Download the document (11.83 MB) - Hillsborough Independent Panel

1969-06-12 15:54 NORFOLK CONSTABULARY 0603 66S086 04
- 2
was obvious, owing to Liverpool's recent success that there
would be a large, if not capacity, crowd for this match. Local interest
J!i?°4Ver2 8 policing arrangements included the highest level
i
°f ?ny match durln8 the season, This level was 313 officers
including Special Constables.
n i u rt1 p ursday, 30th March, 1989, I saw the Norwich City Football
**ert CHASE, at the football ground; He told me
c et sales for the match were not selling ag well as expected in
Liverpool. lie had been told that 1,272 tickets would be returned and
would be brought to Norwich on the club coach on Saturday. Mr. CHASE
!??t 1)611 ?,now 1x2 allocated to home fans as pen 4, the Triangle
tI!?,s?a4 n8 c°uld accommodate the reduced away support. 1 told him
i
t0 fc?k® that decision in the light of experience
wmch showed that Liverpool always attracted considerable national
support. The probability being that many people would attend who either
could not obtain tickets because they were only on sale at Liverpool or
unaware that the match was in fact designated as all ticket. I
suggested that the decision be delayed until the morning of the match
end I would then consider the situation with regard to pen 3, although
because of access and egress to this enclosure for home fans it was
most likely that the space would still be allocated to Liverpool
supporters.
On Saturday, 1st April, 1989, there was a significant crowd
assembling outside the Carrow Road Football Ground by midday. Almost
all were Liverpool supporters and the majority had tickets. By 1300
hours there was a considerable crowd gathered, a number of whom did not
have tickets. Many said they were not aware it was an all ticket match
and others that they could not obtain tickets because they came from
areas distant from Liverpool. I decided, therefore, to open 2
turnstiles and sell the returned tickets, after agreement with the Club
Uiairman, to Liverpool supporters for access to pen 3. All the
tickets were sold in this fashion and there is no doubt that some home
supporters benefitted in this way. They were, however, met by officers
just inside the ground who directed them to accommodation reserved for
home supporters. The visiting fans were quite well behaved and formed
orderly and quiet queues outside the ground. They did not arrive late
and all supporters were in the ground by 1500 hours.
.
j visiting fans were quite boisterous, generally good humoured
and totally partisan in their support for their team to the exclusion
j
? f. * I attach'a copy of the match summary which was forwarded j
to the Merseyside Police on the 3rd April, 1989, and indicates the
problems that we had faced. A video tape of this match is available
It required. I attach a copy of the Carrow Road ground plan."