News Mass brawl at the VPG
Police struggled to keep the crowds under control.
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Soccer fans have launched a blistering attack on Goole Football Club and the police after crowd trouble marred what should have been one of the biggest days in the club's history.
Trouble flared on Saturday afternoon during The Vikings' home tie against FC United of Manchester in the President's Cup semi-final.
As the violent scenes unfolded at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds many young fans were seen screaming in terror as fights broke out and missiles were hurled during a prolonged stand-off between the two sets of fans.
The violence spoiled what should have been a showpiece occasion for the Pleasure Grounds, which recorded its highest attendance for a football game in over 20 years.
During the skirmishes - which mainly occurred in the first-half and just before the game - one man suffered a broken ankle and head injuries and several people were bitten by police dogs.
Baton-wielding police - who had to call for reinforcements after struggling to keep the fans apart - made numerous arrests for public-order offences and several fans were ejected from the ground.
Vikings fans who witnessed the mayhem this week blamed Goole AFC for being "unprepared" for the huge United travelling contingent and also the police for being understaffed and "heavy-handed" in their treatment of supporters.
One fan, who asked not to be named, said: "I've been coming to watch Goole for 10 years and I've never seen anything like that - it was absolutely horrendous. The club and the police were both to blame for being unprepared."
At one stage during the cup-tie - which, to add to the misery of home supporters, Goole lost 3-1 - some of the Manchester fans surged towards the Marcus Street end where the Goole fans were standing.
A thin police line - including several police community support officers - managed to keep the baying visitors pegged back as many of the home supporters fled in terror.
Bottles hurled by United supporters reined down on Goole fans as police were forced to segregate the two sets of fans.
Among the fleeing crowd of supporters were parents with young children and girls who screamed in terror.
It is alleged that one young boy who picked a bottle up and handed it to police was set upon by a police dog.
In the main stand just before kick-off, scuffles broke out in the main stand, where United fans mingled with home supporters.
One United fan was seen lying on the ground, apparently semi-conscious, after being punched by a Goole fan.
Police had to move the Goole fans out of the main stand to the Marcus Street end to prevent further flare-ups.
As the first-half progressed the tensions eased a little but, during the half-time interval, troubled brewed again when the two sets of supporters began winding each other up with offensive chants.
Reinforcements were called for and by half-time baton-wielding officers, police dogs and public-orders officers arrived to bolster the police presence.
By full-time up to 20 police vehicles - including several riot vans - were parked in the streets surrounding the ground to prevent further trouble after the game.
Both club officials, fans and even the local MP - who was a a guest-of-honour at the game - have expressed their dismay at the way a game that had been so eagerly anticipated by so many was ruined by mindless behaviour.
FC United, who regularly attract more than 3,000 to their home games in Bury, brought more than 600 of their own supporters to a game which attracted a total of 967 spectators.
The club, which plays in the Unibond North League, was formed three years ago by disgruntled Manchester United fans who wanted to establish their own breakway club after American tycoon Malcolm Glazer took control of the club, saddling it with huge debts.
Many have blamed Satursday's crowd trouble on Leeds United fans who allegedly 'hijacked' the game to pursue their long-held, bitter rivalry with Manchester United fans.
The surge by United fans happened when a section of the Goole support began chanting songs about the Munich Air Disaster, which claimed the lives of eight Manchester United players in 1958.
United fans retorted by singing 'There's only one Peter Risdale', a barbed reference to the ex-Leeds United chairman who many blame for the club going into adminstration several years ago.
One spectator, a Goole fan who went to the game with his son, said: "It was absolute mayhem - I've never seen anything like it at the Pleasure Grounds.
"I must say Goole - both the club and the police - got it all wrong. Why on earth did they let the Goole fans mingle with the United supporters?
"It was all handled wrongly. To me it just shows that Goole can't handle big crowds. They should have had a game plan - if they did have one it didn't work."
The supporter, who asked not to be named, said he was astonished to see one Goole fan hand a bottle to police that had been hurled at him by a United fan - only to be set upon by a police dog.
"There were three or four people bitten by dogs; one of the dogs jumped up at me and grabbed my jacket as I was leaving. It would be comical if it wasn't so frightening.
"The police actions were heavy-handed, to say the least."
Another Goole supporter, who also asked not to be named, said: "I spoke to two policeman on the way to the ground and they said they had not been informed about any potential problems.
"They said they were quite happy with everything, but I think they were a bit unprepared and the police community support officers didn't have a clue what was going on."
Some fans are now calling for another turnstile to be put in place at the Dunhill Road end of the ground to allow home and away supporters to enter the ground at different points.
One fan said the club should install a fence with a locked gate inside the ground to segregate home and away support.
Chairman Des O'Hearne said he was so upset by the crowd trouble he was on the verge of resigning after the game.
He also hit back at criticism from fans about the way the club prepared for the game and claimed spectators were equally at fault.
"Our fans might be upset about it but the chairman is upset too - so much so I was thinking of resigning," he said.
"Everybody was horrified, but how can you prepare for a crowd that comes to create havoc? This ground became a crucible for Leeds and Manchester United rivalries. I think it was all set up and oprganised.
"It's all right fans criticising, but it was hard to control. I told the stewards to keep the fans segregated but some of our fans ignored the advice. I don't know about the club not being ready for it - it didn't seem the spectators were either."
Mr O'Hearne added: "It's a terrible day in the history of Goole FC but there are other days to look forward to and we have to get on with the job in hand - which is getting promotion to the Unibond Premier."
Goole MP Mr Cawsey, who was Mr O'Hearne's guest at the match, moved from the main stand to the Dunhill Road end after the trouble flared.
He said: "When I talked to the Goole fans about what had gone on they said to me that the trouble was not caused by people from Goole, but by the torturous relationship between Leeds and Manchester United fans.
"It seemed to me that, sadly, what was a huge event for our club ended up with a fight between Leeds and Manchester United supporters, which is awful really and put a dampener on the day.
"It spoiled what should have been a great day for Goole FC and its supporters."
Despite the viloence during the game - which attracted the highest crowd seen in Goole since the old Goole Town team played Scarborough in an FA Cup match in 1987 - there appeared to have been little trouble outside the ground or in any of the local bars.
Bob Pearce, a steward at the Railway Club on Carter Street, said: "We didn't get an ounce of trouble. Lots of United fans came in here before the game to watch the Man United-Portsmouth game on TV, and they were all very well behaved."
A spokeswoman for Humberside Police said that during the disturbances a 34-year-old Goole man suffered a head injury and a fractured ankle. He was taken to Doncaster Royal Informary for treatment and had since been allowed home.
A number of people were arrested on suspcion of public-order offences and issued with £80 fixed-penalty notices.
The spokeswoman added: "Fans were allowed to leave the ground at separate times in an attempt to keep the sets of fans apart."
Chief Inspector Mark Stainforth said: "There was a need to create a visible segregation between the home and away fans in order to ensure the safety of the public, the stewards and officers present.
"In order to do this it was necessary to involve the police dogs and also for officers to raise batons. No one was struck with a baton, but a number of people sustained dog bites.
"It is alleged whilst officers were making attempts to keep fans apart missiles were thrown by fans, despite warnings."
He added: "The priority of the police on the day was to keep the public safe and when some people refused to co-operate with officers they were forced to take firm action."
Published on 13th March 2008 in News.
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