Soccer casuals in pre-match clash

Oct 11 2007

A ‘PRE-ARRANGED’ battle between football casuals erupted before Saturday’s clash between Accies and Dundee.

Police made three arrests and one man was taken to hospital with a head injury.

It was the second time this year that trouble has occurred between the two sets of fans.

The violence erupted in the Academical Vaults in Burnbank Road and spilled out on to the pavement.

One pub regular, who asked not to be named, said: “I went in before the game and noticed a lot of strange faces and realised straight away there was going to be trouble.

“It kicked off in the lounge among a group of guys who were standing there.

“They seemed to be football casuals and it looked to me as if the battle had been pre-arranged.

“One man, a regular, who was standing in the wrong place took a couple of blows to the face and had to go to hospital.

“It was all over in less than 10 minutes.”

A 30-year-old man, who was driving past on the way to the game, said: “We had to pull over because there were five police cars rushing to the scene.

“We were diverted away from the pub but as I looked across to the pub I saw at least one ambulance outside and police were taking statements.

“The pub’s shutters were down and skinhead Dundee fans were banging their fists on the shutters and shouting. For anyone having to walk past, it would have been pretty frightening.”

Chief Inspector Tom Aitken, of Hamilton Police, confirmed that at about 1.50pm Saturday officers had dealt with disorder involving supporters making their way to the game.

A 29-year-old fan, from Hamilton, was arrested after police saw on CCTV a Burnbank Road incident in which a man was kicked.

CI Aitken said a further two men were arrested nearby for consuming alcohol in the street.

In March police made two arrests after rival supporters staged running battles before the derby between Accies and Airdrie United at New Douglas Park.

A week earlier, police dealt with two separate incidents in Beckford Street following the game between Accies and Dundee.

Accies fans aged 15 and 16, and an 18 year-old male, thought to be a Dundee supporter, were reported to the procurator fiscal and children’s panel.

Accies secretary Scott Struthers said there was only one arrest at Saturday’s game: a Dundee fan was charged with breach of the peace.