation.

There was more trouble as the teams returned for the second half as pieces of concrete were thrown at the Gremio bench.

That led to a shoving match between the players in the penalty area and more bottle-throwing by the home fans.

At the end of the game, referee Hector Baldassi was surrounded by angry Cerro Porteno players and coach Gustavo Costas.

Khimki - CZ (Basketball) - 13/02/2007

Source : rus-hool.narod.ru

The first really serious fight happened in Khimki(near Moscow). Fans of Spartak Moscow came there to support basketball club from Serbia-Crvena Zvezda,and CSKA hools from Yaroslavka,KIDS and Koti ~50 went there too. From Spartak side: Devils Band,Gladiators, Corpus,Shkola GF,Sindikat, Union, Wild Boars and co, and of corse some serbs(Ultra Boys); all about 80-90 lads. The result: victory of Spartak and CZ...

Travelling United fans 'are worst behaved' - 19/02/2007

Source : Manchester Evening News

TRAVELLING Manchester United fans are the worst behaved in the country, according to figures released by British Transport Police.

So far this season, 16 Reds fans have been arrested following trouble on trains travelling to and from matches - more than supporters from any other club.

Championship side Coventry City's fans are second in the league of shame with 12 supporters, followed by Chelsea with 10.

Liverpool also feature in the top five with nine fans arrested or warned on trains.

'Anti-social'

But a closer look at the figures shows that 13 of United fans' offences are in an `anti-social' category with only three classified as serious. Chelsea fans, however, have been detained over six serious incidents. The figures were released as BTP appealed for help from law-abiding fans to help moderate the behaviour of the louts.

Ch Supt Martyn Ripley, the force's commander in the north west, said: "United are figuring high on the list because they have the biggest fan base in the country - but we are talking about a very small minority of fans."

No one from Manchester United was available for comment.

Italy Ask Uk for Help on Hooligans - 18/02/2007

Source : Guardian Unlimited

The Italian interior minister Giuliano Amato will meet with John Reid to discuss ways of combatting hooliganism in Italy.

The Italian interior minister will arrive in Britain on Tuesday to ask for advice on combating the wave of hooliganism that culminated in the death of a policeman early this month.

Giuliano Amato will meet Home Secretary John Reid and see what lessons his country could learn from the tough measures employed in the UK that have dramatically reduced the disorder that blighted games here in the 1970s and 80s.

Reid will tell Amato how, after decades of hooliganism, British stadiums are now some of the safest in the world. Firm, co-ordinated action - involving clubs, the police, the game's authorities, the courts and the government - in conjunction with initiatives from supporters themselves has led to the change.

Italian football has long had a major problem with violent, hardcore fans known as ultras. But the country has been reeling since policeman Filippo Raciti was killed on 2 February during rioting involving hooligans from rival Sicilian teams Palermo and Catania. All football across the country was suspended as a result and his death prompted the Italian government to compel all clubs to introduce stringent new security measures. Four Serie A matches last weekend were played behind closed doors.

Reid will highlight, among other measures introduced in the past 15 years, the system of banning orders introduced after England fans caused trouble in Belgium during the European Championship in 2000. These stop around 3,500 convicted or suspected troublemakers in England and Wales from attending games either at home or abroad. Arrests have fallen by 32 per cent in each of the past two seasons and an average of just one person per match is detained by police for football-related offences.

Reid will offer Amato access to Britain's leading experts in combating hooliganism, including senior police officers at the UK Football Policing Unit, a specialist unit run jointly by the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers. Exchange visits may see British and Italian officers attend matches to see how games are policed in the two countries.

'Football disorder is an international problem and it is vital that we work together as nations to tackle this blight on the game,' said Reid. 'In the UK we can point to real progress in recent years and I will offer Giuliano Amato my full support, together with access to our expertise, to help them deal with the problems they are facing.'

Football hooligan ringleader jailed - 19/02/2007

Source : icCoventry

THE ringleader of a gang of football hooligans who targeted innocent Coventry City fans in a Newcastle pub has been jailed.

Craig Heward led a gang of six men in the attack on Sky Blues fans who were in a pub after an FA cup tie between Newcastle United and Coventry in January 2005.

The thugs had been trying to find Coventry City hooligans after the match, which Newcastle won 3-1.

Having failed, they turned their attention to genuine Sky Blues fans.

They threw bottles and glasses at the terrified supporters, before laying into them with punches and kicks.

A number of people were hurt in the attack, although police said the victims fled and they were unable to trace them.

But detectives used CCTV footage to track down the attackers and yesterday they appeared before a judge for sentencing.

Heward, aged 25, from Wallsend, near Newcastle, was jailed for 12 months and banned from football matches for six years.

His accomplices were ordered to do unpaid community work of between 150 and 240 hours.

They were also handed football banning orders for three years and ordered to pay between £700 and £900 costs.

Judge Tim Hewitt told the men: "The court can only conclude that you are grossly immature or emotionally stunted in some way.

"It's difficult for most ordinary people to understand the behaviour of hooligans.

"You are in most respects decent young men, a number of you are fathers or fathers to be.

"Fortunately no one was injured but for any normal member of the public in the area it would have been a frightening experience and innocent people might well have been injured."

Sergeant Paul Evans, who investigated the incident, said: "This was a premeditated attack.

"During the course of the inquiry it became clear that certain members of this group were trying to target Coventry hooligans.

"When they failed to arrange a fight with their counterparts they were determined to attack any Coventry fans in this pub."

VfL Wolfsburg - Bayer 04 Leverkusen – 03/02/2007

Source : ZDF

The game was temporarily stopped for 18 minutes by the referee after the fans used a smoke bomb. The DFB did not consider it useful to charge the Wolfsburg club, but addressed a verbal warning , requesting that the club reinforce its safety measures, in particular against the use of fireworks. The author of the smoke bomb was identified and banned from football games for a certain period of time.

1.FC Kaiserslautern - Hansa Rostock – 09/02/2007

Source : RheinlandPfalz

A Kaiserslautern fan was wounded after receiving a bottle on the head and was hospitalized. The projectile came from the trap door ventilation system of a Hansa Rostock supporters’ bus. The bus was searched intensively by the police force. The identity of the occupants was taken, in addition the police force specified that in spite of this annoying incident, the evening had been calm among the 30000 spectators including 900 fans from Rostock. However the police force intervened several times for minor disorders. One Rostock fan was arrested at the central station and was banned from the game.

Cambuur - Fortuna Sittard – 09/02/2007

Source : NieuwNieuws

A group of forty supporters from Groningen caused trouble friday evening. The supporters travelled by train and sought confrontation with supporters from Cambuur whose team played in Sittard, with a distance of 320 kilometers from Groningen. The police force intervened with 50 men. Four fans were arrested. The other supporters were put in a train departing for Groningen at 22.00, highly supervised by the police force present for the duration of the voyage.

Fortuna Düsseldorf - VFL Osnabrück - 10/02/2007

Source : DPA

Trouble errupted after the game. 50/70 Osnabrück fans threw bottles at the cops. 11 fans, aged from 16 to 30 years were arrested.

River Plate describe home ban as arbitrary - 19/02/2007

Source : Reuters

River Plate president Jose Maria Aguilar described a five-match home ban as arbitrary on Monday and said his club was the safest in Argentina.

The ban was imposed last Thursday, four days after rival factions of River supporters fought in the club's social area which adjoins the River Plate stadium, the largest in the country and venue of the 1978 World Cup final.

The incident, hours before River's opening Clausura championship game at home to Lanus, raised concerns that Argentina could be hit by the same violence and intimidation which plagued the Apertura tournament last year.

'I think it's an arbitrary measure, typical of this culture of which we are all part, where we need a scapegoat and we've found it in River,' Aguilar told reporters as he arrived at the club.

'River is the safest club in Argentina,' he said in his first public comments since the fight, adding that the problem did not happen during a match.

'There's no reason for the closure (of the stadium), if it's an internal River problem, then River will solve it internally.'

On Saturday, there was more trouble when River's match away to Newell's Old Boys in Rosario was abandoned minutes before the final whistle as rival fans hurled objects at each other across the fence which segregated them.

River were winning 2-1.

The match was considered high risk following an incident in 2003 when two Newell's fans were killed in a clash on a major highway after the two sets of supporters, on their way to different games, crossed paths.

Argentine soccer has a chronic hooliganism problem blamed on hardcore fans known as barras bravas.

Club directors have also been blamed for nurturing the problem by giving the fans financial help, free tickets and travel to away games.

Last week, the directors of first division clubs Banfield and Quilmes said they had been threatened after refusing demands for more free tickets.

Stop Blackpool street violence - 16/02/2007

Source : Blackpool Today

Leeds v Wolves in Blackpool 2005

END this violence!
Victims of crime and MPs joined forces today to call for tougher sentences for violent thugs who bring shame to Blackpool's streets.

Three men were jailed last month – out of 17 in court – after sickening scenes on Blackpool Promenade when 30 men fought vicious battles with pool cues, bricks, bottles and planks of wood.

It was the latest in a spate of violent clashes in the resort which has seen one young father left in a coma and others with serious injuries.

They include:
Thirty men in mass brawl on Prom.
Father-of-one Steven Sandford left in a coma after his attackers jumped on his head.
A man acquitted of manslaughter after a jury heard he lashed out amid fears he was about to be attacked by a stag party gang.
Today, campaigners said: "Enough is enough".

Fylde MP Michael Jack, a former Home Office minister, said: "It seems to me we are now in a situation where increasingly the level of
violence used in some offences goes way beyond the pale.
"This type of violence should not be tolerated by society."

Video : http://www2.blackpooltoday.co.uk/editorial/cctv/fight1seq.wmv

AS NANCY – PSG – 17/02/2007

Source : Football365

CRS intervened in one of the local terraces to calm certain Nancy supporters. Teargas was used. Some scuffles errupted before the game between rival fans.

Video : https://www.dailymotion.com/lunix546/video/2087575

Reid offers Italy help over violence - 20/02/2007

Source : TEAMtalk

Home Secretary John Reid met his Italian counterpart on Tuesday and offered to help him tackle hooliganism plaguing Serie A football.

Top flight soccer in Italy has been in crisis since a police officer was killed during rioting after the game in Sicily.

Policeman Filippo Raciti died after he was struck in the face by a blunt object during rioting at a Serie A derby between Catania and Palermo on February 2.

His death prompted outrage from Italian politicians and the suspension of all amateur and professional games in the country.

Mr Reid discussed the hooligan problem when he met his Italian opposite number, Interior Minister Giuliano Amato.

The Home Secretary offered to send a group of UK experts on soccer violence over to Italy to help target the troublemakers.

Mr Reid spoke about his meeting with Mr Amato during an unrelated visit to the offices of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency in Paisley, near Glasgow.

He said: "The first meeting I had this morning was with the Italian minister of the interior and they've had some difficulties of course with crowd control and violence between fans in Italy.

"We were discussing that this morning and I've offered to send a group of experts there to help them because of the experience we've had in England combating violence and also the general UK experience.

"We would be happy to have officials from this country and from authorities in the UK go and give more advice with our Italian colleagues."

The Home Office said Mr Reid had discussed the success of UK authorities in tackling soccer violence with Mr Amato.

He told his counterpart how partnerships between the police and football authorities, clubs and supporter groups had been a key plank of the British strategy against the thugs.

Since the scenes of violence involving UK fans which marred the Euro 2000 tournament, there had been a significant reduction in football related disorder, the Home Office said.

Arrests of soccer hooligans had decreased by 32% in each of the last two years, said officials, while there was now just one arrest inside and around stadia for each game in England and Wales.

Mr Reid was also in Scotland to attend the first leg of Celtic's Champions League clash with AC Milan at Parkhead on Tuesday evening.

The second leg will take place at the San Siro stadium in Italy on March 7 and thousands of Hoops fans are expected to travel to the game.

The Home Secretary declined to make a prediction on the score, but when asked whether he would be attending the match, in a reference to the Old Firm's reputation for sectarianism, he said: "Normally in these circumstances, you'd say 'is the Pope a Catholic?'.

"But I don't think it would be appropriate.

"But yes, I'll be there."

Police expand search for hooligans, add 14 suspects to list - 20/02/2007

Source : The Associated Press

Police are looking for 14 more suspected soccer hooligans in a widened investigation of a riot that left 39 police officers injured.

Authorities are already investigating 12 people suspected of taking part in the violence at a match involving FC Lokomotive Leipzig and Erzgebirge Aue, two lower league teams, on Feb. 10.

Police released photographs of more suspects and so far have received 42 tips from the population on possible identities of the hooligans, police chief Uwe Matthias said Tuesday.

About 800 Leipzig fans attacked 300 police and other security officers after the Leipzig team lost the cup match 3-0. Six fans were also injured.

Violence has been growing in Germany at soccer matches since last year's largely peaceful World Cup, but most of the trouble has been in minor leagues.

Troublemakers face stadium bans as authorities study ways of stepping up security at games.

Lille OSC - MAN UTD -20/02/2007

Source : SportingLife + REUTERS + TeamTalk

Riot police spray tear gas on Man Utd fans

French riot police sprayed tears gas on Manchester United supporters to dampen crowd trouble during the first half of a Champions League match between Lille and the Premier League side on Tuesday.

The problems started after a United fan climbed a fence at the Stade Felix-Bollaert in Lens to get on to the pitch and approached his team's goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar.

Stewards took the supporter back to the stands triggering an angry reaction from the other United fans.

Riot police intervened with truncheons and sprayed tear gas as several supporters tried to climb over the fences.

The game was not stopped and calm returned after a few minutes.

United had expressed concern about the basic facilities at the ground and were surprised Lille were allowed to move the game to the compact 42,000 stadium in northern France rather than a larger, more modern venue like the Stade de France.

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Stadium scare for United fans

Manchester United fans were involved in a major security scare at the Stade Felix-Bollaert during the Champions League clash against Lille.A problem erupted 15 minutes into the first leg of the knockout tie.

In a chilling reminder of the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989, when 96 Liverpool supporters died, it quickly became apparent some visiting supporters were being crushed against the 10 foot high metal security barriers designed to keep fans away from the pitch.

With yellow-shirted security guards swarming around, at least two supporters, including one child, were lifted over the barrier to safety.

At one point, supporters shook the fence, while a large gate was partially pushed open before being slammed shut again.

Almost instantly, riot police arrived and fired tear gas into the stand.

It seemed a dangerous over-reaction to what appeared to be a genuine safety problem, although the unrest was quelled soon afterwards.

Although there was no immediate comment, either from United or UEFA, TV reports suggested the gates at the back of the stand had been opened by police to allow Red Devils supporters with tickets for the home section of the stadium to sit with their own fans.

If such claims are eventually verified, it would bring outrage from Red Devils officials, given the startling similarity to the mistakes that were made as the Hillsborough disaster unfolded.

Some United fans have suggested tickets for the game were freely available in France, with a widespread acceptance that those who purchased seats in the home enclosures would be moved.

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United Want Info Over Stadium Chaos

Manchester United are appealing for eye-witness reports to the incident that occurred during the first half of Tuesday night's Champions League victory over Lille.

There appeared to be a crush of supporters against a 10-foot high safety barrier during the opening stages of the first half in France.

At least two supporters, one a schoolboy, were lifted over the barrier while security officials slammed shut a gate which had been pushed open by United supporters trying to relieve the pressure.

What could have been a chilling reminder of the Hillsborough tragedy was not aided by the arrival of riot police who fired tear gas into the stand.

United keeper Edwin van der Sar complained of double vision afterwards, while many Red Devils supporters expressed their disgust at the treatment they had received.

Television companies suggested the problem was caused by stadium officials allowing supporters with tickets for different sections of the ground entrance into that enclosure.

If that is proved, Lille seem set to receive a heavy punishment from UEFA.

United assistant secretary Ken Ramsden met with UEFA delegates, FA representatives who were at the game as well as members of the Lille hierarchy while the police will also be asked for their input into any inquiry.

"We have obviously received a lot of information from various sources but we would welcome any more detail from fans in the affected area because it is important we establish precisely what has happened," said United director of communications Phil Townsend.

Three locals in court after football violence - 20/02/2007

Source : Mansfield Today

TWO local men and a youth appeared before Mansfield magistrates on Tuesday in connection with football disorder in the town.

Trouble flared in the town centre on 26th August last year when Mansfield Town played Lincoln City at Field Mill.
Steven Allard (40), of Victoria Road, Kirkby; Thomas Maddison (24), of Haywood Avenue, Blidworth and a 17-year-old Mansfield youth are charged with affray.
A total of 28 people have now been charged in connection with the incident as part of a special operation by police.