|
|
 |
| |
Policing fears over north London derby cup clash
Arsenal and Spurs can’t agree on seat allocation for away fans
FANS who want to watch Tottenham take on rivals Arsenal in the semi-final of the Carling Cup are facing an anxious wait to buy tickets following concerns over policing the two-legged ties.
According to cup rules, home sides have to give 15 per cent of their ground to visiting supporters for the games, which will take place next Wednesday and on January 31 – meaning Spurs could take approximately 9,000 fans to the Emirates Stadium.
Both clubs and Islington police are concerned about policing such large crowds.
Now the Football League has been called in to solve the impasse.
Usually around 300 police are on duty at the Emirates – a number that doubles when Spurs visit.
Islington police’s football liaison officer Paul Redfearn said the operation on the night called for extra officers.
He said: “The issue for derby games is not so much at the stadium but we have to police two London boroughs well into the evening.”
He added that Arsenal’s new ground had been designed to accommodate 9,000 visiting fans, although that number had not yet been given to visiting teams.
Insiders at both clubs say there are two sticking points. If Spurs accept a reduced number of tickets for their fans at Ashburton Grove, they want to sell the same percentage for the tie at White Hart Lane to Arsenal, something the new Journal has learnt Arsenal are not keen to accept.
Arsenal also wanted to reduce ticket prices for the tie by 25 per cent – but Spurs, who would receive 45 per cent of the gate receipts from the Emirates clash in two weeks time, allegedly did not agree to this.
Arsenal have offered Spurs 5,100 tickets, while Tottenham have offered a similar percentage to their neighbours.
An Arsenal source added that the club normally offered tickets with a £10 discount for Carling Cup games as season ticket holders did not get in using their pre-paid tickets, due to the high volume of Champions League matches.
|
 |
|
|
|
