Fans protest at stadium match ban

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Hundreds of football fans are gathering in Wolverhampton to protest over a ban on Cardiff City fans attending a match.

Several coach loads of Bluebirds fans are meeting supporters of other clubs in the city centre for an hour-long rally opposing the ban by Wolves.

The decision followed crowd trouble at previous games between the clubs.

A decision is to be taken later on whether weather conditions will allow an airship to fly, which has been hired by 13 Cardiff fans to watch the game.

Cardiff City supporters' groups said they expected more than 200 people to attend the rally in Wolverhampton's St Peter's Square.

We've already achieved what we wanted with the publicity that has come from this Cardiff supporter Paul Corkrey

The protest is expected to last between 0900 GMT and 1000 GMT before supporters return to Cardiff.

It is believed many pubs in Wolverhampton city centre are to remain closed until after the game's 1300 GMT kick-off.

Last week, 13 Cardiff City fans hired an airship to fly over Molineux stadium during the match, allowing them to see the game.

A decision on whether the airship could fly was expected on Saturday morning when weather conditions have been assessed.

The protest has been designated a "Fans United" event by organisers.

Paul Corkrey, of Cardiff City supporters' group Valley Rams, said it had gathered support from fans of many other clubs.

Cardiff fans had planned to hire an airship to watch the game

He said: "This ban sets a dangerous precedent for everyone.

"We've been told that fans of Portsmouth, Stoke, Port Vale and Blackpool are coming along.

"Everything we can do legally to oppose this has been done - we have no legal case but we have morality on our side.

"We've already achieved what we wanted with the publicity that has come from this - particularly the blimp.

"There's been interest from all over the place - the LA Times phoned me last week - all asking the same thing."

'Disappointing'

Cardiff City Supporters' Club chair, Vince Alm, said: "We'd much rather be going up for the game but there it is. We can only hope that by making our stand as we are that neither we nor the supporters of any other club will have to suffer such bans."

Wolves have indicated that the decision to ban the Bluebirds fans was taken "owing to problems with visiting supporters over the past two seasons".

Charges of failing to control fans were made against Cardiff City but were later dismissed by the Football Association of Wales.

Cardiff City said in light of this, the decision to ban fans was "even more disappointing".

The protest has been jointly organised by the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF), which represents over 140,000 fans in Wales and England.

FSF chair Malcolm Clarke said: "The line should be drawn between the hooligans on the one side and everybody else on the other.

"This decision puts the ordinary innocent Cardiff City fans on the wrong side of the line."

West Midlands Police said they would "maintain public safety and order" during the protest.

Chief Supt Richard Green, commander at Wolverhampton's Bilston Street police station, said: "There will be an increased police presence compared to a normal Saturday in the city with police officers, PCSOs and specials providing reassurance to the public."