Enjoy derby game fans told
SUFFOLK police today urged football fans to simply enjoy the big derby clash next week after Norwich fans were seen wearing anti-Ipswich shirts.A number of supporters in the Barclay Stand at Carrow Road could be seen wearing T-shirts and badges describing Ipswich Town as "Blue Scum" during Norwich City's 4-0 thrashing of Watford on Saturday.
SUFFOLK police today urged football fans to simply enjoy the big derby clash next week after Norwich fans were seen wearing anti-Ipswich shirts.
A number of supporters in the Barclay Stand at Carrow Road could be seen wearing T-shirts and badges describing Ipswich Town as "Blue Scum" during Norwich City's 4-0 thrashing of Watford on Saturday.
Norwich City said today that those fans will not be admitted to Carrow Road in future. Both the club and Norfolk police are keen to avoid potential flashpoints in advance of the local derby at Portman Road on September 14.
A Suffolk Police spokeswoman said: "We hope everyone has an enjoyable game in a trouble free atmosphere and focuses on watching what promises to be an exciting match."
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The "Blue Scum" T-shirts are believed to promote a record label with no connection to either Norwich or Ipswich, although City supporters were clearly using them to poke fun at Town on Saturday.
Safety stewards asked two supporters in the ground to remove the badges and turn T-shirts inside out during Saturday's match, although no one was actually ejected.
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Now Norwich has been advised not to let supporters in if they anti-Ipswich slogans. A senior police officer today said the clothes could be deemed a "breach of the peace".
"We saw a couple of fans outside the ground with the T-shirts and they could certainly render people open to police action," said Chief Insp Nick Barnard of Norfolk Police.
"Most people inside took them off when we asked them to. We are coming up to a key game and these sort of things can be deemed a breach of the peace."
The shirts and badges are not official club merchandise but were being sold by supporters on the Riverside complex in Norwich and outside the Carrow Road ground before the match.
Neil Doncaster, chief executive of Norwich City said: "We work very closely with the police and if they issue us with instructions we will follow.
"With the run up to the game (with Ipswich) it's very important that we maintain good relations with Ipswich and have a safe environment for all supporters."
