A West Ham supporter sat in a piece of a stadium attacked by AZ Alkmaar followers after the Europa Convention League semi-final stated there have been no police close by and stewards couldn’t cope.
A number of West Ham gamers confronted the group that had attacked the world that contained their family and friends.
Russell Raphael described the incident on the AFAS Stadion as “scary”.
“There have been stewards there however no police to cease them,” Raphael advised the BBC Information Channel.
“Greater than 30 of them in balaclavas by some means breached their space and had been operating in direction of us.
“Some very courageous West Ham followers, about 10 rows to our proper, had been doing their finest to cease them, the stewards had been doing their finest.
“The gamers as a substitute of celebrating with the principle away help panicked and noticed their households being threatened, so that they very understandably ran to become involved.
“These [fans in] balaclavas, hooded, all wearing black, it’s a scary factor and we had been very fortunate to not be bodily concerned.”
Michail Antonio and Stated Benrahma had been among the many gamers who tried to intervene, whereas the 87-year-old father of West Ham supervisor David Moyes was reportedly sat within the stands within the Netherlands.
It’s understood the households of the gamers had been unhurt.
West Ham received the sport 1-0 for a 3-1 combination victory.
“The safety stepping into was superb. You count on to be herded like cattle in these away video games, that is the way in which it’s,” added Raphael, who watched the match together with his son, Aidan.
“They stored us again for a very long time after the sport and there was numerous police going out. I did not really feel in peril across the floor. Within the floor it was simply stewards who had been clearly unable to deal with what was occurring.
“It will need to have taken 10 minutes for the police to reach.”
European soccer’s governing physique Uefa will evaluation reviews of the incidents earlier than deciding on any motion.
Dutch police stated they had been investigating footage of the incident however no arrests had been made.
“I used to be disillusioned as a result of I felt prefer it took the eye off the crew and what we did,” stated Moyes on Friday.
“There was nothing we may do, or that West Ham as a membership may do. Like anybody, in case you noticed your loved ones members in bother you then’d go and assist out and that was the state of affairs.
“Sadly it is taken up numerous the information and time. However we’re not letting it take away from the actual fact we reached the ultimate, which is an excellent achievement.”
AZ Alkmaar supervisor Pascal Jansen stated he was “a bit bit ashamed” that the incident had occurred of their stadium, whereas Pantelis Hatzidiakos was one in all a number of AZ gamers who condemned the violence.
“I feel it is unhappy what occurred. My household was up there. I’ve been involved with them and my girlfriend stated they had been shaking,” the Greece defender advised Dutch tv.
“I do not even name them supporters. Simply keep dwelling when you’ve got such intentions.”
