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Violence mars first derby at stadium

6:03am Monday 26th March 2007

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BOTTLES and bricks were thrown at mounted police as they battled to contain football hooligans attempting to attack rival fans after a derby day clash.

On several occasions, police horses charged through Darlington supporters following yesterday's match with Hartlepool, the first time the sides had met at the Quakers' 96.6TFM Arena.

There were ugly scenes as fans made their way home following the Quakers' 3-0 defeat.

Both police and the football club have played down the incidents, which marred the match and its immediate aftermath.

However, on one occasion, police horses had to be taken into the stadium during the match to restore order after a man wearing a St John Ambulance jacket tried to reach Hartlepool fans.

Glasses and other missiles were thrown at police as they tried to bring the crowds under control after the match.

The town's famous brick train was covered in graffiti and police deployed the force helicopter to keep watch on the crowds.

In one of Durham Constabulary's largest operations in recent years, 14 arrests were made across the town.

Police are hailing the operation a success, while fans' groups and residents have condemned the actions of a minority of supporters who caused trouble.

"There's no excuse for this sort of behaviour," said Tony Taylor, of Darlington Supporters Trust.

"We don't want to have anything to do with these people who go to matches and cause trouble.

"We've made some great strides in the last 30-odd years, the atmosphere was, in the main, very good today. You always get a minority who spoil it."

Police said two people were arrested outside the ground for breaching football banning orders and a third was arrested for a public order offence.

One fan from each side was arrested for pitch incursions.

After the match, a further nine arrests were made for minor public order offences.

Darlington Football Club has said anyone found causing trouble will be barred from the ground for life.

Last night, a spokesman for the club said: "There was a minor incident involving one fan who was arrested by police.

"As a result there was a minor surge forward of fans but police quickly restored order."

Chief Inspector Helen McMillan said: "The planning of the operation for the match was a major exercise and we are grateful for the help of our colleagues from British Transport Police and the mounted branch of Cleveland Police."

Jan Mazurk, of Neasham Road Residents' Group, which campaigned against the construction of the stadium, said: "This was only a medium crowd, they have the capacity for 25,000. We'll keep monitoring this and I'll be taking it up with Darlington Borough Council about the cost of this."

Pauline McSweenie, from Hartlepool Supporters Association, said: "We came on the supporters' buses. No Darlington fans were allowed anywhere near us and we felt totally safe."

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Your Say YourThe Northern Echo

Simon Brodie, Darlington says...
10:49am Mon 26 Mar 07

Yes, there was a tiny amount of trouble, and I do not condone that one iota. But no more than at previous meetings and at other football venues on a derby day. Not at any point did I feel concerned, the police managed the minor scurmishes well. Don't let the minority ruin what should be an amazing sporting and commercial venue for the town and it's people.

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Peter Nelson, Darlington says...
12:33pm Mon 26 Mar 07

Please do not let Jan Bezerk and her moaning group of cronies use yesterday's minor disturbances as a tool for piping up to the council again. The stadium and the new plans will bring jobs and entertainment for the vast majority. Get a life, interfering busy bodies with nothing better to do !

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Leeroy, Bish. says...
1:16pm Mon 26 Mar 07

Can the lads that can't handle their drinks and watch football at the same time stay home next time,You just cause trouble for the decent supporter.

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big kev, poolie till i die!, hartlepool says...
1:47pm Mon 26 Mar 07

can't stop laughing !

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pc7, darlington says...
1:50pm Mon 26 Mar 07

comments like those from ghartlepool only aggrevate an already hostile situation the police handled it well there were only minor incidents nothing to worry anyone

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Stephen Hill, Bishop Auckland says...
1:51pm Mon 26 Mar 07

I am extrememly dissapointed in how The Northern Echo has portrayed Darlington Football Club. They build the match up the entire week and as soon as a little bit of trouble happens, they jump on that story instead of celebrating the fact that the whole day was run extremely well by Darlington Football Club and Combined Police Forces, as well as witnessing a supurb football match where Hartlepool showed exactly why they are top of the table, and all credit to them.

The fact of the matter is, that these so called 'fans' only appear for this type of match, and the same happened at Hartlepool previously this season (however that wasn't reported by The Northern Echo was it?). It's the same with Newcastle and Sunderland and just because we're in a lower league doesn't make our rivalry anymore different.

But it's just a given that this sort of thing happens at Newcastle and Sunderland and never reported.

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Steve Bishop, Darlington says...
2:09pm Mon 26 Mar 07

I am extremely dissapointed in how The Northern Echo has portrayed Darlington Football Club. The whole day was run extremely well by Darlington Football Club and the Police Force.

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Ed Edwards, Darlington says...
2:12pm Mon 26 Mar 07

The Northern Echo has simply taken this view to sell more newspapers.

Northern Echo - you should be ashamed.

This is the last time I will buy a copy!

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voodoo, says...
2:43pm Mon 26 Mar 07

At the end of the day it was just a load of lads gaggling around like mad geese and not a lot else.
The lads who were really up for a ruck will have got it on well away from the game anyway - without the police or the echo knowing anything about it.
Well done Pooly - hate to say it but you deserved the victory.

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Stephen Hill, Bishop Auckland says...
4:30pm Mon 26 Mar 07

And above is a perfect example of a so called Darlington 'fan', which I would hazzard a guess that yesterdays match was his first match of the season, possibly ever.

You and your friends give Darlington FC a bad name.

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Mike, Darlington says...
4:34pm Mon 26 Mar 07

To say that the game was marred by violence is a disgrace. This game was handled extremely well by Darlington Football Club and the numberous police forces.

There were no more than 50 idiots at this game attmepting to bait the Hartlepool Fans, nothing more, out of a whole 10,000 people? - Making something out of nothing I feel, and what? - To sell a few more paper? Get Real. This is a local club and should not be tarnished by a few idiots!

I will not be buying the northern echo anymore, and niether will my family.

Big the game up and then bring it down when it matters most!

You always (ALWAYS) get overflowing tensions at derby games, and even more so at the ''big three''. So why over-sensionalise this?

Jan Mazurk, if you are talking about the policing costs, it was footed by the club?


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Dean Irvine, Darlo says...
5:21pm Mon 26 Mar 07

i say its unlucky pools desevered wat they got n wat dey did 2 brick train i dnt c the police doin anything bout tht

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rolly, bish says...
7:00pm Mon 26 Mar 07

the police were out of order what they did at hogans. most people were in for a drink and the police came in and started dragging anybody out. a lot of innocent people got involved by the police,not because they wanted to

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gary bushell, darlo says...
7:11pm Mon 26 Mar 07

wish the old bill were not there then pooly scum would of got what they deserved.

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Smoggie, Darlington says...
7:30pm Mon 26 Mar 07

In my opinion both sets of so called supporters should grow up. We have gates over 30,000 with 5000 away supports and dont have that sort of hassle. If you cant act like proper supporters then dont bother, the game doesnt need your sort!!!

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scott.newton, hartlepool says...
7:48pm Mon 26 Mar 07

marcus wrote:
The police made it alot worse yesterday poolie desevered everything they got come on darlo
what exactly did hartlepool get i didnt see nothing but a man in a jacket getting draged out and some 15/20 fat middle age men trying to get past 50 police and 4 thousand poolies

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whed, Wheatley Hill says...
7:52pm Mon 26 Mar 07

I had a great day out with my new team Hartlepool, can't see why I wasted so much time on Sunderland really, never mind eh ?

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Quakerz, says...
8:01pm Mon 26 Mar 07

Over sensationalised rubbish from The Echo. Derby matches in any town bring hightened emotion and unfortunately troublemakers. The Football club and Police planned a superb operation, that ensured that 10,000 fans had a great day, and only minor incidents occurred.

What has really got my goat is that you have contacted Jan Mazurk for a negative soundbite.

Talking of Jan Mazurk and her asking the Council about the costs involved, what the **** has that got to do with her initial "not in my back yard" protest? She is now looking at different things to moan about, this time the cost to the taxpayer of policing such a match.

If you read this Jan, drop it for Gods sake, most major towns have football clubs, many are bigger clubs with bigger Police costs than Darlington, nobody moans about the cost there.

As for the Echo, shame on you, you do not support the town or the football club, I will never buy your rag again.

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Rooke, Hartlepool says...
8:05pm Mon 26 Mar 07

Classic song played by the Darlo PA Annoucer, "Always look on the bright side of life"
Men against boys Loids fans. Never mind "The Gap", its now a "Gulf"
There`s one one Nick Loughlin!!

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andrew, peterlee says...
8:30pm Mon 26 Mar 07

from what i saw, and i was sat between the poolie fans and the darlo fans throughout dont ask). It was a few nut cases intent of having a go that set things off. As for the idiot running about behind the stands shouting attack attack what did he think he could do against all the police. They need to go elsewhere and leave the football for the real fans. The police did their job well and maintained control over the few that wanted to spoil it who were in the main darlo fans, the poolie fan were well behaved and deserved the win.

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brian h, blackhall says...
8:32pm Mon 26 Mar 07

great ground ,great atmosphere even better result but i cant understand why the darlow chairman didnt give us more tickets it didnt looke like darlower sold all ticks to me
come to think of it has darlow ever sold there full allocation at pools and you dont have to walk 3 mile from nearest car park available to away supporters

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Sue, Darlo says...
9:43pm Mon 26 Mar 07

I was asked at work today if the violence was as bad as was recorded in todays paper - I put them straight but was upset at how bad things were portrayed. I was also upset that the word "fans" was used when describing the troublemakers, the real fans were those leaving the ground with a long face knowing their team were beaten by the better side not the idiots who had not been to a Darlo match in a long while and only went to cause trouble not watch a decent game of football.
The real fans will be there next week, despite yesterdays result. Well done to those in the team that played their hearts out.

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?????, darlo says...
10:36pm Mon 26 Mar 07

a wasnt at the match, but a was in HOGANS!, coudnt believe on how much the police made things worse on Victoria Road. IT WAS JUST MAD! The way they jus push ya around is shocking, if some 1 was to push them, we would get our heads kicked in, but if we get pushed its just 'keep moving' but hey like they are bothered,

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pauline, hartlepool says...
11:01pm Mon 26 Mar 07

10,000 there - and a few mindless idiots (not fans) grab all the headlines. it was effion williams and pool's day - lets focus on the football and the great day had by poolies ! Sorry but it over the top reporting!

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voodoo, darlo says...
10:09am Tue 27 Mar 07

brian h wrote:
great ground ,great atmosphere even better result but i cant understand why the darlow chairman didnt give us more tickets it didnt looke like darlower sold all ticks to me come to think of it has darlow ever sold there full allocation at pools and you dont have to walk 3 mile from nearest car park available to away supporters
make the most of it Brian son!!! I've been following Darlo for 25years and its the first time EVER that Pooly have had better support than Darlo and also the first time you've beaten us well. We can't take 3500 fans to Pooly cos your ground is mickey mouse and who wants to go to Hartlepool anyway???

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FTM, Darlo says...
6:46pm Tue 27 Mar 07

You Darlo fans think yas are so class year after year. This match is nothing compared to Sunderland, Newcastle which i saw sum1 write before. Come to the stadium of light next season to see real derby. You Darlo fans are a descrace 2 ya club the attendences yas get. Welldone Hartlepool hope yas win the league.

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Top of the league, Bishop says...
9:55am Wed 28 Mar 07

Well done to Darlo FC on staging a great occasion, the day was not marred by violence, it was a great day, with a few idiots, which all derby games have.

If the Echo want to redeem themselves for their poor reporting they now have the email addresses of 'fans' threatening violence.


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Stephen Hill, Bishop Auckland says...
10:45am Wed 28 Mar 07

FTM wrote:
You Darlo fans think yas are so class year after year. This match is nothing compared to Sunderland, Newcastle which i saw sum1 write before. Come to the stadium of light next season to see real derby. You Darlo fans are a descrace 2 ya club the attendences yas get. Welldone Hartlepool hope yas win the league.
I didn't mean in terms of attendances and shear number who attend the game you idiot, I meant in terms of League 2 football.

Please read before replying.

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?????-?????, Darlo says...
3:16pm Wed 18 Apr 07

This isnt a darlo fan .. this is some idiot trying to be hard! When all he did was show his self up .. He gives Darlo fans a bad name .. If you read this you are a disgrace to Darlo ..

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Led away: A supporter at the match Led away: A supporter at the match

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