Semi-Final Pubs Segregation

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Street drinking ban and Wembley pubs split for Liverpool FC & Everton FC fans at FA Cup semi-final - Liverpool Local News - News - Liverpool Echo

 

FAMILIES of Liverpool FC and Everton FC fans travelling down to next weekend’s FA Cup showdown together face being turned away from pubs due to strict segregation policies.

 

Tens of thousands of Merseyside fans arriving in the capital for the eagerly-anticipated semi-final will find that bars and pubs within a mile around Wembley have been allocated as solely Red or Blue.

 

And landlords say anyone wearing the wrong colours will be turned away – or thrown out if they “sneak in”.

 

Licensed premises on Wembley Park, to the east, will cater for Liverpool fans, while those to the west, near Wembley Central station, will accept only Blues through their doors.

 

Metropolitan Police licensing officers said their priority is to ensure safety on Wembley match days.

 

Police also confirmed they will be enforcing a Controlled Drinking Zone in the area around the ground for the first time, and would be confiscating alcohol from those found drinking on the street.

 

Nearby pubs will close an hour before the 12.30pm kick-off and re-open 15 minutes after the game starts.

 

Fans expressed their dismay at the fact they will not be able to share a drink together outside the ground before the historic April 14 clash.

 

Jamie Dempsey, from Wallasey, said: “I’m a Blue and my dad’s a Red. My memories of Wembley are of mixed groups of fans walking down Wembley Way together. It’s really sad that fans are being driven apart, it’s unnecessary. Maybe with other clubs but this is Everton and Liverpool.

 

“Last time the teams met at Wembley the fans were chanting ‘Merseyside’ together. But this is a wall being put up between us.”

 

Nick Mortimer, police licensing officer for the London borough of Brent, said: “It’s a complete safety-first policy and happens for every club game at Wembley. All the pubs know which team they will be allocated already and door supervisors won’t let you in if you’re wearing the wrong colours.”

 

A list of the pubs available to each group of fans was posted on the Football Supporters’ Federation website last week.

 

And landlords today told how doorstaff will be strictly enforcing the Red or Blue policy on police advice, and advised mixed groups of fans to travel to pubs further from the ground.

 

Mal Preedy, owner of the Green Man, within the Blue area, said: “All the pubs round the ground will be segregated. Fans aren’t allowed to mix, it’s always the same, such as when the two Manchester clubs met last year.”

 

Other pubs said they will ticket-check anyone not wearing club colours or “covering up” their shirts before they will be allowed in.

 

Richard Hunt, of the First Class Sports Bar, said: “We’ll be open from 9am and have been told we’re designated as a Liverpool bar. Door staff will conduct ticket checks to see if they are in the Everton or Liverpool section to ensure that policy is followed.”

 

One pub manager, Chris Gorton of the Bear, told of his sympathy for families and friends who want to drink together.

 

He said: “The doorstaff do have strict instructions to only let Blues in here with ticket checks. I would recommend mixed families go for a drink a little bit further out but I’m a Scouser myself, from the Dingle, and I’ll be on the door trying to give a bit of discretion to those who want to come in.”

 

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said it had “made suggestions as to which licensed premises supporters may wish to attend based on which entrances fans will be accessing stadium” but the decision whether to let in mixed families lay with licensees.

 

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This idea is beyond bollocks. I can't see it doing anything other than increasing the chances of trouble when the two groups of fans do meet. Hogan-Howe deserves a punch in the plums for this.

[Randy Marsh]

Fucking us over once again. No other set of supporters from any other area of the country would be treated like this, fact.

[Code]

The most disturbing thing with article is how can a Liverpool father have an Everton son.

 

I'd understand it if it was the other way around, but fuckin hell.

 

Talk about failed parenting.

[drewy]

Its completely unworkable.

 

A lot us don't wear colours and we all have the same accent.

[stringvest]

Fucking us over once again. No other set of supporters from any other area of the country would be treated like this, fact.

 

Read the quotes from the landlord, mate. It happened with the Manchester clubs.

[Code]

Its completely unworkable.

 

A lot us don't wear colours and we all have the same accent.

 

From the Echo earlier during Easter it was said they would check tickets at the doors, its will be impossible to do that.

 

No way I'm going to hand over my ticket to some stranger in a door either, load of bollocks.

[stringvest]

The most disturbing thing with article is how can a Liverpool father have an Everton son.

 

I'd understand it if it was the other way around, but fuckin hell.

 

Talk about failed parenting.

 

Some kids like to rebel. Those who go on to support Everton also stay away from school, take heroin, and are responsible for all of the petty criminality in Merseyside.

[Gym Beglin]

Its completely unworkable.

 

A lot us don't wear colours and we all have the same accent.

 

Pffft, don't let facts get in the way of what is obviously a supremely thought out bit of policing excellence Drewy.

 

You'd think we were the Hutu's and Tutsi's.

[Bjornebye]

I'm made up, means i dont have to spend any time with the 2 wankers were letting drive down with us once we get there. and anyway, bit pointless seen as the game kicks off at fuckin midday, what time they opening the boozers?

[Code]

Think most of them will open around 9, its gonna be a long day.

[Bjornebye]

I hope so code, were leaving town at 4.... cant see how they will police no bevvying in the street though. there will be far too many. quite simply can not fucking wait for saturday! especially as these shower think it's in the bag, i cant wait for the red-men to shut the fuckers up !

[xerxes]

Fucking us over once again. No other set of supporters from any other area of the country would be treated like this, fact.

 

"Nick Mortimer, police licensing officer for the London borough of Brent, said: “It’s a complete safety-first policy and happens for every club game at Wembley."

 

My own view is that the risk of widespread violence between sets of fans is massively over stated.

[Randy Marsh]

Read the quotes from the landlord, mate. It happened with the Manchester clubs.

 

"Nick Mortimer, police licensing officer for the London borough of Brent, said: “It’s a complete safety-first policy and happens for every club game at Wembley."

 

My own view is that the risk of widespread violence between sets of fans is massively over stated.

 

Apologies, didn't read that far down.

 

I'm talking about the whole thing in general though. The kick off time and everything. This KO time is unprecedented. It's hardly Millwall against West Ham or the Athens derby. As Xerxes says , it's totally overblown.

[stringvest]

Apologies, didn't read that far down.

 

I'm talking about the whole thing in general though. The kick off time and everything. This KO time is unprecedented. It's hardly Millwall against West Ham or the Athens derby. As Xerxes says , it's totally overblown.

 

I think you'll find on the day people will be a lot more sensible about it

[LFC64]

Maybe we're picking up the tab fot the mancs causing havoc last year.

 

Not their fault though

[Wembley74]

Maybe we're picking up the tab fot the mancs causing havoc last year.

 

Not their fault though

Of course not they never cause any trouble and are a national treasure!;)

[Major Tom]

The most disturbing thing with article is how can a Liverpool father have an Everton son.

 

I'd understand it if it was the other way around, but fuckin hell.

 

Talk about failed parenting.

 

I am from a family of Reds and my cousin went through an Everton supporting stage to piss off my uncle.

 

It made me laugh. Failed parenting indeed.

[The Woolster]

Won't everyone be drinking in Kilburn anyway?

[Nunavut Patrick]

Maybe they'll have linguitic experts on the door.

 

Pity if they do as no Welsh Reds will get in.

[bouncebrigade]

I'm not Scouse but I thought a lot of you were saying after recent games that there was a very real danger of something kicking off given the way the atmospehere has turned in recent times. While it is clearly not Boca-River Plate etc, is it not a sensible policy in light of this? Although I understand the point re father/son being split up.

[Liverpool lad]

All the doormen have to do to see if who they support is ask them about Suarez

[aws]

Pubs should be divided - one-third scousers, two-thirds wools.

[Rorschach08]

From the Echo earlier during Easter it was said they would check tickets at the doors, its will be impossible to do that.

 

No way I'm going to hand over my ticket to some stranger in a door either, load of bollocks.

 

If they clock that you're accent they'll immediately know which club you support anyway.

 

After all, every single Liverpool supporter is from Norway and every single Everton supporter is from County Road