Swansea City welcome Bristol City to the swansea.com stadium this afternoon in a category C game ( the highest level ) The authorities policing the game and both clubs have not set any restrictions on supporters attending the game in the hope common sense will prevail pre and post match.

Recent fixtures between the two clubs have resulted in disorder and jail sentences for supporters of both teams. Three years ago twenty six supporters attending a game at Ashton Gate in Bristol ended up with jail sentences, suspended jail sentences, community orders and fines. Swansea City supporters attacked a large group of Bristol City fans in Greville Smyth Park which is nearby the ground after the game. This resulted in Avon & Somerset police deploying horses and public order units to quell the violence. The result was a large police investigation. Avon and Somerset Police Detective Inspector David Lewis, who led the investigation, said: “Football can attract a very small minority interested in causing disorder, rather than the game. I hope these sentences show how seriously we and the courts take these offences and will reassure real football supporters. Violence around football matches will lead to jail time.”

Ch Supt Paul Mogg said a large group of Swansea fans arrived "with the intention of drinking to excess and seeking confrontation. Twenty-five Swansea City fans were removed during the game and there were a number of arrests “ He said three officers needed medical attention and a dog was injured. Bottles and coins were thrown. Police and stewards were attacked and a number of people were reportedly bitten by police dogs. Two public houses were badly damaged before the game as well when around eight hundred swans fans arrived late in to Bristol unmonitored. Many of these were a part of a ‘high risk’ group.

Since then fixtures between the two clubs have been categorised as high risk with identified hooligans from both city’s being policed very closely. Speaking to a source within the South Wales police service on Friday we were told that despite the game being moved from Saturday to Sunday the police believe they can facilitate a safe and enjoyable day for the vast majority of fans attending. Surprisingly arrest figures for yesterday’s rugby game in Cardiff between Wales and Scotland won’t be associated with rugby, despite an increase of around thirty per cent of recordable offences on rugby international days.

We were told that rugby internationals in Cardiff always provide the police with extreme public order issues associated with drunkenness and assaults post any rugby game. However, these incidents are considered a normal by product of an event In the city. Rugby games do not throw up risk groups of people intent on disorder, or who have a desire to arrange and conduct themselves in violence. Rugby games generally give the police a far bigger window for street offences to be committed before and after the game, often until the early hours of the morning, The potential for the same at a Category C football match is far less, and covers a far shorter window. As an example very few incidents of disorder are recorded at a Swansea v Cardiff derby game than in a single hour of reported incidents post rugby in the capital city.

The clear difference is that disorder between Swansea or Bristol City fans can occur at any time with or without any influence of drink or drugs. The same applies to most football matches. Rugby incidents are not connected in general to organised violence. Supporters of opposing football teams can clash at any time. And not only between supporters of the teams playing that day. Although far more unlikely incidents today could occur at any point between London and Swansea. Both clubs have a fan base across England and will most certainly travel together outside of the obvious locations.

That’s where the police hope that goodwill and tolerance will prevail.

Today’s game has been moved to a Sunday so South Wales police can accommodate a huge influx of people in to Cardiff for the rugby yesterday. Of course they need to manage the many extra arrests and incidents this will throw up. Today’s football match in Swansea won’t even come close to Cardiff city centre on a Saturday night, and with many thousands of people drinking post match that isn’t a surprise.

The real risk areas today will come from a minority of people who see todays game as an opportunity to cause disorder either by way of arranged meets, or chance opportunity before and after the game. Over two hundred South Wales police, Avon & Somerset police plus British Transport police will try to ensure the day passes trouble free. There’s no doubt there will be flash-points, especially with fans not being closely monitored by what has become known as a ‘bubble trip’ That is where away fans are bussed in to and out of a game with a police escort. The first known bubble trip games came about after disorder at Ninian Park between Swansea and Cardiff fans in 1993. Since then the majority of Swansea and Cardiff games have either gone ahead with away fans banned or by way of a bubble trip.

There have been limited issues of trouble since this has become a natural occurrence for South Wales derby games. Recently there have been ‘bubble trips’ when Cardiff and Bristol City games have occurred. Talking to our contact in South Wales police they were keen to point out that an arrest and conviction at a football match carries far more extreme penalties than a similar event on a rugby international day. Prison sentences are not uncommon for football disorder, but at a rugby game a fine, or at best a community order are more likely.

Hopefully that will serve as a warning to anyone intent on trouble today. We are reassured that the authorities are keen to see today’s game pass off with little incident. This gives the normal law abiding football fan the chance to travel and attend the game safely. It’s a wonderful chance today to attend a game with a terrific atmosphere and a passionate afternoon of football. That’s what the majority of us want, and that’s most certainly what the vast majority will get.

It may mean a huge police presence later today, but better that than a return to those very dark days many of us hope are well behind us.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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