Policing in the Premiership

[Huckerbys right foot]

POLICING in the Premiership will not be a whole new ball game, a senior city policewoman said today.

Chief Inspector Sarah Francis, of Norfolk police, said the force was ready for the challenges of keeping control at home games next season and that the strategy would not differ very much from the current arrangements.

She said: "At the moment there are no changes in terms of policing arrangements. The ground is at full capacity at the moment anyway. You can't get any more people in.

"We are obviously thinking about it. We have been thinking about it for some time although a lot of people here are suspicious and haven't liked talking about the P word."

The way police monitor games is currently determined by the intelligence they gather beforehand, to find out whether known troublemakers — or "risk supporters" — are planning to be in the area and where they are intending to meet up.

Chief Insp Francis added: "We will be in discussion with the club about any increase in policing, but it will be entirely intelligence driven.

"The focus will always be whether there are any risk supporters, people who might cause problems.

"We always discuss with the club any information that suggests we might have people travelling."

She went on: "When you look at Premiership and Division One, there are the same sorts of issues in both.

"A lot of problems round the country are in Division One and not the Premiership."

This season there has been the occasional flashpoint following games at Carrow Road.

For example, in January there were ugly scenes at Riverside after a clash with Sheffield United.

Much of the preparation work leading up to match days is carried out by the force's football intelligence officers.

The role was created following the Hillsborough tragedy of 1989.

It was recommended as part of the Taylor report to improve the flow of information between the police and football clubs.