Post by Admin on Jun 25, 2016 13:36:30 GMT
Stoke FC and Wigan FC hooligans trash Crewe pub
00:05, 20 May 2009
By Belinda Ryan
FOOTBALL thugs wrecked a Crewe pub and terrorised the landlord and customers when rival gangs clashed on Saturday.
FOOTBALL thugs wrecked a Crewe pub and terrorised the landlord and customers when rival gangs clashed on Saturday.
Trouble flared at The Express in Mill Street when two sets of fans, understood to be from Stoke and Wigan, began smashing windows and hurling bottles and glasses at each other in the early evening.
Joint licensees Mick Crawley and Shirley Partington believe the violence was organised.
Shirley said a group of seven Stoke fans had a drink and then asked about another Crewe pub said to be frequented by Wigan supporters. Wigan had played Stoke at the Britannia Stadium that day.
“They went outside on phones and were heard saying ‘we’re only 500 yards away from you’,” said Shirley.
“The next thing there were about 20 other lads outside. They ran at the pub. They were baiting the lads inside.”
Bottles and bricks smashed through windows.
“The lads were leaning in the door and the gangs were throwing bottles at each other. My customers were stuck in between,” said Shirley, who is writing to Wigan Athletic and Stoke City football clubs to complain.
Mick said: “Everybody was calling the police and they were here within about 10 minutes. I’ve never known anything like this before. It was terrifying and upsetting.”
One man went to smash a television with a pool cue.
Mick added: “I asked him to just give us a break as they had already smashed the place up. He did put it down.”
Shirley’s 10-year-old granddaughter Ella was upstairs.
“She was terrified,” she said. “She was very upset when she saw the damage later.”
Repair work will cost more than £1,200.
Shirley added: “Our customers have been brilliant.
“They helped us with the clearing up inside and we were able to open up the following day.”
This weekend a number of bands are playing at The Express as part of the Crewe Volume Festival.
Organiser Toby Robinson said: “It would be really nice if everybody came to The Express and supported them..”
Inspector Paul Broadhurst. of Crewe Police, said: “We think it was an incident between two lots of fans.”
He said no-one local was involved in the trouble adding: “The Express is a very well run pub and we don’t have trouble there.”
00:05, 20 May 2009
By Belinda Ryan
FOOTBALL thugs wrecked a Crewe pub and terrorised the landlord and customers when rival gangs clashed on Saturday.
FOOTBALL thugs wrecked a Crewe pub and terrorised the landlord and customers when rival gangs clashed on Saturday.
Trouble flared at The Express in Mill Street when two sets of fans, understood to be from Stoke and Wigan, began smashing windows and hurling bottles and glasses at each other in the early evening.
Joint licensees Mick Crawley and Shirley Partington believe the violence was organised.
Shirley said a group of seven Stoke fans had a drink and then asked about another Crewe pub said to be frequented by Wigan supporters. Wigan had played Stoke at the Britannia Stadium that day.
“They went outside on phones and were heard saying ‘we’re only 500 yards away from you’,” said Shirley.
“The next thing there were about 20 other lads outside. They ran at the pub. They were baiting the lads inside.”
Bottles and bricks smashed through windows.
“The lads were leaning in the door and the gangs were throwing bottles at each other. My customers were stuck in between,” said Shirley, who is writing to Wigan Athletic and Stoke City football clubs to complain.
Mick said: “Everybody was calling the police and they were here within about 10 minutes. I’ve never known anything like this before. It was terrifying and upsetting.”
One man went to smash a television with a pool cue.
Mick added: “I asked him to just give us a break as they had already smashed the place up. He did put it down.”
Shirley’s 10-year-old granddaughter Ella was upstairs.
“She was terrified,” she said. “She was very upset when she saw the damage later.”
Repair work will cost more than £1,200.
Shirley added: “Our customers have been brilliant.
“They helped us with the clearing up inside and we were able to open up the following day.”
This weekend a number of bands are playing at The Express as part of the Crewe Volume Festival.
Organiser Toby Robinson said: “It would be really nice if everybody came to The Express and supported them..”
Inspector Paul Broadhurst. of Crewe Police, said: “We think it was an incident between two lots of fans.”
He said no-one local was involved in the trouble adding: “The Express is a very well run pub and we don’t have trouble there.”