Devon and Cornwall Police have warned supporters to behave ahead of Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City’s Devon derby at Home Park on Monday night.
The EFL Cup first-round tie was due to kick off at 20:00 BST, with police treating the match as a priority because of the potential for football-related disorder.
Police warning ahead of the derby
Match commander Supt Ryan Doyle said a robust policing response would be taken against anyone who chose to misbehave, with arrests and potential banning orders possible for those involved.
He also said Plymouth residents would see a heightened police presence on match day, and stressed that officers were focused on making sure the fixture remained a safe and enjoyable event.
Previous meeting was largely trouble free
The warning came before a Devon derby that police said was largely trouble free the last time the sides met, although there were still a small number of arrests. That background appears to be a key reason for the preventive message before Monday’s game.
Police said they were aware of a minority of people who are intent on engaging in poor behaviour, and the message was clearly aimed at stopping that from affecting the fixture.
With Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City meeting at Home Park in the EFL Cup first round, officers are expecting a busy night in Devon and want the focus to stay on the football.
