Football cop says Euro violence won't be repeated in England
Chief Inspector Neil Williams, who regularly works as a matchday commander at Mansfield Town, says a ‘tried and tested formula’ is used to control known troublecausers.
“What most clubs throughout the country have is a risk element, and the key to a good policing operation is to control that risk element,” Mr Williams told Mansfield 103.2.
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Hide Ad“If you identify and control that risk element then you won’t have any problems.
“The three clubs we have in Nottinghamshire, yes we have a risk element to each of those clubs but they are a very small minority.
“We identify where the risk elements are - if they want to go and watch the match they are entitled to like everybody else, but we make sure they don’t have any opportunities to cause disorder.
“There are the odd occasions where you will get sporadic pockets of disorder but we deal with them quickly and effectively.
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Hide Ad“I don’t see what is happening in France as an indicator that next season we are going to have real problems for English football.”
The European Championships in France have been marred by violence, much of it involving England fans in the days leading up to their first game against Russia on Saturday.
There was also violence inside the stadium in Marseille at the final whistle as the game ended 1-1.
However, both the trouble inside the ground and outside is being blamed more on Russian ‘ultras’, fans looking only to fight, rather than the England supporters.
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Hide AdRussia has since been given a suspended disqualification from the tournament, and will be thrown out if there is further trouble inside the ground for their next game against Slovakia in Lille tomorrow, Wednesday, June 15.
Meanwhile six English fans have already been jailed in France for their part in the violence.
Mr Williams said: “My initial reaction is that I’m very disappointed that there has been disorder.
“These football competitions are family events for children to go and enjoy.
“They should not have to put with a small minority who want to go out and cause disorder, it ruins it for everybody.”