Fever pitch: Mayhem at football game as youths stage running battle

Up to 40 rival gang members descended on the under-16 league match between Lochend Youth FC and Duddingston-based Cavalry Park at the pitches in Seafield.

The match had to be abandoned at half-time after some of the youths produced weapons, many of which were salvaged from a nearby council dump, and staged a running battle.

Four youths – one aged 17, two aged 16 and a 15-year-old – were arrested and charged with weapon offences after being chased by police.

An eyewitness described the gangs clashing with golf clubs, metal poles and sticks, while terrified fans also said they had heard some of the youths were carrying knives.

Around a dozen youths from the Lochend area are believed to have been chased from the pitches by more than 20 teenagers from a gang made up of teenagers from Craigmillar, Niddrie, Bingham, Duddingston and Portobello.

Club officials said the violence was not sparked by events during the game, and they believe troublemakers had latched on to the match as an excuse to fight rival gangs. The eyewitness said: "They were running at each other with golf clubs, metal poles, sticks and anything else they could find. Some of them had found weapons at the scrapyard next door and brought them.

"One lot finally chased the other away and they all went running across the pitch. It was really scary, especially for the kids playing. Four police cars arrived but they had all scattered by then."

The referee abandoned the South East Region Youth FA division three fixture, which was being held on the football pitches next to Craigentinny Golf Course on Wednesday night.

Officials said the game was not marred by trouble on the field, but the gathering of youths on the sideline had caused concern before violence erupted at around 7:30pm.

A spokesman for Lochend FC said: "We're not happy about this because these people have nothing to do with our club and we don't want to be tarred with that. They may have latched on to the game as an excuse to fight, which is beyond our control."

Officers chased a group of youths along Craigentinny Road towards Restalrig Drive before cornering them in Loaning Crescent in Restalrig.

The youths had allegedly discarded sticks they were carrying, but CCTV footage later showed that they had been in possession of the weapons minutes earlier. A police spokesman said: "Police stopped a number of male youths nearby, four of whom were arrested and charged with alleged weapons offences."

No-one from Cavalry Park, which is based at Holyrood High School, could be reached for comment.

A SORRY BACKGROUND OF VIOLENCE

AMATEUR football in the Capital has been marred by violence both on and off the field in recent years.

Edinburgh referee Tam Carter was left nursing a bloody nose after being headbutted by a schoolboy player at the end of a match between Leith Athletic and Ayr Boswell in Peffermill in August 2008.

In May that year, an East of Scotland Premier League match between Dalbeattie Star and Edinburgh City match was called off after the ref was allegedly attacked by a player.

And in November 2007, an East Region junior football match between Dalkeith Thistle and Harthill Royal had to be abandoned after a brawl.