Bruges Police Release Advice For Newcastle Fans Travelling To Europa League Match On November 8

Newcastle fans who travel to Bruges without a match ticket will be arrested if they are found near the stadium, Bruges Police say.

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Up to 10,000 Newcastle fans are expected to travel to Belgium for the game on November 8, despite only 1,470 tickets being available in the away section.

Newcastle have made numerous appeals for the allocation to be increased, but Bruges have refused to go beyond UEFA's minimum away fans allocation of 5% stadium capacity. 

Bruges Police Commissioner Rudy Saron made another appeal for those Newcastle fans who were unable to get tickets to stay away from the city. And he stressed that Newcastle fans found in any part of the stadium other than the away section will be ejected.

He also reminded fans that, under Belgian law, any person unable to produce photographic identification when requested by police will be arrested and detained for 12 hours.


VIDEO: Supporters groups offer advice to Newcastle fans

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The guidelines, released by Northumbria Police on their Belgian counterparts' behalf, included details of meeting points for Newcastle fans, and information on transport to and from the Jan Breydal Stadium.

Newcastle fans are being asked to congregate in the Market Square, where a meeting point will be open from midday until 6pm, providing visitor information and assistance.

Police will be on hand to direct fans to the stadium ahead of kick off, and authorities will be using two Twitter hashtags, #politiebrugge and #CLUNEW, to communicate with fans.

:: The guidelines issued by Bruges Police are:

  • If you do not have a ticket, please do not travel to Brugge.

  • Supporters without a valid ticket for the football match will be prevented from travelling to the stadium and anyone found in the vicinity of the stadium during the whole of match day without a ticket will be arrested.

  • No tickets will be sold for the match after the 5th November in any part of the stadium.

  • Any Newcastle United supporter found in any part of the stadium other than the allocated away fan section will have their ticket confiscated and be ejected from the ground.

  • If you are in a public place in Belgium (including inside a football ground) the law allows the police to demand official photographic identification such as a passport or drivers licence, etc. If you are not able to produce such you will be arrested and detained for 12 hours.

  • Newcastle fans in the segregated area will probably not be held back in the stadium at the end of the match, but fans in the Category One seats in the main East Stand will definitely be held back for a short period while the home fans in the adjoining areas leave first.

  • In the city centre in the Market Square there will be a meeting point for NUFC fans. It will be opened on match day from 12 noon till 6pm. NUFC fans will be able to get information about the town, the match and can ask help for any problems they are faced with during their stay in Brugge.

  • The local police are willing to guide NUFC ticket holders for the fixture from the town centre to the stadium. A rendezvous point and a starting time will be announced well in advance on match day itself via Twitter and other means of communication.

  • If NUFC fans want to go individually to the stadium they are advised to take a taxi to the Doornstraat (visitor's entrance). They are advised not to make use of public transport.

  • The official coach parking at the stadium is only allowed for those who have registered with NUFC and the Police and have been given an official pass in advance.

  • On Thursday November 7 the local police will provide twitter hashtags to communicate with fans. The two tags used will be #politiebrugge and #CLUNEW.


:: Federal Police Chief Commissioner Daniel De Groote has provided the following advice for Newcastle fans travelling to Belgium:

  • If anyone arrives at any border control point in Belgium and they are drunk, under the influence of drugs or they are disorderly, they will not be permitted entry into the country.

  • If anyone arrives at any border control point in Belgium and they have alcohol in their possession it will be confiscated.

  • If any fans are intending to travel to Belgium and enter via the port of Zeebrugge as a foot passenger and subsequently travel to Brugge, they must pre-book their bus ticket through P&O Ferries at the port of Hull as there are insufficient travel options to account for the number of foot passengers that are booked to travel.
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