Shropshire Star

Football fans' behaviour praised at Shrewsbury Town v Newport County

Police have thanked football fans for behaving themselves at the weekend League Two clash between rivals Shrewsbury Town and Newport County.

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A large contingent of officers was dispatched to the town and promised to deal "robustly" with anyone who caused trouble.

The match on Saturday finished goalless. But it also passed without incident or arrest off the pitch as well, and West Mercia Police used its Twitter feed to thank supporters.

A ticket-only policy was introduced for visiting Newport fans which ran up until the day before the game.

Senior police officers also liaised with officials from both Shrewsbury and Newport to draw up plans to deal with any possible trouble.

Chief Inspector Melanie Crowther, from West Mercia Police, who was in charge of policing for the match, said: "Our aim was to ensure that the large gathering of supporters from both home and away could visit the Greenhous Meadow to watch the game safely without disturbance.

Shrewsbury Town 0 Newport County 0 - match report

"We had sufficient police officers available to manage the crowd and the influx of traffic as well as to deal firmly with anyone causing any kind of disorder.

"There was a significant police presence inside the ground as well as on the approaches and around the town itself."

Things did not run as smoothly elsewhere, however.

Staffordshire Police made five arrests following disorder before and after the League One match between Port Vale and Barnsley at Vale Park on Saturday.

Four men – aged 43, 27, 25 and 18 – were arrested on suspicion of affray and violent disorder and have been released on bail pending further inquiries.

After the match, an officer was injured and missiles were thrown at other police constables at the scene.

A 20-year-old man, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was arrested after the match for criminal damage and public order offences.

Chief Inspector Neil Hulme, of Staffordshire Police, said: "We are disappointed by the actions of this significant number of so-called fans who attended today's fixture intent on becoming involved in disorder."

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