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Merseyside derby evening kick-off stays despite police challenge

Xinhua, February 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Derby between Everton and Liverpool, one of the most watched clashes of the English Premiership, will have an evening kick-off this Saturday, despite a last minute challenge in the law courts by police.

Merseyside Police launched the unprecedented legal challenge to bring the start of the game forward to 1230 GMT, fearing alcohol-fuelled fans would pose a public order risk with a later kick-off.

Broadcaster Sky set the kick-off time at 1730 GMT Saturday, with the match expected to have a global audience of millions.

The judge hearing the challenge today adjourned the hearing to enable senior police officers to hold discussion outside the courtroom with officials from the clubs and the football authorities.

The challenge was withdrawn after the adjournment, and the game will start, as planned, at 1730 GMT.

Officials at Goodison Park, home of Everton FC, undertook to have better segregation arrangements to keep both sets of fans apart.

Usually derby matches in Liverpool have an early start to enable police cope with fans at the ground and at bars across the city where thousands gather to watch the game on TV.

Police were concerned the later start would increase the risk of alcohol-fuelled disorder between rival fans both before, during, and after the game, and that they do not have enough resources to deal with it.

There will now be double the number of police support units that are normally at the ground, paid for by Everton FC.

The police challenge raises the question of whether broadcasters have more power than public safety officials and police in determining the best time to allow games to start.

Broadcaster Sky will be beaming coverage of the game live to an audience of millions around the world. Had the police succeeded in its challenge it would have thrown the weekend football programming into chaos.

Police on Merseyside will not see today's climb down as losing, but in footballing terms, as a draw. The force has brought into the public arena the whole question of who should set the start times for sensitive games, the broadcasters or those responsible for public safety and order?

Endi