Un articolo divertentissimo... Specialmente il calcio volante al cane e il "pork and cheese"...

Soccer mayhem at Norfolk pub
Portuguese men, women and children cowered in a Norfolk pub as an angry mob hurled missiles and yelled racial abuse outside for more than 90 minutes, Norwich Crown Court heard yesterday.

About 40 people trapped in the Red Lion at Thetford cried and screamed in fear while a crowd of up to 300 drunken football fans surrounded the pub after England crashed out of Euro 2004 at the hands of Portugal.

Bottles, gravel and bits of a broken paving slab were thrown at the pub, shattering 37 windows, as fans struggled to break through a police line.

Flying glass and missiles left many people inside covered in blood and one man knocked out.

The 12 police officers protecting the pub suffered injuries and a police dog was kicked, spat at and had cigarettes thrown at it.

The frightening scenes were revealed during the trial of four Diss men, charged with violent disorder, which began yesterday.

The court heard that the situation, on June 24 last year, was "exacerbated" by the throwing of missiles, which the accused were allegedly seen to do.

William Harvey, 20, of The Heywood; Daniel May, 21, and Steven Rothwell, 32, of Wilbye Avenue; and Danny Remblance, 19, of Common Road, Shelfanger, near Diss, each deny the charge.

Christopher Morgan, prosecuting, told the court the Portuguese-run pub attracted much media attention in the build-up to the eagerly-awaited Euro 2004 quarter-final match.

At half time, with England 1-0 up, English fans spilled outside the Angel and Green Dragon pubs, which also face the Market Place, and were involved in good-natured banter with Portuguese fans opposite.

But when England lost 6-5 on penalties, a large crowd gathered outside the pub, causing "disorder of a violent character", which involved violent struggles with police, shouting, cheering and jeering racial abuse.

Mr Morgan said the problems started around 10.30pm and the "violence exhibited" continued to 12.10am.

TV crews recorded the deafening noise as the crowd shouted "England, England" and yelled abuse. Some were calling the Portuguese "pork and cheese".

Mr Morgan told the jury: "The level of noise (was high) for those outside. You can appreciate the level of fear experienced inside the Red Lion for those unable to get out - because the door was shut for their own protection - aware that there was a large crowd shouting and exhibiting threatening, unlawful behaviour."

The court heard that 12 police officers were forced to form a line to hold the crowd back from the pub.

Minutes after the match ended, a man aimed a "flying kick" at police dog, Zac, and then a bottle smashed against the pub, which was greeted with cheers. From then on matters escalated.

Insp Mike Brown, who was in charge of policing the event, told the court there was "out and out" aggression towards those in the pub and the situation soon became critical. He issued riot shields and batons were used.

He called for back-up from another 40 officers from Norfolk and Suffolk, who separated and dispersed the crowd.

CCTV footage shown to the court caught the four men on trial throwing things towards the pub.

Mr Morgan said: "The throwing of missiles caused a great deal of fun and jocularity (for the four). What explanation could there be for four men standing at the back of a crowd, throwing missiles towards a public house that contains Portuguese football supporters?"

The Crown believed there "can be no lawful justification" for throwing missiles and that "exacerbated the problems". However, the whereabouts of the four prior to when they were seen throwing objects was unknown, he said.

In a statement read to the court, pub manager Sergio Queirez, said the violence was well documented, but less had been heard about the "absolute fear" felt by customers inside.

The Portuguese were breaking up tables to protect themselves in reaction to the smashing windows, the court heard. There was apprehension, confusion and tears, and Mr Queirez described hearing screaming and seeing blood while he himself feared for his life, the court heard.

Natasha Lewis, who had watched the match in the pub, heard some members of the crowd shouting: "Dirty scum, get out of my town."

"It was just disgusting racial abuse," Ms Lewis said in a statement read to the court.

The court heard that at one point a police officer was told: "Can't you understand why we're doing this? They are in this country taking over this country and you are helping."

The trial continues today.

"Sorry Mr. Hughes ma lei non potrà giocare la partita.".

Cartellino rosso per Craig Huges e il Carmarthen Town, niente partita di UEFA. “This is a huge blow for us.” ha replicato Mark Jones, manager della compagine gallese.

Vi ricordate gli Hammers condannati qualche giorno fa?

Top TV advert director found guilty of football hooliganism

One of the world's most successful directors of television commercials has been found guilty of football hooliganism and banned from attending matches for five years. Eden Diebel, 44, an award-winning film-maker who has devised campaigns for Coca-Cola, Smirnoff and Mercedes, was also sentenced to 150 hours' community service and fined £2,500 after admitting threatening behaviour. The London-based director, a life-long West Ham fan, was arrested after he was filmed throwing coins at Millwall fans at a match in November. He was originally charged with violent disorder but that was reduced to a charge of threatening behaviour.

Diebel, who was recently named as one of the top 10 directors of commercials in the world by Campaign magazine, admitted last night that he had thrown coins, but claimed that he had not injured anybody. He told The Sunday Telegraph that his arrest and subsequent conviction "had ruined his life". "Tempers were running high because the police had kept a large section of us West Ham fans back at the end of the game." Diebel said. "The Millwall fans were shouting abuse at us and we threw the coins as a reaction to that.

The banning order, which is the maximum possible, means that he cannot go within two miles of West Ham's Upton Park ground. He is also banned from visiting towns where away matches are being held.

Pc Andrew Wadson, from the Metropolitan Police football unit, said: "I hope that the sentence serves as a warning to anyone who thinks that this sort of behaviour and level of violence is acceptable. "It is not acceptable and police, football clubs or the law-abiding football fan will not tolerate it. "This case demonstrates that anyone attending a football match should remember that they could be on film at any point. "Whatever actions are committed inside a stadium will be filmed and later viewed for follow-up and conviction."

Norwich City fan has been banned from football matches for three years after being arrested during the Canaries' FA Cup clash with West Ham last season. James Nelson, 27, of Garrick Green, Old Catton, near Norwich, was seen repeatedly swearing and gesticulating at opposing fans and police at the FA Cup third-round match on January 8 which the Canaries lost 1-0. He was also found to possess a controlled drug.

Det Supt Jim Smerdon, of Norwich police, said: "We are proactively targeting people we have intelligence on who are football hooligans or who are capable of being a hooligan. Officers go to all Norwich matches including away games and we have a good liaison with other clubs. This is a classic example of us targeting someone we had intelligence on who had the capability of football hooliganism. We watch their behaviour and at the West Ham match he showed that was what he was capable of doing. What these people have got to realise is that if they get a three-year ban, the likelihood is that they will miss the World Cup in 2006.".

Sgt Chris McGivern, of Norwich police, said "Every time we receive any intelligence or information about these individuals, whether it is an arrest or what they have been seen doing, when we feel we have enough evidence, we will apply for a ban.”.

Ve lo ricordate Julian Dicks detto the Terminator,icona del West Ham anni 90, rasato,faccia da psycho e takles letali…bè gli attaccanti avversari se lo ricordano di sicuro.Dopo i primi anni nel Birmingham City Dicks passò al West Ham dove per la sua grinta e il suo rude modo di giocare è ricordato ancora oggi. Nella gloriosa stagione della promozione 93 con solo tre espulsioni Julian collezionò 13 giornate di squalifica.. non male. Ma che fine ha fatto the Terminator oggi ?  Dopo l’addio al calcio a causa di un brutto infortunio alle caviglie Dicks si è dedicato a svariate attività: allevamento di bull terrier, fallito dopo la separazione con la moglie; carriera da golfista terminata dopo aver devastato diversi club; ritorno al calcio con il Canvey Island , durato poco pur non rinunciando alle solite risse in campo e infine l’attività odierna. Dicks gestisce lo “Shepherd and Dog “a Langham, vicino a Colchester, diventato una meta per tifosi del West Ham e non solo che vogliono ricordare i bei tempi.. E se alla chiusura non volete andarvene…ci pensa lui con il suo famoso Terminator treatment….