The top officer in charge of policing the Manchester derby at Wembley says her officers will be using new tactics to prevent a repeat of the trouble that marred the FA Cup semi -final.
Scotland Yard Chief Superintendent Julia Pendry says rival fans travelling to the capital for Sunday’s Manchester City v manchester United Community Shield encounter can expect a more visible police presence this time.
She also revealed that coach parks will be segregated after supporters clashed in and around the famous stadium earlier this year.
Chief Supt Pendry acknowledged that her officers had failed to react to every outbreak of trouble at the April FA Cup encounter.
She said: “There was a huge police presence last time. The problem was that there were spontaneous outbreaks of fighting around Olympic Way.
“A lot of those involved in the trouble were not intelligence-led. It stretched my officers and meant a lot of them had to leave their posts.
“There were also an awful lot of people standing around and drinking and hurling abuse at others walking past.
“Another problem meant the coach parks were not segregated.
“That was not the police’s decision but this time there will be a coach park for Manchester United and a coach park for Manchester City.
“We will also have more officers on Olympic Way and a more high visibility presence, and will be taking more of a preventative role.”
The Met Police made 34 arrests at the semi-final and the M.E.N. received complaints from fans describing a ‘free-for-all’ outside the ground amid an ugly atmosphere.
But Chief Supt Pendry denied the claims. She said: “When you consider the number of people who attended, the number of incidents was minimal.
“That was our first derby at the new Wembley, but we have had other teams there that have caused problems.”
Officers from Scotland Yard have liaised with both clubs, British Transport Police and Greater Manchester Police ahead of the match, which kicks off at 2.30pm.
And Chief Supt Pendry hoping it will follow the lead of previous Community Shield matches.
She said: “Traditionally, this is a hugely fan-orientated game. It is a charity event and I would ask people to come and enjoy the spectacle and the Wembley experience.”
United have sold out their allocation of 27,500 tickets, while a small number in the City section remained on sale last night.
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
As per usual if United win there will be almost no trouble but if City win again expect idiotic behaviour from the dark side.
76,000 at Scholes's testimonial Friday and a sell out for the Charity shield on the Sunday. City's small number unsold is 12,000 by the way.
This City is yours ? Yeh right.
only 3,500 left, that will go by sunday! whats the problem???
“Another problem meant the coach parks were not segregated.
“That was not the police’s decision"
Baffled by that statement, surely the police dictate such matters.
Like most in key positions, this woman waffles hot air and takes little responsibility. The policing was a shambles and she should take cuplability. Excuses of the "first derby at Wembley", "not their choice to have mixed coach parking", do not wash. It's a derby with local rivalries, a great deal at stake, emotions high, it's not like football policing is a new concept. And mixing fans in 1000's in coach parks afterwards! Well come on you wouldn't do it the ground would you? And where was the police planning and consultation, surely fan traffic flow and parking segregation should have been a key part of any strategy?
Do Liverpool and Everton fans kick off and like a rumble?
How can there be any trouble,no city fans are going to the game are they, not according to the dirty rags on here,but hang on them inbred lot will probably start brawling amongst themselves when they rush out of the stadium again.
After my young son had a bottle thrown at him and constant munich jibes lets hope the met police keep on top of all the blue scum causing problems as usual....united fans in wheelchairs were abused,women with kids,its not safe when you have blues doing there usually bullying like at eastlands on peaceful match going reds...
Unfortunately both City and Utd are supported by a large contingent of morons, so there will be trouble from both sides. Each team denies they have ever been the cause of trouble though and until they accept they are both as bad as each other then the problems will continue.
I await the denials.
The policing on Sunday can only improve on the semi-final...because it couldnt get any worse.
I can imaging GMP were discouraged when the Met saw they were policing the game just like a normal semi final.
"We've come up with a cracking idea of segregating coaches in the car park". Well done, thats on page 1 of policing important games like this.
Oh no! Does this mean the police are expecting those "really hard" nited supporters who screamed abuse outside Rooney's house whilst his baby and wife were inside? Or the "super hard" nited fans who dressed all in black, hit those handicapped kids and had darts confiscated before the derby?
I hope not!! They scare me!!
Hopefully it will be the 673 fans who turned up for your Liverpool beating prem title parade. They were proper fans, not like most of the posters on here who say they go to every but sssshhhhhhh, we really know they watch it in the pub with half a pint because a giro doesn't stretch to a pint these days...
Love you all, ciao!!
“There were also an awful lot of people standing around and drinking and hurling abuse at others walking past.
“Another problem meant the coach parks were not segregated. That was not the police’s decision but this time there will be a coach park for Manchester United and a coach park for Manchester City."
“We will also have more officers on Olympic Way and a more high visibility presence, and will be taking more of a preventative role.”
It wouldn't have mattered so much about segregation if her officers had actually been more visible on the coach park adfter the game instead of congregating in a big group at the gate. And there were also plenty of officers on Olympic Way but they just watched the abuse and refused to warn people or move them on.
There are YouTube videos showing United fans hurling glasses and bottles at City coaches and the police were stood there not batting an eyelid. They had been clearly told not to react to trouble instead of clamping down on it early.
Can sky arrange for a slow motion ourside stadium cam to record the speed of manures evacuation. Most of them had gone before the players left the pitch last time.
thought you lot said there was no trouble at the semi..strange that i saw idiots in black attacking anybody who looked like they wouldnt fight back,just like leeds in the 70s kids are a game target for big men
Have no love for the rags but must say that all the trouble i saw at the semi was from hammered city fans shouting their mouths off about Munich to anyone they could just to try and kick off. Not saying no rags troublemakers but can only speak from personal experience. We need to learn to win with a little class - as we are going to be doing it more often moving forward!!
Crumbly
Here's a bet for you.
5 mins after the final whistle there will be far more City fans in the stadium.
Win or lose!
Rags throwing stuff at City coaches were allowed to get away with it ...... not so with City fans who chucked stuff at United coaches , the cops couldn't get there quickly enough !
Double standards was the name of the game at that semi ..... and the cops know it too!
Red or Blue we should not be using the word Scum
I support manchester United and my son supports man City so would i call my son scum!
have good banter but do not get personal!!
19 say no more lol
heres a novel idea, lets all go to the match, watch it, enjoy it,no abusive chanting, no fighting,,, and then go home, wow how good would that be ? the real mark jones.
Some good comments from the "we have never done wrong bitter's" ...by the way did the two idiots that attacked a out of town "Man City' fan & he's young son ever get turned in...I believe that they stabbed another MC fan & put him in ICU that came to stop the attack...Please, do not tell me that other fan's don't know the identity's of these two criminals.
Plenty of violence there today---- by City PLAYERS!