MP urges football clubs to help pay for matchday police cost

Shipley MP urges football clubs to help pay for matchday police costs

By Mark Stanford

T&A Reporter


Shipley MP Philip Davies speaking in the House of Commons

SHIPLEY MP Philip Davies has urged professional football clubs to help pay for policing costs at matches.

He said if the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) refused then Government should set in law the amount clubs have to pay to police forces attending their homes games.

Mr Davies said: "I have met with the Home Secretary to discuss this with her, and can I urge the minister to get the Home Secretary to meet with the Premier League and the EFL and ask them to make a voluntary contribution off the massive amounts of money they get from TV rights before they redistribute it out to the clubs.


"If they refuse to do so legislate to make sure police forces get a realistic figure for the cost of policing matches, as otherwise it is money that is taken away from neighbourhood policing in all of our constituencies."

Mr Davies made the comments in the House of Commons after Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh said the Metropolitan Police spent almost £7 million last year policing Premier League games.

Despite the huge cost and that clubs draw in £240m each match day, she said clubs only contributed £360,000.

Mr Davies wants football clubs and other sporting organisations to pay a decent proportion of cost to over-stretched forces.

Sports Minister Tracey Crouch said: "They do contribute over £2.4billion into the public finances from Premier League.

"We are aware of the continued increase in costs to police for football matches and other sporting events and this is something we have an ongoing discussion with all those that are involved."

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Wonder how they arrive at how many police
Needed at what games? Sounds like open cheque book for police overtime they will be rubbing hands with glee!

Why should they? If the police feel like they need to attend a fixture, it is off of their own back (unless the club asks them too).

Stupid idea, will still most likely get passed off though.

Why don't sky pay, most changes that require extra police are made by them.

Why don't sky pay, most changes that require extra police are made by them.

Good Point - But SKY would get their users to pay for it .

clubs already pay through the nose for policing. half the time there are police when they are clearly not needed, or there are far too many there. no prizes for guessing why.

some games they even bring horse mounted police! i have never seen a need for horse mounted police in the 8 years we have been at the CCS.