Police used batons and ‘pepper spray’ on Blackpool fans at a train station after the 1-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
Video footage has surfaced on social media, showing what happened at Horwich Parkway Station following the League One fixture.
There are reports that the train door had broke, causing a delay, but the situation got out of hand quick, with police coming under criticism for how they handled an incident.
Police with Blackpool fans at horwich parkway station #utmp #blackpool #bolton #police pic.twitter.com/nXJ7TSgZdj
— Cayden Wright (@CaydenWright5) November 11, 2023
Seasiders Police wrote: “I am aware of some incidents that happened at the train station! However this was not a Lancashire operation and any concerns in relation to incidents that happened need to be reported to either GMP or BTP.”
Twitter users reacted as police use their batons and ‘pepper spray’ Blackpool fans at the train station shortly after defeat at Bolton…
@dave73riche: Some incidents?! That’s putting it mildly. Shambolic policing, security and stewarding created an unsafe environment for families. A minority caused this I might add but this does not create a pleasant experience. 3 hours to get home on the train!!
@adrichiggster20: How about pepper spraying families With kids, assaulting people pushing them over, horrible police officers once again.
@OwainGlyndwrbfc: Like pepper spraying kids and bullying old men trying to get onto a train you mean? Shambles again
@anthonyslord: Any comments on the chaos at Horwich Parkway? There was a plan in place, but it unravelled very quickly. The vast majority of calm, good-natured fans treated like cattle and given zero support or reassurance from officers at the station. To then dump everyone at Preston…
@liambfc90: Congrats on pepper spraying children outside the train station for no reason at all job well done 👏
@CommonEdger: Looking at some of these responses I’m delighted I chose to drive to today’s game, sounds like the usual circus to get the train back home.
@FreddieGaskin: Horrific display from the police today
@adamnay86: Top organisation around horwich station folks just as well organised as Fleetwood the other week and the Preston games in recent times, shambolic
@DannyCass1: To be fair I’m not really sure what Lancashire Police can do about the operation that was run by GMP. Whilst some of the Policing at home has been questionable to say the least I’m not sure they can wear this one.
@Libra_Comms: We were behind this train yesterday on our way home from Manchester. Got delayed an hour thanks to this bunch of football yobs fighting and breaking a train door 😳
@FfcLucan: Just have a look at how they Police football fans trying to get on a train vs how they police trouble at pro Palestine marches. Only difference being one group is mostly working class white males, so obviously fair game to be battered for fuck all.
@ShelfSideJabba: Thats it target the football fans just trying to go home, you lot are a fucking disgrace to this country.
@georgerobbo55:
Trains a fooking joke
GMP nothing but bullies
Just walked in front door
3/14 hrs after the game has finished
Only at Horwich 40 mins away
@nt1212__: GMP absolutely pathetic – officers laughing at us with dogs barking, and arsey attitude when you’re trying to understand what’s going on. The state of policing is dreadful currently.
@AngelaNo19: 2 friggin hours waited for that train. Told to go one way to be told to go the other way to be sent back. Could have driven to Bolton there and back twice over in that time
@kylesummers0: was a joke waiting for that train, first one came and by the time people in front had got on there was no room and then took a good 30 minutes for it to leave cause it had broken down or somet, then the second train took like 15-30 mins to get to the station
The game itself saw Blackpool narrowly beaten by Bolton Wanderers at the Toughsheet Community Stadium with George Thomason netting a second-half strike.
Bolton: Baxter, Jones, Ricardo Santos, Toal, Sheehan, Dacres-Cogley, Thomason, Maghoma (Morley 73′), Williams, Adeboyejo (Bödvarsson 65′), Charles (Nlundulu 87′)
Subs: Iredale, Mendes Gomes, Bödvarsson, Nlundulu, Coleman, Morley, Jerome
Blackpool: Grimshaw, Pennington, Ekpiteta, Husband, CJ Hamilton, Morgan (Kouassi 87′), Norburn, Carey, Thompson (Joseph 80′), Dembele (Dale 74′), Rhodes
Subs: O’Donnell, Connolly, Dale, Joseph, Weir, Kouassi, Oakley-Boothe
Blackpool boss Neil Critchley said post-match: “It was all down to fine margins today. I thought it was a good game with two good teams going right at it,” he said.
“Ultimately, in games such as these it can be one moment that defines the outcome of the match. I can’t fault the players spirit today, as we had some chances throughout, but we we didn’t create that one opportunity to cut Bolton open and really punish them. There weren’t many clear cut chances at either end, and it’s taken an impressive strike from their player to decide the game.
“Before that, we have threatened. Kaddy (Karamoko Dembele) has hit the post early on and Penno (Matthew Pennington) had a good chance with a header that went over. You just need one of them to go for you in these kind of matches, but that wasn’t the case today.
“I think over the 90 minutes we both went toe-to-toe. I’ve been a lot angrier this season after some victories – I thought we were there today, both physically and mentally, but unfortunately we came out on the wrong side of a fine line.”
Bolton’s Ian Evatt said: “I’m delighted for young George.
“These stories happen in football. It’s a game of magical stories sometimes and George was a young kid who was released at Blackpool and has now come back and scored the winner, which is great credit to him and his character.
“I’m so proud of him but proud of them all because that was a really tough game.
“It was a really good day. It’s a game very close to my heart. I think the world of that football club, but I also think the world of this football club as well, and there’s no one more pleased than me tonight that we manged to win the game.
“It was a real high-quality game and I’m delighted that we managed to get on the right side of it,” Evatt added.
“It was a great advert for League One football, with two teams that just went at it from start to finish, both really well organised and both trying to do, in my opinion, the right things.
“I thought we edged the chances and raised the tempo in the second half but they’re always dangerous and have some really good players.
“I think both teams can come off and be pleased with their day and the players themselves, individually. It was just a great battle all over the pitch.
“It felt like a big game with an unbelievable atmosphere created by both sets of supporters and we’re delighted to be on the right side of the result.”
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