Season 07/08 - September

York: Clampdown on football yobs - 07/09/2007

Source: The Press - http://www.yorkpress.co.uk


Police at Kit Kat Crescent after the match between York City and Halifax Town

British Transport Police, North Yorkshire Police and York City Football Club have joined forces to blitz football related violence and anti-social behaviour. They want to crackdown on hooligans at KitKat Crescent and the areas around the ground, as well as while travelling to matches.

For the first time the three parties have signed up to a PACT (Police and Clubs Together) protocol which will create a system for them to exchange information and intelligence about football troublemakers'.

It will help them secure Football Banning Orders or Club Bans against hooligans.

Chief Superintendent Iain Spittal, North Yorkshire Police's area commander for York and Selby, said: "Football-related antisocial behaviour, including violence, disorder and racist behaviour, remain significant issues for the York City FC and the police. Each of us shares in these concerns and are committed to eradicating such behaviour from the grounds and surrounding areas. By taking positive action against those who persistently engage in football-related antisocial behaviour York City Football Club and the police will improve and maintain the quality of life for spectators and residents in the area where the clubs' ground is located and for the travelling public, thereby making the ground safer and more enjoyable to visit."

British Transport Police (BTP) area commander Terry Nicholson said: "We are really pleased to be working closely with York City FC and North Yorkshire Police as part of the PACT protocol. Although we have been working informally together for some time, it's really positive that we have now put in place a formalised system to gather and collect information which we can then act on.

advertisement"It is only a small minority of supporters who cause trouble but we are determined to crack down on this small element throughout the season by becoming involved in initiatives such as this. We hope this will deter people from behaving in a manner which may jeopardise the safety of others or bring discredit on the football club.

He said: "We work hard to ensure that the railway environment is safe and free from crime, intimidation and violence for the travelling public and genuine football fans and banning them from travelling on the rail network to matches will go someway to ensuring that this remains the case."

Steve Beck, York City director and chairman of the York City Supporters' Trust, said: "York City Football Club is determined to try to eradicate antisocial behaviour surrounding our matches.

"In order to look after the best interests of our genuine supporters and encourage families to attend games and therefore develop the next generation of support, we have to work closely with British Transport Police and North Yorkshire Police.

"We believe the partnership will prove very beneficial."

Timetable of trouble

Eight York City fans, including a 16-year-old, were banned from watching football matches for a combined total of 24 years and fined more than £4,000 between them in February.

They were arrested following the match between Oxford United and York City on September 30 last year.

Trouble erupted after the match when the group was refused entry to The Priory pub in Oxford.

Riot police were called in after brawling football fans brought violence to York city centre on April 17. A dozen people were arrested as rival fans clashed before and after the crunch Yorkshire derby between York City and Halifax Town.

The Press how police were investigating following disorder at a derby match between Halifax Town and York City. West Yorkshire Police received reports of assault and damage to property following a pitch invasion which took place in the last minutes of the game at the New Shay Stadium in Halifax on January 23.

Lincoln-Grimsby: Supporters praised as derby day is 'peaceful' - 24/09/2007

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


Bitter footballing rivals Lincoln City and Grimsby Town met at Sincil Bank stadium on Saturday - but for the first time in years the match passed without crowd trouble.

Fans and publicans have praised the efforts of police, who managed to keep the game and its aftermath calm and free of the violence that has plagued previous derby matches.

Last year police were forced to issue warnings to local pubs to close for the day and in 2006 hooligans went on the rampage after the same fixture.

But this year a heavy police presence, combined with an early kick off at noon, helped keep things calm, to the delight of fans.

Season ticket holder Sally Sentance, from Nettleham, said: "There was no trouble at all at the game, although there was a very heavy police presence.

"It was nice to go to a game and not have to worry about any crowd trouble, in fact the atmosphere was very friendly and we were chatting to some Grimsby fans.

"At the play-offs two years ago we had a brick thrown through the window of our bus as we left Grimsby."

Lincolnshire Police's football intelligence officer Andy Pearson said: "The match passed off without incident.

"There was a large police presence because of the history between these two clubs but there was only one arrest during and immediately after the game, and that was for a minor public order offence.

"All in all, it was a very quiet afternoon. We policed the match heavily and then escorted the Grimsby fans back to the railway station to avoid any flare-ups.

"In general we were very pleased with how it went and I think this is an example of how positive policing can work to prevent trouble."

Cliff Maggs, manager of the Anchor pub in Lincoln's High Street, agreed with PC Pearson that the match day had gone well.

He said: "We had no problems at all. We opened as normal, with door staff but then we always employ door staff whenever Lincoln play at home as we are relatively near the Sincil Bank stadium.

"There seemed to be a lot of police on the street, which I wasn't surprised at given the trouble there has been at Lincoln-Grimsby matches before but certainly we had no trouble at all and I haven't heard of any happening elsewhere."

The visitors won the match 2-1.

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Praise after trouble free derby match

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

The efforts of Lincolnshire Police have been praised after the football match between Lincoln City and Grimsby Town passed with no crowd trouble.

The two teams met at Sincil Bank stadium on Saturday but fans and publicans say they were pleased with the police presence which kept things under control.

The event was in stark contrast to last year, when police were forced to issue warnings to local pubs to close for the day.

Season ticket holder Sally Sentance, from Nettleham, said: "There was no trouble at all at the game, although there was a very heavy police presence.

"It was nice to go to a game and not have to worry about any crowd trouble, in fact the atmosphere was very friendly and we got chatting to some Grimsby fans.

"At the play-offs two years ago we had a brick thrown through the window of our bus as we left Grimsby."

Lincolnshire Police's football intelligence officer Andy Pearson said: "The match passed off without incident.

"There was a large police presence because of the history between these two clubs, but there was only one arrest during and immediately after the game, and that was for a minor public order offence.

"All in all it was a very quiet afternoon, we policed the match heavily and then escorted the Grimsby fans back to the railway station to avoid any flare ups.

"In general we were very pleased with how it went and I think this is an example of how positive policing can work to prevent trouble."

Latvia - Northern Ireland - 07/09/2007

Source: Reuters

Soccer-Six fans arrested before Latvia's game with N.Ireland

RIGA, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Security will be stepped up for Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier between Latvia and Northern Ireland after six fans were arrested for fighting in Riga on Friday night, police said.

"Around midnight several fights broke out leading to the arrest of six people, one of them being Latvian," police spokesman Edgars Dudko told Reuters.

Police added that several fans seemed to be suffering from hangovers on Saturday and had occupied a few bars around the Skonto stadium ahead of the scheduled 1930 (local time) kickoff.

"We will intensify our efforts tonight and try to keep the worst drunks out of the stadium and hope things will be more safe," Dudko said.

Second-placed Northern Ireland trail Group F leaders Sweden by two points after seven matches. Latvia are bottom with three points.

Legia Warsaw - Widzew Lodz - 14/09/2007

Source : Mail

Newell's Old Boys - Boca Juniors - 30/09/2007

Source : Reuters

Belgium: St Niklaas - Eendracht Aalst - 16/09/2007

Source: mail (thanks to the sender)

Pitch invaders escape ban; Drunken Celtic and United fans fined after mid-match stunt - 24/09/2007

Source : Evening Chronicle

A PAIR of pitch invaders who stormed St James' Park during a friendly fixture have escaped a stadium ban.

Close pals Anton Willi and John Doyle tore on to the turf as the Magpies took on Glasgow Celtic in a pre-season game in July.

They were wrestled to the ground and arrested by police officers who were guarding the pitch-side.

Willi, 21, of Lonsdale Court, Jesmond, and Doyle, 18, of Simonside Terrace, Heaton, admitted being on the pitch during a football match.

They were convicted of the offences in August but a second hearing was scheduled to consider whether they should be given football banning orders.

PC Stu Garrow, of the Northumbria Police football intelligence unit, gave evidence in favour of a ban. He said: "There are various things running on the pitch can lead to.

"This incident in itself was a friendly football match between Celtic and Newcastle but, saying that, there were 12 arrests, so even friendlies breed disorder.

"The fact that one of these two was wearing a Celtic shirt could have caused problems.

"Most of the Celtic fans were supposed to be in level seven but he wasn't.

"We do have issues with opposition supporters being among the home supporters.

"On occasion, it may not be the intention of the person running on the pitch to cause disorder.

"However, they could be followed by people whose intentions are less than friendly."

Gregg Stephens, defending, said: "This particular match for these two was a one-off.

"Mr Doyle now lives in Newcastle but is of Irish decent and is a Celtic fan, while Mr Willi lives in Newcastle and is a Newcastle supporter.

"They knew there was a match and decided they would go together.

"The reason they got in this situation is that they had too much to drink.

"They finished work and changed and went straight out to the pub, where they had more drink than they should have done.

"It appears running across the pitch was a dare and both did it one after the other."

In August, we told how trainee landscape gardener Willi and apprentice electrician Doyle were followed on to the pitch by a third man, Steven Stack.

When on the turf, Stack ripped off his replica shirt and threw it at Celtic goalkeeper Artur Borac. He was hit with fines of £110, along with a victim surcharge of £15 and given a three-year football banning order.

Willi and Doyle both avoided a ban but were each fined £100, plus victim surcharges of £15 and ordered to pay £43 costs each.

Chair of the bench Doreen Moore said: "It is a very serious offence.

"The pitch is holy ground, where players are working, and people can get carried away if they see people running on the pitch.

"However, we accept in this case, it has been fool-hardiness, rather than malice, and that is why we have decided not to impose a football banning order."

Denmark: Viborg FF - Lyngby BK - 16/09/2007

Source : spn.dk

Riots broke out during and after the game. Two supporters were arrested for violence against a policeman.
Several members of the hooligan Lyngby crew, called Blue Army, were sent off of the stadium, said the local speaker for Viborg police, Erik Christensen.
The group of about 35 hooligans came back to its coach, where they waited one of them to be released from police station, as he was arrested before the game.
As they thought it took too much time for them, hooligans tried to went out of the coach and threw missiles at police and one policeman was punched up so two men were arrested.
Finally, the coach was escorted back out of the Viborg city.




Translation Underground Fans (c )