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Non è solo la stampa britannica a chiedersi come mai la coppa di Lega abbia calamitato, in tempi recenti, così tanti incidenti tra le tifoserie ma è lo stesso sponsor ad interrogarsi dopo i tafferugli occorsi in Barnsley-Man U ( foto )che hanno portato all’arresto di dieci persone. Al di là delle possibili sanzioni che potrebbero colpire i clubs almeno dal punto di vista economico, mentre West Ham e Millwall restano in procinto di subire provvedimenti ancora più pesanti nonostante abbiano presentato elementi a discarico per il mancato controllo dei rispettivi supporters, le indagini si sarebbero concentrate su un “mob” dei “Red Devils” chiamato “Moston Rats”. Un sostenitore del Rochester è stato accusato di avere aggredito un direttore di gara ed alcuni tifosi, grazie ad un video emerse solo ora, potrebbero essere identificati per i disordini accaduti nel corso della finale della scorsa edizione di “Champions’ League” che vide scendere in campo a Roma, contro il Barcellona, proprio il Manchester United. Prosegue la stucchevole polemica a distanza tra Capello e Petrucci avente a tema se siano più gestibili le tifoserie italiane o quelle inglesi. Dopo che il mister dei “bianchi” si era scagliato contro i nostri ultras, questa volta sono state le autorità sportive italiane a ricordargli come la parola “hooligans” venga dall’ Inghilterra e non dal nostro Paese.
FA launch probe into Red Devil ‘Rats’ riot
Irish Independent
29 October 2009
By Sam Wallace and Mark Ogden
Manchester United fans are blaming a dangerous new “firm” of supporters associated with the club for the looting of a food kiosk during the Carling Cup fourth-round game against Barnsley at Oakwell that will result in a Football Association investigation.The 30-strong group of teenagers, thought to be aged between 16 and 18 years old, style themselves as the ‘Moston Rats’ and come from the tough north Manchester district. They are thought to have been behind the raid on the kiosk which resulted in staff locking themselves in a stock cupboard as the till and food and drinks were stolen.The Moston Rats have become a source of concern for more experienced United fans who follow the club home and away.Fifteen minutes before half-time, the fans came up for beer expecting the bar to be open, but the police had asked for it to be closed. That was the reason it all kicked off.”The fans kicked down the door of the beer bar, jumped the counter and stole the beer. The police came in and restored order in that bar and the fans then moved on further down the concourse and attacked the two food bars — one at each end of the concourse. The fans jumped over the counter and, in one case, kicked the door in and started attacking the staff with tomato sauce Even by the occasionally wayward standards of the club’s fans in the 1970s and 1980s, this latest phenomenon are thought to be the worst yet. “The Rats are an embarrassment to the Red Army,” said one poster on an online forum.Anecdotal evidence from United supporters among the 4,000 travelling fans at Oakwell who watched the 2-0 victory suggested that the lack of security around the North Stand kiosk had prompted the aggression from certain sectors of the support. Many of the fans had made a day of the trip to Yorkshire and had been drinking all day.Of the seven arrests, the two pitch invaders were Barnsley fans. A statement from the FA said it was gathering evidence from both clubs and South Yorkshire police. “There is no place for anti-social or violent behaviour in our game.”The Championship club are considering hitting United with a five-figure repair bill for damage caused by their fans during a looting spree described as “robbery with violence” by Barnsley general manager Don Rowing.South Yorkshire Police and the Football Association have begun separate investigations into the ugly scenes that led to female kiosk staff barricading themselves in during the unrest. And Jan Framp, catering manager at Oakwell, said her staff were left in tears.She said: “.
d
Terrified
“All of our staff are teenagers and they were absolutely terrified. They backed into the storeroom and locked themselves in. Fortunately nobody was injured.“Rowing said: “I’m very angry that people could do what they have done. Not just in terms of the damage they have caused, but to threaten the staff and steal the money.South Yorkshire Police are to contact both clubs in an effort to identify the perpetrators of the violence and United, who distributed tickets through a ballot of members, have condemned those involved for damaging the club’s reputation.A United spokesman said: “The thugs who spoil the reputation of the team and fellow supporters have no place at Manchester United. We will support any actions taken should the culprits be identified and we would support the pursuit of banning orders by the police on anyone convicted of any offence.”Both clubs could be punished by the FA as a result of incidents on and off the pitch during United’s win. While United will be investigated for the behaviour of their supporters, Barnsley will also be under the spotlight as a result of two fans who entered the playing area and kicked a ball into the United net in second-half stoppage time.United will also be the subject of a Uefa control and disciplinary body meeting in Nyon today after a fan invaded the pitch during the Champions League victory over Wolfsburg last month. They face a fine or a reprimand.
Carling Cup in danger of becoming magnet for hooligans
The Times
29 October 2009
James Ducker
United braced for charges after night of shame
Carling, the sponsor of the League Cup, has condemned the hooliganism at Oakwell on Tuesday night but vowed to stand by the competition.Seven people were arrested after trouble flared during Manchester United’s 2-0 fourth-round victory against Barnsley, the second time that crowd trouble has marred the competition this season.The ugly scenes, which included terrified staff being forced to hide in a storeroom as fans ran riot, came within hours of police releasing pictures of 66 people they want to speak to in connection with the violence that blighted West Ham United’s game against Millwall in the competition in August.A total of 41 people were arrested after the disorder at Upton Park, of which 29 have been charged and ten are on bail, although both clubs have appealed a total of seven FA charges emanating from the game, including a charge of failing to ensure that fans refrained from racist behaviour.The violence, combined with incidents at Cardiff and Carlisle earlier in the season, have raised concerns that the lower demand for tickets is in danger of turning English football’s second-tier cup competition into a magnet for troublemakers.Despite the negative publicity, Carling, which is in the first of a three-year deal with the Football League, has insisted that it will honour its agreement to sponsor a competition it has been associated with since 2003, although the brewer did lead the chorus of condemnation yesterday for the outbreak of thuggish behaviour.Carling said: “Our sponsorships are intended to strengthen communities, by bringing people together for a sociable event. It is very disappointing that a small minority of so-called fans should spoil it for others.”United also denounced the actions of those fans who went on the rampage, storming the catering outlets in the concourse of the North Stand that housed the 6,000-strong army of visiting supporters and looting tills, while Barnsley, South Yorkshire Police and the FA — who insisted there was “no place for anti-social or violent behaviour in our game” — stepped up their own investigations.The FA was sifting through the reports it received yesterday from Chris Foy, the referee, and one of its crowd-control advisers, who was present at the match, as United braced themselves for a series of charges. Barnsley were busy assisting the police as they studied CCTV footage in an effort to identify further culprits.Four United supporters had been arrested as of yesterday, two men, aged 22 and 24, for public-order offences, a 26-year-old man for theft and a 32-year-old man for throwing a missile on to the pitch. In a separate incident, three Barnsley fans were arrested for invading the pitch towards the end of the game.The trouble is understood to have flared after some United fans reacted angrily to the Barnsley catering staff’s refusal to serve them alcohol at half-time. Eight caterers were trapped inside a food kiosk and had to barricade themselves in a storeroom for 25 minutes to escape the violence as fans broke in, stealing money and food and causing thousands of pounds’ worth of damage.Police reacted by lining up with dogs in front of United supporters during the second half and were subsequently pelted with missiles by a minority. One officer suffered a minor facial injury in the process.Don Rowing, a Barnsley director, is concerned for the future safety of the club’s catering staff and said that the club would now have to install grilles in all bar areas in the section for visiting fans.“Last night I was disappointed, today I’m very angry,” Rowing said yesterday. “We have pre-match briefings with the police, stewards and clubs before every match and look closely at every risk assessment, but this incident came out of the blue. How do you legislate for the behaviour of idiots?“What concerns me is not so much the damage, but the way these thugs treated our young staff. Manchester United, in general, have very wellbehaved fans, but there was a minority group hellbent on causing trouble because they could not have what they wanted. We did not allow the sale of alcohol at half-time and they couldn’t accept our decision. It’s mob rule and we have no option other than to protect our staff in the future behind iron bars.”Jan Framp, area manager for Lindley Catering, the company that ran the kiosks, said that her staff had been left “extremely frightened” by the ordeal. “They kicked the doors in and then ransacked the beer bar,” she said. “They ripped the water boilers off the counters and trashed everything.”United do not usually get such large allocations for away matches, although the violence is thought to have been mainly the work of a small hardcore mob of between 50 and 100. Only for league matches away to Wigan Athletic and Blackburn Rovers do the club receive ticket allocations of a similar size and games against both of those clubs have passed without incident in recent years.One United fan present, a solicitor who travels home and away but who asked not to be named, claimed that some of those involved in the skirmishes did not appear to be regular followers of the team and were “intent only on creating trouble”. Others claimed on United forums yesterday that fans entered the ground without tickets.Tickets were allocated after a ballot of members, according to United, and did not go on open sale. Given the loyalty system in place at Old Trafford, however, season-ticket holders and regular match-day supporters may have applied for tickets but sold them on to others.Indeed, given that ticket prices are generally lower and not in as great demand for Carling Cup matches as for games in the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League, it is not uncommon to see fans who do not regularly attend United matches at such ties. Clubs’ policies also vary about including Carling Cup matches within season-ticket deals, which can also lead to more tickets available for general sale.United insist that they will ban any guilty parties for life. They said: “The thugs who spoil the reputations of the team and fellow supporters have no place at Manchester United.”The latest outbreak of Carling Cup violence is the last thing that the competition needs having regained significance in recent years after several seasons in which it was undermined by top clubs fielding weakened sides.In an interview unrelated to the hooliganism, Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager mounted a strong defence of the Carling Cup. He said: “I won’t have it lightly dismissed, because over the years the Carling Cup has enabled me to put some of the younger players into the team alongside more established stars, to see how they react and blend.”
Catalogue of disorder mars competition
Violence has taken place at several Carling Cup ties this season, writes Tom Dart.
August 25 A man was stabbed and there was serious disorder inside and outside Upton Park when West Ham United hosted Millwall. A total of 41 people were arrested, of which 29 have been charged.
August 26 Twelve fans were arrested when police were attacked at Cardiff Central station after a tie between Cardiff City and Bristol Rovers.
September 22 Nine people were arrested, eight from Hampshire, following disturbances in Carlisle after Carlisle United’s match against Portsmouth. There were also three arrests outside Elland Road for public-order offences after Leeds United hosted Liverpool.
• Serious incidents in past years including the death of an Aston Villa steward as Villa and Queens Park Rangers fans fought in 2004.
• A year earlier there were about 100 arrests before and after Tottenham Hotspur played West Ham at White Hart Lane.
Hunt on for ear-biting football yob
PA
29 October 2009
A football hooligan who bit off part of a man’s ear before a Champions League final is being hunted by police after the attack was caught on camera.
The assault came before the start of May’s European Cup clash between Manchester United and Barcelona inside the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.As thousands of fans waited for the game to start the suspect launched his assault and bit off part of his victim’s ear before disappearing into the crowd.Officers from Greater Manchester Police have now recovered mobile phone footage from a spectator at the game who filmed the aftermath.Police said the victim, aged 46, had intervened during a row between the offender and a woman outside the stadium about an hour before the match, on May 27. The suspect threatened the victim and the men went their separate ways.But shortly before the match started, the suspect saw the victim again inside the stadium and without provocation, launched the attack.The suspect was wearing a blue Manchester United away shirt with the letters DEE and number 38 on the back.Det Con Alex Robinson, from Greater Manchester Police’s Force Football Intelligence Unit, said: “The victim had done absolutely nothing to warrant such a vicious attack and has been left permanently scarred by the assault.”As any decent person would, he simply came to the aid of a woman who was being picked upon by this man outside the stadium but thought that was the end of the matter. I am very keen to find this person in order to prevent him from going to any future football matches here or abroad as he is clearly not a football supporter.”
Rochester man accused of attacking football referee
RocNow
28 October 2009
Victoria E. Freile
A Rochester man accused of assaulting a football referee after an amateur game last week, pleaded not guilty today in City Court.Leon R. Woods, 23, was charged with first-degree assault, a felony, in connection with the attack on Pete McCabe, 54, of Lakeville, Livingston County. Woods is listed as a player with the Western New York Cougars, an amateur team from Rochester, and is accused of intentionally swinging his helmet and striking McCabe in the face after a game at Edgerton Park Saturday night, according to City Court documents.McCabe suffered severe lacerations, a broken jaw and nose and internal injuries, according to court documents.McCabe was one of several officials at the game, an end-of season playoff game between Rochester and Utica.City Court Judge Stephen T. Miller today issued an order of protection for McCabe. Woods was remanded to the Monroe County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $30,000 bond. Woods is slated to return to court for a preliminary hearing at 11 a.m. Monday.Rochester Police Officer LaRon Singletary said Woods was apprehended about 11 p.m. yesterday, on Empire Boulevard.Woods’ attorney Joe Dinolfo said he spoke with Woods yesterday evening, before Woods was taken into custod“It was his intention to turn himself in, but Rochester Police got to his workplace first,” he said.Dinolfo said he has “a lot of questions” about the case.Several other officials at Saturday’s game told police that several players were causing problems at the game. Two players – though not Woods – were ejected from the game, said referee Charlie Sovocool, 48, who also officiated Saturday’s game.After the game, referee Robert Lockhart, 54, told police that he saw a player running down the sideline, holding his helmet.“He than ran up to (McCabe) and swung his helmet like a weapon,” Lockhart said. “It was like a roundhouse punch. He hit (McCabe) right in his face.”McCabe immediately went limp and fell to the ground, he said. Blood was gushing from his face, he said.Sovocool, said the player stood over McCabe, telling him to “take that” before walking out of the stadium.“It was absolutely shocking,” he said. “You just don’t expect to see anyone strike someone like that – not with that force.”Sovocool said while fights do occur at games, Saturday’s incident seemed excessive and out of place.McCabe’s father Peter McCabe Sr. of Pittsford said today that he was thrilled to hear of the arrest, but said he didn’t understand why such an act of violence was necessary in a recreational game.“I’m glad he’s been caught, so now justice can prevail,” he said.The elder McCabe said his son is in good spirits, but in quite a bit of pain. McCabe’s jaw is wired shut and he cannot eat. He is scheduled to undergo facial reconstruction surgery at Strong Memorial Hospital on Friday, he said.“My wife and I are very grateful that he’s alive and that his prognosis is good,” McCabe said of his injured son. “But he’s going to be scarred for life.”Pete McCabe has been a football referee for about 25 years, and is part of the Rochester Chapter of Certified Football Officials. He operates a trucking business that’s based out of Canandaigua.Ric Hamblin, president of the Rochester Chapter of Certified Football Officials, said the group was horrified by the attack. But rather than focus on what went wrong, he’s rather focus on supporting McCabe through his recovery process.“Peter McCabe is an outstanding football official, as well as an outstanding individual, He said. “More importantly, he is our friend, and a member of our family.”
Hooligan an English word, Fabio Capello told
The Times
29 October 2009
Tom Dart
Row over Italian football intensifies as England manager faces further wrath from his fellow countrymen
The row over Fabio Capello’s claim that hardcore supporters are spoiling Italian football intensified yesterday when the head of Italy’s Olympic Committee rejected the England manager’s comments and dismissed the idea that Serie A has anything to learn from the English game.Gianni Petrucci, who had already contested Capello’s comments on Monday, did so again yesterday and added specific references to English football’s reputation that seem harder to refute after Tuesday’s violence in the Carling Cup at Oakwell and at Upton Park last August“Sporting culture certainly cannot come from the English,” Petrucci said. “The word ‘hooligan’ comes from English. I don’t forget that the English were banned from European competition for five years and that did not happen here.”The Heysel disaster of 1985, when Liverpool met Juventus in Brussels and 39 Italian and Belgian fans died, led to a five-year ban on English clubs participating in Europe.Petrucci admitted that Italy had suffered hooliganism problems in recent years but said that “giant steps” had been made to bring it under control.Still, the “ultra” culture remains influential. Roma’s hardcore fans have become notorious after a series of stabbing incidents at high-profile European fixtures including Arsenal’s visit in last season’s Champions League. AC Milan’s first pre-season training session last summer was disrupted by a mass supporter protest. Davide Ballardini, the Lazio coach, was forced to switch pitches in training on Tuesday, when fans protesting against his side’s poor form set off fire-crackers.Capello irritated many of his countrymen this week when he said that stadiums in Spain and Britain are more family-friendly. The Italian game is keen to boost its image given the perception that Serie A’s standards have slipped and since the nation is hoping to host the 2016 European Championships.