Conditions of Sale

For most clubs in the NPower Championship, the football division below the Premier League, the season is now over. Cardiff City will be promoted as champions, along with Hull City, who came second. The next four teams are competing for the third promotion place. Leicester City beat Watford 1-0 in their first leg last night; Crystal Palace are playing Brighton and Hove Albion this evening; after the second legs on Sunday and Monday the winners will meet at Wembley.
 
Palace and Brighton have a longstanding rivalry. Violence between fans isn’t unknown. It’s standard practice with such ‘high risk’ matches for the police to make special plans. Police numbers go up, and more or less onerous restrictions are placed on fans: only season ticket holders may be eligible for tickets to away matches; trains to and from the match may be alcohol-free; movement outside the ground after the game may be limited.
 
But the restrictions on Brighton fans going to Palace tonight are something new. 

Read the rest here:

http://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2013/05/10/harry-stopes/conditions-of-sale/