GUISELEY chairman Gary Douglas says the club was forced to act over crowd trouble after introducing a new policy for fans aged under 21.

Crowd trouble at Guiseley’s 3-2 defeat to Hyde United at Nethermoor Park on Saturday has seen the Lions take swift action in a bid to prevent further violent scenes.

Guiseley announced in a statement on Monday that from now all fans aged under 21 who come to a home game who are not part of a family group, will have to have a season ticket or membership.

 

To gain entry to Nethermoor, all fans aged 21 years or under, and not part of a family group, must have a season ticket or a Guiseley AFC Youth Membership. The Youth Membership card will allow the holder to purchase a ticket to the match. If fans aged under 21 do not have their youth membership card, they will not be allowed to buy a match ticket.

The club added these changes would run until the end of this season when they will be reviewed.

The Guiseley statement added club officials are working hard to identify the culprits of the crowd trouble from last weekend’s home clash with Hyde.

The statement added: “Guiseley AFC would like to formally apologise to anyone who attended the match on Saturday and was directly or indirectly affected by the behaviour of the group of individuals causing trouble.

“The club will be reviewing all footage and photography, including that posted on social media to identify anyone who participated in any anti-social behaviour both in the ground and in the community and will take action against them.

“In light of the incident, we are investigating the legal and financial implications of additional measures.”

Mr Douglas says he understands it is people coming from areas outside of Guiseley who he claims are ‘hellbent’ on causing trouble on Lions’ matchdays.

He said: “This (crowd trouble) is becoming a regular occurrence now.

“We are taking steps to identify them. We are trying to find the people who are causing the trouble. We will give them a blanket ban to try to filter them out.

“We will use bodycams on our security people at the ground.

“It’s not right. We have to take some action to stop it. Out of 100 young people, it’s four or five who are instigating it.

“We need to take more precautions to make sure we identify and get rid of them. “It’s frustrating. We are a family club. It is a group of people coming hellbent on not watching the football.

“We have to take action immediately and nip it in the bud. We have to flush it out and act as quickly as we can.”

Meanwhile, Guiseley manager Paul Phillips echoed the chairman’s stance and the club’s new policy to stamp out trouble at their side’s ground on matchdays.

Phillips said: “I have only been at the club for a short period. There have been a few incidents over the last few months.

“It’s great that we are getting young people through the gates. It is the minority that is spoiling it for the majority.

“Some of the scenes on Saturday were not acceptable. The club has had to do it. The club is doing everything it can to try not to see a repeat of it.”

Guiseley travel to Marske United in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division this Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Guiseley AFC youth membership is priced £10 per person and a Guiseley season ticket is £25 for under-25s and £60 for adults. Go to guiseleyafc.co.uk for more information.