Police praise fans for Derby Day behaviour

Aug 21 2011 by James Moore, Sunday Sun

POLICE arrested 21 football fans during derby day yesterday... but hailed their operation a success.

Hundreds of extra officers were drafted in to stamp out disorder when Sunderland met Newcastle United at the Stadium of Light.

The same fixture last season was marred when violence broke out inside and outside the ground, and a total of 33 fans were arrested in connection with the fracas.

This time, however, 21 fans were arrested for low-level offences – mainly drunkenness or possessing alcohol in a sports ground.

After the game, which the Magpies won 1-0, two missiles were thrown at police outside the ground.

But officers, dressed in riot gear and supported by the mounted and dog sections quickly dispersed fans.

A top Northumbria Police officer told the Sunday Sun they had been determined not to see a repeat of the levels of violence seen in January.

Chief Supt Steve Neill said they had reduced the number of tickets available to Newcastle fans after rival supporters hurled seats at each other during the earlier clash.

Outside the ground last season two police officers were injured in the clashes, while four police vans were targeted in a tense stand-off with hundreds of supporters.

Chief Supt Steve Neill said: “We didn’t want to see a repeat of January so a reduced ticket allocation meant we could have more distance between the sets of supporters.

“After the game there was a bit of disorder in the same area as in January. A couple of missiles were thrown at police.

“But we were able to snuff out the trouble very quickly.