Nottinghamshire police ensure football fans enjoy 'safe' weekend following 'violent disorder' in city

The force is working with Nottingham Forest Football Club to ensure people enjoy the match safely.

A police operation will be in place for the game being played at the City Ground, with officers on hand to ensure the safety of fans and deal with any issues.

Chief Inspector Jon Foy, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “The vast majority of people attending this fixture will be well-behaved law-abiding individuals wanting to enjoy the match in a safe and enjoyable manner.

“Our focus is always to keep the public safe to enable them to have a trouble-free time when going to watch their team play and we will of course take positive action to tackle any incidents of disorder.

“We want to make it clear to the tiny minority who may be thinking of causing any trouble that we will clamp down hard on them.

“They may be arrested, may find themselves before the courts as a result and receive lengthy football banning orders preventing them from attending matches.

“We would request those without a match day ticket do not travel and stay away from the City Ground.

“It’s also important any supporters thinking of taking pyrotechnics into stadiums and using them realise this activity is illegal, as well as being extremely dangerous.

“They could end up leaving someone with serious injuries, as well as finding themselves with a criminal record and being banned from football.”

Following a violent disorder at last year’s FA Cup tie between the two sides, played at the City Ground, a 19-year-old Leicester man was sentenced to four months in youth custody.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of common assault and going onto a playing area at a football match. He was also handed a 10-year banning order and a £100 fine.

Three more Leicester men, aged 21, 54 and 40, appeared in court and were all handed three-year banning orders after being charged with different offences at the match played on 6 February 2022.

One pleaded guilty to a charge of throwing a smoke bomb, another pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and a third pleaded guilty to a public order offence.

Eight men from Leicestershire were arrested and charged following violent disorder which happened outside Fat Cat bar in Chapel Bar, Nottingham, on February 6, 2022 in the lead-up to the FA Cup clash.

All have pleaded guilty to violent disorder and are awaiting sentence.

Three men from Leicestershire and a fourth from Derbyshire were arrested and charged in connection with violent disorder at The Cross Keys pub, in Byard Lane, Lace Market, again on February 6, 2022 in the

lead-up to the match.

Three have pleaded guilty to violent disorder, and will be sentenced in due course, while a fourth is set to stand trial later this year.