Hunt for Hibs hooligans after riot in Bolton shopping park

POLICE are hunting Hibs casuals who were involved in ugly scenes following the pre-season friendly with Bolton, smashing shop windows and fighting with rival supporters.

Violence erupted after fans were ejected from Bolton's Reebok Stadium during the 0-0 draw on Saturday afternoon. It is believed hooligans attached to English clubs had organised to fight with those attached to Hibs and Celtic before the game.

Riot police were called in after scores of supporters began fighting in a retail park next to the stadium, smashing store-fronts and forcing three shops to lock their doors with frightened shoppers inside.

Greater Manchester Police are now working with Scottish police to identify those responsible and have said they will seek football banning orders for the culprits.

Around 30 or 40 Bolton fans were said to have been involved in the disorder, many of whom were wearing England replica shirts.

Staff at the Middlebrook retail park claimed a mob of angry Hibs casuals punched a man in the back of the head and chased another man who tried to help him.

Elsewhere in the city, a group of 40 Hibs fans were returning to their minibus when fighting broke out. Eyewitnesses said the Hibs fans' minibus was vandalised to stop them escaping. Two people were later arrested at the scene.

Lee Charlton, landlord of the Hare and Hounds pub, said about 100 people arrived in black taxis to attack the Hibs fans.

He said: "We've been washing blood off the walls outside, but we never saw anyone get hit. We locked the doors and went upstairs and watched out the window.

"I'm told it was all pre-arranged – organised firms from Oldham, Bolton and Manchester to come and fight Hibs and Celtic fans."

Celtic and St Mirren were also playing in the north-west of England at the weekend.

Police had reportedly been tipped-off that trouble was planned. Two officers from Lothian and Borders Police travelled to Bolton to help with policing.

The trouble started during the second half of Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen's testimonial game after sectarian chanting led police to escort dozens of fans from the stadium.

Chief Superintendent George Fawcett, the match commander, said: "Football intelligence officers are reviewing CCTV footage from both the stadium and from the evidence-gathering teams who were at the scene."

After the match, fans wrote about the trouble on online message boards. One Hibs supporter said: "To the 98 per cent of Hibs fans – well done, you did your club proud. To the other two per cent – you're idiots and belong back in the 1980s."

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "If Greater Manchester Police require our assistance, we will duly oblige."

A Hibs spokeswoman said: "As always, we will co-operate fully with any police inquiries. However, we would stress that the majority of the 2,500 supporters who travelled behaved well and were a credit to the club."