Police guards on football trains

**4me2** · 5th January 2006

Police are to accompany travelling football fans on trains this weekend

A large police presence is planned for the region's rail routes in a bid to deter trouble from rival football fans.
British Transport Police have expressed worries about thousands of football supporters on trains this weekend.
Fans from West Ham and Portsmouth will travel on the same routes through Essex for matches against Norwich and Ipswich in the FA Cup.
The police failed in a bid to persuade the FA to move one game to Sunday as it would cause fixture clutter.
Officials said the request was turned down because they "ran out of options" in trying to satisfy police requirements across the whole country and also the needs of clubs taking part.
In East Anglia, there will be an increased police presence on the route from London's Liverpool Street station.
Concern over fixtures
Engineering works on Saturday will cause additional problems because it will close a section of the track, forcing all the supporters onto replacement bus services.
Portsmouth supporters have been urged not to travel to Ipswich by train, although British Transport Police insist that advice was given to the club because of the "severe disruption" expected and not as a way of avoiding potential flashpoints.
A British Transport Police spokesman said: "There were a number of games we asked about and the authorities changed some of them but they ran out of options in the end.
"We did express concern over these fixtures. This isn't ideal but we have got an operation planned. There will be travelling officers on all the trains and buses. "We are not anticipating any major problems, but it is a concern."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4583252.stm

**foxy11** · 5th January 2006

they should end up causing sufficient hassle to justify their overtime then, nothing like police at football to get a crowd of people angry

**WalterPill** · 5th January 2006

They'll have a few on our Cardiff to Paddington I'm sure but I'm not too worried, South Wales Old Bill are generally OK. They take the jokey/smiley/matey approach as opposed to the fascist/beligerant/authoritarian tack of Old Bill elsewhere in the UK.

As long as they don't have sniffer dogs

.

**CzarJunkie** · 5th January 2006

They used to do this back in the 80's, although they had football specials then too. I'm not surprised they stopped them though, the seats used to burn too well and the windows popped out surprisingly easily.

AD · 5th January 2006

Still have Football Specials sometimes at the Reebok. 2 Carriges for shit loads of fans, No wonder ppl get pissed off waiting and start scrapping.

-=AD=-

**Snotty** · 5th January 2006

Loads of teams in London this weekend with big followings, Huddersfield, Cardiff and Everton for starters. The piggies will be earning their brass for once.

**WalterPill** · 5th January 2006

We have around 6000 fans with tickets and I personally know 30-40 lads without. I'd estimate that cardiff will be taking 7000 to that there london on saturday. Drinking around Paddington before the game for a while, probably in that big pub opposite the station where you have to climb the stairs to get in, can't remember the name and we've been allocated pubs in Drayton Park and on the Holloway Road.

**Snotty** · 5th January 2006

4,000 Everton off to Millwall, will mainly be around Tower Bridge. Seriously I dunno how the police are gonna keep tabs on the thousands of fans coming down to London

Possibility of kick offs between you lot and Huddersfield me thinks, they are taking a shitload down to Chelsea and I've seen trouble first hand between the two sets of fans in the past. Think the Drayton Arms is one of the pubs that will be reserved for you, good boozer that.

You'll get to see Arsenal's new ground too, looks amazing.

**WalterPill** · 5th January 2006

Drayton Arms is one of our boozers and I've already heard good things in the vein of it beig 'britains best away fans pub'.

It has gone off between or lot and Huddersfield before, their old bill are fucking awful and treat you like shit but I doubt there'll be a meeting this weekend. It's more likely to go off with Spurs or Millwall who'll be twiddling their thumbs on the saturday or even Arsenal. Arsenal have supposedly reassembled an '80s super firm' for the occasion but like my mate said the other day, 'who cares? they were shit in the eighties as well'.

**Snotty** · 6th January 2006

Yeah good boozer is the Drayton. Fancy a meeting at 12 at Tower Bridge? You bring your tops boys and I'll bring webslinger, yorkshire bantam, copey123, foxy and lombie

**WalterPill** · 6th January 2006

DF All Stars v CCFC Soul Crew? Nah, we'd end up in the thames.

**VeRbIeR** · 7th January 2006

will be getting in2 London about 11 tomorrow morning, going straight to the coronet. C'mon bluebirds

**Snotty** · 7th January 2006

Off for me train soon...fooking love away days in the cup, can't beat em. Will be in Kings Cross for 10, straight into scotty's bar for some quick titty action then onto Tower Bridge. Fooking cmon Everton!!!!!!!!!