Luton fans banned from Watford pubs on day of Championship match
Luton Town fans will not be able to use pubs in Watford when the two rival football clubs face each other on Sunday.Hertfordshire Police said it was licensees that had taken the decision to not serve Hatters fans when their team takes on the The Hornets in the Championship battle at Vicarage Road. The force warned home fans they would not be allowed to exit the stadium via Vicarage Road itself until away fans had left after the match which kicks off at 12:00 GMT.Ch Insp Ian Grout said: "Our primary role is safety… Watford fans will be free to leave through Cardiff Road or into Harwoods Road into west Watford."
"As the police we do not have the power to say to pubs you must open to away fans," he added.Police have also put in place an alcohol ban on Vicarage Road, along with greater resources on the day.
The last time the rivals faced each other was on 19 October when Luton came out on top with a 3-0 home win at Kenilworth Road.Ahead of that game Hornets' fans were brought into Luton by coaches.On Sunday, 230 police officers will be working at the stadium and behind the scenes. That level of policing is about eight times more resources compared to Watford's game against Leeds 11 February.
Planning for the game started four months ago.Ch Insp Grout, a self-confessed Watford supporter, added: "If [Watford fans] wait for 15 minutes after the game, once Luton fans have exited, we will open up Vicarage Road."It's an important match for both teams and I want people to come and enjoy the game and be safe. "If fans are intent on coming to cause disorder we will deal with that accordingly, so please don't come. "Our plans in place will happen and everyone will come watch a game of football and go home safely."There will be drink kiosks open for Watford fans who choose to wait for the opening of Vicarage road.Luton last visited Vicarage Road in October 2022 when the team lost 4-0 against Watford.
Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
20 minutes ago
- BBC News
Blackburn sign Kortrijk winger De Neve
Blackburn Rovers have signed KV Kortrijk winger Dion de Neve on a three-year 23-year-old Belgian scored twice in 30 appearances in the Jupiler League last season as the side suffered relegation to the second started his career with Zulte Waregem before moving to Kortrijk in Neve is Blackburn's first summer signing after they narrowly missed out on a Championship play-off place last season.
Telegraph
35 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Jobe Bellingham treads Jude's path to Dortmund but he is more than a little brother
Jobe Bellingham is Jobe Bellingham. He is not just Jude's brother. He is not living in the shadow of anyone and he is, quietly, but surely, establishing himself as one of England's best young players. It could be hard being the younger brother of the country's finest player. Younger siblings of famous people can find life challenging, even without pursuing the exact same career. At the age of just 19, Jobe has not shied away from anything and this week followed in his older brother's footsteps, signing for Borussia Dortmund, the club Jude played for after leaving Birmingham City when he was still 17. After two years of rapid progress playing for Sunderland in the Championship, the last of Jobe's 89 appearances for the club came in their thrilling play-off final victory over Sheffield United last month. Signed for just £2 million in the summer of 2023, largely thanks to his close relationship with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, who helped steer both Bellingham brothers through the academy at Birmingham, Jobe will become the most expensive player in Borussia Dortmund's history if all the clauses are met. His new home 💛 — Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) June 10, 2025 The pressure, as it always has been when you have the same surname as one of the most famous players in the world, will be on him once more. Recognising that the Bellingham family always had a path mapped out for the midfielder, Sunderland did not stand in his way and the fee of £28 million, with another £4.2 million due in achievable add-ons, represents a remarkably profitable piece of business. Bellingham was one of Sunderland's best players last season and, while his departure certainly weakens them, it is telling that there has been little resentment surrounding his exit. After all, Bellingham did what he signed for Sunderland to do. He developed as a player and helped the team improve. A talent like his was always going to move on eventually and, after two years, he and his family felt the time was right to take on an even bigger challenge at a Champions League club like Dortmund. Farewell to Wearside 'It's time for me to say farewell to all the loyal people of Sunderland,' Bellingham wrote on Instagram. 'Who have powered me through two incredible years in Red & White. 'You welcomed me as a kid leaving home for the first time, and I am proud that our relationship has grown to be so strong ever since. Your support for the team and I since I arrived at your club was unwavering, and for that I am forever indebted to you as people and supporters. 'I will always represent Wearside in all that I strive to achieve in the rest of my career, wherever that may be. 'I hope that I have made you proud along the way, and in return you have made me the player that has reached the heights I find myself at today. So thank you. I will love and remember you fondly for the rest of my life, from the bottom of my heart.' After a difficult and challenging first season on Wearside, in which Sunderland struggled under three different managers and he – at the age of just 18 – was asked to play out of position as a striker, Bellingham has been brilliant in the centre of midfield, playing in a slightly deeper role. He has pace, power and finesse. Anyone who watched him last season knew he was destined for bigger and better things. Not least Régis Le Bris, his manager, the Frenchman who unexpectedly guided a young Sunderland side to promotion in his first season in charge. It was perhaps telling, when asked to explain Bellingham's qualities, that the first thing Le Bris mentioned when asked by Telegraph Sport earlier this year was 'ambition'. That can be perceived as a negative word, especially in football when you are playing for a big, proud club like Sunderland. But Le Bris meant it as a compliment. It is the ambition to improve and to learn; the constant drive and determination to be a better player than the one he is today. 'There are many [qualities], there is a long list,' Le Bris said. 'Probably his ambition is one of the first ideas I have when I think about Jobe. 'He is very ambitious, but this ambition is not naive. It is connected with what he is doing every day in training and every game on the pitch. 'He has many good qualities as a footballer. He is very powerful and he understands the game very well. He is really interested in the game and because of that he is able to improve with experiences. He can learn very quickly. One of the things that constantly stands out is Bellingham's maturity. He is already an imposing physical specimen, but there is no hint of arrogance or conceit. 'He is older than his age,' Le Bris added. 'He has more maturity. He is like an exception in the sport. It is not easy to play at the level he is doing so at his age, but he is doing so well. 'I don't know what he will go on to achieve, it is too early to tell, but he has already achieved a high level of consistency.' There is also a humbleness. Protected by his father Mark, who lived with him in the North East and will now move to Dortmund with him, there is no desire to play the media game. Having made such a high-profile move to Germany for such a significant fee, there will be more interest in him than ever before. Speaking to Dortmund's club website, the teenager spoke confidently and clearly. Asked about the move, having had interest from a number of other clubs in England and Germany, he replied: 'To be honest, I had to think about it for a long time. Not because of anything that has to do with the club, but because of my story, my personal journey with Sunderland. 'I weighed [things up] for a long time. That's why I'm sure it's the right decision. I talked to many people in the club, some I already knew. Of course also with the trainer, in whom I really believe and who fortunately also believes in me. 'But the decisive factor was probably the conversation with Mr [Hans-Joachim] Watzke [Dortmund's CEO]. He finally convinced me to sign with Borussia Dortmund. I'm sure I made the right decision. I'm really excited now. 'To be honest, I've improved quite a lot. Technically, tactically, physically, just everything. I try to improve myself every day. I like to work, I am disciplined and committed, because I take it all very seriously. 'I try to improve my craft and not be influenced by external influences and such things. I think that was also important to sign here at Dortmund at the end, because it was the best decision I could make. 'I will continue here in the same way, working hard and simply focusing on the essentials. I work hard for the team and for my team-mates and hope that we can experience some really good moments together. Once I get used to it [the new club and environment] and can start to perform… the rest will come by itself.'
Telegraph
35 minutes ago
- Telegraph
CNN reporter detained during LA protests live on air
A CNN reporter was detained by police live on air while covering the protests in Los Angeles. Jason Carroll was led away by officers on Monday night with his hands held behind his back, despite identifying himself as a correspondent with the broadcaster. 'I'm being detained… I'm not being arrested, correct officers?' he could be heard saying, as he was taken outside a security perimeter. Mr Carroll, who appears to have been detained for under 30 seconds, said the incident was unusual because police normally 'realise that the press is there doing a job'. 'You take a lot of risks as press – this is low on that sort of scale of risks. But it is something that I wasn't expecting, simply because we've been out here all day,' he said. Carroll: I was walking over to the officer, tried to explain who I was, who I was with. He said, I'd like you to turn around. I turned around, I put my hands behind my back. They did not put me in zip ties, but they did grab both my hands as I was escorted over to the side, they… — Acyn (@Acyn) June 10, 2025 CNN said two of its security personnel were also briefly detained by the police before being released without charge. Several journalists were shot by officers using non-lethal rounds as they covered the protests over the weekend, including Nick Stern, a British photographer, The New York Post's Toby Canham, and Australian TV reporter Lauren Tomasi. Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, described Ms Tomasi's experience as 'horrific' and said he had raised the issue with the US government. Donald Trump deployed 2,000 members of the National Guard to Los Angeles over the weekend, prompting a power struggle with Gavin Newsom, the California governor, and a further 700 US marines were expected to arrive on Monday night. On Monday, Mr Newsom announced he would sue the Trump administration over the deployments, accusing the US president of seeking to inflame the demonstrations that erupted over immigration raids. 'It's a blatant abuse of power. We will sue to stop this,' he said on social media. 'The Courts and Congress must act. Checks and balances are crumbling. This is a red line – and they're crossing it. Wake up!' However, John Fetterman, the Democrat senator for Pennsylvania, has criticised his party for failing to call out 'anarchy and true chaos', which have seen cars torches and shops looted. 'My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement,' he said. White House sources have said they view the riots as a political opportunity that would put the Democrats on the side of protesters and against the views of the majority of Americans. 'We couldn't script this any better... Democrats are again on the '20' side of an 80-20 issue,' a person close to the administration told Politico. 'We're happy to have this fight,' a White House official quoted by NBC News said. A Trump adviser said the government's response was 'what America voted for' in last year's election, adding: 'This is the America First focus that got the president elected and is driven by nothing else than what he promised American voters.' Tensions have flared elsewhere in the US, with protesters clashing with law enforcement and being arrested in Dallas and Austin at rallies against immigration and customs enforcement (ICE). Mr Trump is also using the opportunity to push his 'one big, beautiful' tax-and-spend bill through the Senate, Axios reported. Republican senators are apparently being told by the president they need to pass the legislation, which is facing an uncertain passage through Congress, to release federal funds for immigration enforcement. 'It's the best BBB [big beautiful bill] marketing ever. It has brought the critical nature of increased border funding and immigration enforcement to the fore,' said Andrew Kolvet, spokesman for conservative group Turning Point USA. He added: 'Everyone we're talking to in the Senate says this put it over the top.' Trump could invoke Insurrection Act Mr Trump labelled rioters 'insurrectionists', prompting speculation he could invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act, which would allow deployed troops to arrest protesters. Currently, their role is limited to supporting police rather than directly participating in law enforcement. When asked if he would invoke the Insurrection Act, Mr Trump said: 'If there's an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We'll see. But I can tell you, last night was terrible. The night before that was terrible.' Stephen Miller, the deputy White House chief of staff and the architect of Mr Trump's immigration policy, reportedly greenlit the raids on workplaces which sparked the Los Angeles riots. According to The Wall Street Journal, Mr Miller instructed ICE officers to shift the focus from foreign criminals and 'go out there and arrest illegal aliens', to fulfil the president's campaign pledge for mass deportations. He reportedly directed agents to target Home Depot and 7-Eleven convenience stores, asking for a show of hands and asking: 'Who here thinks they can do it?' Officers subsequently raided a Home Depot on Friday in the Westlake neighbourhood of Los Angeles, helping set off days' worth of protests. 'Keeping President Trump's promise to deport illegal aliens is something the administration takes seriously,' said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman. 'We are committed to aggressively and efficiently removing illegal aliens from the United States, including illegal aliens who commit additional crimes once arriving illegally in the United States. 'President Trump's 'one big, beautiful bill' will ensure law enforcement officers have the resources necessary to keep the President's promise. The safety of the American people depends upon this.' On Tuesday, a Pentagon official told a congressional committee that the deployment of the National Guard and US marines to Los Angeles, which has been guaranteed for 60 days, was expected to cost $134 million. Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, special assistant to Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, said most of the funding would be taken up by housing, feeding and transporting troops.
