Police are to probe trouble with Chester fans accused of attacking Brackley players and supporters after the final whistle on Sunday.
Chester fell to defeat after Brackley advanced through to the playoff final thanks to George Carlineβs long-range goal with ten minutes remaining.
Brackley will now play host to Kidderminster Harriers in the National League North playoff final to be played next Sunday.
Nearly 4,500 people attended the game with around 240 of them coming from Brackley, but unfortunately witnessed some disappointing scenes come full time.
Lovely scenes here at Chester π€¨ #football #chester #ChesterFc #brackley #brackleytown pic.twitter.com/T6B6t44AnN
β Matty Fielding (@Matty76544279) May 7, 2023
After the match, a large group of Chester fans approached and attempted to enter the away end.
A number of officers and stewards intervened, trying to prevent fans from accessing the stands before removing them from the stadium.
Smoke bombs and various other items were allegedly thrown at Brackley Town supporters during the incident while a some Chester fans damaged coaches parked outside after leaving the stadium.
Officers are currently looking at video footage to investigate the disorder.βββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Chief Inspector Jez Taylor, of Cheshire Police Uniform Operations, said, as per Deeside.com: βββββββββββββββββββββββββββWhile the majority of fans were well behaved, there were a small minority who were intent on causing disorder and their behaviour at the end of the match was totally unacceptable. ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
βAn investigation into the disorder has been launched and we will be taking robust action against all those found to be involved, including possible banning orders.β ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Anyone with any information should contact Cheshire Police on 101, or visit www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us , quoting IML 1539302. ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Missed most of it, but hereβs the aftermath of Chester fans attacking Brackley players on the pitch at the final whistle today, before launching missiles at Brackley fans. Saw a young 5 year old Brackley fan with blood pouring from his head. pic.twitter.com/58t6595U2B
β The Scarf My Father Wore (@countyscarf) May 7, 2023
CLUB STATEMENT:
Chester Football Club is appalled at the violence and criminal damage caused at the end of our National League North play-off semi-final with Brackley Town on Sunday.
We utterly condemn the actions of those responsible and apologise to Brackley Town and supporters of both clubs.
Our Club is ashamed to be associated with anyone involved in the crowd disorder and angry that the actions of a minority have completely overshadowed the occasion.
Such behaviour not only tarnishes our reputation, but also has a financial cost and places the football club at risk of fines, points deductions or playing behind closed doors. The impact is also felt by our staff, volunteers, and the players and management, who were prevented from returning to the pitch to thank our genuine fans for their support this season.
We have extensive CCTV footage which will be shared with the authorities and will work with Cheshire Police to ensure the perpetrators are identified and face the strongest action.
Anyone with any information should contact Cheshire Police on 101, or visitΒ www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us, quoting IML 1539302. ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Chester manager Calum McIntyre told CFCTV, as per Cheshire Live: βIt is very difficult to come to speak to you. I have done it throughout the season in difficult moments, never once sent a member of staff up here or hid from it. I have come and spoken to you after 46 league games, every FA Cup game and FA Trophy gameβ¦.and I will face up to it now.
βI am absolutely heartbroken with the outcome. I really believed we had an opportunity in that play off campaign to get promotion.
βI am gutted for our supporters and am so sorry I couldnβt be the man to get them over the line with that promotion we so craved.
βNo one during the year has made more mistakes than me. I take responsibility for not great performances but this football team have been absolutely unbelievable for the football club.
βIt has been really tough, and you can probably see for the first time in my face that it has been really difficult.
βI have come out week after week, the position I took the job in, and it has been a really lonely job. And when I see the strides the football club has made as a result of the team on the pitch, I am really proud.
βSo, this hurts. I donβt come up and use management speak. This hurts.
βI am gutted for the supporters and the players and, on a personal note, for the staff that came here and took on when plenty of people said βdonβt touch thatβ.
βTo have been two games from promotion and to have had the season we have had, I reflect with real pride. But I would be lying to you if I said Iβm not hurting at the moment.β
Brackley Town interim manager Gareth Dean: “Genuinely brilliant from start to finish to come here, you know in front of four and a half thousand fans and perform like that they were absolutely amazing everything we told them to do they implemented moments that appeared they executed everything to them and I said it last week I’m really proud of them but we said at half time I was really proud of the way that they you know implemented the game plan but don’t confuse pride with acceptance of what we want and this is just another step like we’ve said that all along not happy to just be here this time but we genuinely have got a changing room full of belief as the week grew on I believed even more in this group in today’s game.
“Everything that we were going to ask them to do today everything we’ve worked on the more the more we got closer and closer to the game I just grew in confidence and they’re so they’re so talented that all of them are so so so talented and like I said from start to finish I know there’s a few little sporadic moments but you’re gonna get there going to commit a few more bodies I don’t think they were necessarily clear-cut we’ve had clear-cut chances, you know three four clear-cut chances so on another day I think it could have been more comfortable.
“I’m delighted for George, you know to he was brilliant today for him to score a goal like that it’s a massive moment he’ll enjoy that I know he’s got family watching but like I said it’s it’s another step towards where we want to go it’s going to be a real tough game next week but one that will really look forward to now and it was a terrific atmosphere but a hostile one as you’ve expected but as you said in the week it’s about players, man controlling their emotions we did that like you know in games like this and probably where we were guilty last time we came here you allow the crowd to become excited it becomes a difficult afternoon, they get their tails up like they they’ll have a go the fans will get behind and they’ve got wind in their sails and today we didn’t allow them to do that and I said before the game these don’t want to be here they’re very very good away from home they’re not bad at home but they’re very very good away from home and if they could have chosen to be at home or away in the place I’m pretty sure they would have said away because of the results and you know that galvanizes them a group you go away you’ve got that proud record you want to keep ticking it off and ticking it off and ticking it up and we use that to our advantage today I think their fans start to go a little bit sour after 20-25 minutes and the scenes at the end is just an absolute you know disgrace I’ve never seen anything like that in years of football it’s an absolute disgrace to have to walk children out of a stand because they’re scared for their safety. “
This is how fans reacted with police to probe trouble with Chester fans accused of attacking Brackley players and supporters…
@GAndrews18: Humiliating
@spencer_dougla: Scum, hope they liquidate again ππ»
@TimHickman1994: This is what the thought of another season in this god awful league does to you
@rmf80: Thank heavens that police line held strong or that could of got really embarrassing. π
@aled174: Stay classy you horrible scummy club @ChesterFC
@lukefrxst: Donβt go to a football match if youβre going to get angry and threatening when you lose
@rinseruss: Clearly the most rattled club, remember their chief exec fuming last year cos we only took 150 (6th away game in about 20 days) and heβd budgeted for about 600 π.
@harryjfuller: classy as ever, jester fc π€‘
@StokesyPlays: Nothing like losing with dignity ππ
@tjrin21: The grottiest, most bitter, jealous, little man syndromiest club there ever once was. Dump.
@PeeweeStephen: Small club in Flintshire mentality π΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώπ
@StephenMat24324: Chester bottlers.
@CochionDubaiUAE: Club can’t ban them either because they won’t have any fans at all then. Not saying it because it’s a rival but what a horrible lowlife club, as you can see! #mindthegap
@midwalian: Absolute bell ends. I was in the stand to your right as a neutral. Won’t be going to their shitty little club again @ChesterFC
@coaster908765: But, it’s never there fault tho…
@FootballFlagsUK: Little ole Brackley, rattling Chester π€£ππΌ
@FyldeCal: Classic Chester
@JBWinstonTX: @TheVanaramaNL needs to deduct points on Chester to start next season. Otherwise, they are condoning this behavior.
@gasheads47: Billy big bollocks club thatβs going nowhere as usual
@rogersjamie664: Chester tried that at Kettering and got dropped π embarrassing fan base
@fearlessidzine: What about the stewarding? Their primary responsibility. That’s why you don’t see many officers inside a ground these days as clubs incur police costs if asked to police inside stadiums, many of which seem reluctant to do.
Scenes at the Deva at the end. Chester fans have invaded the pitch attacking Brackley players and staff. Then launched a load of missiles and flares at Brackley fans, before police finally came rushing on. pic.twitter.com/A6NyIk0Az1
β The Scarf My Father Wore (@countyscarf) May 7, 2023
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