England fans WILL be served normal strength beer at their Euros last-16 clash with Slovakia after local police and UEFA performed a U-turn.
As Mail Sport reported, officials had decided to repeat the restrictions which saw only low-alcohol, 2.8 per cent pints offered at the stadium in Gelsenkirchen when the Three Lions played Serbia in their opening match.
That move triggered anger from the local council and from fans’ group the Football Supporters’ Association.
Both privately felt England fans – who have won praise for their behaviour in Germany – were being singled out and that the decision would cause more problems than it would solve given supporters would be more likely to stay away from the stadium until the last minute.
England’s fans were going to be subjected to the booze restrictions before the U-turn
Supporters will be able to drink normal strength beer again for the Slovakia game
However, following further talks, it is understood that regular beer will now be served, although there will be restrictions on how many fans can buy and, unlike other matches, they will not be permitted to take beers to their seats.
Gelsenkirchen’s council, who noted how well England’s fans had behaved at the Serbia match, had voted in favour of selling normal strength beer but were understood to have been overruled by UEFA and local police.
However, they continued to argue the point, along with the FSA. And, as a result, a compromise has now been reached.
UEFA are expected to confirm the U-turn shortly.
Meanwhile, six England fans have been given banning orders following trouble before the game against Serbia on June 16. Lewis Dodsworth, 29, of Fulwell Road in Sunderland, Jack Hatton, 27, of Fordfield Road, also in Sunderland and Gary McIvor, 38, of Eden Crescent in Darlington, were each handed five-year banning orders that prevent them from attending domestic matches and England internationals. Todd Hines, 21, of Maitland Road, Essex, Liam Jackson, 28, of Beech Street and Kyran Alcock, 28, of Martindale Avenue in Sunderland, were each given three-year banning orders.
Mick Johnson, Head of the UK Football Policing Unit, said: ‘This swift action from police forces and courts across the UK shows that there are consequences for supporters who are intent on causing disorder at matches, whether they are here in the UK or overseas.
‘Thanks to the collaborative work between the UK and German Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts these supporters will now be unable to attend matches in the UK and unable to follow England for the duration of their ban.
‘It is important to stress that the vast majority of England fans in Germany are behaving extremely well, and those involved in any disorder are very much a tiny minority. This has been the case at all of England’s fixtures so far.’
