Blues win appeal against ban on supporters at Windsor Park
LINFIELD’S stadium ban has been lifted by the Irish Football Association.
The Blues released a statement last night confirming a successful appeal against the punishment that had been set to see them play two forthcoming Sports Direct Premiership fixtures behind closed doors at Windsor Park.
Arguing that the sanction — imposed for supporters’ use of pyrotechnics during February’s
defeat to Coleraine at The Showgrounds — had been “unduly harsh”, the penalty has instead been reduced to only club members and season ticket holders being eligible to attend the games in question.
Linfield’s next two home fixtures will not be known until the completion of their Premiership encounter with Carrick Rangers at the Loughview Leisure Arena on Tuesday, April 2.
It is anticipated, however, that the Blues will host Coleraine on Tuesday, April 16 before welcoming title rivals Larne to Windsor four days later and these will be the games impacted by restricted attendances.
The Kop Stand will be closed for both matches, as was the case when David Healy’s side overcame Newry City on March 16 — a consequence of supporter misconduct during the Boxing Day derby with Glentoran.
The next Linfield home match without any ticketing conditions applied to Blues fans by the IFA is likely to be their final League game of the season against Cliftonville
on Saturday, April 27.
An excerpt from Linfield’s statement warned: “Despite the partial success of this disciplinary challenge, our supporters should be left in no doubt that any further crowd misbehaviour, at home or away games, will lead to significant disciplinary consequences being imposed on the club. In particular, we have a suspended punishment of potentially having to play a home game behind closed doors if any further spectator disturbances occur before 31st December 2024.”