Fans behaviour at Major games

[HappyG]

A couple of points if I may

Rangers are a Scottish team - When it looked like they may win it they were promoted to a British team by the media and then busted back to a Scottish team when they lost.

The fans wern't Scottish - They had came from all over.
The t.v showed interviews with fans and there was plenty from N.I. and England present in the square

If you watch one of the videos (from the Sun I believe) you can hear all sorts of accents.
The Army medic who saved the copper had an English accent - He saved the copper but was right in the middle of the trouble.

Manchester should have been more prepared - Celtic took 80,000 - 100,000 to Portugal in 2003 so it should have been obvious that a similer number where going to travel a couple of hours down to Manchester.
People on 5 live where quoting the council and police were expecting 2000 - 10,000 soo they were totally unprepared if that was the case

The Fanzones should have been set up in field miles away from the city centre and they could have done as much damage (to nothing - empty field with just them in it) as they wanted.

There always will be an element of people who go to these events merely to cause trouble
The Russian fans came with a reputation and that is all that is needed to get these people there and set them off
There are enough pictures of those involved and the should be circulated by the police and media and then they should be hauled into court and hammered
I personally would remove their passports for life so they can explain to there family that they can't have holidays abroad because dads a kn0b

I live next to York racecourse and we see the urinating in the street (men and women) the place get covered in litter
We see people sitting outside pubs ate 0900 with crates waiting for the pubs to open
I know people who book days off to go to the racing and spend the day watching the racing in the pub and can't stand by 1500!
On big race days (20,000+) the town centre is like a battlefield but then so is most Saturdays if you want to go looking for it you can find it.

It will always happen the common denominator is drink once people are drunk it can spark off in a second and people will join in without even knowing why they are doing it

Hurrah for common sense i was in Manchester for the final arrived at 1pm all the off licences had been open since 6 am and had sold out there were loads of people trousered by 2pm. The Alleged Fanzones were far to inadeqate to house the volume of people. And thankfully only a handful of morons took part in the aftermath i would call 42 arrests out of 100,000+ people a good well be haved crowd. If Manchester wants to blame anyone for the minor trouble caused they should look at themselves for blatant profiteering by allowing Off Licences to open at 6 am and pubs charging over £4 a pint. As for the big screen going off in Picadilly Gardens i was told by a policeman friend of mine that the descion was taken by the police to turn it off on health and saftey grounds as an area for 10,000 people had more than 30,000 in it. Ok turn it off but not 15 mins before kick off. Thankfully most Rangers Fans enjoyed the Day apart from the result but as usual our clubs good name has been sullied by a hand full of A***holes and not all of them from Scotland............

 

[Soupdragon]

sorry to drag this subject up again but just found the log of the nights occurrences at Manchester Piccadilly station. It doesn't make pleasant reading.

NR = National Rail, TPE = Trans Pennine Express

EVENTS
Date Time Co Description
14/05 2200 NR Call received from the TPE station staff at Manchester Piccadilly advising that football supporters are walking on the track on platforms 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, train running stopped, BTP are in attendance, but the large volume of passengers is growing.
14/05 2210 NR TPE Radio conversations confirm the passenger volumes are un-manageable, TPE staff have withdrawn from the platforms, all passengers are now clear of the lines, but there is no train dispatch staff.
14/05 2220 NR Call received from the Network Rail Station Manager, at Manchester Piccadilly advises that preparations are underway to evacuate Manchester Piccadilly, due the volume of passenger and the unsafe conditions.
14/05 2241 NR Station Manager at Manchester Piccadilly advises that Manchester Piccadilly is now closed due to disorder.
14/05 2242 NR Station Manager at Manchester Piccadilly advises Platform 13 & 14 are now closed due to disorder, Station staff have withdrawn from the platform.
14/05 2245 NR BT Police Control Sergeant informed of events and that the station staff are afraid to leave their office, will arrange for officers to accompany the station staff to despatch trains they also reported that GM Police are sending a Tactical Support Group to the station to assist BT Police in gaining control.
14/05 2254 NR Station Manager at Manchester Piccadilly advises Platforms 1 TO 9 are now open.
14/05 2258 NR Report received from the Conductor on 1N70 21:47hrs Manchester Airport to Blackpool North advising that when he passed through Deansgate Station, he heard a thud on the side of the unit, and he thought someone had fell between the train and the platform. MPSCC advised and they utilised 2H90 21:36hrs Clitheroe to Buxton to examine the line.

BTP advised, log reference 738
14/05 2303 NR Route Control Manager advises that the Driver of 2H90 has reported the line all clear, nothing seen. BTP updated.
14/05 2304 NR Northern Trains Station Manager contacted and informs that the BT Poice have just arrived to accompany the station staff on their duties, also reported that several members of Northern Trains station staff have been assaulted. TPE Control Manager also reports that they have had their Operations Manager assaulted on the platform. Network Rail station manager informs no reported injuries to Network Rail employee's.
14/05 2307 NR MPSCC advises that train running has resumed on Platform 14.
14/05 2311 NR MPSCC advises that Platforms 9 to 14 are blocked again, passengers are running lineside.
14/05 2327 NR MPSCC advises that Platforms 13 and 14 are now open, they still have a few passengers trespassers on the remaining platforms / track.
14/05 2329 NR Manchester Piccadilly now fully operational, services still being delayed due to volume of passengers and difficulties dispatching trains.
15/05 0005 NR Manchester Piccadilly Station Manager informs that a number of coaches have arrived at the station's Fairfield street entrance to take passengers to Preston and Blackpool.
15/05 0015 NR 1N71 2247 Manchester Airport - Blackpool North has been stood at Manchester Oxford Road station as the guard is unable to leave his cab and passengers are holding the doors open, passengers have attempted to drag the driver out of the window he is now secure and no injuries have been reported. Six BT Police officers are on the station but can not make their way through to the train.
15/05 0021 NR Northern Trains inform that 2D48 2309 Manchester Picc - Chester is cancelled after the passengers started vandalising units 142061 & 142026, the guard has left the train and the driver alighted via the window as passengers would not let him leave by the door. Train cancelled.
15/05 0033 NR TPE inform that there are large crowds blocking the road access to Manchester Piccadilly station (estimated +10,000 with approximately half trying to get to Preston or Blackpool), BT Police informed and confirm that officers are attempting to clear a route for the bus and coach services. There is also +1000 people at Manchester Oxford Road.
15/05 0037 NR 1N71 departs Manchester Oxford Road (81' late).
15/05 0045 NR Northern Trains inform 323235 has had a door badly damaged by passengers at Manchester Piccadilly (working additional service 2T11 2340 Manchester Picc - Manchester Airport), unit taken out of service. 142014 various windows smashed at Manchester Piccadilly station - taken out of service.
15/05 0426 NR Manchester Piccadilly station staff report there are still lots of football fans in Manchester and the numbers are starting to build up again at Manchester Piccadilly station. BT Police informed have officers on the station monitoring the situation. GM Central (G. Openshaw) updated and is enroute to the station to oversee events and clean up.