Season 98/99

Bruges fan in Lyon court - 04/01/1999

Source: Belgian press

One of the Bruges lads who was arrested before the UEFA cup game in Lyon is sent to prison for 9 months. He is also banned for 2 years from all stadiums in France. The other Bruges lad was released about 2 weeks ago because there was not enough evidence to keep him in jail.

Feyenoord Rotterdam - Ajax Amsterdam - 20/12/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

Over 400 police were on duty for this high risk match and some minor scuffles did occur at the railway station before the game and missiles were thrown between the rival groups. After the game the Feyenoord mob tried to break through police lines to get at the visitors but failed. Over 20 fans were arrested.

Lyon - FC Bruges - 24/11/1998

Source: Vak 17 Bruges website

Brugge had between 120 to 150 VAK-17 who made the trip to Lyon. Some of them made the trip to France (800 km) by car or minibus, but most of the Brugges lads went by TGV. In Paris the TGV was delayed for 25 minutes after an incident in the bar of the train, but no arrests were made. At 13h. the main group of the Brugges lads arrived at 'Lyon Part Dieu'. The Bruges lads went straight to the city centre where some small incidents occured with local immigrants. The Brugges mob gathared in the 'Eden Rock' pub. At about 17.30 the Brugge lads made their way to the stadium. When they arrived at the 'stade Gerland' they went to the pubs in the area around the stadium looking for the local hooligans. Some small clashes occured and in one of these fights some French policemen (in plain clothes) were wounded. After these incidents the CRS arrived and the Bruges lads were escorted to the visitors section of the stadium. Two Bruges lads were arrested before the start of the game for the incident with the policemen and they are still in prison, their trial starts on the 4th of January 1999. During and after the game some fights occured inside the stadium between the Brugges fans and the local security and the CRS. About 30 minutes after the game about 25 Brugges lads fronted a group of about 60-80 Lyon lads at a pub near the stadium. The Lyon-fans started throwing stones and glasses, but the police arrived and dispersed the two groups.

London to Sheffield train - 21/11/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

Approximately 100 Sheffield United, Chesterfield and Nottingham Forest were on the train from St. Pancreas at 2100 hours. Disorder occurred throughout the journey including assaults on police.

Arsenal FC- Tottenham Hotspur - 15/11/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

A high risk match which resulted in 25 arrests. A mob of Spurs attacked an Arsenal pub after the match. 20 people were arrested in relation to this incident.

Fiorentina - Grasshoppers Zurich - Match played in Salerno -03/11/1998

Source: italian press

This match was played in Salerno as punishment on Fiorentina for previous crowd trouble by their fans. At this game a smoke bomb was thrown on to the pitch injuring the referee. The game was then abandoned, It was believed a Salernitano fan may have been responsible for throwing the bomb. UEFA later threw Fiorentina out of the competition.

Everton FC - Manchester United - 31/10/1998
Source: View from the Terrace website

A police escort of 250 Manchester United to Lime Street Station came under attack several times by a mob of 40 Everton.

Leeds United - Bradford City - 28/10/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

51 away fans and 8 home fans were arrested for public order offences, most for Breach of the Peace.

Manchester City - Burnley FC -03/10/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

Post match disorder saw Burnley fans attacked by Manchester City. The Burnley police escort was also attacked on it's way back to Manchester City Centre.

Millwall FC - Manchester City - 29/09/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

14 arrests for disorder after the match. There was 2 pitch invasions following each goal. Millwall fans tried to confront the visiting fans after the match. City fans were escorted back to Bermondsey Station while the Millwall group were dispersed.

Norwich City - Brimingham City - 26/09/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

Before the match 20 Birmingham attacked a local pub with CS Gas and attacked home fans with bar stools.

Manchester United - Liverpool FC - 25/09/1998

Source: Reuters

Fan's throat cut, 12 arrested for violence at Old Trafford
A soccer fan had his throat cut and two others needed hospital treatment for injuries from fights before and after Manchester United's league win over Liverpool, police said on Friday.
Twelve people were arrested for violence at Old Trafford, where United beat Liverpool 2-0 in the English premier league on Thursday.
Police said one United fan had his throat cut with either a knife or a broken bottle. Another was hit by a bottle and a Liverpool supporter received serious facial injuries when he was caught in a hail of stones and bottles.
Two police horses and their riders were kicked after they fell to the ground as officers fought to control the disturbances, they added.

Vfb Stuttgart - Feyenoord Rotterdam - 15/09/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

Over 120 fans were arrested at this match mainly Feyenoord. There was over 1000 police and 500 stewards at this high risk match. Stadium fences were damaged by Feyenoord fans during goal celebrations.

Manchester United - Coventry City & Stoke City - Millwall - 15/09/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

Around 100 'Cockney Reds' were on a train back to London after the match when a mob of Millwall boarded the train at Stoke. Disorder broke out but was dealt with by British Transport Police.

Swindon Town - Oxford United - 09/09/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

19 arrests for public order in this high profile game.

RSC Anderlecht - FC Bruges - 09/09/1998

Source: Vak-17 Bruges website

2000 Brugge made the trip and the police closed the M4 Section at the ground so the Anderlecht lads could not gather there and get near the Brugge fans. Trouble broke out near the end of the game when Anderlecht fans tried to attack Brugge fans, the police used teargas to force them back. The trouble lasted for well over an hour and a number of police were arrested and over 30 Anderlecht fans were arrested.

Oxford and Brighton fans in London - 22/08/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

20 Oxford attempted to confront a similar number of Brighton at Victoria Station, but Met officers dispersed the groups into the tube network.

West Ham United - Manchester United - 22/08/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

Around 175 Manchester United were given a police escort to the ground by two units of the Met's Territorial Support Group. The vast majority did not have tickets for the match. A small group broke away and were located drinking at the Boleyn Pub where a disturbance broke out resulting in several arrests. At the end of the match there was again small disturbances.

Norwich City - Queens Park Rangers - 22/08/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

Around 20 fans from each side were involved in disorder outside a pub before the match. One arrest for threatening behaviour.

Glasgow Rangers - Shelbourne FC - 22/07/1998

Source: View from the Terrace website

UEFA Cup prelim match played at Tranmere's ground. Despite heavy policing serious disorder occurred with 12 arrests being made. Rangers fans waited for the Irish supporters to arrive, a confrontation ensued, police in riot gear were required to clear entrance to ground.

Belgium: game postponed - 08/11/1998

Source: belgian press

The game Racing Mechelen-KV Mechelen - normally planned the 11/11/98 - has been postponed to another date for security reasons.

FC Bologna - AS Roma - 08/11/1998

Source: Soccer Fans

A little "history" is needed to understand why major incidents happends to this game, which in "normal" conditions should have been quite calm :

For years ago Roma and Bologna fans always had an important friendship well known in the Italian Ultras Scene ('Mods' Bologna with 'Boys' - 'Fedayn' - Opposta Fazione' groups of Roma). This was true until Bologna was champions of Serie B, two years ago.  After that last chamionship game, the "hard group" of both friends team went into the center of Bologna, and were then involved in incidents with some north-african people. One north-african was very badly injured with a knive, and nearly lost his life. The police started an important justice action, which leaded to the arrest of the most well known members of the Mods Bologna group. During the justice process which followed, many "names" were given to the police, and this from both groups (Roma and Bologna involved lads). This is the fact that broken up the old friendship between the two teams.

At this game there were 2500 tickets available for the visiting Roma fans, but they came with 5.000. Already before the game incidents occured around the stadium of Bologna, because many Roma fans came with their own way (personal car and with little groups in ordinary train), and the police had difficulties to check for every places.
Just before the game, about 1.000 Roma Ultras without tickets tried to enter into the stadium, and the police had to make several charges.
After the game, Bologna Ultras made incidents in the small streets surounding the stadium. They also set fire to a small bus of Roma fans.
Two Bologna fans were wounded by knives.

BK Hacken - Helsingborg - 08/11/1998

Source: Soccer Fans

The helsingborg supporters had a good turnout and wrecked parts of the Ullevi Stadium.
According to the staff at Ullevi Stadium the damage was the worst they had ever seen.
It all started after Helsingborg lost against BK Häcken with 2-1, that result also menat that Helsingborg lost the Swedish championchip. The supporters started to wreck the sektion and breake all the windows to. Outside the arena fights accured between Helsingborgs IF supporters and IFK Gothenburg supporters. A few people on both sides where beaten up and arrested. There where 38 busses with Helsingborg supporters in Gothenburg and on the way home the Helsingborg fans total damaged two of the busses and started fights all the way back to their home town, the police hade to get help from other citys. When the supporters arrived in the Helsingborg center fights accured and they started to damage some parts of the city.

UEFA decision: Knife thrown at Wisla Kraków-Parma 20/10/98 - 15/11/1998

Source: Reuters

UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body, meeting on Friday in Geneva, has decided to exclude the Polish club TS Wisla Kraków from the next UEFA competition for which the club should qualify.
The ban will remain in force for a period of five years.
The body imposed the punishment for the reprehensible act of a Wisla Kraków supporter, who threw a flick knife from the stands in the 80th minute of the UEFA Cup second round, first-leg match player Dino Baggio on his head, causing a wound which required several stitches.
In addition, the Wisla Kraków player Ryszard Czerwiec was suspended for one UEFA club competition match. Czerwiec, who was standing next to Baggio at the time of the incident, picked up the knife and threw it back into the crowd, to prevent the Italian players showing the knife to the referee.

Hellas Verona - Atalanta Bergamo - 15/11/1998

Source: Ansa

Atfer the game, the police had to use teargas towards Verona Ultras who tried to make troubles with their rival fans of Atalanta.