Police say Stoke City hooligans attempted to start a fire at Vale Park stadium
The sheer idiocy of the hooligans involved in disorder at the game between Port Vale and Stoke City U21 has been revealed by Staffordshire Police.
Chief Superintendent Wayne Jones told BBC Radio Stoke: “The toilet block in the away stand was damaged badly. The cisterns and urinals were smashed off the wall, windows were damaged and there was an attempt to set fire to the toilet block.”
The fact that fans tried to start a fire in a football stadium after the horror of the Bradford stadium fire in 1985 shows the sheer idiocy of the individuals involved. Any fire could have put the lives of the perpetrators and many innocent supporters including the elderly, infirm and children at risk. It simply beggars belief that anyone could seriously contemplate such an action.
The hooligans also damaged windows, let off flares and damaged around 200 seats in the away stand.
Eleven Stoke City supporters were arrested at the game with more arrests expected once CCTV footage is reviewed.
Reaction
“The actions of a minority of the crowd at last night’s Checkatrade Trophy game against Port Vale were deplorable. Where this behaviour involved so-called supporters of Stoke City we will be working closely with Staffordshire Police and Port Vale to bring the culprits to justice. We will be pushing for anyone found guilty of disorder on the night to be handed a lengthy football banning order…”
A Stoke City spokesperson
“It was a minority of the 7,900 who attended that soured this game and to thank both sets of “real” supporters who aided Staffordshire Police and club staff by behaving responsibly in and around the ground…”
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