English to press for lifting of soccer ban

Press, 10 March 1987, Page 52

English to press for lifting of soccer ban

NZPA-Reuter

English soccer officials will press today for their clubs to be readmitted to European competitions, Jess than two years after a riot by Liverpool supporters caused the deaths of 39 people in the Heysel stadium, Brussels. In Berne the European Football Union (U.E.F.A.) will be presented with a dossier outlining England’s cas& for an end next season to the indefinite ban imposed after the fateful Liverpool-Juventus European Cup final in May, 1985. “We are noping some clubs will be allowed back

next season,” said the English Football Association (F.A.) secretary, Ted Croker, yesterday. England hoped to be represented in all three major competitions —

Champions’, Cup Winners’ and U.E.F.A. Cups — but would be “grateful if something less is offered,” Although U.E.F.A. officials declined to predict the outcome of the meeting, their initial reluctance to include the ban on the agenda and U.E.F.A. president Jacques Georges's known opposition to the readmission of English clubs at this point suggest an

uphill struggle for the officials from London.

English clubs were barred indefinitely in the aftermath of the Heysel riot and although the ban was subsequently lifted to allow them to play in friendly games, it stayed in force for competitions. The English will point to the improved behaviour of their fans since the Heysel disaster and Mr Croker said they would contrast the lack of major incidents at the 120 friendlies they have been allowed to play with the scenes of increasing violence in other European countries.