Newcastle v Sunderland - Northumbria Police own goal?

[Voll Blau]

http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20140107/statement-from-newcastle-and-sunderland_2281670_3608446

 

 

Newcastle United and Sunderland AFC are surprised and disappointed with the statement issued yesterday by Northumbria Police in which the force claims that the police cannot direct changes to kick-off times for the clubs' fixtures, referring in particular to the derby games.

Over a number of years both clubs have made repeated representations to Northumbria Police to try and reach agreement over kick-off times to enable a traditional 3pm kick-off, or later, to enable broadcasters to give the game consideration in the majority of their time slots for live coverage.

Police forces up and down the country have been able to police high-profile derby matches for years, including most recently the first Welsh derby in the Premier League, Cardiff v Swansea, on Sunday 3rd November at 4pm, Arsenal v Tottenham at 5.15pm on Saturday 4th January, and Manchester City v Manchester United on Sunday 22nd September at 4pm.

In recent years, Northumbria Police have rejected every request made by the clubs for later kick-off slots, including Saturday 5.30pm, Sunday 4pm and Monday 8pm.

Both clubs have evidence in the form of considerable written correspondence between Northumbria Police, the Premier League and the clubs, which contradicts their statement of yesterday.

Indeed that correspondence has stated that Northumbria Police would not be prepared to police the evening fixtures requested previously, as well as their confirmation to the Premier League in writing in January 2013 that the force would not support derby matches with kick-off times later than 1.30pm.

For Northumbria Police therefore to issue a statement stating that they do not direct changes to kick-off times is quite frankly false and absurd - and conflicts with the respectful and responsible manner in which both Newcastle United and Sunderland AFC have engaged with the police over many years with regard to the derby fixture.

In light of Northumbria Police's latest statement, Newcastle United and Sunderland AFC will now inform the Premier League that all future fixtures between the two clubs will be available for kick-off times to suit the clubs, the League and their broadcast partners, if applicable, and will expect Northumbria Police to police these games, especially given the considerable costs both clubs incur for such special police services.

After considering the police position, Sunderland AFC will be withdrawing the terms and conditions of ticket sales, which previously stated that all supporters must attend the game on official transport. The arrangements to provide complimentary buses and supporters branch transport will remain in place and Sunderland AFC advises fans that this is the safest method of travel to St James' Park.

 

 

Just goes to show how farcical policing at football is. Great to see both clubs backing their own fans and opposing the bubble.

[Trav Le Bleu]

If football fans could just get on with supporting their own teams instead of being more interested in abusing opposition fans, then this wouldn't be a problem.

[Kitchandro]

If football fans could just get on with supporting their own teams instead of being more interested in abusing opposition fans, then this wouldn't be a problem.

 

A bit of verbal abuse isn't the cause of this, it's probably more to do with things like punching horses and thousands of scumbags tearing the City centre up.

 

I have to say that my immediate reaction is, well, how can you complain after what happened the other year? If people behaved themselves they'd have every right to be outraged.

[Simmo86]

If football fans could just get on with supporting their own teams instead of being more interested in abusing opposition fans, then this wouldn't be a problem.

A derby without abusing the opposition fans kind of defeats the whole point of a derby

[Voll Blau]

A bit of verbal abuse isn't the cause of this, it's probably more to do with things like punching horses and thousands of scumbags tearing the City centre up.

 

I have to say that my immediate reaction is, well, how can you complain after what happened the other year? If people behaved themselves they'd have every right to be outraged.

 

Blaming tens of thousands for the actions of a minority are how the police have been allowed to get away with doing this for so long.

 

You can't tell me you'd be happy if these restrictions were placed on a Forest v Leicester match if one Leicester fan punched a horse on Trent Bridge?

[Fox92]

A bit of verbal abuse isn't the cause of this, it's probably more to do with things like punching horses and thousands of scumbags tearing the City centre up.

 

I have to say that my immediate reaction is, well, how can you complain after what happened the other year? If people behaved themselves they'd have every right to be outraged.

 

It always seems to be Newcastle fans smashing their own City up. I never get it.

[Kitchandro]

Blaming tens of thousands for the actions of a minority are how the police have been allowed to get away with doing this for so long.

 

You can't tell me you'd be happy if these restrictions were placed on a Forest v Leicester match if one Leicester fan punched a horse on Trent Bridge?

 

It wasn't just one fan was it? It was thousands acting up in the City centre.

 

If our fans did what they did to our City I'd expect this kind of thing to happen.

[Vacamion]

It was only April this year that this all happened:

 

 

 

 

 

The shameful scenes broke out in Newcastle yesterday when Toon fans went on the rampage in their own city centre after their 3-0 defeat to Sunderland.

A total of 29 fans were arrested and three police officers were injured during the fighting.

Wheelie bins were also set on fire and police were pelted with bottles and stones by more than 100 Newcastle supporters who gathered to attack departing Sunderland fans.

Staff at Newcastle train station are said to have locked the doors to keep out trouble-makers.

 

Tyne-Wear derby: Police said it was the worst rioting in Newcastle City centre in decades

NNP

 

A police officer at the scene told The Northern Echo: "This is the worst rioting I have seen in the city centre for decades."

Another witness said: "It was terrifying and complete chaos. The fans were chucking flares, bits of pavement, rocks, anything they could get their hands on.

"Wheelie bins were set alight causing the police horses to rear up in fear.

"I don't know if anybody has been hurt or not."

 

Target: Riot police are pelted by fans with bottles and stones

 

 

 

They have made their own bed.

[rico]

Blaming tens of thousands for the actions of a minority are how the police have been allowed to get away with doing this for so long.

 

You can't tell me you'd be happy if these restrictions were placed on a Forest v Leicester match if one Leicester fan punched a horse on Trent Bridge?

I saw a Leicester fan punch a police horse after a Forest game in the 80s

[Vacamion]

I meant LAST year, of course.

 

Forgot the calendar had clicked on another notch...

 

[Trav Le Bleu]

A bit of verbal abuse isn't the cause of this, it's probably more to do with things like punching horses and thousands of scumbags tearing the City centre up.

 

I have to say that my immediate reaction is, well, how can you complain after what happened the other year? If people behaved themselves they'd have every right to be outraged.

 

 

A derby without abusing the opposition fans kind of defeats the whole point of a derby

 

I wasn't talking about verbal abuse - if that's all it was, the police wouldn't be there would they?

[AndWhat?]

A Victory for the fans, fair play Sunderland. 

[Nick]

It always seems to be Newcastle fans smashing their own City up. I never get it.

 

Yeah I spent some time there a few years back and this is so true. I've seen drunk fans levering up paving stones and throwing them through pubs and hotel and shop windows in their own city.

 

It's no wonder the police don't want to manage the disorder later in the day when they are all boozed up........

[AndWhat?]

It was only April this year that this all happened:

They have made their own bed.

Out of the 96 fans attested because of what happened in April, only 6 had actually been to the game......

No need to punish the entire fan base because of some idiots.

[Vacamion]

Out of the 96 fans attested because of what happened in April, only 6 had actually been to the game......

No need to punish the entire fan base because of some idiots.

 

 

Whether they have been to game or not, the unrest was associated with the game and appears to have been sparked by events at the game. 

 

If staging the game at a certain time increases the likelihood that 90 idiots are going to rampage through the city centre (whether they have been to the game or not), or if there is a possibility that the game kicking off at that time might decrease the ability of the policy to contain any unrest, you are going  to struggle to convince anyone, most of all the police, that the game should be allowed to kick off at that time. 

 

I agree that this is not fair on well behaved fans who are at the game, but the police having bottles and bricks lobbed at them outside isn't fair either.

[Dan]

Whether they have been to game or not, the unrest was associated with the game and appears to have been sparked by events at the game. 

 

If staging the game at a certain time increases the likelihood that 90 idiots are going to rampage through the city centre (whether they have been to the game or not), or if there is a possibility that the game kicking off at that time might decrease the ability of the policy to contain any unrest, you are going  to struggle to convince anyone, most of all the police, that the game should be allowed to kick off at that time. 

 

I agree that this is not fair on well behaved fans who are at the game, but the police having bottles and bricks lobbed at them outside isn't fair either.

 

So what's the solution? Cancel the game completely?

 

It's about time we started actually punishing the troublemakers rather than inconveniencing/watering down the experience of everyone else.

[Vacamion]

So what's the solution? Cancel the game completely?

 

It's about time we started actually punishing the troublemakers rather than inconveniencing/watering down the experience of everyone else.

 

It's the troublemakers spoiling it for the other fans, not the law.

 

IMO, the solution is to police it in ways which minimise the opportunity for unrest like this (yes, sadly, that might include kick off times), for the courts to come down hard on those who are involved in such unrest and for the rest of society to get behind the forces and processes of law and order, rather than caring more about whether some people at a football game (which is, after all, only a game) might be mildly incovenienced. 

 

[Dan]

It's the troublemakers spoiling it for the other fans, not the law.

 

IMO, the solution is to police it in ways which minimise the opportunity for unrest like this (yes, sadly, that might include kick off times), for the courts to come down hard on those who are involved in such unrest and for the rest of society to get behind the forces and processes of law and order, rather than caring more about whether some people at a football game (which is, after all, only a game) might be mildly incovenienced. 

 

 

The way to stop them is to actually deter them from doing it in the first place. Make it a genuine risk for those going to look for trouble in the first place.

 

I really don't think making it an early kick off will prevent trouble. Troublemakers will find a way regardless of kick off time.