Greater Manchester Police are appealing for witnesses after a child was hit by a flare at a Bury football match over the weekend.
A group of male protestors gathered outside of the stadium were reportedly throwing flares into the ground at Neuven Stadium, according to GMP Bury Division, causing injury to a player and a 12-year-old girl.
Game 4 of the week and 1st of the day. Bought a programme, saw a goal, left half time. Didn't buy a pie though. Probably go to groundhopper hell for that. Bury v North Shields. pic.twitter.com/nIyzH709zp
The two individuals hit by the projectile in this instance are said to have only suffered minor injuries.
Citing FA Rule E20.1, they reiterated that the national footballing body and North West Counties Football League (NWCFL) have a ‘zero tolerance’ when it comes to pyros and that it is an offence to enter a football ground with ‘flares, smoke bombs or fireworks’.
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Fans of the phoenix club founded in December 2019 have been protesting in recent months over a potential merger with the original club, Bury FC.
Bury FC Supporters Society (BFCSS) and AFC’s Shaker’s Community Society groups revealed proposals to merge the two clubs after Bury FC were kicked out of the English Football League (EFL) for failing to pay off their debts and pay players’ wages back in August 2019.
Moreover, supporters of the ‘Vote No Merger’ movement are said to have marched on the nearby Redbank Playing Fields around 11am, resulting in the cancellation of youth team Radcliffe FC’s scheduled fixtures, as per Bury Press.
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The protests outside the ground began just over an hour later and while the group insisted they ‘were never going to be a threat’, Radcliffe FC’s chairman Paul Hilton said he was “appalled at the decision which has impacted children “who are absolutely innocent”.
The club itself shared a Facebook post detailing the local police statement, emphasising that “Bury AFC is a family-friendly club [and] we are committed to make it a safe environment for all that attend.”
Bury Division’s Chief Inspector Samantha Goldie said: “Whilst we anticipate protests taking place and facilitate them where possible, we absolutely do not tolerate violence.
“This is a public event and ultimately we want everyone to be safe and have an enjoyable time. Thankfully this reckless and dangerous action by a few did not result in serious injury”.
She is also urging people to come forward with any footage or information.
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Meanwhile, Bury’s administration is once asking fans to ‘Be loud and proud when supporting the team, but say #NoToFlares.’
If you have any information, you can contact the police on 0161 856 8181 quoting incident number 1415. Alternatively, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Featured image: Bury AFC
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Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
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Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
5th September 2022 
