The Star joins Shrewsbury police to find out how they tackled football violence with 'smart initiative'
Shrewsbury Town are near the bottom of the league, but it's one they'll be pleased about.
The UK Football Policing League, which ranks sides based on the highest amount of arrests, violence and other incidents happening at games, places Salop 19th in League One.
It's a drastic improvement - they were the 7th worst out of 24 clubs this time last year. The Shropshire Star joined the police for Shrewsbury's League One clash at home to Wycombe Wanderers to see how they have managed to do it.
Safety at football grounds may have come a long way since the hooligan eras of a few decades ago but, every once in a while, it returns to the spotlight. Whether it be racist chanting, pitch invaders instigating violence against players and opposition fans, or thugs storming a stadium and fighting, like at the Euro 2020 final.
Policing Shrewsbury Town games hasn't been without its problems in recent years.
"After lockdown there was an upsurge in youths who we didn't know causing mayhem," Sergeant Ingrid Tozer told us.
"It was a bit of a perfect storm. But when we got hold of them, there were none of the social issues you would usually see with kids engaging in anti-social behaviour. They came from nice families, they were going to school. They were nice kids. It was just bizarre."
This new set of young fans causing carnage on a match day were hardly the notorious English Border Front of the 80s and 90s, the Shrewsbury-based football firm and organised crime group considered one of the nation's most violent.
But, with films such as The Football Factory and Green Street glamorising the sub-culture, police wanted to nip it in the bud and stop young perpetrators spiralling into a life of crime.
They came up with the Stay On Side initiative, an intervention led by dedicated football officer and former Salop Centre of Excellence player PC Chris Rayment.
The scheme is designed to educate youngsters through the power of football about what is right and wrong when it comes to supporting their team. PC Rayment tells them the harsh truth about where they will end up if they are convicted for offences at the football.
"It will affect the rest of their lives, that's the message we have to get across," he said. "It can affect you when you apply for a job, if you want to go to university, if you want to travel to America. But not only that, you won't be able to go to games if you get a football banning order and that is everywhere."
"It's about breaking the cycle," added Sgt Tozer, "We don't want them going down the route of the criminal justice system."
The initiative also gets young people involved in sport and other local programmes with the help of the Shrewsbury Town Foundation. Its success earned the Shrewsbury officers a West Mercia Quality Policing Award.
Given the Town's fine form in League One, fans are in high spirits and, as there is no particular bitterness or rivalry with the visitors, it is expected to be a quiet game for officers. They are, however, prepared.
We start the day at Monkmoor police station, where PC Rayment delivers a briefing to colleagues based in Shrewsbury, as well as Thames Valley Police officers with inside knowledge on the Chairboys' fans. This is where intelligence will be shared on areas of town to keep an eye on, any particular problem fans that could cause trouble and stadium logistics.
Match day is the culmination of preparation made by PC Rayment and colleagues during the week to identify and address issues that might arise, whether it be sending away fans to a different pub to the home fans, assessing transport problems or even making home visits to supporters who may require "a talking to" before the match - just to make sure they enjoy themselves sensibly.
After a round of baps from Bradley's Butchers in London Road, it's time to head out in the patrol car. A reccy to the stadium, past the Charles Darwin pub in Sutton Farm - where away fans tend to be directed towards - and around the town centre are undertaken, with officers keeping a beady eye out for anyone up to no good.
We stop off at The Brooklands, where supporters are in a jovial mood, having a laugh and a joke with officers as they finish off their pre-match pints. Meole was one of the problem areas for football-related violence post-Covid, but security guards at the pub also help keep things in check and are extra pairs of eyes and ears to support the police.
Onto the stadium, where several fans say hello and stop to chat to PC Rayment on his rounds. For Shrewsbury police, it's about maintaining an approachable presence to the community, and making people feel part of something.
"For us, we want people to come to the football and to be enjoying themselves," said PC Rayment.
