Fans banned from Gills vs Swindon

[M-U-R-T-Y]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17678341

Football fans have been banned from a League Two match between Gillingham and Swindon Town following a row over policing costs.

Medway Council said that a prohibition notice had been issued for the game on 21 April due to "serious concerns" over public order at the Priestfield ground.

Kent Police said the provision of appropriate numbers of officers at Gillingham's stadium was "essential".

Swindon could secure promotion to League One if they win the match.

Gillingham FC said it was making no comment on the council's statement.

'Specific intelligence'
Ch Supt Alasdair Hope said: "The safety of all fans attending this football match is our main priority and we are not prepared for their safety to be compromised.

"The cost of this must be met by Gillingham FC."

Councillor Mike O'Brien, from Medway Council, said that Kent Police had "serious concerns about public order at the ground".

He said: "We have done this following advice from Kent Police that they have specific intelligence concerning the match and its fans.

"The risk is so serious for fans that, until steps have been taken to reduce it to a reasonable level through agreeing adequate policing levels, spectators will be prohibited from attending the match."

A spokesman for Swindon Town Football Club (STFC) said: "At this stage STFC are in continued talks with Gillingham to get the matter resolved."

And Swindon could get promoted. ALOL

[LWJ]

PoLOLice

[TBM]

This is just Gillinghams way of getting Swindon to cough up and cover the costs

[Muguire]

Swine still plan to travel and stand outside the stadium.

I would love it, love it, if they don't get to see their club win promotion. Their players will be dancing on the pitch with their "we are going up" banner and no-one will see

You know they'll be a last minute reprieve tho..........

[Wax Jacket]

Gills should jsut double the price of the away end tickets

[watfordroyal]

What's the forecast? Hope it p1sses down on em too.

[Cobi]

So are fans allowed in now?

[TBM]

Would have been better saying "Berkshire"

[Alan Partridge]

Would have been better saying "Berkshire"

Why? it's shit

[weybridgewanderer]

while on our own board we have a thread about the police presence at reading station ....

cutbacks and police looking to make football pay for it

lets see what happens when west midlands police say they cannot police our game v birmingham unless the clubs cover the costs and that they have "specific evidence" of reading "sending a mob" (rofl)

[TBM]

Would have been better saying "Berkshire"

Why? it's shit

Didn't say it wasn't - just that it would have been better if it said Berkshire, not Oxfordshire considering we aren't based in Oxfordshire

[Alan Partridge]

Obviously the poster doesn't have your 'shop skills as it's clearly been nicked off an Oxford site

[Mr Angry]

All sorted out now.