The march will go on for Western Sydney Wanderers fans this season, after NSW Police addressed reports there may be a ban on the traditional pre-match march for games at Pirtek Stadium.
Assistant Commissioner Denis Clifford spoke to the media at the NSW Police Headquarters in Parramatta this afternoon about security and safety conditions.
He said safety issues — including concerns about fan behaviour, the way fans are seated, overcrowding and the march into the stadium — were addressed at a meeting on Thursday between the police, the Wanderers, Football Federation Australia, and management from Pirtek Stadium and Venues NSW.
Assistant Commissioner Clifford said he was pleased to say all parties were on the same page.
‘‘We all agree that the way the crowds have been standing, swaying and converging on the northern terraces is a real safety concern,’’ he said.
‘‘Out of that meeting there’s a number of things we’ve agreed.
‘‘The most important one I guess is that trained marshals will be there to assist people into the bays that they’ve bought tickets for, and to keep the aisles clear.
‘‘They’ll be doing that along with stadium security.’’
READ MORE: Click here to read what the Wanderers' chief executive, John Tsatsimas, had to say.
In relation to chanting from the crowd, Assistant Commissioner Clifford said the police did not mind people being vocal.
‘‘I don’t care how loud they are in those bays, how much they want to support their team,’’ he said.
‘‘In fact, it’s quite entertaining as some of the chants are quite clever.
"It’s about some individuals that you find, not only with the Wanderers, but with many clubs in many codes that simply want to cause trouble, won’t comply and put a blight on whatever code they’re there to go and watch"
- — Assistant Commissioner Denis Clifford
‘‘But it’s when they step over the line and they start to become offensive and provocative that we have to lament that sort of chanting.’’
In relation to the marches, Assistant Commissioner Clifford said there had been a number of safety issues and non-compliance of some of the conditions put in place on previous marches.
He stressed the use of flares during the march and inside the stadium was not negotiable.
He said the police were working with the Wanderers, who would assign trained marshals.
‘‘I’ve got to say this has never been about the entire the Western Sydney Wanderers support base, it’s about some individuals that you find, not only with the Wanderers, but with many clubs in many codes that simply want to cause trouble, won’t comply and put a blight on whatever code they’re there to go and watch.
‘‘The vast majority of fans are doing the right thing and I’m sure they would agree the last thing anyone wants to see is an unsafe environment where people can get hurt.’’
Assistant Commissioner Clifford said the police had received an application for a march for the Wanderers season opener against Brisbane Roar on October 8 which has been approved.
