No more weekend derby matches?

[shorehamview]

Well, not if South Yorkshire Police get their way.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-46760669

“Police in Sheffield have said they no longer want football matches between the city's two teams to take place at weekends.

South Yorkshire Police said they had to balance policing matches "while maintaining our high levels of service for the public whom we serve".

The force has written to the English Football League (EFL) to ask for derby fixtures to take place on week nights.

The March game between the Championship sides has been moved to Monday night.

A BBC investigation showed that last year's fixture between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United at Hillsborough was the most expensive policing operation in England, costing £203,000. The home club was billed £41,000 by the police.

Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts has said the force makes a "significant loss" policing football games across the county.

More Yorkshire stories

In a statement, DCC Roberts said: "We must balance this type of operation and the resource it requires against our resilience to provide a service to the wider public of South Yorkshire, to ensure that everyone continues to receive the support and response they quite rightly expect from their local police."

He said he had told the EFL that "this support is achievable and sustainable if derby fixtures take place on week nights".

The force said it was consulting with fans about the change.”

Perhaps the inept higher echelons of the force could ask for tips from police forces used to handling big games on a regular basis for less money than the derby matches cost? Or would that be just too obvious for them?

 

[Gimli]

Yet the Manchester Derby can be policed and fans separated by just the mesh netting - interesting that it is just SYP who can’t manage a derby game.

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

Yet the Manchester Derby can be policed and fans separated by just the mesh netting - interesting that it is just SYP who can’t manage a derby game.

Interesting but not surprising

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Pigs relegated this season anyway.

 

[mancunianblade]

It was only expensive because they go OTT, the paranoia amongst SYP due to Hillsborough is ridiculous, they may as well just be honest and say thats why it is rather than blaming the fans (see a pattern there)

 

[BerksBlade]

So it cost £200K+ for the Sheffield Derby, but only £64K for the Old Firm? Are they issuing diamond-encrusted handcuffs at SYP or something?
There's something seriously wrong with SYP finances if those figures are right, because thousands of pounds are clearly being wasted somewhere.

 

[bornablade]

I think what they really wanted to say is

'Police in Sheffield no longer want football matches between the two teams to take place'.

 

[Agreasychipbutty]

What a joke. The Man city v Liverpool game (equivalent of us v l**ds) had away fans and home fans separated by a single line of stewards. SYP are so paranoid and waste so much tax money on policing games it's ridiculous. Nowadays fighting is (for the most part) just between a select set of fans, so why not just leave a few to it who just want an excuse to fight and will end up fighting elsewhere anyway. The huge police presence can only escalate the issue.

 

[Rusty view]

Absolute joke. £45,500 to police a The Old Firm Derby where more fans attend, the hatred is sectarian and political.

Says far more about the police force and it's planning and organisation than the fans.

https://theferret.scot/old-firm-clash-cost-police/

 

[RammyBlade]

Incompetent useless arrogant tossers at the helm of the SYP - Over the top stupid policing where not needed - the worst police force in the country !

 

[Brian Blessed]

I wonder which fans will be "consulted". Doubtless the majority who say they want weekend derbies will be ignored and the handful of weirdos who only want midweek games will be quoted.

 

[ZoneManWilf]

There's something seriously wrong with SYP.

Well summarised.

 

[BigBed]

Not after this season, as Wendy will be in a different league next year

 

[sheffielder]

So basically kids can’t go and watch derbies anymore. Friday night young kids can just about get away with it but a school night like Monday.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

SYP are the Gary Madine Of police forces.

 

[BettingBlade]

Aaaaah SYP still blaming fans after all these years. They don’t take responsibility for anything. Just a matter of time before another disaster happens at the hands of these bastards.

 

[Bladey McBladeface]

I’m not actually against night games for the Sheffield derby. Games under the lights are always somewhat special. Despite my like for night games I am however against a blanket principle that ‘no Sheffield Derby game can be played on the weekend.’ How on earth has it come to this?!

It still irritates me that a lot of the lower tier gets cordoned off. Give away fans their maximum allocation. At most other stadiums you only see a row of stewards separating fans - at Bramall Lane there is already a gap between the stands.

 

[Hamburg Blade]

Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts has said the force makes a "significant loss" policing football games across the county.

In which particular aspect of policing does SYP not make "a loss"?

 

[TJB.]

I sincerely think they need looking at by government. That amount of money to police one derby is unfathomable and comes across as a severe mismanagement of funds.

Analyse the figures of other derbies from other forces. Conduct an internal cost-cutting review. Anything. The lack of self-awareness is astounding with these bastards.

Stop drafting in the 100 overtime-whores from Durham that you don't fucking need and there's a tidy saving right there.

 

[Bath Blade]

Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts has said the force makes a "significant loss" policing football games across the county.

Doesn't policing technically make a loss on every operation, whether that be responding to a mugging, catching a drug dealer, or having a presence at a football match, which is then funded by the taxpayer.

 

[Bath Blade]

In which particular aspect of policing does SYP not make "a loss"?

Beat me to it!

 

[aBladeInTheNorthernSky]

am I just being dense... why does having the game on a week night make it less expensive to police? and have they considered their police expenditure on this fixture has been way over the top which has inflated the cost, rather than it being the fault of members of the public who want to attend a football match.
excuse my language but what a load of old hogwash.

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

Come on folks, they need to save money so they can police hurtful words instead of derby matches....

 

[Hamburg Blade]

Beat me to it!

Yes, but it does jump out as a stupid thing to say, I'm sure a lot of people are jolted when they read it.
It goes to show the attitude SYP approach the policing. They don't see it as part of their policing duties - the fans aren't classed as the public they are there to serve, but are separate and have to be charged for doing something the police don't want to do.
I have the view that clubs shouldn't be charged for policing at all. I don't know for sure, but do organisers of protest marches get billed for the policing? What about other events in Sheffield?
All policing should come out of central funds / taxes and I also think criminals can be fined and the fines go towards those costs. For the police to charge for policing, which cannot be refused by the club, when the club - in fact no one - has commited a crime, goes against the whole idea of a national police force.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

After having read the article, I have just emailed this to SYP

"Hello
Just read the article about the SYP not wanting weekend fixtures between United and Wednesday.
The article suggests “The force said it was consulting with fans about the change”
I would like to be involved please in this consultation.
Fan of Sheffield United for 51 years and 62 years of age.
Kind Regards
xxxx"

Bet I don't hear anything back.

UTB

 

[Hamburg Blade]

excuse my language but what a load of old hogwash.

Steady on, you'll get an infraction for language like that.

 

[aBladeInTheNorthernSky]

Steady on, you'll get an infraction for language like that.

I apologise HB, mods, I've let myself down. let me rephrase: "fucking bollocks"

 

[benn5712]

am I just being dense... why does having the game on a week night make it less expensive to police? and have they considered their police expenditure on this fixture has been way over the top which has inflated the cost, rather than it being the fault of members of the public who want to attend a football match.
excuse my language but what a load of old hogwash.

Might be because all the crime in Sheffield is carried out under the cover of daylight, Satdeh to Sundeh.

 

[Ranmoorblade]

I spat out my coffee at this point.

South Yorkshire Police said they had to balance policing matches "while maintaining our high levels of service for the public whom we serve".

 

[Hamburg Blade]

I spat out my coffee at this point.

South Yorkshire Police said they had to balance policing matches "while maintaining our high levels of service for the public whom we serve".

Credit where credit's due. He used whom correctly.