Riot police called as rival football fans clash at pre-season friendly match in south-east London

 
Violent scenes: a chair is thrown during the incident in Thamesmead (Picture: Ollie Clark)
Ollie Clark

Riot police were called to a non-League football match which was abandoned amid violent clashes between rival fans last night.

The pre-season friendly between Thamesmead Football Club and Clapton FC was called off after fighting broke out and objects including bottles and fire extinguishers were hurled in the ground.

Violence reportedly flared after dozens of hooligans wearing balaclavas and brandishing sticks arrived at the Thamesmead ground in Bayliss Avenue, according to the clubs.

Both clubs insisted their supporters were not responsible for starting the trouble, amid rumours the match was targeted by a far-right group which was not connected to either team.

Clapton's fan group, known as the Clapton Ultras, said it had received "threatening messages from a fascist group" in the days leading up to the game.

In a statement the group said: "This information was passed on to the football club and its fans who decided to travel as one group to the game as fan safety is the number one priority.

"As we arrived at the game around 15 minutes after kick off and began to enter, Clapton fans were immediately attacked with weapons and missiles by a large group already present inside the ground, who threw glasses, bottles, bricks, signs and a fire extinguisher at Clapton fans, the vast majority of which had not been able to even enter the ground.

"Clapton fans have no history or rivalry with Thamesmead fans and this attack was not made by Thamesmead fans. The attackers sang racist chants as they pelted Clapton fans with missiles."

The Met confirmed two people were treated for head injuries and said the police helicopter assisted officers after they were called just after 8pm.

Vincent McBean, the chief executive of Clapton FC, based in east London, said there was a "nasty mass punch-up".

He said an outside group of up to 50 people, who he claimed were linked to far-right groups and other London clubs, charged the Clapton fans as they entered the stadium about 10 or 15 minutes into the match.

He said: "After that, the two sets of fans threw objects over the turnstiles at each other, and over the fences at each other, before the police arrived and it fizzled out.

"There was some walking wounded on both sides, cuts to the head from flying debris, but nothing more serious I understand. One Clapton fan went to hospital for treatment as a precaution."

A witness, who did not want to be named, said: "Suddenly about 15 minutes into the game about 20 Clapton fans turned up.

"The Thamesmead fans were all standing up and saw them all trying to rush in and that sparked it all kicking off.

"Fans let off a flare and threw bottles; it kicked off badly.

"There were loads of traffic cones and fans were throwing them into the stadium which caused the game to be cancelled."

A Met Police spokesman said: "At approximately 8.10pm on Tuesday, August 4, officers who were on-duty at Thamesmead Town FC on Bayliss Avenue, SE28, witnessed a group of individuals throw items towards a second group leading to a short period of disorder.

"Officers, including the Territorial Support Group and a police helicopter attended.

"The group was dispersed and a short time later, officers stopped approximately 40 people who had boarded a bus nearby.

"Two people have been treated for head injuries. Enquiries continue."

Thamesmead FC has been asked to comment.

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