On 01/04/2010 17:12, [email protected] wrote:
From the Football Supporters' Federation...
http://www.fsf.org.uk/news/Leeds-fans-exonerated-over-Exeter-incident.php?id=
in full and worth reading, thanks Tim:
Leeds fans exonerated over Exeter incident
1st April 2010
Leeds United fans who made the long journey to Exeter’s St James Park
for their club’s League One clash earlier this season have been
exonerated of any blame for a crush which developed in the away end.
United fans had complained to the FSF that they had been unfairly blamed
for the incident which occurred on January 16th 2010 and a report
compiled by the FSF - after meeting with fans, the police, and Exeter
City - has cleared them of any wrongdoing. Exeter City have also
apologised to Leeds United fans involved.
A large contingent of Leeds fans had made the long journey south,
selling out Exeter’s away end, and demand was such that many Leeds fans
purchased tickets for the home end.
Shortly before 3pm Exeter officials made a loudspeaker announcement
asking Leeds fans in the home areas to move to the away section. They
also threatened any travelling supporters with ejection if they were
found in home areas after the game kicked off. Around 100 took up the
offer and were escorted towards the away end.
At the same time a similar number of fellow Leeds fans were also outside
the away end with many of these claiming their delayed arrival was
caused by the police’s decision to hold Leeds coaches at the Moto
services on the M5.
In the fourth minute, with more than 100 fans still queuing to get in to
the away end, Exeter scored. People then poured into the ground in an
attempt to see what was happening and a dangerous bottleneck built up
immediately inside of the turnstiles with the situation worsening as yet
more crowded in behind them.
You can see mobile phone footage of the incident from the following
links: ‘Exeter V Leeds fans’ and ‘le...@exeter’.
A dangerous situation arose as more people came through the turnstiles
and added to the crush. Thankfully police and stewards, assisted by St
John Ambulance staff, reacted to the problem and people were pulled
clear or climbed a wall to escape the mêlée. Fortunately no-one was
seriously hurt.
Subsequently the Exeter Express & Echo's report carried statements from
the home club which appeared to blame away fans for the incident. Leeds
fans were accused of arriving late, refusing to move down the away
terrace (turnstiles are only open at one end of the stand), and ignoring
loudspeaker announcements.
Leeds United Supporters’ Trust and the Leeds United Supporters’ Club,
both affiliates of the FSF, asked us for help after angry Leeds fans
filled internet forums with a series of complaints against Exeter City
FC and the Devon and Cornwall police. While the Exeter Safety Advisory
Group (consisting of representatives from Exeter City FC, Devon and
Cornwall police, the FA, and the County Council) had met to discuss the
incident, no fans’ representatives were invited.
Therefore Ken Malley, who represents the South West and South Wales
Division on the FSF’s National Council, arranged a meeting which took
place on March 25th with Dave Gaertner of Leeds United Supporters Club
in attendance alongside Frances Farley (Operations at Exeter City), Jim
Eastment (Safety Officer at Exeter) and Inspector Matt Lawler (Devon and
Cornwall police).
“We are grateful to the club and police for meeting with us and
answering all questions in an open manner,” said Ken Malley. “Our
investigation established that Leeds fans were not to blame for the
crush at the away turnstile and we’re pleased to see that action will be
taken to prevent this scenario ever happening again in the future.”
These actions include:
* Removal of the ‘pinch point’ where the crush occurred. This will
be achieved by stewarding the area so that no fans can congregate there
until after the adjacent turnstiles close.
* On any future visits to St James Park Leeds United fans will
shadow Devon and Cornwall police so that better lines of communication
are established between the two parties.
* According to Leeds fans’ evidence some of the problem lay in the
decision to hold back coaches before kick-off. Devon and Cornwall police
have promised to review their procedures for each game on an individual
basis to avoid an identical scenario occurring in the future.
It’s absolutely vital that supporters stick together and report
incidents such as this. Thankfully nobody was hurt but next time fans
might not have been so lucky. By reporting the crush to the FSF Leeds
fans enabled us to constructively work with the club and authorities to
put an end to this problem. Fans travelling to Exeter are now safer
thanks to the work of the FSF and its Leeds United affiliates.
If you have any complaints in relation to policing and stewarding email
the FSF’s Amanda Jacks.
Download the full Exeter-Leeds report from this link.
http://www.fsf.org.uk/media/uploaded/Exeter-Leeds%20report.pdf
JOIN THE FSF FOR FREE TODAY AND GET YOUR COPY OF OUR MAGAZINE!
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