More than 100 football supporters were left stranded in Shropshire after an AFC Telford match when their coach drivers decided to go home without them because of yobbish behaviour.
Some of the Fleetwood Town followers were so rowdy on the way to the game that the drivers abandoned them in Wellington and left the county before the match ended.
They were left starting fights and causing trouble around the Buck’s Head Stadium until police frogmarched them to Wellington Railway Station.
Police today said most of the misbehaviour was low-level aggression from both sides - fuelled by drinking - and that two men, both from Telford, were arrested.
The Lancashire club today said the violence was on both sides and criticised the drivers for leaving fans without their possessions.
Constable Pete Simmonds, from Telford police, said not all the fans were at fault but a “yobbish minority” caused problems in the area of the stadium.
Constable Simmonds added: “A decision was made among the coach drivers to leave because of damage the fans caused to a coach on the way down.”
Andy Pilley, Fleetwood chairman, said he was trying to find out what had gone on in more detail.
He said women and children were among those abandoned and he added that he was taking the issue up with the coach company.
11 Comments
This story is false - 150 or so Fleetwood fans were drinking in the Swan pub when they were attacked by telford supporters intent on smashing their way into the pub (there were also women and very frightnened children present). Ring the landlord of the Pub to get a truer statement. this story could be construed as slander
oh reeeeeeeally?!
http://www.blackpooltoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=2179918&SectionID=5462
Whoever was to blame, whether it was Telford fans or not, I really wish the police would start handing out stiffer fines and punishments as it gets really tedious having to stay at home every time there is a damm football match on! Pubs get trashed, people get hurt - all in the name of a game. Its stupid and ridiculous behaviour by people old enough to know better!
The facts are that the coaches left the county without fans because of rowdy behaviour en route, this is patently true and was not connected to events once in Wellington. It is also a fact that catering staff within the ground closed the coffee bar facility in the away end due to agressive and threatening behaviour, an unprecedented move. They believed they’re safety was under threat. I have no knowledge of what transpired in the public house named, but would be tempted to judge the ability of FTFC to control a small minority of their fans on the other hard facts.
And the smashed up toilets in the Nagington? Two sides to this story, but Fleetwood are holier than thou aren’t they!
To start with it would be libel not slander as it isn’t spoken word, secondly the coach company says its you and thirdly i suppose the Telford “Hooligans” trashed the away end did they?
You are not claiming the police are lying about what happened, are you? What a silly thing to say! In YOUR opinion the story is false. And what bearing do you think an alleged event at The Swan might have had on a previous alleged event on the coaches on the way down from Fleetwood?
‘alleged event’ what planet where you on Saturday pal?
I was there, on the most “rowdy” coach and i can say that the reason there was damage to a coach was because a 16 year old lad collapsed in the toilet and was locked inside. We could not get a reply from him and for all we knew he could be choking on his own vomit. So we ripped back the door and pulled him out and he was unconcious.
As for the behaviour in telford pubs 20-30 telford fans attcked a pub in which women and young children were waiting to go to the match. THEY smashed the windows THEY glassed my 16 year old mate in the head and THEY were the ones the police arived to take care of.
As for damage to your toilets i saw one hand dryer broken but hardly the $800 claimed by some people.
i dont care who started what. i was at the game. i saw telford fans goading those from fleetwood. its time for the true telford fans to start naming and shaming those who will ruin this great club.
we have our hopes set on higher things and the scum who do this sort of thing will end our dream.
just 4 the record…. I’M BANNED for LIFE!!! so had no involvement with the weekends shambles.
Also, Am i right to believe there was another pitch invader on the day? ONLY I DIDN’T SEE THE PICTURE IN THE PAPER.
“COME ON THE TELFORD”