By Andrew Warshaw
August 6 – A pre-season friendly between Blackburn Rovers and Dutch club NEC Nijmegen (pictured left) was called off on Sunday because of the threat of fan violence.
Rovers, relegated to the second tier of English football in May, had been involved in clashes both Friday (August 3) and Saturday (August 4), according to police, and Dutch authorities took the decision to cancel the match taking place at the Goffertpark, located in the East of the Netherlands.
“Supporters of Blackburn Rovers were involved in rioting in Deventer on Friday.
“With the serious threat of unrest, it is not sensible to play this game today,” a police statement said.
“On Saturday there was a confrontation with supporters of NEC Nijmegen.”
“On the basis of serious signals to the police that a confrontation would take place again today, deputy mayor Henk Beerten, in consultation with police, judiciary and mayor Hubert Bruls, decided to cancel the match this afternoon.
“With the serious threat of unrest in the Goffertpark around the exhibition game, it is not sensible to play this game today.”
Some 8,000 visitors were expected at the open day of NEC including many families with children and Dutch authorities said they could not take the risk of any disturbances.
Blackburn (pictured above) issued a statement on their website suggesting the decision was too hasty.
“Both clubs wish to express their disappointment that such a decision has been necessary,” it said.
The match with NEC Nijmegen was meant to be Blackburn’s second game in three days in Holland after they had lost 4-2 against Go Ahead Eagles in another friendly in Deventer on Friday.
Blackburn have a virtually unblemished record when it comes to fan violence.
“It’s something new to us,” a Blackburn spokesman said.
“We’ve been in the UEFA Cup four times in the last 10 years and never had any problems before.
“We’ve got a very good record of fans travelling abroad.”
Sandra Bronkhorst, spokesperson for the deputy major of Nijmegen, claimed NEC fans may actually have instigated Saturday night’s events.
“A group of around 80 Blackburn supporters got into a fight with some 30 NEC supporters – probably caused by the Nijmegen supporters and not by the English.”
Also in Holland over the weekend, Newcastle United players were subjected to racist chanting during their pre-season friendly against Den Haag at Kyocera Stadium.
Midfielder Cheick Tioté (pictured above) and strikers Papiss Cissé and Demba Ba were greeted with monkey noises during the goalless draw and the club confirmed they have complained to their hosts.
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