Everton fans told: ‘Join in the fun but don’t disgrace club’

Nov 8 2007 by Staff Reporter, Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON fans arriving in Germany today without tickets for their team’s Uefa cup tie against Nurnberg were last night warned: “Don’t bring disgrace to your club.”

The appeal was made by Merseyside police Chief Superintendent Dave Lewis, who yesterday flew to the German city to help manage the crowd situation.

John Lennon Airport estimates at least 1,700 fans are travelling to the match, many of whom will have genuine tickets to sit in the area designated for Everton fans at the Frankenstadion.

But many more are expected to travel without tickets, after around 1,500 sold to Evertonians through Nurnberg FC’s website were cancelled by Uefa, on safety grounds earlier this week.

Urging the ticketless supporters to act responsibly, Chief Supt Lewis said yesterday: “Nurnberg is welcoming any supporters and many bars are putting on big screens in preparation for this.

“My advice to Everton supporters is to join their fans for the singing and chanting if they want, then make their way to a bar to enjoy the game – don't bring a disgrace to your club.”

Mr Lewis rubbished reports that the game has been labelled as high risk by the Nuremberg police. “I don't know where that came from, but we're treating it as we would any other game,” he said.

Yesterday, Everton chairman Bill Kenwright demanded compensation for fans left ticketless by the latest Uefa fiasco.

“I would have thought these boys do have the right to some sort of compensation,” said Mr Kenwright.

He said he sensed a problem as soon as he heard about the small number of tickets, believed to be 3,000, allocated to Everton FC for the hotly contested Group A game

Mr Kenwright also called on fans to be “great ambassadors” for Everton, despite anger at Nuremberg’s decision, which was announced only on Monday.

He said: “We absolutely share and accept the frustrations that the fans feel, having supposedly purchased tickets direct from the club in Germany, but sadly there is nothing we can do about the decision made by the authorities.”

A spokesperson for Everton FC said they were urging fans without tickets not to travel: “We fully understand that many supporters took a gamble and forked out for travel and accommodation. We understand they want to travel, but we don't believe they should.”

Last night, there were fears many disappointed fans may have bought tickets from touts.

Paul McIver, who runs Everton fan website Blue Kipper, said tout sales had already taken place in Liverpool: “I know a pub in Walton was selling tickets on Saturday night.”

A German official said: “If there are one or two people together with tickets in the ‘home section’ of the arena, they will be allowed in, and if there are larger groups we’ll try to relocate them to the other side.”

He said they were con- fident the evening would run very smoothly.