Hundreds of Bolton Wanderers football fans have been detained at a Belgrade hotel ahead of the club's Uefa Cup tie.
Hundreds of Bolton Wanderers football fans were detained at a Belgrade hotel ahead of the club's Uefa Cup tie.
Serbian police have held the supporters at the Hotel National amid security fears after trouble involving Red Star Belgrade supporters last weekend.
Serbian police held the supporters at the Hotel National amid security fears after trouble involving Red Star Belgrade supporters last weekend.
The club said the fans, on an official trip, are being held without reasonable explanation and it has expressed its "frustration and disappointment".
The club said the fans, on an official trip, were held without reasonable explanation and it has expressed its "frustration and disappointment".
Bolton face Red Star in a Uefa Cup Group F match on Thursday evening.
Bolton are playing Red Star in a Uefa Cup Group F match.
Strong representations
Strong representations
A statement by Bolton said the club's feelings were shared by Uefa, the FA, the British Embassy, Red Star, and travelling British police.
A statement by Bolton said the club's feelings were shared by Uefa, the FA, the British Embassy, Red Star, and travelling British police.
The club said the supporters had been prevented from visiting Belgrade city centre before the match.
The club said the supporters had been prevented from visiting Belgrade city centre before the match.
The actions of the Serbian police have been made entirely unilaterally Bolton Wanderers FC statement
The actions of the Serbian police have been made entirely unilaterally Bolton Wanderers FC statement
"Strong and intensive" representations had been made to the local police since the incident started, the club added.
"Strong and intensive" representations had been made to the local police since the incident started, the club added.
The statement said: "However, all attempts to resolve this situation have been met with the response 'the matter is under consideration' from the Belgrade police.
The statement said: "However, all attempts to resolve this situation have been met with the response 'the matter is under consideration' from the Belgrade police.
"The actions of the Serbian police have been made entirely unilaterally and with no prior warning or agreement with Bolton Wanderers FC or other relevant parties.
"The actions of the Serbian police have been made entirely unilaterally and with no prior warning or agreement with Bolton Wanderers FC or other relevant parties.
"Bolton Wanderers FC are fully aware of a crowd order situation that arose last Saturday (when a Serbian police officer was attacked with flares), and we do understand that this may have increased security issues for the local police."
"Bolton Wanderers FC are fully aware of a crowd order situation that arose last Saturday (when a Serbian police officer was attacked with flares), and we do understand that this may have increased security issues for the local police."
The club said it was seeking clarification of unconfirmed reports that the Serbian police had received specific intelligence that Bolton supporters were at risk of attack in the city centre.
The club said it was seeking clarification of unconfirmed reports that the Serbian police had received specific intelligence that Bolton supporters were at risk of attack in the city centre.
The fans expressed "frustrated resignation" at being cloistered in the hotel, a Foreign Office spokesman said.
Five British police officers had accompanied the fans, he said.
The Belgrade police commander was "very apologetic about the situation", he added.
Are you a Bolton supporter who was held in the National hotel in Belgrade? Or do you have any friends or relatives that have gone to Serbia to see the game? If so, how have they been affected by the police intervention?
Are you a Bolton supporter who was held in the National hotel in Belgrade? Or do you have any friends or relatives that have gone to Serbia to see the game? If so, how have they been affected by the police intervention?
Tell us your experiences by filling in the form below.
Tell us your experiences by filling in the form below.
