Statement from Darlington FC relating to the crowd incidents at AFC Fylde last Saturday

Following on from our request for information about trouble caused by a small number of fans at the AFC Fylde match, we would like to thank everyone who provided us with statements, videos and images of events that day. As a result, the Board of Darlington Football Club has banned two individuals from attending matches at Blackwell Meadows until further notice.

We have photographs of those two individuals and will be instructing our stewards not to allow them access to the ground. We have also provided information to the Police in order that they can consider what further formal action might be appropriate. We are working closely with Durham Constabulary who are assisting Lancashire Police with the post-match investigation and subsequent action, and pending a decision from those two Police forces, we will not be publically disclosing the individuals’ names.

We believe that we have evidence of an individual who threw a full container of liquid at the Fylde goalkeeper, and we have asked the Police to investigate this. We have also obtained a photographs of individuals who we believe were underage and consuming alcohol. These images have been passed to Police as part of our policy of sharing all relevant information with them.

In respect of incidents that occurred at the Altrincham and FCUM matches earlier this season, we can now report that two adult police cautions were issued by Police, in relation to persons entering the playing area and the area adjacent to it, and one national football banning order was issued by the courts to an individual involved in football related disorder. The persons concerned were attending fixtures claiming to be Darlington fans.

We are now working with the Darlington FC Supporters Group to determine ways that we can minimise as best we can the attendance at away matches of those intent on causing trouble.

As a fan-owned club, we will not tolerate behaviour which brings our name into disrepute, and we are committed to taking action wherever we have evidence. We will also share information with the Police so that criminal proceedings can be considered.