Making a pact to stamp out football disorder

Football fans that are hoping to follow England abroad are being warned not to jeopardise their trip through anti-social behaviour.

The warning has been issued by police officers on the Eastern Police Area, who have teamed up with Rushden & Diamonds Football Club as part of the Police & Clubs Together Against Violence scheme (PACT) to stamp out trouble in and around Nene Park. All fans are being urged to be on their best behaviour when visiting any Football Conference side. Failure would mean missing their favourite players in action, due to a lengthy ban, if they are caught causing disorder on match days.

PACT is a formal agreement between the Northampton North Area and the Rushden & Diamonds Football Club, which will share information between all police officers and the football club, regarding so-called fans that are involved in causing persistent trouble or anti-social behaviour. Under the PACT scheme, troublemakers can be barred from football grounds by clubs involved in this initiative for up to five years. However, if the civil order is breached, an offender could face the courts and receive a total football banning order. As part of the agreement, information and photographs will be passed to the Rushden & Diamonds Football Club to ensure anyone who is subject of a football banning order or a PACT ban does not attend any matches at Nene Park.

It is hoped that the new system will deter people from becoming involved in potential football disorder and jeopardising their chances of attending any football match in England or travelling abroad.

Northampton North Area Football Intelligence/Liaison and Contingency Events Officer, PC Nick Price, said: "We already have a good working relationship with Rushden & Diamonds Football Club and with other clubs nationally; PACT will only serve to enhance this relationship. We have an intelligence-led approach to help identify those who misbehave and we will continue to make sure that those responsible for causing disorder are prosecuted and subject to banning orders. However, with PACT, we can improve this intelligence by sharing information and photographs with all clubs of so-called football fans involved in football disorder and of those who are subject of banning orders. Fortunately football-related incidents such as violent disorder, racist and anti-social behaviour remain isolated incidents in and around Nene Park on match days. 'Fans' need to know the penalty they could face if caught taking part in such activities. Any 'fans' found causing trouble in and around Nene Park would face exactly the same sanctions, which could mean a lengthy ban from all football grounds as well as matches home and abroad, including the World Cup."

The Rushden & Diamonds Football Club Safety Officer, commented; " Nene Park is one of the friendliest & safest grounds in the Football League and, with the continued co-operation of our supporters, we intend to keep it that way. Through a formal, information-sharing protocol with Northamptonshire Police, PACT will help us to identify and, if necessary, ban 'supporters' from visiting clubs, who have been involved in anti-social or violent behaviour at football matches"

"Our own supporters should also be aware that their behaviour, both home and away, is monitored and any anti-social behaviour by a minority of spectators will not be allowed to compromise the safety and enjoyment of genuine Rushden & Diamonds Football Club supporters, many of whom actively assist us to maintain safety at Nene Park"

Other police forces that have set up the PACT scheme with their local football clubs will also share intelligence and information with Northamptonshire Police and Rushden & Diamonds Football Club.

To report any information relating to criminal activity please contact Police Sergeant 348 Phil Holton, on 08453 700700 ext 4730 or email phil.holton@northants.pnn.police.uk