March
Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

Firstly a reminder that the Stoke game on Sunday (2pm) is strictly all ticket. Tickets are available from the Box Office on 029 20222857 or 029 20222858. Tickets cost £15 and £9 for consessions.

The game has been moved to Sunday at 2pm on Police advice. The local constabulary are expecting a large number of City fans to go to the Brittannia Stadium. Can I urge all of you that travel to take care and act responsibly. Its a massive game for Cardiff City and we do not want it tarnised with crowd problems.

Stoke Police will mount one of their biggest operations ever at a football match as the reports from the local paper The Sentinel show.

One of the biggest anti-hooliganism operations ever staged for a football match in the Potteries will swing into action this weekend. Hundreds of extra officers from forces outside Staffordshire will be deployed at the Britannia Stadium for Stoke City's crunch match with Cardiff City on Sunday. Among them will be mounted police, as cutbacks to the Staffordshire force meant its horse unit was disbanded a month ago. Additional security measures include fans having to provide proof of address before tickets for the game are issued. Their names will then be printed on the tickets. CCTV footage inside the ground will also be used to weed out troublemakers. Stoke's penultimate home fixture will be highly-charged, with both clubs having plenty to play for. If the Potters win, they have the chance of making the Second Division promotion play-offs. If the visitors lose, they face relegation. Stoke and Cardiff, along with Millwall, were recently ranked the worst three clubs in the country for hooliganism. Police revealed that as far back as January, messages threatening violence at this Sunday's game were being placed on internet websites from thugs who follow both clubs. Superintendent Ian Ackerley, who is in charge of policing, said the match had a potential to attract yobs. He said: ''Both Stoke and Cardiff City have an element attached to them who cause violence at football matches. ''They form a significant minority and are not supporters, but a group of well-known criminals who come to matches for their own ends. ''For this match we will be using officers from other forces which will include football intelligence and mounted police. ''Staffordshire
Police's mounted section was disbanded in March and was something we never wanted to happen, but it was costing the force half a million pounds a year. ''Stoke City is covering the cost of mounted officers at the game.'' Stoke City chief executive Jez Moxey said the club's stewards were working closely with police to ensure the game was trouble-free. He said: ''After the fighting at Wigan two months ago the Football Association is looking at Stoke City very carefully. ''If there are problems we could have points docked which would ruin our play-off chances or we could be fined if laws are breached. ''I am appealing to fans to be well-behaved, stay in their seats and enjoy the game.'' Tickets for the game will be on sale from the stadium and the club shop in Hanley until 7pm on Friday and Saturday between 9am and 5.30pm. They must be bought in person and a utility bill must be shown as proof of address. To ensure rival fans remain segregated, part of the A50 leading to Stanley Matthews Way will be closed for the match. Fans travelling to and from the Britannia Stadium have been asked to find alternatives to being dropped off and picked up by car. Buses to Hanley, Talke, Meir, Cheadle and Newcastle will depart after the match away from the stadium in Gordon Banks Drive. Anyone with information about soccer violence is asked to call the confidential Crimestoppers hotline on 0800 555 111.