《The Athletic》于10月20日透露,在纽卡斯尔联与桑德兰即将展开的主场对决前夕,安全团队实施了两项引发争议的措施。首先,桑德兰的客场球迷被要求乘坐官方指定的巴士前往圣詹姆斯公园球场。其次,客队的球票分配数量也得到了削减。
球迷群体对这一决策表达了普遍的不满,其中桑德兰的支持者更是将其称为一种羞辱。著名的桑德兰球迷团体“红白军团(RAWA)”与球迷联络理事会共同发布了一份联合声明,坚决反对这一强制性的“隔离出行”计划,并敦促俱乐部撤销这一决策。球迷团体指出,这一严厉的举措是在缺乏公开讨论的情况下秘密决定的,完全未征求球迷的意见,缺乏必要的透明度。
球迷们迫切希望相关管理部门提供确凿证据,以阐明为何在本赛季采取了如此严格的管控措施。这一隔离观赛规定具体表现为,除非桑德兰的客场支持者选择乘坐官方指定的巴士,否则他们将被禁止进入场馆观看比赛。
自2014年起,该提议便浮出水面,那一年,德比赛事结束后,市中心地区爆发了激烈的骚乱事件。在此过程中,部分球迷对警察进行了攻击,甚至伤害了警用马匹。肇事者最终被判处监禁。起初,隔离大巴的举措被提上议程,然而,由于东北地区的两大对手球迷群体罕见地联合起来反对,该计划最终被搁置。
在此次风波中,桑德兰并非唯一受害者,纽卡斯尔的著名球迷组织Wor Flags亦对减少客队门票数量的举措表示强烈愤慨。他们斥责此举“令人悲哀”,并将目光投向了凯尔特人与流浪者之间的传统德比赛事,以此警示减少门票供应将严重损害观赛体验。在本场关键的德比战中,桑德兰的客队球票数量仅有2200张,较今年3月的2528张减少了13%,而更早时,圣詹姆斯公园曾计划向客队提供高达3200张的球票。
In March of this year, during the teams' last encounter, Sunderland's bus was subjected to projectiles like bottles and fireworks hurled by home supporters. As the Sunderland fans traveled by train, they too faced debris and were involved in minor skirmishes while being escorted by police from Central Station to the stadium. In the end, only three individuals were apprehended, and the police deemed the security operation to be largely effective.
尽管如此,诺森比亚警方依然向球场的独立安全咨询团队(SAG)提议,在即将到来的德比比赛中采用单独出行管理措施。纽卡斯尔俱乐部强调,这一举措是为了进一步确保球迷、员工及公众的安全,并确认在明年5月于桑德兰主场举行的回场赛事中,将不会采取类似的限制措施。
The Sunderland club has publicly rejected the decision, acknowledging the safety committee's findings yet requesting an updated risk assessment report to enhance the transparency of the decision-making process. Over the past three years, the FA Cup encounters at Sunderland's home stadium have also implemented a segregated bus plan; the Newcastle away supporters, regardless of their personal convenience, were compelled to board buses from St James' Park to the stadium. The club had previously stated that this measure would not be set as a precedent for league derbies. Nonetheless, following two matches where the fan behavior was commendable, the combined restriction of segregated travel and reduced away tickets was reintroduced.
RAWA,桑德兰的忠实粉丝团体,强调泰恩-威尔德比之战是东北地区足球热诚和传奇对决的象征。他们认为,赛事的管理必须既合理又适度,然而现有的计划显然未能达到这一标准。这场宿敌间的较量再次在英格兰足球界掀起了关于安保措施规模的广泛争议。