Police are ready for the Devon Derby

Devon and Cornwall Police have been planning for the Devon derby as Plymouth Argyle visits St James Park to take on Exeter City this weekend.

Chief Inspector Adrian Leisk, the police officer in charge of the operation said: “As a Force we are experienced in policing large scale sporting events such as this, and we have worked with both clubs to ensure the Devon derby is policed appropriately.

“There will be a police presence in the area throughout the day, and anyone who is intent on causing a disturbance will be dealt with swiftly and robustly.

“That said, a bit of perspective is always useful on occasions such as this. In April there were around a dozen arrests out of around 8,000 spectators and subsequently some individuals received football banning orders. However, the vast majority of fans are a pleasure to work with and we look forward to welcoming them all to Exeter this Saturday.”

Fans are reminded that there are a number of local road closures in place. Bridge Road and Barrack Road in Exeter will be closed, so fans wishing to attend the football or fans from the Exeter Chiefs who play Harlequins on Saturday afternoon, are asked to plan their journey in advance.

Chief Insp Leisk added: “People need to be aware that the match is an all-ticket affair and therefore no tickets will be available to purchase on the day.

“If any supporters are deemed to be drunk then you will be refused entry into St James Park. If you are caught using foul and abusive language, then you run the risk of being ejected from the ground and arrested.”

Plymouth has sold out their allocation to their season ticket holders and the Police are expecting around a half a dozen supporter coaches on match day. St James Road behind the away end will be closed on match day from 10am-4pm to allow for the away fans coaches to drop off, park and pick up fans at full time.

Julian Tagg, Exeter City Football Club Chairman, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Plymouth Argyle and their fans to St James Park for the Devon derby. The match has provided a fantastic atmosphere for all supporters in the past, and we are expecting yet another enthralling 90 minutes.”

Kick-off for the match is 1pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance over the phone, between 9.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, on 01392 411243. They can also be purchased, in advance, at the club’s reception between 9.30am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, or online at tickets.ecfc.co.uk.

The latest information on matchday will be tweeted via the @DCP_Football, the Force’s Football Unit dedicated twitter account.