by Michael Baggaley

CIVIL rights campaign group Liberty is set to take up the case of the Stoke supporters who were forced to leave Manchester by police before City’s game at Old Trafford.

Around 70 fans were having a pre-match drink at The Railway Inn in Irlam, Greater Manchester on November 15, when police arrived, issued supporters with Section 27 orders and put them on coaches back to Stoke-on-Trent.

Greater Manchester Police says officers took action because they had intelligence that “hooligan groups” were planning violence at the match.

Section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 allows police to remove individuals from a particular area for up to 48 hours if they believe there is a threat of alcohol-related crime or disorder.

But one of the fans, Lyndon Edwards, has made a formal complaint to Greater Manchester Police and the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

He says there was no trouble at the pub, and has been supported by the landlord.

The 38-year-old fan, from Chesterton, is hoping Liberty will help him take the case to a judicial review, in which a judge will decide whether the police acted lawfully.

A spokesman for Liberty declined to comment at this stage.

Mr Edwards says he is hopeful of helping to stop the same thing from happening to other genuine supporters.

He said: “More than anything else I want people to be aware of this happening.

“The more people have read about it, the more have said the same thing has happened to them.

“It was a pretty bizarre thing to happen. I have been to Stoke games home and away for years.

“I have been in a situation before where police have come in and weeded out individuals and let legitimate fans go to the game, or escorted us to the ground.

“That’s fine, but it’s not fair that everyone should be tarred by the same brush.

“I have never experienced anything like this before and I hope I never will again.”

Mr Edwards is waiting for a ruling from the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

However, Greater Manchester Police have written to him to say they are satisfied they acted properly.

The Stoke supporters’ case is being backed by the Football Supporters Federation (FSF), which has urged other fans affected to contact them.

An FSF spokesman said: “The case of the Stoke fans is very worrying.

“There are an increasing number of examples of police using Section 27 orders. It is something we are talking to our legal advisers about on behalf of supporters.”