Ensuring the safety of our supporters, players and staff is always of paramount importance at Brunton Park and, as well as being very dangerous, the throwing of objects and lighting of pyrotechnics are serious offences.
As reported in recent club updates from chief executive Nigel Clibbens, and at the CUSG meetings, the club has a growing and already serious concern that a very small minority of supporters are becoming increasingly involved in incidents of this nature, as seen at our last home game against Hartlepool.
We are currently investigating incidents from last Tuesday’s game, and this is likely to lead to a number of fans receiving bans.
For the vast majority of fans this may go unnoticed, or seem an overreaction, but these issues are very real.
In recent games incidents have included:
- Flares being set off in home end, within the Pioneer concourse, which causes safety issues for staff and other supporters.
- Verbal abuse and threats of violence directed towards guests in the away director’s box.
- Pitch encroachment.
- Bottles, vapes and other objects being thrown at stewarding staff.
- Verbal abuse towards members of stewarding staff across the whole stadium.
- Objects being thrown at opposition goal keepers - these incidents are always reported to the FA and, as a club, we have to respond. We could face significant fines if this behaviour continues.
- Three members of club stewarding were assaulted by home fans at the match last Tuesday - this is a serious escalation and not acceptable under any circumstances.
We understand passions run high and football is highly tribal and emotional - that’s what makes it great being a fan - but that is no excuse for this kind of behaviour.
Any supporter identified to have committed such an act will be banned by the club, and will also be subject to the possibility of criminal prosecution and Football Banning Orders.
There is no place for this behaviour at Brunton Park, or from Carlisle fans who travel to away fixtures.
Stringent searches are taking place. This will continue, and we will also continue to work closely with the police and football authorities to stamp out this, and other types, of spectator misconduct.
We would like to remind supporters that if incidents of this nature reported, the Football Association have the power to impose serious financial penalties on the club.
It leads to increased police and stewarding costs that we can well do without. It harms the reputation of every single United fan and, of course, that of our club.
We urge all supporters to think long and hard about this and to play their part to stop it.
You can report any incidents to us, confidentially if you wish, to help us to eradicate this behaviour.
If you witness behaviour of this type during a match, please report to the nearest steward or phone or text our reporting hotline on 07891 779 015, or email the SLO on slo@carlisleunited.co.uk.