DERRY CITY: Lifetime bans to be imposed on fans caught using flares

The Brandywell club are being held responsible for the conduct of fans on FIVE separate occasions during the past three months and the fines incurred are hitting the purse strings hard.

Now the club has decided to take a hard-line stance of increasing the presence of ‘ejection’ stewards at certain parts of the ground.

And they’ve promised to issue immediate lifetime bans on the culprits in a desperate bid to stop the repeated infringements.

The FAI last night confirmed their disciplinary charges imposed on Derry City for breach of Rule 106 which deals with spectator conduct and has urged ALL League of Ireland clubs to ‘ensure pyrotechnics are not used’ during matches.

“Derry City FC have been fined €2,300 during the 2016 season for five different offences relating to pyrotechnics,” confirmed an FAI spokesperson.

“Supporters’ safety is imperative in the SSE Airtricity League and we want to ensure a safe and family-friendly environment for all supporters to enjoy at all matches.

“The League urges all clubs to ensure pyrotechnics are not used by supporters during matches.”

Immediate Stadium Bans

Derry City’s Club Commercial and Marketing Manager, Orlaith Meenan said the club will no longer tolerate the improper conduct of supporters and confirmed the club are prepared to hand down stadium bans.

“It’s a shocking total,” she said of the fines imposed. “That’s the equivalent of 230 supporters coming in and paying at the gate! “We’re being less tolerable than what we were. If it comes to the point where we have to issue lifetime bans then that’s what we’ll do.It’s not just costing the club money but it’s ruining the experience for other supporters,” she added.

“We want to have a safe and friendly atmosphere so supporters can enjoy the games.

“It’s (lifetime bans) something we will put in place until we’ve got a handle on the situation with the flares.

“We will have to put more stewards in place and more ejection stewards in the block where we’re having the problem.The fines are from our last five matches I understand. I know in one match there was more than one flare let off.

Appeal to Parents

“I would appeal to the parents of children who go to Brandywell to keep an eye on what their children are buying online.

“It’s young children who seem to be letting them off,” she added. “So where they are getting these flares is a concern as well.

“If you’re children are going to Brandywell, make sure they are not carrying flares.”