One Arrest At Derby Bubble Match
The Chester v Wrexham derby game passed off without a goal, and much trouble it seems from early reports.
Cheshire Police have said there was just one arrest at the game relating to a public order issue.
Police have also said one football related man was later ‘given notice to leave city for causing nuisance’.
Eyewitnesses have also said that a ‘rock’ or ‘brick’ was thrown at the Wrexham FC team bus, and the offender was arrested.
Inside the ground pyrotechnics were let off with smoke bombs and firecrackers seen and heard, being thrown from the Chester fans into the segregated Wrexham fans. No arrests have been reported so far, however after in-ground disorder at the Racecourse several people were arrested in the days and weeks following the game. Similarly due to the Bank Holiday weekend we are unable yet to ask direct to get further details.
Blue smoke at the deva. Chester FC pic.twitter.com/gEnZmR2yNm
— olisdad (@olisdadcfc) April 19, 2014
The ‘bubble’ this time appears to have been slightly more relaxed than the first back at the start of the season , with traffic being allowed to mix with the convoy as per the picture from Deeside.com :
Wrexham have just left Wales! pic.twitter.com/FmGyBABhtA
— Deeside.com (@DeesideDotCom) April 19, 2014
Although the full scale temporary road closure of the A55 did take place at the Ewloe junction:
Inside the ground around 70 officers were counted, with dog units, motorbikes, helicopter support and backup vans also active on the day.
Small police presence at the Deva! #Chester pic.twitter.com/frsxF7ickf
— Matthew Kitchin (@HelloKitch) April 19, 2014
Local residents contacted Wrexham.com on the morning of the game to complain about parking issues created by football fans. The issue appears to have been caused due to the usual parking areas being used as a staging area for the bubble convoy assembly, with some fans then parking on the surrounding roads.
Several pubs in both Wrexham and Chester had reportedly been visited by police prior to the game to ask them not to serve alcohol in the morning prior to the game to specific individuals.
Fans themselves were inconvenienced by the bubble arrangement with many travelling from the Chester direction and beyond to get to Wrexham to the board a bus to be escorted back. Most bizarre was those who took train journeys to Wrexham passing through Chester itself, where at the station British Transport Police had a high profile presence.
If you have a spare five minutes you can view the first Wrexham v Chester ‘bubble’ in its entirety heading down the bypass to Wrexham:
Thanks to Huw for emailing Wrexham.com the above pictures.
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